SPORTS DIGEST: Maybe you’d look good in stripes, because prep officials are sought

Football officials desperately sought

The New Mexico Officials Association is seeking football referees for the coming season.

Ken Murphy, the NMOA’s Central Regional assigner, retired following the 2021 season after almost four decades of wearing stripes, and said the association has recently “lost” eight officials and he’s in need of more for the coming season.

No experience is necessary, and free training is provided. Officials working varsity games earn $70 per game, he said, while junior varsity and freshman game officials receive $50 per game; middle school officials are paid $40 per game.

For more information, call Murphy at 505-385-4367.

Dickson heads to NMMI

Cleveland High Class of 2022 running back Lucious Dickson has committed to play for New Mexico Military Institute.

RRHS has another volleyball camp

The second of two volleyball camps is planned at Rio Rancho High School in August.

Ram Camp 2 is designed to prepare players for tryouts in their respective grade. This camp will emphasize volleyball skills and drills to prepare seventh- thru 12th-grade players for school tryouts. Fundamentals and techniques for all basic volleyball skills will be emphasized. Additional time will be focused on small and large group team play.

The camp runs Aug. 1-3 from 6-9 p.m. each day. The cost per camper is $85 ($100 on day of), and campers get a T-shirt and the chance to win a door prize each night.

Rams varsity volleyball coach Toby Manzanares, his assistants and area coaches will instruct.

CLL signs players for fall season

Cibola Little League’s fall season registration runs through July 28.

The registration fee is $50. The league only provides shirts and hats for the fall season.

It is important that players register ASAP. Teams/players will be limited to ensure a successful fall season. Once the spots in each division fill-up, players will go on a waitlist. If CLL doesn’t fill teams in other divisions, more teams in the filled divisions will be opened.

There will not be a skills assessment or try-out for the fall season at any level, and requests may be made for coaches/teams, but the league is unable to guarantee that your player will be placed on the team requested. This fall, CLL will balance the teams specifically in the minor player pitch division and above. This is designed to help with the development of players that are moving up to the next division in the fall to be ready for the spring.

Practices will begin Aug. 8. Games will be played Sept. 6-Oct 29.

Registration will be online only at cibolalittleleague.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2734972.

If you need assistance with registration costs, reach out to see what options are available. Registration costs should not prevent your player from being part of the Little League experience. Plus, volunteers are needed; select how you can help volunteer when you go through the registration process.

Fore! Chamber holds annual tourney

The Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its “Rio Rancho Open” golf tournament Aug. 12 at Santa Ana Golf Club with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

Registration at rrrcc.org/golf is due by Aug. 5 Entry fee includes breakfast and lunch, plus a goodie bag, a raffle and prizes, plus fun.

Sponsors have until July 22 to get on board.

Wrestling camp for girls only

Girls in grades K-12 are invited to attend a two-day wrestling camp at Rio Rancho High School July 30-31.

The cost is $50, with registration closing July 30.

On the 30th, after a meet & greet that starts at 8 a.m., session 1 runs from 9:30-11:30, followed by lunch, provided by the RRHS wrestling program.

Session 2 runs from 12:30-2 p.m.

On the 31st, session 3 takes place from 9-11:30 a.m., followed again by lunch provided by the RRHS mat team, with session 4 running from 12:30-2 p.m.

For more information, contact Rams wrestling coach Mike Santos at michael.santos@rrps.net or 505-417-0039 (or JoAnne 505-907-4557).

Four prep officials named to hall of fame

The New Mexico Officials Association, in conjunction with the New Mexico Activities Association, held its induction ceremony and luncheon for its Class of 2022 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque on July 16.

The four new inductees are:

Oscar Payen, who began his career with the NMOA 40 years ago in 1982. His contributions include serving in the positions of president and vice president of the NMOA and a member on several NMAA committees.

He was recognized as an NFHS Track and Field Official of the Year in 2012-13 and received the NMAA Distinguished service award in 2012. He has also served as an official at the collegiate level for twelve years in the Western Athletic Conference and the Big West Conference, and for fourteen years in the RMAC and Western Junior College Athletic Conference and in his community, he donates his time to serve as an official in the Special Olympics basketball tournament and as a track starter at the Fabens, Texas Cotton Relays.

Dr. Ron Maestas, who has served for over five decades as a member of the NMOA as a basketball, wrestling, softball and baseball official. He has been selected to the state tournament 3 times in wrestling, 9 times in baseball, 16 times in softball and 6 times in basketball, and has called at the college level in softball and wrestling.

He received the NFHS Wrestling Official of the Year award in 2011, was named the New Mexico Highlands University Professor of the Year in 2020, and is a member of the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame, New Mexico Wrestling Hall of Fame, New Mexico Highlands University Hall of Honor, Adams State School of Education Hall of Fame, NAIA Cross Country Hall of Fame, and the California Hispanic Sports and Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame.

John Hartog, a member of the NMOA for over 40 years, worked a staggering 17 NMAA state basketball championships, plus countless district tournaments in basketball and volleyball, in addition to one state baseball tournament, two state soccer tournaments, two state softball tournaments and four state volleyball tournaments.

He was named the NFHS Volleyball Official of the Year in 1994, the NFHS Girls’ Basketball Official of the Year in 2004, and last year received the NFHS Section VI Active Official of the Year.

Dana Pappas, raised in the Southeast Heights of the Duke City graduated from Highland High School in 1993 and went on to the University of New Mexico, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish in May 1997. On July 1, 1997, she began working at the NMAA as the administrative assistant for boys’ sports and officials. After seven years as administrative assistant at the NMAA, she was promoted to the position of commissioner of officials in 2004 and proudly served in that capacity until July 31, 2021, after assuming the newly created role of director of Officiating Services for the NFHS in Indianapolis.

The NMOA Hall of Fame was established in the 1960s and is comprised of an elite group of accomplished individuals who have made significant contributions to interscholastic officiating in New Mexico. To qualify, individuals must have given something extraordinary to the NMOA, the NMAA, and the student-athletes of New Mexico. Four individuals who are the definition of service to education-based athletics through officiating are represented in the Class of 2022.