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: 4/29/19

April 29, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Power-packed matchups in golf and tennis highlighted action from the final weekend of April, with close finishes separating champions from the rest at three events topping today’s list.

1. Boys Golf: Rockford – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – shot a 302 to edge Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern by two strokes and win the Bedford Valley Open – Midland Daily News

2. Girls Tennis: LPD1 No. 7 Midland Dow edged No. 4 Northville by two points to win the eight-team Ann Arbor Huron Invitational – Midland Daily News

3. Boys Golf: LPD2 No. 2 East Grand Rapids repeated as Traverse City Tee-Off champion, shooting a two-day 680 to edge Brighton by a stroke – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. Softball: Division 1 No. 3 Bay City Western and Division 3 No. 3 Sanford Meridian split a pair of one-run games – Midland Daily News

5. Track & Field: Battle Creek Lakeview swept the All-City meet championships – Battle Creek Enquirer

6. Girls Lacrosse: Elena Salazar had seven goals and an assist to lead Hartland past Brighton 16-8; the teams were ranked Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, entering the week – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

7. Girls soccer: No. 6 Midland tied No. 10 Rochester Adams 0-0 in a matchup of ranked teams in Division 1 – Midland Daily News

8. Track & Field: Olivet swept the Union City Invitational championships, the Division 2 top-ranked boys by just 26 points ahead of Marshall – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Baseball: Division 2 No. 17 Detroit Country Day swept Division 1 No. 19 Bay City Western, with Aaron Dolney throwing a no-hitter in the opener – Midland Daily News

10. Softball: Division 3 No. 10 Gladstone improved to 13-1 with Traverse City St. Francis Invitational wins over Charlevoix, Kalkaska and Oscoda – Escanaba Daily Press