Inside Selection Sunday: Mapnalysis '17

October 22, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Special for Second Half

We haven’t had Michigan high school football teams travel by boat to their playoff games, nor fly like the birds over places like Saginaw Bay and the northern stretch of Lake Michigan.

But phrases like “use the lake” and “follow the highway” dominated this year’s playoff mapping process, which once again saw members of the MHSAA staff and representatives of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association draw into Districts and Regionals nearly 300 dots for our 10-division tournament that kicks off this weekend.

At the end of Saturday – around 9:48 p.m., to be nearly exact – there were 223 automatic qualifiers for the 256-team 11-player tournament, plus 32 for 8-player. By midnight, we had our entire playoff field more or less figured. Sunday at the MHSAA started before sunrise with double, triple and quadruple-checking, before a committee of 12 met to draw the tournament, go over all of each other’s work again, and then get everything ready to be presented online at MHSAA.com and broadcast across the state Sunday night on FOX Sports Detroit.

So much more than that goes into the football playoffs, of course. Athletic directors are scheduling games years in advance, and we start loading schedules into our system in late April. We monitor every game played every week by 614 Michigan varsity teams, plus this season 48 of our schools’ non-Michigan opponents located in five states and Ontario. Now we’re on to lining up everything that will come with the next five weeks of games including assigning officials, gathering potential Semifinal hosts and continuing our work with Northern Michigan University and Ford Field’s staffs to prepare for the 8 and 11-player Finals.

But we’re also the first to say that all of that is background noise to what we all look forward to most – five weeks of the best games our state has to offer again this fall.

As we’ve done the past six seasons, we’re explaining below our most difficult decisions in placing 288 playoff qualifiers in this Mapnalysis 2017 breakdown. For those familiar with our playoff selection process, or who have read this report in the past and don’t want a refresher on how we do what we do, skip the next section and go directly to the “Observations & Answers: 2017.” For the rest, what follows is an explanation of how we selected the playoff pairings during the morning hours Sunday, followed by how we made some of the toughest decisions plus a few thoughts on the breakdown of the field. Go to this page on MHSAA.com to see the pairings in full.

Ground Rules

Our past: The MHSAA 11-player playoff structure – with 256 teams in eight divisions, and six wins equaling an automatic berth (or five wins for teams playing eight or fewer games) – debuted in 1999. An 8-player tournament was added in 2011, resulting in nine champions total each season. This fall, a second division of 8-player football was introduced, and we will celebrate 10 champions for the first time.

The first playoffs were conducted in 1975 with four champions. Four more football classes were added in 1990 for a total of eight champions each fall. Through 1998, only 128 teams made the postseason, based on their playoff point averages within regions (four for each class) that were drawn before the beginning of the season. The drawing of Districts and Regionals after the end of the regular season did not begin until the most recent 11-player playoff expansion.

In early years of the current process, lines were drawn by hand. Dots representing qualifying schools were pasted on maps, one map for each division, and those maps were then covered by plastic sheets. Districts and Regionals literally were drawn with dry-erase markers.

Our present: After a late Saturday night tracking scores, we file in Sunday morning for a final round of gathering results we may still need (which can include making a few early a.m. calls to athletic directors and coaches). Re-checking and triple-checking of enrollments, what schools played in co-ops and opted to play as a higher class start a week in advance, and more numbers are crunched Sunday morning as the fields are set.

As noted above, this season there were 223 automatic qualifiers for the 11-player field by win total with the final 33 at-large qualifiers then selected, by playoff-point average, one from each class in order (A, B, C, D) until the field was filled. There were only five Class D additional qualifiers with 5-4 or 4-4 (playing eight games) records from which we could choose – so after those five we added 10 teams from Class A and nine each from Class B and Class C.

Those 256 11-player teams are then split into eight equal divisions based on enrollment, and their locations are marked on digital maps that are projected on wall-size screens and then discussed by nearly half of the MHSAA staff plus this year two representatives from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Only the locations themselves are marked (by red dots) – not records, playoff point averages or names of the schools or towns. In fact, mentions of those are strictly prohibited. Records and playoff points are not part of the criteria. Matchups, rivalries, previous playoff pairings, etc. also DO NOT come into play.

The 8-player process is similar but changed this fall with the additional division. We take the top 32 teams in 8-player based on playoff point average as our field, then re-sort those 32 by enrollment – the 16 biggest make up Division 1, followed by the next 16 in Division 2. There are no automatic qualifiers by record for 8-player.

Geography rules: This long has been rule number one for drawing MHSAA brackets in any sport. Travel distance and ease DO come into play. Jumping on a major highway clearly is easier than driving across county-wide back roads, and that’s taken into consideration. Also, remember there’s only one Mackinac Bridge and hence only one way to cross between peninsulas – and boats are not considered a possible form of transportation. When opponents from both peninsulas will be in the same District, distance to the bridge is far more important than as the bird flies.

Tradition doesn’t reign: Every group of 32 dots is a new group – these 32 teams have not been placed in a bracket together before. How maps have been drawn in the past isn’t considered – it’s hard to say a division has been drawn in a certain way traditionally when this set of 32 teams is making up a division for the first time.

Observations & Answers: 2017

Let’s start with Congratulations: First to Detroit Western and St. Louis, which qualified for the MHSAA Playoffs for the first time. Then to seven more headed back for the first time in a while: Athens (first berth since 2000), Bridgeport (1999), Flat Rock (1990), Hancock (2006), Royal Oak (2006), Salem (1991) and Vermontville Maple Valley (2005). A total of 21 programs added to totals of more than 25 playoff berths, led by Beal City now with 35, Crystal Falls Forest Park and Farmington Hills Harrison with 33, Mendon with 32, Traverse City St. Francis with 31 and Frankfort with 30. Rockford earned its 23rd straight playoff berth, tying the record set by Felch North Dickinson from 1991-2013, and Menominee earned its 22nd straight to tie Traverse City St. Francis (1990-2011) for third on the list. Of our current 614 football varsities, all but 16 have made the playoffs at least once.

Break the tie: We again had to break a tie as teams that will or could meet ended up with the same playoff point averages. Ties are broken by head-to-head competition first – if the teams played each other during the regular season – followed by opponents’ winning percentage as the second criteria and then a coin flip if those two won’t do it. Cedarville will host Rudyard in an 8-player Division 1 game this week although both teams finished with the same playoff point average – Cedarville broke the tie with its 46-28 win over the Bulldogs in Week 1, which is a good thing because their opponents had matching 38-43 records this fall. 

Many ways, no great way to slice it: The map in 11-player Division 2 was among our first tough challenges Sunday. Our most northern District seemed to make sense right away – keeping Traverse City West and Traverse City Central together with Midland and Midland Dow. From there, it’s not a pretty picture. We looked at three ways of splitting up the Detroit-area schools. We have five teams on the Grand Rapids/Muskegon/Kalamazoo side of the Lower Peninsula, but Lowell being eastern-most got sent to a District with three Flint-area schools. The 11-player Division 3 map provided a similar quandary – DeWitt, East Lansing and Haslett are packed nicely just north of Lansing, but an uneven seven schools on the western side of the Lower Peninsula meant DeWitt getting grouped with three closer to Grand Rapids with East Lansing and Haslett heading south to join Parma Western and Tecumseh. Bay City Central is the lone qualifier in this division from the Bay City/Saginaw/Midland area and also had to go somewhere – and in this case it made more sense to send it south along I-75 then across to Grand Rapids.

It’s a highway thing: In both Division 4 and Division 6 of 11-player, we have one Upper Peninsula school joining the rest from downstate. In Calumet’s case in Division 6, there are opponents in the northern Lower Peninsula to slot against, but Escanaba in Division 4 left us again relying on I-75. The trip from Escanaba to Flint Powers Catholic – the southernmost team in that four-team District – seems like a longer haul than sending Escanaba instead southwest to Whitehall. But a trip to Powers is estimated to be an hour shorter than from Escanaba to Whitehall, again because of the main highway.

Use the lake: At least three of our 11-player divisions – 1, 2 and 5 – have a District that rides close to the southeastern region of the Lower Peninsula up from Macomb County into Port Huron. While those thin Districts seem a little odd in shape, they make sense by normal traffic flow up from Lake St. Clair toward the Lake Huron coast. That helps explain why Port Huron Northern is with Roseville, Warren DeLaSalle and Ferndale instead of taking Lowell’s spot with Fenton, Flushing and Flint Carman-Ainsworth.

Worst map ever: At least in my seven years of being a part of the process. I’m speaking of the 11-player map in Division 8, which saw us with six Upper Peninsula schools, but then three Lower Peninsula schools grouped together just below Mackinac Bridge. One of these three had to go with another group, which is how we ended up with Frankfort joining Munising, Newberry and Gaylord St. Mary (Johannesburg-Lewiston and Hillman ended up with AuGres-Sims and Lincoln Alcona.). Then there are the pair of triangles in the southwest Lower Peninsula with Muskegon Catholic Central and Fulton-Middleton a good deal north of their District opponents, but with no other way to group those teams since the other six are all along I-94 or just south. It’s not pretty, but splitting MCC and Fulton up and sending them south was the best of the options we developed.

At the end of the day …

So here’s the fun part. We draw the maps without knowing who is where – and then we take a look at the matchups as they’re being prepared for TV and online.

It’s hard to pick out only a handful to mention at this time, but here’s one guess at a few that will create a buzz this week:

• In Division 1, Holland West Ottawa hosts Grandville after beating the Bulldogs 34-18 in Week 9 to earn an outright Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title; a Grandville win would’ve given championship shares to both and Rockford.

• Also in Division 1, Bloomfield Hills travels to West Bloomfield after beating the Lakers 28-24 in Week 2; West Bloomfield hasn’t lost again.

• In Division 3, Zeeland West and Zeeland East face off again after East downed West 28-8 on Friday to win the O-K Green championship.

• Also in Division 3, DeWitt hosts Grand Rapids Christian after rattling off eight straight wins – the Panthers’ only loss was to Christian 38-30 on opening night.

• Rivals Wyoming Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights meet in Division 4 after Kelloggsville beat Godwin by a point in Week 6 on the way to winning the O-K Silver title. Three Rivers and Vicksburg also will meet for the second straight week, this time in a Division 4 game; Vicksburg beat Three Rivers on Friday to deny the Wildcats a share of the Wolverine B Conference title. Harbor Beach claimed the Greater Thumb Conference East title by downing Ubly 26-14 in the league finale in Week 8, and they’ll meet again this week in Division 8.

• The best rivalry in 8-player last year was Powers North Central versus Crystal Falls Forest Park, and they’ll meet to start this postseason with the reigning champion Jets hitting the road looking to avenge a 66-58 loss to the Trojans in Week 2.

We know every game over the next five weeks will be memorable, at least for those on the field and the communities cheering them on. With our maps drawn, we look forward watching championship roads get blazed – and we’ll be waiting where they end at NMU and Ford Field.  

The MHSAA Football Playoffs are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.

PHOTOS: (Top) The Division 4 bracket mapped out on the Lower Peninsula shows how I-75 served as a guide for putting Escanaba in a District that includes Flint Powers Catholic.

Longtime Official, Assigner, Association Leader Czech Named 36th Norris Honoree

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 10, 2026

While a game official’s most recognizable work is done on the field of play, much must be accomplished behind the scenes as well to produce that finished product – and Oak Park’s Robert Czech long has been revered while serving as a game official in four sports, an assigner of officials to work high school and middle school events, and a supporter of his colleagues as co-creator and continuing mentor for one of the state’s largest officials associations.

To celebrate his vast contributions to officiating in Metro Detroit and statewide, Czech will be honored with the 36th Vern L. Norris Leadership in Officiating Award during the MHSAA’s Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet on April 25 in East Lansing.

The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels. Czech will be honored at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Center along with high school game officials with 20, 30, 40, 45, 50 and 55 years of service.

Bob Czech headshotCzech is in his 44th year as an MHSAA-registered official for football, basketball, softball and baseball, and he previously was registered for two years to officiate volleyball as well. He also has assigned officials for more than 35 years, currently doing so for selected sports in the Oakland Activities Association, Lakes Valley Conference, Kensington Lakes Activities Association and Michigan Independent Athletic Conference, and he is a longtime leader with Metro Detroit Athletic Officials (MDAO), an association which counts 650 officials among its membership.

His first games as an official came on the football field in the Detroit Police Athletic League, and from there he followed mentors including past Norris winners Robert Williams and Hugh Jewell into an avocation that has become a life’s work.

“When you’re younger, you can catch a little heat from coaches and players and parents, (and) it’s easy to get down on yourself a little bit – but you just have to stick with it,” said Czech, a retired Detroit police officer. “All the older guys will tell you, hey, it will go away, you’ll be fine and you’ll learn from it, you’ll grow and you’ll feel a lot better. And one good thing about this type of business, or this avocation, you’re running into people from all different walks of life – cops, teachers, insurance people, lawyers, doctors, dentists – there’s all kinds of people who work in this kind of avocation. So you get to see a whole side of life, and that’s good, (with) great relationships and many, many friendships.”

Several of those relationships and friendships also were cultivated with local athletic directors, who approached Czech decades ago requesting help with the time-consuming task of finding officials for their contests. Before assigners, schools contacted individual officials, and individual officials made their own schedules. Czech was among assigning pioneers, and currently places officials on thousands of games every season in the four sports he also officiates.

He also has continued to work on the field at an elite level. He has received 297 MHSAA Tournament assignments over the years, including football, girls and boys basketball playoff games this school year. He’s officiated a combined eight Finals in football and baseball, most recently wearing the white hat for the 2022 11-Player Division 1 Football Final between Belleville and Caledonia.

“Bob Czech personifies leadership in officiating, not only on the field but in the ever-important areas of support, education and recruiting of the next generation of officials,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “Integrity, fairness, professionalism and commitment are among Bob's qualities referenced by his colleagues, and they also will tell you he is always available to them and always doing his utmost to make sure students receive the best experience.”

Czech graduated from Detroit Benedictine High School in 1974. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from University of Detroit Mercy in 1978 and a master’s in political science from Wayne State University in 1983. He has served as a director of the annual Prep Kickoff Classic football series and been active with the Fraternal Order of Police, Friendship Circle of West Bloomfield, Macomb-Oakland Regional Center and March of Dimes. He also has contributed to the Miracle League of Southfield, Forgotten Harvest and City of Oak Park.

Czech received a lifetime achievement award from the Oakland County Athletic Directors Association (OCADA) in 2016 and was inducted into the Catholic High School League (CHSL) Hall of Fame in 2008.

He and his wife Patricia have three adult daughters.

Previous recipients of the Norris Award

1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Park
2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids 
2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
2010 – John Juday Sr., Petoskey
2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing 
2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
2017 – Michael Gentry, Shelby Township
2018 – Jill Baker-Cooley, Big Rapids
2019 – David Buck, St. Joseph
2020 – Hugh Matson, Saginaw
2021 – Lewis Clingman, Grand Rapids
2022 – Pat Hayes, Birmingham
2023 – Chuck D. Walters, Jackson
2024 – Candace Cox, Quincy
2025 – Debby Karabees-Betts, Livonia

High school game officials with 20, 30, 40, 45, 50 and 55 years of service also will be honored at the Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet on April 24. A total of 17 officials with 55 years of service will be honored, as will 32 with 50 years of service, 28 officials with 45 years and 56 officials with 40 years of service. A 30-year award will be presented to 99 officials, and 153 officials with 20 years of experience will be honored.

Also being honored during the Awards & Alumni Banquet is Legacy Program official Owen Rottier, a senior at Grand Ledge High School. He intends to continue his studies toward becoming an emergency medical technician at Lansing Community College after completing multiple courses during his junior and senior years of high school. He already has earned his certified nurse aide (CNA) and patient care technician (PCT) licenses. Rottier has competed in cross country and track & field throughout his high school career and served as team captain of both, and officiated both sports as part of the Legacy Program.

MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45, 50 & 55-YEAR OFFICIALS

The officials on this list are receiving their 20, 30, 40, 45, 50 and 55-year service awards.

20-YEAR OFFICIALS

Adrian - Cary F. Carrico
Adrian - Casey R. Opsal
Alanson - Dennis C. Hewitt
Albion - Raymond D. Courter
Allegan - Scott T. Jones
Ann Arbor - Richard J. Gilbert
Argyle - Jamie Davison
Auburn Hills - Deborah S. Archer
Augusta - Haig D. Black
Battle Creek - Shikoko H. Cantrell
Bay City - Robert J. Spyhalski
Bay City - Ryan M. Schalk
Bellevue - Paul I. Temple
Belmont - Brian Patterson
Beulah - Roark V. Pargeon
Bloomfield Hills - Kenneth J. Paszkiewicz
Brighton - Shawn P. Waterman
Brownstown - Stephen M. McInchak
Burr Oak - Randy Walls
Burton - Ken W. Carver
Cadillac - James A. Dawson
Caledonia - Amber J. Traves-Sterkenburg
Canton - Michael J. Burke
Canton - Mark A. Collins
Capac - Brent J. Boers
Caro - Brian V. Newcomb
Cassopolis - Brian A. Kuemin
Cedar Springs - Randy J. Thiel
Cement City - Thomas E. Cameron
Channing - Cory M. Roell
Chesterfield - Thomas V. Michno
Clarkston - Yalda P. Peera
Clinton Township - Christopher E. Dalida
Clinton Township - Elizabeth A. Gulick
Coldwater - Scott Heckman
Coloma - Anthony Bertuca
Commerce Township - David R. Eberline
Detroit - Ozzie S. Ashley
DeWitt - Chris B. McNeilly
Dowagiac - Anthony J. Saviano
Durand - Christopher P. Goodrich
Eastpointe - Matthew W. Cowan
Erie - Joshua Sweigert
Farmington Hills - Tia M. Stanley
Fennville - Bruce R. Klosner
Flushing - Linda M. Bishop
Fowlerville - Cynthia L. Champagne
Frankenmuth - Brent A. Shoemate
Frankfort - William C. Henning
Fraser - Shemek P. Pryszczewski
Freeland - Michael R. Williams
Fremont - Brian Peets
Gladwin - Patrick A. Peters
Grand Blanc - Richard E. Brochu
Grand Haven - James R. Corgan
Grand Ledge - DeLee M. Dankenbring
Grand Rapids - Otto N. Brannum
Grand Rapids - Diana G. Dildine
Grand Rapids - Luke C. Griemsman
Grand Rapids - Daniel R. Heitzman
Grand Rapids - Steven D. Lee
Grand Rapids - Terry C. Seely
Grand Rapids - Kevin R. Weber
Grand Rapids - David W. Running
Grandville - George M. Dillard
Grass Lake - Terry J. Sullivan
Grass Lake - Bill T. Walker
Grosse Ile - Denise Smith
Grosse Pointe Woods - Russell Hapanowicz
Hancock - Steve Aho
Harbor Beach - Brian M. Fuller
Hart - Kayla J. Dennert
Hawks - Glenn Budnick
Hermansville - Kevin J. Bellefeuil
Hesperia - Douglas W. Baird
Holland - Anne M. Huizinga
Holland - Jame Phonechanthasone
Hopkins - Chad O. Burch
Hudsonville - Joseph J. Amante
Hudsonville - Kurt L. Berens
Hudsonville - David A. Bott
Imlay City - Allen L. Hibbler
Ionia - Robert S. Sykes
Iron Mountain - Dean A. Lefebvre
Jackson - Craig Dreyer
Jackson - Jeffery D. Oliver
Jackson - Matthew L. Tuttle
Jenison - Steven J. Meyer
Jerome - Chris Zombor
Kalamazoo - Terry L. Fields
Kalamazoo - Robert H. Flach
Kalamazoo - Dennis Keith
Kalamazoo - Alex D. Vigh
Kalamazoo - Jerome C. Jones
Kentwood - Rodney S. Suggs
Kingsford - Lisa J. Harry
Lakeview - Tim G. Rasmussen
Livonia - Aaron J. Rumberger
Livonia - Sean R. Williams
Macomb - Steven A. Livingston
Madison Heights - Tom A. Turczyn
Maple City - Amede A. DeCruydt
Mason - Johanna Andersen
Menominee - Robert J. Villas
Midland - Greg S. Pattinson
Monroe - Christopher T. Westover
Muskegon - Ben Hylland
Muskegon - Scott A. Sikkenga
Muskegon - Donald Snider
Muskegon - Cameron Carr
Onaway - Kymberli A. Wregglesworth
Otisville - Mark D. McDowell
Otsego - Kevin L. Ordway
Parma - Steven T. Walker
Petoskey - Shaun Lamp
Portage - Jeremy Lassiter
Prescott - Anton W. Gersten
Quincy - Michael A. Siegel
Redford - Omar I. Sanders
Rochester Hills - Matt Lewis
Rochester Hills - Derrick A. Roman
Saginaw - Mark A. Kinnett
Sandusky - Nathan E. Rose
South Lyon - John P. Evans
Spring Lake - Paul Richards
St Clair Shores - Michael Billiu
St Joseph - Bruce L. Bittenbender
St Joseph - Kevin P. Boyle
St. Clair Shores - Anthony P. Djurasaj
Sterling Heights - Nicole L. Toth
Sturgis - Brady L. Driver
Swartz Creek - Michael A. McLaughlin
Tecumseh - Brece M. Clark
Tecumseh - John D. Craig
Traverse City - Matthew J. Ameel
Trenton - Steve T. Seward
Troy - Joseph H. Amann
Troy - Paul W. Boehms
Utica - Tom Szynski
Walled Lake - John R. Lyons
Warren - James N. Leshan
Waterford - Richard D. Crouse
Waterford - Deno G. Pappas
Waterford - Robert Trumble
Westland - Jack D. Profitt
Westland - Roger A. Schmittling
White Lake - Michael B. Andrews
Whitehall - Ace J. Covey
Williamston - Giles J. Brereton
Ypsilanti - William M. Nuttall
Ypsilanti - Demetrius L. Owens
Ypsilanti - Steven A. Vinson
Ypsilanti - Ron C. Blevins

30-YEAR OFFICIALS

Acme - Randall S. Smith
Allendale - Brian G. Haraburda
Alpena - Shawn T. Ballor
Ann Arbor - Thomas W. Richards
Bark River - Joseph L. Richer
Bay City - Frank W. Sniecinski
Big Rapids - Timothy J. Leyder
Big Rapids - Gregg S. Sanders
Big Rapids - David A. Scott
Birch Run - Stanley M. Krajkowski
Bowling Green, Ohio - Jim Evans
Boyne Falls - David M. Kruskie
Brimley - Steven C. Wilson
Bronson - Jayne A. Sabaitis
Brown City - Christine J. Lee
Byron Center - Curt A. Stuck
Canton - Andrew B. Calvetti
Chesterfield - Gregory Blick
Clarkston - Craig H. Zinser
Davison - Bryan K. Illig
Dearborn Heights - William J. Stewart
Detroit - Thomas B. Harris
East Tawas - David C. Thunberg
Essexville - James W. Niswander
Fishers, Ind. - Martin K. Spees
Flint - Ronald S. Thomas
Fowlerville - James K. Jonas
Fremont - David C. Steele
Galesburg - Steve C. Pearce
Garden City - Robert E. Phillips
Gaylord - James F. Vanderveer
Grand Blanc - James J. Blakley Jr.
Grand Blanc - Greg D. Hamilton
Grand Haven - Frank E. Roder
Grand Rapids - Wallace L. Campbell
Grandville - John P. Kievit
Greenville - Paul R. Richardson
Hillman - David M. Wcisel Sr.
Holland - Douglas J. Smith
Houghton Lake - Louise C. Hofer
Hudsonville - Daniel N. Hendrickson
Hudsonville - David L. Weick
Inkster - Ed J. Mingo
Jackson - Chris R. Dauterman
Jackson - Willie N. Godfrey Jr.
Jackson - Troy D. Miller
Kawkawlin - James J. Metz
Kentwood - Rebecca L. Cajka
Lathrup Village - Crathman G. Stephens
Lexington - William E. Cayce
Livonia - Paul J. Mardeusz
Marquette - George D. Pond Jr.
Marshall - Rodney S. Dawson
Midland - Richard E. Campbell Jr.
Mount Pleasant - Douglas A. Downhour
Muskegon - Ollie L. Sandifer Jr.
Muskegon - Johnnie F. Tanner Sr.
New Baltimore - Rodriquez A. Lackey
Novi - Charles H. Edwards
Novi - Lonnie C. Erickson
Otsego - Brian W. Bonnell
Owosso - Robert J. Pumford
Peck - Jeff Kosal
Perry - Jake T. Baumgartner
Pinckney - James E. Chapman
Plymouth - Brent D. Albrecht
Quinnesec - Jerry W. Sanders
Redford - Arnold R. Rambus
Romulus - James D. Hinojosa
Romulus - Michael J. Jackson
Roseville - Steven M. Garbarino
Saginaw - Joe F. Schimpf
Saginaw - Monte A. Steward
Saginaw - Roger L. Swanson
Saginaw - Henry Velasquez
Shelby Township - Shana L. Poll
South Lyon - Patrick G. Bracco
Southgate - Byron J. Beattie
St. Joseph - Robert C. Banasik
Stanton - Douglas W. Mascho
Stanton - Edmund F. Phillipson Jr.
Sterling Heights - Robert L. Fort Jr.
Sterling Heights - Bret Turner
Sylvania, Ohio - John F. Blessing
Tecumseh - Jamie D. Mossburg
Trenton - David H. Mossoian
Walker - Wayne R. Bentley
Walker - Jess W. Hollenbeck II
Warren - Stanley L. Wright
Waterford - Michael D. Morgan
Wayland - Thomas J. Hudson
White Lake - Becky L. Lioi
Woodhaven - Frank L. Vilardi
Wyandotte - Allen C. Hall
Wyandotte - Larry J. Martin
Wyandotte - Robert J. Szczechowski
Wyoming - Robert D. Dabakey
Ypsilanti - Daniel L. Cobello
Ypsilanti - Mary F. Gray

40-YEAR OFFICIALS

Ada - Brian J. Todey
Alma - Chris A. Taylor
Alvordton, Ohio - Max A. Smeltzer
Arden - Christopher B. Haack
Auburn - Philip G. Ouillette
Bad Axe - Dale J. Grifka
Bannister - Bryon P. Taylor
Battle Creek - Carl P. Olson
Brighton - Carolyn I. Richards
Byron Center - Curt Johnson
Cheboygan - Matt C. Redmond
Chesterfield - Marty McCabe
Coldwater - Randolph E. Spangler
Fenton - Lisa M. McKenney
Gobles - Steven L. Grybus
Grand Ledge - Todd H. Compton
Grand Rapids - Jeffrey P. Kirchhoff
Grand Rapids - Stephen J. VanHammen
Grawn - Thomas M. Hallead
Grayling - Scott T. Gabriel
Hessel - Joseph E. Baker
Holt - Mark D. Coscarella
Honor - Richard L. Zych
Houghton - William J. O'Connor
Iron Mountain - John E. Hogberg
Iron Mountain - Lawrence J. Ross
Kalamazoo - Charles E. Parker
Kentwood - Susan J. Barthold
Lapeer - Stephen R. Fox
Lathrup Village - Dale K. Harris
Manistique - Charles A. Richey
Marshall - Brad Hall
Menominee - Michael F. Andre
Midland - Donald A. Rose Jr.
Mio - Luke D. Houlton
Munising - Dee Jay Paquette
Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Scott D. Dobie
Owosso - Eugene S. Davis
Pentwater - William C. Bainton
Pentwater - Brett A. Spalding
Pewamo - Bruce G. Nurenberg
Redford - Mark A. Sleboda
Reed City - Sharon R. Lucey
Romulus - Fred M. Waybrant
Saginaw - Luis H. Paredes
Sandusky - Brian P. Jones
Sheridan - Michael T. Myers
Southgate - David J. Weidenbach
Sterling Heights - Armando Melchiorre
Sumner - Rollie L. Carman
Sylvania, Ohio - Daniel J. Miller
Union Pier - Joseph J. Gonzales
Warren - Charles "Tony" Pankowski
Westland - Stephen L. Patterson
Westland - Roger R. Provey Jr.
Whitehall - Dominic E. Pulaski

45-YEAR OFFICIALS

Allen Park - James C. Bales
Battle Creek - David L. Eubank
Blissfield - Christopher L. Bates
Byron Center - Rick S. Hazel
Canton - Jeanne L. Martin
Constantine - Marge Caid
Deerfield - William P. Gomoluch
Evart - Tom W. Adams
Grand Blanc - Curtis L. Williams
Grand Rapids - Thomas D. Shearer
Grand Rapids - Jeffrey A. Wierzbicki
Grosse Pointe Park - Kelvin W. Wise
Ionia - Mike A. Fuller
Iron Mountain - John N. Meyer
Lansing - Michael R. Conlin
Livonia - Brian R. Dinsmore
Madison Heights - Wilford J. Laveirge
Mayville - Clare L. Kreger
Muskegon - Onesiphorus B. Burrel Sr.
New Hudson - Dennis E. Evans
Norton Shores - Randall S. Martinus
Okemos - Michael J. Maisner
Okemos - Lee Rodgers
Plymouth - William R. Baumgart
Rogers City - Roger M. Wenzel
Sterling Heights - Philip J. Lieblang
Wixom - Patrick L. Beagle
Zeeland - Linda S. Schmidt

50-YEAR OFFICIALS

Baraga - James L. Holm
Bowling Green, Ohio - Thomas L. Ford
Cadillac - William J. Allen
Caledonia - George B. Watterson
Fairgrove - Jerry L. Lasceski
Flat Rock - Robert J. Brodie
Freeland - Kim D. Heisler
Gaylord - Tom T. Johnson
Gaylord - Kevin M. Leary
Gladwin - Michael E. Steinkraus
Grand Rapids - Patricia A. Treman
Hancock - John D. Vaara
Hermansville - Robert J. Maule
Highland - Evan H. Lehto
Holland - David W. Smits
Jackson - Ardis Jill Conat
Lansing - Karen L. Yanna
Livonia - Laura J. Alves
Mattawan - William L. Post
McMillan - Cliff J. Fossitt
Michigan Center - Daniel C. Bentschneider
Northville - Edward K. Gabrys
Norton Shores - Duane A. VandenHeuvel
Oconto, Wis. - Peter C. Pericolosi
Portage - Frank S. Gawkowski
Posen - Kenneth Wozniak
Saginaw - John C. Flukes
Saginaw - John E. Oczepek
Swartz Creek - David J. Sutton
Three Rivers - Kim D. Losik
Traverse City - Michael J. Muldowney
Wyoming - Sandra K. Noto

55-YEAR OFFICIALS

Battle Creek - Richard L. Randle
Caro - John H. Amend
Clio - Anthony J. Leonardo
Comstock Park - Riley S. Swinehart
Delton - Gregory W. Nikitas
Grand Rapids - James J. Aalderink
Holt - John S. Malatinsky
Jackson - Ozzie L. Hashley
Macomb - Chet W. Boss
Marcellus - Deborah L. Schug
Mesick - Paul G. Williams
Prudenville - Robert J. Studer
Rochester Hills - William Upina
Royal Oak - Mike Luttenberger
Spring Lake - Joseph G. Popiel
Tecumseh - Nancy A. Hebert
Traverse City - Collette C. Hallberg

PHOTO Official Bob Czech, top left, monitors the action during the 2022 11-Player Division 1 Football Final at Ford Field.