Nevada Playoff Game Salutes Veterans Day with All-Veteran Officiating Crew

Friday night’s Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Class 4Afootball semifinal game between Las Vegas’ Sunrise Mountain High School and North Las Vegas’ Canyon Springs High School will feature a very special tribute to Veterans Day, as the game’s officiating crew, clock operation staff, chain crew and penalty tracker will be comprised entirely of military Veterans with a combined 184 years of service.

Head referee Eric Ruffin, a United States Army Sergeant with six years of experience, will lead a group of on-field officials that includes fellow U.S. Army Veterans Richard Turner (Specialist Four, three years of experience), who will serve as head linesman; line judge Alan Hennig (First Sergeant, 24 years); field judge Randy Crawford (Sergeant First Class, 24 years); and side judge Barry Hicks (Specialist, four years).

Umpire Dex High and back judge Stan Ward both served in the United States Air Force, with High carrying the rank of Senior Master Sergeant (26 years of service) and Ward a Technical Sergeant with 20 years of experience.

Frank Lynch and David Lechner, two more Veterans with 20-plus years of military service, will be responsible for the clock operation. Col. Lynch has been a member of the U.S. Army for 26 years, while Lechner has served in the United States Navy for 20 years with the current rank of Hull Maintenance Technician 1st Class.

Each branch of the United States Military will be represented in the four-member chain crew, as Disbursing Clerk First Class Johnny Willis has served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years; Capt. Brandon Bales has eight years of service to the U.S. Air Force; Specialist Four Paul Bingham has been in the U.S. Army for six years; and Cpl. John O’Connor is a three-year Veteran of the United States Marines.

Cpl. Robert Horne, the game’s penalty tracker, is also a U.S. Marine with four years of experience.