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: 1/31/20

January 31, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A trio of girls basketball headliners lead off our list of Thursday’s high achievers across the state, which also included coverage from boys basketball, boys swimming & diving and hockey.

1. Girls Basketball: Detroit Cass Tech handed the first loss this season to Detroit Martin Luther King 68-43, clinching the Detroit Public School League East championship with the win – Detroit News

2. Girls Basketball: Camden-Frontier handed Pittsford its first loss of the season, 54-34 – Hillsdale Daily News

3. Girls Basketball: Pinconning’s Lauren Laures set program records for points in a game and career during a 74-40 win over Farwell – Bay City Times

4. Boys Basketball: Joe Liedel scored a school-record 54 points to lead Erie Mason past Onsted 70-67 in double overtime – Monroe News

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: No. 4 Holland West Ottawa won a matchup of Lower Peninsula Division 1 foes, 186-116 over Rockford – Holland Sentinel

6. Boys Basketball: Andre Floyd’s basket during the closing seconds pushed Southfield Arts & Technology past Farmington 66-65 – C&G Newspapers

7. Boys Basketball: Thanks also to Erie Mason’s win, Blissfield moved into a three-way tie for first in the Lenawee County Athletic Association with a 76-52 victory over Ida – Adrian Daily Telegram

8. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD2 honorable mention Gibraltar Carlson celebrated nine event winners on the way to defeating Allen Park 111-74 – Southgate News-Herald

9. Hockey: Ben Hepp scored four goals, including two short-handed, to key Oxford/Avondale’s win over Bishop Foley United – Oakland Press

10. Boys Basketball: Ravenna moved to 11-0 with a 60-42 win over Montague – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

Wrestling: The second Michigan Wrestling Association Girls State Championships will be wrestled Sunday, with nearly double the field of the first year’s event – Adrian Daily Telegram

Boys Basketball: From Wednesday, Chase Ingersoll scored 31 points and broke the school’s career scoring record during Fife Lake Forest Area’s 79-67 win over Buckley – MI Sports Now

Boys Basketball: Bullock Creek’s Brant O’Keefe will be recognized Saturday for saving his father’s life with CPR this past fall – Saginaw News