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: 6/4/19

June 4, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Nearly half of Baseball and Softball District tournaments finished Monday across the state, with a share of upsets and statement wins making for an exciting afternoon.

1. Baseball: Onsted edged No. 3 Napoleon 4-3 to lock up a Division 3 District championship – Adrian Daily Telegram

2. Softball: No. 2 Clarkston moved on to a Division 1 Regional with a big win over No. 5 Lake Orion – State Champs Sports Network

3. Baseball: Stevensville Lakeshore broke a late-season losing streak and downed No. 6 Edwardsburg 5-3 to earn a third-straight District title – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Baseball: No. 17 Fowlerville got past No. 5 Mason 5-3 in a District Final matchup of ranked teams in Division 2, and after Mason beat No. 7 Williamston in 15 innings to advance – Lansing State Journal

5. Softball: Addison Cooley hit a pair of home runs to lead No. 7 Bay City Western past rival and honorable mention Bay City Central in a Division 1 District Final – Midland Daily News

6. Baseball: No. 8 Beal City outlasted Breckenridge 16-13 in a Division 4 District Final – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

7. Softball: Frankenmuth got past Saginaw Swan Valley 7-6 in a matchup of Division 2 honorable mentions, then downed Carrollton to lock up a District title – Saginaw News

8. Softball: Leah Vaughan struck out 15 as No. 6 Spring Lake got past Coopersville 2-0 to win a fifth straight District title, in Division 2 – Grand Haven Tribune

9. Softball: Vicksburg locked down Three Rivers 10-0 and went on to defeat Otsego 7-3 to claim a Division 2 District title – JoeInsider.com

10. Baseball: Oxford downed Lake Orion in Division 1 for its first District title in more than a decade – Oakland Press