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: 10/25/19

October 25, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Half of next week’s MHSAA Boys Soccer Semifinals field was set Thursday, and it was a great night to be ranked No. 4, as two of those teams eliminated favorites in Regional Finals.

1. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian handed top-ranked Holland Christian its only loss this fall, 2-1 in a Division 2 Regional Final – FOX 17

2. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian eliminated top-ranked Grandville Calvin Christian 2-1 in a Division 4 Regional Final – Local Sports Journal

3. Boys Soccer: No. 2 Troy Athens scored the go-ahead goal during the final seconds of overtime to finish a Division 1 Regional championship run with a 3-2 win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – C&G Newspapers

4. Boys Soccer: Fenton downed No. 9 Detroit Country Day 2-1 to claim a Division 2 Regional title -- WJRT

5. Volleyball: Adrian Madison locked up its fourth straight Tri-County Conference championship with a pair of sweeps of Britton Deerfield – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Boys Soccer: Clarkston Everest Collegiate won its first Regional title in this sport, defeating Bax Axe 2-1 in the championship game – Oakland Press

7. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Manistique swept Gladstone to clinch its second straight Mid-Peninsula Conference championship – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Soccer: No. 8 Macomb Lutheran North clinched a Division 3 Regional title with a 3-0 win over Flint Powers Catholic – Macomb Daily

9. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Mattawan locked up a Division 2 Regional title with a 6-0 win over Middleville Thornapple Kellogg – WWMT

10. Volleyball: Vicksburg swept Otsego to clinch a shared Wolverine Conference title with Division 2 honorable mention Edwardsburg – JoeInsider.com

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: Top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer defeated No. 8 Ann Arbor Skyline 119-67 in a matchup of rivals and ranked teams in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – We Love Ann Arbor