Redwings Ready to Open New Nest

August 30, 2012

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Those who have watched a football game at St. Johns High School in the past easily could get lost trying to find the Redwings' home this fall.

That's tongue-in-cheek, of course. But it is not an exaggeration on how much the school has improved its football home, which will be opened for tonight's varsity game against Corunna.

It's been a long-awaited event in the community four exits north of Lansing, which settled on the project with a May 2010 bond.

The former stadium certainly had its good points, including a welcoming small-town feel tucked in among the park and fairgrounds just to the north of the high school.

The new stadium sits in the same spot, but is a completely new build around the playing field. The first thing returning visitors will notice are bleachers, with 3,500 seats total including 1,000 on the opponents' side. There also are new entrances, team and officials rooms, press box, scoreboard, restrooms and concession area, plus bus parking among the added amenities.

St. Johns' football program has become a regular playoff qualifier and made a trip the MHSAA Finals in 2004. The new-look stadium provides a suitable home for the community to celebrate that success.

PHOTOS courtesy of St. Johns High School.

Be the Referee: Tourney Selection

By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director

November 18, 2021

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Tourney Selection - Listen

Today we are going to talk about how officials are selected for the MHSAA Football Playoffs. Just as the best teams advance in the tournament week after week, the best officiating crews advance in the tournament in much the same way.

For a crew to be eligible for assignment, many requirements have to be met prior to the season – submission of their season schedule, making sure that the crew has completed the annual rules meeting, as well as a football rules test. Much weight is given to ratings – each crew is rated by schools following each game as well as observation reports where officiating experts go out and either watch crews work live or on video in making sure that the best crews advance throughout the tournament.

Previous editions

Nov. 4: Receiver Carried Out of End Zone Listen
Oct. 28: Volleyball Back-Row Block Listen
Oct. 21: Soccer Disallowed Goal Listen
Sept 30: Field Goal Falls Short Listen
Sept. 23: Volleyball Obstruction Listen
Sept. 16: Catch or No Catch  Listen
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen 
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen 
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics 
 Listen