Powerful Voice for High School Sports
December 19, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Paul Carey was home from the U.S. Army only a few months and just shy of 25 years old when Beal City embarked on its first trip deep into the MHSAA boys basketball tournament.
On the call for local radio station WCEN from gyms at Saginaw Arthur Hill and Lansing Sexton, Carey served as the voice of the previously “laughable” Aggies as they reached the Class D Semifinals before falling just six points short of playing for the title.
“All of Beal City emptied out. They’d never had anything before,” Carey recalled during his annual Thanksgiving weekend visit to the MHSAA Football Finals at Ford Field. “When I got home, within the next two weeks I got a letter from every citizen of Beal City thanking me for broadcasting their games. That’s the kind of appreciation that meant so much.”
During 42 years on the airwaves, Carey was best known as a voice of the Detroit Tigers bounding out of transistor radios all over Michigan, thanks to WJR’s powerful signal.
But for the state’s high school sports community, his legacy is similarly memorable as the voice of the longtime football and basketball scoreboard show and a voter for various all-state teams and wire polls over the decades.
Now 86 and retired since 1991, Carey remains a regular during the first day of the Football Finals, taking in games he broadcast for the MHSAA during the late 1970s and that continue to hold his eye as they have for more than a half-century.
“It was a passion of mine. High school sports always has been,” Carey said. “I think because my dad was a high school coach, and teacher initially, and my brother was a high school coach and teacher, I just grew up in families that appreciated coaching and athletics. I was not a great athlete, but it kept my hand in following sports that way.”
Now, the scores
Carey partnered with Ernie Harwell for Tigers radio broadcasts from 1973-91, including during the march to the 1984 World Series championship. He was named Michigan Sportscaster of the Year six times and to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
But Carey’s early career included sitting on top of a car, plugged into a phone pole, for a Sacred Heart football game at old Fancher Field just a few blocks from his family’s Mount Pleasant home. Among many more accolades are a Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan High School Coaches Association and a place in the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame.
In fact, the start of his weekly announcing of statewide football and basketball scores preceded his baseball career by 16 years and ended two months after he announced his final professional out.
The Michigan High School Scoreboard show was a staple of WJR’s late Friday nights from 1957-91. Carey would read every score he could collect from a variety of sources, often organized by league and with state rankings and context mixed in.
His idea came from something similar read by Len Colby for Kalamazoo’s WKZO. Carey’s brother Terry was coaching at Niles during the second half of the 1950s, and he and other coaches would get together to listen to the Friday night scores from the southwestern part of the state.
Carey, who left WKNX in Saginaw for WJR in 1956, explained to then-sports director Bob Reynolds that the station’s strong signal could provide for a truly statewide scoreboard experience.
Carey then connected with Edgar Hayes of the former Detroit Times, who gave the OK for Carey to call the paper on Friday nights to get scores from the Detroit metro area. For the rest, Carey relied on wire services – there were three at the time – who relied on newspapers from all over Michigan to call in scores over the course of an evening.
Before every Friday during high school football season – and later Tuesdays and Fridays during boys basketball season – Carey typed up lists of games based on schedules in the newspaper, with spaces to add scores. More than a few times, Carey raced down a back ramp at Tiger Stadium after a Friday night game, back to the WJR studio, with 15 minutes to prep for the show’s 11:30 p.m. start.
“If the Flint Journal, the Grand Rapids Press, the Traverse City paper didn’t call in scores to the AP, then I was out of luck too. And that happened all the time,” Carey said. “I would call back occasionally, say, ‘Did you get anything more?’ It was a rat race.”
The show originally was set for 10 minutes and then extended to 15. American Airlines sponsored a record show that followed, and Carey’s scoreboard show had a sponsor only once in 35 years. Finishing up on time was expected, even with more than 200 scores to read.
But Carey said he always went 20 minutes, sometimes 25.
“Because I wasn’t done. I just kept right on going,” Carey said. “Jay Roberts did the all-night show most of the time, and he was patient with me. He didn’t say too much on the air about ‘that guy ahead of me took all of my time.’”
Carey continued the “rat race” until his final scoreboard show, Dec. 20, 1991. He retired from WJR at the end of that calendar year. And it's important to note: Carey was never paid a dime extra for doing the program. .
“I think Paul is really just a sports fan, and that came across to the listener on his broadcasts,” MHSAA historian Ron Pesch said. “Paul would gather as much as possible off the wire. He'd interject if scores were missing from sections of the state. Press polls from the Free Press, News, AP and UPI were big, so he could point out close calls and upsets.
“He provided immediacy, or the closest thing to it in the days before cable TV and the Internet, and because of his scoreboard show, you could get the results before the morning paper. For listeners, he brought life to something as simple as game scores.”
First team all the way
Carey, who resides in Rochester, also served as the engineer on Tigers broadcasts for 16 years, through 1990. He broadcast Pistons games on the radio for six seasons and did the first broadcast of a Central Michigan University football game, in 1949.
Harry Atkins, covering Detroit’s teams while with The Associated Press for 29 years including the last 21 as its sports editor for Detroit, took note of his colleague's hard work – and especially that Carey was one of few broadcasters who was a journalist in addition to a voice.
That made Carey's other major role in high school sports a natural fit.
Atkins split The Associated Press all-state selection panels for football and basketball into 11 regions, and Carey represented the Detroit area for a number of years. He also was a longtime voter in those sports' weekly polls.
“Paul is just that kind of guy. He thought it was important and he made time in his busy schedule to do it,” Atkins said “And it had an impact on the other 10 voters on the All-State panels, too.
“Some of them were from small out-state newspapers or radio or TV stations. Yet every one of them knew who Paul Carey was. And when he spoke, of course, with what often is called "The Voice of God," those voters paid attention.”
And he still does, as well.
At the end of each fall, Carey still puts together a compilation of the three high school all-state football teams – Associated Press, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News – and files them with years of research and results.
“It’s important to me. Nobody sees it but me, but I get a certain kick,” Carey said. “Once in a while I’ll see a kid playing at Central, Western or (Michigan) State or Michigan, and they’ll say he came from Clawson. I’ll go into my all-state collections, say that would’ve been 2009 he played, and I find a name.”
In addition to the Football Finals on WJR, Carey was part of the Baseball Finals broadcasts into the early 1990s, continuing to contribute even after his retirement from his fulltime gig.
He spent high school games over the years sitting next to legends like the Free Press’ Hal Schram and remembers when current Free Press longtime scribe Mick McCabe was just a rookie. One of Carey's final broadcasts was a 1992 Baseball Final with his nephew Mike Carey, who continues to broadcast MHSAA championship games to this day.
“I am eternally grateful to Paul Carey. His contribution to high school sports in Michigan has been great and significant,” Atkins said.
“We are lucky to have him.”
PHOTO: Paul Carey (left) and nephew Mike Carey broadcast the MHSAA 1992 Class D Baseball Final between Hillman and Athens for PASS.
Soccer Playoffs Come to MHSAA TV
October 19, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
District Semifinal and Final games in the 2020 MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Soccer Tournament highlights another full week of activity on the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv.
Play runs Monday through Saturday this week. Here’s the schedule:
Boys Soccer District Semifinals
Monday – Oct. 19
Warren De La Salle Collegiate vs. Sterling Heights – 4:30 PM
East Lansing vs. Grand Blanc – 5 PM
Ithaca vs. Bad Axe – 5:30 PM
Niles vs. St. Joseph – 5:30 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Warren Woods Tower – 6 PM
Fenton vs. Okemos – 7 PM
Paw Paw vs. Three Rivers – 7:15 PM
Tuesday – Oct. 20
Hazel Park vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – 4 PM
Freeland vs. Alma – 4:30 PM
Detroit Catholic Central vs. Brighton – 5 PM
Hudsonville Unity Christian vs. Fennville – 5 PM
Mattawan vs. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix – 5 PM
Melvindale vs. Dearborn Divine Child – 5 PM
Sterling Heights Stevenson vs. Troy Athens – 5 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Center Line – 5:30 PM
Midland vs. Traverse City Central – 6 PM
East Grand Rapids vs. Wyoming Godwin Heights – 6 PM
Adrian Lenawee Christian vs. Ann Arbor Greenhills – 6:30 PM
Hemlock vs. Shepherd – 7 PM
Northville vs. North Farmington – 7 PM
Portage Central vs. Portage Northern – 7 PM
Saline vs. Ann Arbor Pioneer – 7 PM
Troy vs. Utica – 7 PM
Watervliet vs. South Haven – 7 PM
Wyoming Lee vs. Grand Rapids South Christian – 7 PM
Allen Park vs. Detroit Cesar Chavez – 7:15 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Clawson – 7:30 PM
Boys Soccer District Finals
Wednesday – Oct. 21
At Fenton – 6 PM
Thursday – Oct. 22
At Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – 4 PM
At Warren DeLaSalle Collegiate – 4:30 PM
At Brownstown Woodhaven – 5 PM
At East Grand Rapids – 6 PM
At Grand Rapids South Christian – 6 PM
At St. Clair Shores Lake Shore – 6 PM
At Vicksburg – 6 PM
At Waterford Mott – 6 PM
At Pontiac Notre Dame Prep – 6:30 PM
At Dearborn Divine Child – 7 PM
At Novi – 7 PM
At Saline – 7 PM
Saturday – Oct. 24
At Clare – 11 AM
At Portage Northern – 6 PM
In the coming week, more than 550 events at all levels in a variety of sports will be available on the NFHS Network/MHSAA.tv. Monthly subscriptions are $10.99. Click for a complete list of upcoming games, and for a complete list of on-demand games.
Fans also can type their school name into the search field on the MHSAA.tv page to search for events. Varsity games being streamed also have links from the MHSAA Website’s Score Center, and from the schedules on individual school pages. Clicking on the green TV set icon listed next to an event will take you directly to a game. You can also watch on Roku enabled devices.
Here is a list of football and girls volleyball varsity events taking place over the coming week on the NFHS Network/MHSAA.tv (Home team generally listed first):
Football
Thursday - Oct. 22
Negaunee vs. Ishpeming Westwood - 7 PM
Friday - Oct. 23
Hartland vs. Brighton - 6:45 PM
Kingston vs. Whittemore-Prescott - 6:55 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Freeland - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. Auburn Hills Avondale - 7 PM
Brethren vs. Onekama - 7 PM
Cadillac vs. Gaylord - 7 PM
Calumet vs. Marquette - 7 PM
Caro vs. Burton Bendle - 7 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills - 7 PM
Chesaning vs. New Lothrop - 7 PM
Clare vs. Gaylord - 7 PM
Dearborn Divine Child vs. Detroit Central - 7 PM
DeWitt vs. Stevensville Lakeshore - 7 PM
Durand vs. Montrose - 7 PM
East Grand Rapids vs. Byron Center - 7 PM
Erie-Mason vs. Pittsford - 7 PM
Fenton vs. Ortonville Brandon - 7 PM
Flint Powers Catholic vs. Flint Carman-Ainsworth - 7 PM
Fowlerville vs. Pinckney - 7 PM
Frankenmuth vs. Bridgeport - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Remus Chippewa Hills - 7 PM
Gladstone vs. Escanaba - 7 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Saline - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central - 7 PM
Grass Lake vs. Addison - 7 PM
Grosse Pointe North vs. Grosse Pointe South - 7 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Unionville Sebewaing - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Wyoming Kelloggsville - 7 PM
Houghton vs. Hancock - 7 PM
Ithaca vs. Standish-Sterling - 7 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Mayville - 7 PM
Kingsford vs. Menominee - 7 PM
Kingsley vs. Benzie Central - 7 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Whitmore Lake - 7 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Hazel Park - 7 PM
Manistee vs. McBain - 7 PM
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Charlevoix - 7 PM
Midland vs. Midland Dow - 7 PM
Munising vs. Lake Linden-Hubbell - 7 PM
Niles vs. Dowagiac Union - 7 PM
Northville vs. Howell - 7 PM
Novi vs. Salem - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. TBA - 7 PM
Portage Central vs. Richland Gull Lake - 7 PM
Reed City vs. Grant - 7 PM
Rockford vs. Grandville - 7 PM
Saginaw Heritage vs. Mount Pleasant - 7 PM
Saginaw Swan Valley vs. Birch Run - 7 PM
South Lyon East vs. South Lyon - 7 PM
St Johns vs. Alpena - 7 PM
Sturgis vs. Plainwell - 7 PM
Summit Academy North vs. TBA - 7 PM
Troy vs. Troy Athens - 7 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. Belleville - 7 PM
Vicksburg vs. Otsego - 7 PM
Walled Lake Northern vs. Romeo - 7 PM
Walled Lake Western vs. Walled Lake Central - 7 PM
Warren Woods-Tower vs. Detroit U-D Jesuit - 7 PM
Wayland Union vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Lake Orion - 7 PM
Norway vs. Niagara, WI - 8 PM
Saturday – Oct. 24
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Redford Union - 3 PM
Traverse City St. Francis vs. Jackson Lumen Christi - 3 PM
Girls Volleyball
Tuesday - Oct. 20
Dearborn Heights Robichaud vs. Melvindale - 4 PM
Durand vs. Montrose - 4:30 PM
Marcellus vs. TBA - 5 PM
Southfield Christian vs. Brighton Charyl Stockwell - 5:30 PM
DeWitt vs. Williamston - 6 PM
East Lansing vs. Lansing Waverly - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Carsonville-Port Sanilac - 6 PM
Mayville vs. Dryden - 6 PM
Merrill vs. Ashley - 6 PM
Munising vs. Rapid River - 6 PM
Norway vs. Carney-Nadeau - 6 PM
Peck vs. Genesee - 6 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. Lansing Christian - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. New Lothrop - 6:15 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs Ada Forest Hills Eastern - 6:15 PM
Mt Morris vs. Byron Area - 6:15 PM
New Lothrop vs. Chesaning - 6:15 PM
Otisville LakeVille vs. Ovid-Elsie - 6:15 PM
St Johns vs. Haslett - 6:20 PM
Blanchard Montabella vs. Vestaburg - 6:30 PM
Frankfort vs. Suttons Bay - 6:30 PM
Highland Milford vs. TBA - 6:30 PM
Howell vs. Salem - 6:30 PM
Negaunee vs. Hancock - 6:30 PM
Northville vs. Hartland - 6:30 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. St. Clair - 6:30 PM
Watervliet vs. Lawton - 6:30 PM
Whitmore Lake vs. Novi Christian Academy - 6:30 PM
Garden City vs. Dearborn Heights Annapolis - 7 PM
Gladstone vs. Marquette - 7 PM
Hemlock vs. St. Louis - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Comstock Park - 7 PM
Kingsley vs. Buckley - 7 PM
Macomb Lutheran North vs. Yale - 7 PM
Plymouth Christian Academy vs. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest - 7 PM
Saginaw Heritage vs. Grand Blanc - 7 PM
St. Charles vs. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart - 7 PM
Kingsford vs. Escanaba - 7:15 PM
Cass City vs. Caro - 7:30 PM
Wednesday - Oct. 21
Grandville vs. Caledonia - 5 PM
Holly vs. Flushing - 5:15 PM
Dollar Bay vs. Ontonagon - 5:20 PM
Bloomfield Hills Marian vs. TBA - 6 PM
Pentwater vs. Baldwin - 6 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Clinton Twp. Clintondale - 6 PM
Warren Regina vs. TBA - 6 PM
Corunna vs. Clio - 6:15 PM
Fenton vs. Flint Kearsley - 6:15 PM
Pewamo-Westphalia vs. Laingsburg - 6:30 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. TBA - 6:30 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Walled Lake Northern - 6:30 PM
Traverse City West vs. Cadillac - 6:45 PM
Bridgeport vs. Bay City John Glenn - 7 PM
Frankenmuth vs. Freeland - 7 PM
Grandville vs. Grand Haven - 7 PM
Linden vs. Swartz Creek - 7 PM
Morley Stanwood vs. Hesperia - 7 PM
Saginaw Swan Valley vs. Essexville Garber - 7 PM
Harrison vs. Clare - 7:30 PM
Thursday - Oct. 22
Dearborn Heights Robichaud vs. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep - 5 PM
Multi-team Event @ Whitmore Lake - 5 PM
Ortonville Brandon vs. Goodrich - 5:15 PM
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Caseville - 6 PM
Mason vs. Eaton Rapids - 6 PM
Munising vs. Stephenson - 6 PM
Peck vs. Kingston - 6 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Clarkston Everest Collegiate - 6 PM
Sturgis vs. Plainwell - 6 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. Owosso - 6 PM
Vicksburg vs. Otsego - 6 PM
Montrose vs. Mt Morris - 6:15 PM
St Johns vs. Williamston - 6:20 PM
Chesaning vs. Otisville LakeVille - 6:30 PM
Dearborn Divine Child vs. Livonia Churchill - 6:30 PM
Erie-Mason vs. Monroe Jefferson - 6:30 PM
Grosse Pointe North vs. Grosse Pointe South - 6:30 PM
Mancelona vs. Elk Rapids - 6:30 PM
New Lothrop vs. Byron Area - 6:30 PM
Novi vs. Howell - 6:30 PM
Oakland Christian vs. Southfield Christian - 6:30 PM
Ovid-Elsie vs. Durand - 6:30 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Memphis - 6:45 PM
East Lansing vs. Potterville - 7 PM
Garden City vs. Riverview Gabriel Richard - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Belding - 7 PM
Kalamazoo Christian vs. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian - 7 PM
Marquette vs. Kingsford - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Rochester Adams - 7 PM
Saginaw Heritage vs. Mount Pleasant - 7 PM
Houghton vs. Hancock - 7:15 PM
Brethren vs. Onekama - 7:30 PM
Dryden vs. Genesee - 7:30 PM
Unionville Sebewaing vs. Bad Axe - 7:30 PM
Saturday – Oct. 24
White Lake Lakeland vs. TBA - 8:30 AM
East Kentwood vs. Caledonia - 9 AM
Fremont vs. Cedar Springs - 9 AM
Midland vs. TBA - 9 AM
Millington vs. TBA - 9 AM
Niles vs. TBA - 9 AM
Part 1 | Multi-team Event @ Pentwater - 9 AM
Rockford vs. Holland West Ottawa - 9 AM
Saline vs. TBA - 9 AM
Part 1 | Multi-team Event @ Calumet - 10 AM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian - 10 AM
Williamston vs. TBA - 10 AM
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Traverse City West - 11 AM
East Kentwood vs. Grand Haven - 11:30 AM
Rockford vs. Jenison - 11:30 AM
Freeland vs. TBA - 12 PM
Part 2 | Multi-team Event @ Calumet - 1 PM
East Kentwood vs. Grandville - 2 PM
Part 2 | Multi-team Event @ Pentwater - 2 PM
Rockford vs. Hudsonville - 2 PM
Monday - Oct. 26
Freeland vs. TBA - 5 PM
Kingsley vs. TBA - 5 PM
Troy vs. Hartland - 5 PM
Troy Athens vs. Grosse Pointe South - 5 PM
Flint Kearsley vs. Holly - 5:15 PM
Flushing vs. Swartz Creek - 5:15 PM
Linden vs. Fenton - 5:15 PM
Mason vs. Haslett - 6 PM
Corunna vs. Brandon - 6:15 PM
Otisville LakeVille vs. Millington - 6:15 PM
Dollar Bay vs. Chassell - 6:20 PM
Clare vs. Grayling - 7:30 PM
Tuesday - Oct. 27
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Montague - TBA
Dearborn Heights Robichaud vs. Hamtramck - 4 PM
Vicksburg vs. TBA - 4 PM
Burton Bendle vs. Genesee - 5 PM
Fremont vs. Ludington - 5 PM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Grant - 5 PM
Multi-team Event @ New Lothrop - 5 PM
Multi-team Event @ Plainwell - 5 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Holly - 5 PM
Cass City vs. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker - 6 PM
Eaton Rapids vs. Portland - 6 PM
Fowlerville vs. Charlotte - 6 PM
Multi-team Event @ Grand Rapids Christian - 6 PM
Munising vs. Norway - 6 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. TBA - 6 PM
Williamston vs. Lansing Catholic - 6 PM
Montrose vs. Ovid-Elsie - 6:15 PM
Mt Morris vs. New Lothrop - 6:15 PM
Stockbridge vs. Grass Lake - 6:15 PM
Warren Woods-Tower vs. Clinton Twp. Chippewa Valley - 6:15 PM
St Johns vs. Portland - 6:20 PM
Bloomfield Hills Roeper vs. Novi Christian - 6:30 PM
Erie-Mason vs. Sand Creek - 6:30 PM
Grosse Pointe North vs. Fraser - 6:30 PM
Ishpeming vs. Gwinn - 6:30 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Southfield Christian - 6:30 PM
Oakland Christian vs. Lutheran Westland - 6:30 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep - 6:30 PM
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian School vs. Huron Valley Lutheran - 6:30 PM
Gladstone vs. Negaunee - 6:45 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Marlette - 6:45 PM
Chesaning vs. Durand - 7 PM
Garden City vs. Dearborn Heights Crestwood - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Lansing Catholic - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Allegan - 7 PM
Marquette vs. Escanaba - 7 PM
St Charles vs. Blanchard Montabella - 7 PM
Kingsford vs. Crystal Falls Forest Park - 7:15 PM
Bad Axe vs. Caro &