SYCAMORE – Denny Heins’ knees were talking to him.

They told him it was time to quit officiating high school games after 50 years, even though he’s not ready to give up the only constant of his adult life. They told him that after pounding hard courts for most of his 76 years, they can’t take the constant bone-on-bone grinding, night after night, even though his mind still is sharp and the rest of his body is willing and able to keep going.

“I don’t like it,” the 76-year-old said shortly after he refereed his last high school game Thursday night, a sophomore girls basketball game at Sycamore. “But I know it’s time.”