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: 3/18/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 18, 2021

Wrestling joined the postseason flurry Wednesday with the start of Team District competition, while hockey continued through Regionals and a few more basketball teams celebrated championships and individual achievements.

1. Hockey: No. 6 Houghton advanced in a Division 3 Regional with a 5-1 win over No. 7 Hancock – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

2. Wrestling: Ravenna downed Hesperia and then Mason County Central to claim its first District title since 2011, in Division 4 – Local Sports Journal

3. Wrestling: Charlotte edged Eaton Rapids 36-33 to claim a Division 2 District championship – Lansing State Journal

4. Girls Basketball: Clawson defeated Eastpointe 47-37 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Bronze championship – Oakland Press

5. Girls Basketball: Hannah Vallier scored 37 points to become Vicksburg’s all-time leading score during a 58-31 win over Niles – Kalamazoo Gazette

6. Boys Basketball: Hunter Soper went over 1,000 career points in Croswell-Lexington’s 81-51 win over Almont – Port Huron Times Herald

7. Hockey: Top-ranked Byron Center came back from a third-period deficit to defeat Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern 3-2 in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – FOX 17

8. Wrestling: No. 10 Clarkston downed Troy and Waterford Kettering in Division 1 to claim a 15th-straight District title – Oakland Press

9. Wrestling: Holland ran its District title streak to three with wins over Hamilton and Zeeland East in Division 2 – Holland Sentinel

10. Boys Basketball: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian clinched the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red title with a 71-61 win over Lutheran Westland – Macomb Daily

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Elk Rapids defeated Kalkaska to clinch its first Lake Michigan Conference title, and first league championship in 28 years – MI Sports Now