The Buffalo Bills, in partnership with the National Football League, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and the New York State Association of Certified Football Officials (NYSACFO), wish to honor five football officials from the Rochester Chapter as the "Crew of the Month" for October 2025 for enhancing the student-athlete experience for high school football players in the region.
The men, with 140 combined years of officiating experience, include: Leo Rhodes (Referee), Chris Guyett (Umpire), Ken Johnson (Head Linesman), Ken Torchia (Line Judge), and Tim Moriarity (Back Judge). Each member of this crew has officiated at every position on the varsity level, showcasing versatility, deep knowledge of the game, and leadership throughout their careers. They spearhead the development of football officials and maintain the Rochester Chapter's high levels of professionalism. Off the field, their lifelong dedication to community service and career professions speaks volumes about their character and commitment to giving back.
Leo Rhodes (Referee) has been a Section V (Rochester) football official since 1996. He has served two terms as president of the United Sports Board Council (USBC), the governing body for all Section V officiating groups. He is a certified wrestling official and past president of the Wrestling Officials Association (WOA). Currently, he is the president of the City Catholic Wrestling Association (CCWA), a not-for-profit organization established to promote inner-city wrestling and educational mentorship.
Chris Guyett (Umpire) has been a member of the RCCFO for twenty years. He has worked several Section V quarterfinal, semifinal, and final games. He has worked three NYSPHSAA semifinal matchups. With the growth and development of Girls' Flag Football, he's officiated sectional semifinals and finals, as well as New York State regional contests. In 2025, he worked the NYSPHSAA Girls' Flag Football Class C Final in Cortland. He is a recipient of the 2022 RCCFO Official of the Year and the 2022 NYSACFO Merit Award. He continually introduces interested officials to the RCCFO to increase the number of certified officials through the Big Brother/Little Brother mentoring program.
Ken Johnson (Head Linesman) has been a member of the RCCFO for thirty years. He sits on the Executive Council as the membership chairperson and promotes the Big Brother/Little Brother mentoring program to help nurture newer officials on and off the field. He has been assigned to numerous Section V sectional games and worked the 2024 NYSPHSAA Class AA Finals in Syracuse. In 2019, he received the 2019 RCCFO official-of-the-year award.
Ken Torchia (Line Judge) has been a member of the RCCFO for forty years. He introduces interested officials to the RCCFO to increase the number of certified officials through the Big Brother/Little Brother mentoring program. Ken has served as President, Past-President, and Treasurer of the RCCFO. Ken's contributions have been recognized with prominent awards: the 2010 RCCFO Official of the Year and the NYSACFO Merit Award. Ken's hard work as an official paid off when he was assigned to the NYSPHSAA 2022 Class A Football Championship and the 2025 NYSPHSAA Girls' Flag Football Class C Final. Ken volunteers his time with the Penfield Youth Baseball, coordinating fundraising for the organization.
Tim Moriarity (Back Judge) has been a member of the RCCFO for twenty years. He's worked sectional semifinal and final games, as well as the NYSPHSAA semifinal (2016) and two state finals (2018 & 2024). Off the field, Tim officiates NOFA youth Catholic school basketball for the Diocese of Buffalo and men's adult basketball in Niagara County. He's umpired slow-pitch softball for 30 years, officiating many championship games in league and tournament finals.
The Buffalo Bills are one of 18 NFL teams participating in recognizing high school football officials for their contributions to their communities. Each month of the high school football season, the Bills work with NYSACFO to identify officials who deserve the honor. The state association comprises 19 chapters across New York and 1,500 members who support high school football.
For additional information on the Crew of the Month program, please visit https://playfootball.nfl.com/resources/officiating/.
Anyone interested in becoming an official, please visit *https://nysacfo.com/signupform/*.
