Local officials calling Champions Challenge
- Updated: August 11, 2014
Allen Gilbert (L) will serve as referee and Kayla Rooks will work the chains during the Champions Challenge game between Carver-Montgomery and Opelika later this month. (Photo courtesy Allen Gilbert)
Group from Mid-East officials association to call Carver-Opelika game
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
A crew of east Alabama football officials, part of a group starting only its second year as an association, will work one of the biggest games of the first week of the season later this month.
A dozen men and women from the Mid-East Football Officials Association based out of Calhoun County will work the season’s first Champions Challenge game between Carver-Montgomery and Opelika at 7 p.m. Aug. 22 in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl.
“We’re really excited and looking forward to it,” said Allen Gilbert, a 12-year officiating veteran from Jacksonville who will be the game’s referee.
Gilbert’s game crew will include Shawn Crawford (umpire), Mike Miller (linesman), Ken Turner (line judge), Eric Wise (back judge), Greg Bearden (field judge) and Todd Garrison (side judge). Gilbert, the AHSAA’s East Central district official of the year, Miller and Bearden all have Super Six game experience, while Garrison called the Class 6A quarterfinals last year.
The auxiliary crew includes Kayla Rooks and Jared Waits (chains), Steven Maxwell (down box), Eric Wilson (play clock) and Derrick Vanover (game clock).
“We may be in our second year (as an association),” Gilbert said, “but we’ve got a good mix of younger and veteran (officials), so we’re thrilled, proud and very honored to be a part of this.”
The game promises to be a good one. Carver is ranked fourth and Opelika fifth in the preseason Class 6A poll. Carver reached the third round of the playoffs last season, while Opelika lost in the first round after getting to the finals in 2012.
“This is kind of like a playoff game and we’re treating it like one,” Gilbert said. “It’s a big deal for us to prepare as a group. The game might be a little faster, a little stronger and a little wider (than calling games in the smaller classifications), but it doesn’t affect the officiating.”
The officiating crew won’t be the only group with Calhoun County ties involved in the Champions Challenge series this year. Piedmont plays Dadeville in a cross-classification game Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. Two-time defending 5A champ Spanish Fort and Stanhope Elmore complete the two-day tripleheader at 7:30 p.m.
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