Mixup with referees cancels Ford City-Valley football game

The "human error" that postponed opening night for Ford City and Valley football players can't be blamed on officials with either school, New Kensington-Arnold School District Superintendent George Batterson said.

The mistake originated with higher-ups in the officiating organization that was supposed to send six referees to cover last Friday's game at Ford City Athletic Field, he said.

Because the referees never showed, the Sabers and Vikings were forced to reschedule their game for 7:30 p.m. last Saturday. Ford City wound up winning, 16-6.

Batterson said he spent several days investigating the issue and discovered the source of the problem after contacting WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley.

"He told me that an error was made in assigning the referees by an official with the (referees') organization," Batterson said.

When contacted earlier this week, O'Malley said he had no information about the situation and advised a reporter to call Ford City High School officials.

O'Malley couldn't be reached Thursday.

Batterson declined to name the officiating organization at fault, nor would he detail the error.

However, Ford City High School Principal Mike Cominos identified the group as the Eastern Association of Interscholastic Football Officials, Western Pennsylvania Chapter.

Numerous attempts to reach officials with the organization -- including through the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association -- were unsuccessful.

Frank Campbell, New Kensington-Arnold's athletic director, told the Valley News Dispatch last Friday, "It was human error" that resulted in the referees failing to show. He declined further explanation and responded this week to only one of numerous requests for comment, saying he was investigating the situation.

Campbell also serves as commissioner of the WPIAL's Allegheny Conference, to which Ford City and Valley belong. As such, Campbell is paid to schedule referees for all conference games, according to Cominos.

Cominos said Ford City officials were given a list of the referees who were supposed to officiate the game. He identified the referees as Jack Hanlon, Bart Daldosso, Tom Nolan, Glenn Bonczek, Jim Pastin and Wesley Wiezorek.

Of those men, only Hanlon and Bonczek are listed as member officials on the organization's Web site.

Hanlon failed to return numerous calls for comment. A woman who answered the phone Thursday at Hanlon's residence said that Hanlon was aware of the calls.

With one exception, attempts to reach Bonczek and the other officials who allegedly were to work the game were unsuccessful.

Wiezorek, who said he officiates high school football through a different chapter of referees, denied ever being asked to work the Ford City-Valley match-up.

"I was not scheduled to be there," Wiezorek said. "I officiated the Franklin Regional game that night."