By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
Twenty-four members of the Southwest Michigan Officials Association have been selected to work the Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoffs.
Four of those members will work the state finals at the Pontiac Silverdome No. 28-29.
Two more officials will work the semifinals.
Dan Covey of Vandalia, Randy Gross of Dowagiac, Larry Brewer of Dowagiac and Steve Petlick of Benton Harbor all will be given state final game assignments.
In addition, Randy Bicard of Buchanan and Bryan Wild of Dowagiac will work semifinal contests.
Also working the post season will be Marty Smallbone, Mike Smallbone, John Ignacio, Less Cross, Bill Brooks, Tom Underwood, Bryan Henry, John Scanlon and Don East, all of Dowagiac; Richard Cox, Roger Hostetler and Tony Cantanzartie of Edwardsburg; Amelio Rodriquez of Niles, Erik Parker of St. Joseph, Dean Case of Stevensville, Nick Bergen of Benton Harbor, Bill Forrester of Watervliet and Dennis Ostyn of Eau Claire.
The officials were selected to work the playoffs by an MHSAA committee based on ratings and performance in the last three years of officiating football.
Additionally, 11 members of SMOA have been selected to work the girls' basketball playoffs.
Dowagiac's Randy Melvin has once again been selected to work the state finals in Mt. Pleasant Dec. 6.
Also working in the playoffs, which begin Nov. 17, will be Gross, Brewer, Wild and Dave Sprague of Dowagiac, Jerry Nitz of Baroda, Mike Smith of Three Oaks, Brian Hall and Andy Saetre of Hartford, Scott Millen of Berrien Center and Dave Negron of Niles.
As with football, an MHSAA committee selected these officials based on their ratings and performance over the last three years of officiating basketball.