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: 5/19/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 19, 2023

1. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 6 Okemos got past Division 3 No. 5 Williamston 2-0 to claim the Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup – Lansing State Journal

2. BASEBALL Division 4 No. 19 Merrill finished its first league title run since 1985 with a sweep of Coleman in the Mid-State Activities Conference – Saginaw News

3. GIRLS SOCCER Division 4 No. 2 North Muskegon’s 3-0 win over Ludington finished a fifth-straight West Michigan Conference title run – CatchMark SportsNet

4. GIRLS SOCCER Walled Lake Northern avenged its only league loss with a 2-1 overtime win over Milford in the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament final – Oakland Press

5. SOFTBALL Division 3 honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis swept Elk Rapids to clinch a third-straight Lake Michigan Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle

6. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 14 Allen Park finished an outright championship run in the Downriver League with a big win over Trenton – Southgate News-Herald

7. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 2 Bay City Western claimed the Saginaw Valley League championship with a sweep of Davison – Midland Daily News

8. GIRLS SOCCER Cheboygan downed Tawas 3-1 to complete a repeat run in the Northern Michigan Soccer League East – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

9. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 6 Zeeland East clinched the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title outright with a shutout of Grand Rapids Union – Holland Sentinel

10. BASEBALL Marion finished a perfect run through the West Michigan D League with a sweep of Mason County Eastern – Ludington Daily News

Also of note …

SOFTBALL Division 4 honorable mention Indian River Inland Lakes clinched a share of the Ski Valley Conference championship with a sweep of Gaylord St. Mary – Cheboygan Daily News

SOFTBALL Division 4 No. 5 Hillman clinched a share of the North Star League Little Dipper title with a sweep of Posen – Alpena News

SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 7 Hartland and Division 2 top-ranked Gaylord split a high-powered doubleheader – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

BOYS LACROSSE Linden earned its first postseason win, 16-10 over Flint Powers Catholic in a Division 2 Regional, with Mitchel Luck scoring 10 goals – Mid-Michigan Now