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: 12/19/18

December 19, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

High-scoring individual hoops performances, buzzer-beating wins on the court and some big-time matchups in the pool fill today’s list of Tuesday’s high achievers.

1. Boys Basketball: Wayne Memorial’s Isaiah Lewis went over 1,000 points for his career with 50 in his team’s big win over Dearborn – Observer & Eccentric

2. Boys Basketball: J.D. Rawls set a Mount Morris record with 42 points in a 74-57 win over Otisville-LakeVille – Flint Journal

3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Holland Christian, No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, continued its run through the state’s best teams with wins over No. 3 Spring Lake and Caledonia – Holland Sentinel

4. Girls Basketball: East Jordan improved to 6-0 with a buzzer-beating win over Grayling, 37-36 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD1 No. 5 Ann Arbor Pioneer won every race in a big win over LPD3 honorable mention Chelsea – We Love Ann Arbor

6. Boys Basketball: Howell’s Kip French knocked down a 3-pointer with 15 seconds to play to push the Highlanders past Plymouth 44-43 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

7. Boys Basketball: Marquette got past Escanaba 61-51 in a matchup of last season’s top two teams in the Great Northern Upper Peninsula Conference – The Upbeat

8. Girls Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake handed Benzie Central its first defeat, 62-59 – MI Sports Now

9. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Union gave Grand Rapids Northview its first defeat, 73-60 – FOX 17

10. Girls Basketball: Coldwater held off a Kalamazoo Central comeback to improve to 5-0 with a 54-48 win – Coldwater Daily Reporter