Northern Officials Association
Lake County, Illinois

NOA Official of the Year Overview

The NOA Board of Directors established a special award for the Official of the Year in each of the major sports that the NOA sponsors.  This award is presented for accomplishments an official achieves during the past season and is not intended to be a "Lifetime" award. 

Members are aware of the many great accomplishments of our veteran colleagues who have set the examples and goals we all strive for and know they are proud of those accomplishments.  The criteria established for the award, though, is only intended to address outstanding accomplishments and success of an official during the past season.  The recipient of the award is the NOA official who best fulfills the following criteria.

AWARD CRITERIA

  • PARTICIPATION
    • Attendance at meetings
    • Topic presenter
    • Discussion ideas
  • PROMOTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
    • Recommendation of new members
    • Scrimmage work - P.R.
    • IHSA or IACO interaction
  • ASSISTANCE
    • Assignment Chairman
    • President or General Chairman
    • General Membership
  • ACHIEVEMENT
    • Promotion in rating or Certified at the beginning of the season.
    • State playoff assignments round
    • Recognition from outside the NOA

*Covid-19 (2020-21) caused a reduced sports schedule

NOA Officials of the Year

Year

Football

Basketball

Baseball

1986-87

John Widmayer

Dick Kessler

 Ron Naden

1987-88

Ed Moricoli 

Willie Jackson 

 Bob Williams 

1988-89

Wayne Kendall 

Harvey Foster 

 Jim Sowa 

1989-90

George Lewerenz 

Scott McClellan 

 Tom Deslauries 

1990-91

Bob Brown 

Dennis Doud 

 Dick Renaud 

1991-92

Jerry Eiserman

Rich Herdliska

 John Christiansen

1992-93

Chuck Esposito

Rich Petersen

 Harry Owsley

1993-94

Tom Fryer

Ron Lorenzo

 Dave Lang

1994-95

Tom Gattas

Jim Bernardi

 John Rottman

1995-96

Tom Cappelen

Tom Baba

 John Davis

1996-97

Rene Pelletier

Mike Geske

 John Moake

1997-98

Richard Hamilton

Peter King

 Randy Moore

1998-99

Darrell Schrag

Rocky Nelson

 Tony Alferi

1999-2000

Tom Lowe

Tom Brophy

 Vince Cannon

2000-01

Ian MacCaulay

Don Swanson

 John Sahlberg

2001-02

Mark Thompson

Randy Steen

 Ron Guy

2002-03

Frank Moscardini

John Widmayer

 Chris Hacias

2003-04

Don Swanson

Jerry Eiserman

 Dave Kirtz

2004-05

Jim Bernardi

Robert Miller

 - not awarded-

2005-06

Peter King

Patrick Murphy

 Larry Hodge

2006-07

Ron Mohler

Dave Butts

  

2007-08

Al Smigiel

Jerry Blum

  

2008-09

David Butts

Darnell Jones

  

2009-10

Michael Roseman

Jerry Blum

  

2010-11

Mike Babicz

Phil Schmidt

  

2011-12

Howard Harris

Steve Gibble

  

2012-13

Pete Merkel

Troy Whalen

  

2013-14

Mike Zuckerman

Mike Babicz

  

2014-15

Al Jackson

Jay Lampel

  

2015-16

Tom Vogan

Pete Merkel

  

2016-17

Ron Sapochak

Tim Robbins 

  

2017-18

Phil Perna

Pete Androus 

  

2018-19

Randy Steen 

Mark Havlic 

  

2019-20

Dan Schuster 

Bill McIntee 

  

2020-21

 - not awarded-

 - not awarded-

  

2021-22

 Jerry Blum

Cabrina Williams-Leneau 

  

2022-23

Patrick Murphy 

Jeff Schwarz 

  

2023-24

Pete Androus

Mark Murphy 

  

2024-25

Craig Ritter 

Dennis Marach 

  

2025-26

David Butts 

Jason Boston 

  

2026-27

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

Hall of Fame Topics