Why be an Official? (Grand Rapids Press)

January 25, 2012

The Grand Rapids Press' Jane Bos tells the story of some of the most valuable, yet often-criticized people who help make our games go -- the officials enforcing the rules. 

Consider this interesting point: On a Tuesday or Friday, the O-K Conference must come up with 150 officials to work its basketball games. And it, like most if not all leagues, always is looking for more.

She also explains how another former Press sportswriter, Howie Beardsley, got into the reffing game.

Check it out:

"Why West Michigan high school referees say you should consider wearing stripes"

Today in the MHSAA: 12/4/19

December 4, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls basketball season has begun across the state, and we also included a big-time hockey rivalry game in today’s first “Today” of the winter season.

1. Girls Basketball: Jenison picked up an impressive 59-52 win over Hamilton, a Division 2 semifinalist last season – Holland Sentinel

2. Girls Basketball: Two-time reigning Class D/Division 4 champion Adrian Lenawee Christian opened with a 59-48 win over Michigan Center – JTV

3. Girls Basketball: Flint Carman-Ainsworth outlasted Kearsley 57-51 in a rematch of last season’s Division 1 District Final – Flint Journal

4. Girls Basketball: Escanaba earned its first win over Marquette since 2012, 55-46 – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Girls Basketball: Midland Dow downed Freeland 42-26, as the Falcons began their season without recently-deceased coach Tom Zolinski – Midland Daily News

6. Girls Basketball: Traverse City West came back from a 15-point deficit to get past Benzie Central 50-46 in overtime – Traverse City Record-Eagle

7. Girls Basketball: Kent City trailed by 15 early but came all the way back for a 51-48 win over Comstock Park – FOX 17

8. Hockey: Division 2 No. 5 Marquette took a 6-1 win from Escanaba in the Redmen’s home opener – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Girls Basketball: Port Huron Northern outscored St. Clair 16-4 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 46-32 win – Port Huron Times-Herald

10. Girls Basketball: East Jordan’s Jayden Weber scored 32 points to lead her team past Mancelona 52-27 – Petoskey News-Review

Also of note ...

Unified Sports: From Saturday, Hugh Bernreuter explained some of the success story behind the growing Unified Sports effort as flag football games were played at Ford Field for the second-straight year – Saginaw News