Kalispell’s Keith Ori has been inducted into the Montana Officials’ Association Hall of Fame. As a highly respected veteran basketball official, Ori was one of three esteemed high school sports officials to receive this honor in 2016.
Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Association, announced the 2016 induction class. The three officials, all of whom were esteemed leaders and role models for their peers, were Ori, Dave Bennetts of Butte and Doug Crum of Libby.
Ori, a native of Dillon and the founder of Orthopedic Rehab in Kalispell, retired in 2013 after 36 years as an MOA official in both girls’ and boys’ basketball. He officiated over 100 post season contests, including district, divisional and state tournaments. Ori was a pool member in Helena, Missoula and Kalispell, and served as president and lead assignor for the Flathead Valley Officials Association. He was chosen as Montana’s 1992 NFHS basketball official of the year. He also officiated the Big Sky Conference for seven years. He was chosen as Montana’s NFHS basketball Official of the Year in 1992 as well as 2008.
Dave Bennetts was an MOA wrestling official for 38 years. He was chosen to officiate more than 50 tournaments at both the state and divisional levels.
Bennetts was at one time a member of the Billings, Helena, Miles City, Great Falls and Butte wrestling pools, serving as pool leader in each location. He was chosen as Montana’s NFHS wrestling official of the year in both 1997 and in 2014.
Doug Crum’s MOA career spanned 41 years, 39 of those as a master wrestling official. Crum was selected to officiate more than 60 post season wrestling tournaments, including divisional and state contests.
Crum was the assignor for the Libby wrestling pool for over 30 years and was chosen as Montana’s NFHS wrestling official of the year in 2013.