Today in the MHSAA: 8/20/18

August 20, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media. 

1. Boys Soccer: Salem defeated reigning Division 1 champion Detroit Catholic Central in a shootout to claim the Balconi Invitational title at Canton – Observer & Eccentric

2. Girls Golf: Reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern came back to win the Lober Classic at Grand Traverse Resort, ahead of first-day leader Muskegon Reeths-Puffer – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Boys Tennis: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern finished 3-0 at Traverse City West on Friday, in the process earning coach Dave Sukup the 600th match win (boys and girls combined) of his career – Grand Rapids Press

4. Volleyball: Reigning Class C champion Bronson opened with a title at the 24-team Carrie Adams Tournament at Battle Creek St. Philip – Sturgis Journal

5. Boys Soccer: Midland Dow downed Grand Blanc, Haslett and Saginaw Swan Valley during an undefeated run at the Saginaw Heritage Invitational – Midland Daily News

6. Volleyball: Muskegon Western Michigan Christian went 7-1-1 over the first two days of the season, including a 4-0 run to win the Holton Invitational – Local Sports Journal

7. Girls Tennis: Last season’s runner-up Iron River West Iron County played reigning Upper Peninsula Division 2 champ Ishpeming Westwood to a shared title at the Kingsford Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News

8. Cross Country: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart swept the Division 3 races and Charlevoix swept Division 4 at the annual Ryan Shay Invitational – Athletic.net

9. Boys Tennis: Hudsonville, which tied for 11th in LPD1 last season, finished just ahead of Traverse City Central (which tied for 14th) to win Central’s invitational – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. Boys Soccer: Ludington opened 3-0 with shutouts of Shelby and Fruitport and a 5-1 win over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer at the Fruitport Invitational – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

Boys Tennis: Armada named its courts after coach Dave Fredette, who is entering his 53rd year after starting the boys program at the school – Macomb Daily

Stripes Worn Well (Muskegon Chronicle)

March 1, 2012

Tim Flahive has battled diabetes for all but a few years of his life. But he's also filled half of those years with high school sports as a longtime official based in the Muskegon area.

The Muskegon Chronicle's Mark Opfermann tells the story of Flahive's final basketball game last week -- and makes us appreciate even more the significant role our officials fill to no fanfare.

A powerful excerpt:

He left the court with no fanfare, took off his whistle and shed a few tears.

But Flahive's story isn’t just about sports and an official leaving the hobby he loves. It’s about courage, getting back up and pressing on.

So, I guess it’s a lot like sports after all. But it’s a whole lot more about life.

That’s because when Flahive took the court last week, he did it with half of his left foot missing.

Click to read on.