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: 4/18/19

April 18, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A meeting of top girls tennis teams from the Lower Peninsula highlighted a Wednesday that also saw state-ranked foes meet on the baseball diamond as well.

1. Girls Tennis: Midland Dow – No. 6 in LP Division 1 – and LPD2 No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm tied for first at the former’s home quad, ahead of LPD2 No. 9 Traverse City Central and No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – Midland Daily News

2. Baseball: Division 2 No. 13 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett split a doubleheader – State Champs Sports Network

3. Boys Golf: Holland West Ottawa shot a 326 to win the annual Wooden Shoe Invitational – Holland Sentinel

4. Softball: Division 2 No. 6 Spring Lake swept Sparta to run its Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue winning streak to 80 games – Local Sports Journal

5. Softball: Peighton Root’s two-run walk-off homer pushed Division 2 honorable mention Chelsea past Saline 6-5 – Chelsea Sun Times News

6. Boys Golf: Durand finished first and New Lothrop second at the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference preseason tournament – Owosso Argus-Press

7. Girls Soccer: For the first time in at least a decade, Traverse City St. Francis downed Elk Rapids – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Softball: Karlie Patron tossed her first career no-hitter as Ishpeming Westwood shut out Manistique – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Baseball: Kyle Richey tossed a no-hitter as Trenton downed Allen Park – Southgate News-Herald

10. Track & Field: East Kentwood swept Grand Haven, but both results were decided by 25 or fewer points – Grand Haven Tribune

Also of note …

Girls Lacrosse: Maddy Champagne scored an MHSAA-record 15 goals in Livonia Stevenson’s 20-5 win over Royal Oak – Observer & Eccentric