During the season, it’s pretty easy for the referees to call the game on the field. But when the season is all over and the Snohomish County football officials review the resumes of high school seniors for their annual Hall of Fame, the task is a little harder.

“To me, they’re all cream of the crop,” said Bob Sund, a Marysville-area official who participated in the judging this year.

But at the Dec. 10 banquet, M-P senior Nick Forsythe was named the winner of the Armed Forces Award, a $1,000 scholarship generally recognized as the organization’s top annual award.

Forsythe played quarterback this fall for the Tomahawks, sharing that responsibility with starter Devin Peterson. Forsythe was awarded the team’s Coaches Award this year for his character. At the team banquet when he was awarded, coaches described him as a selfless player, adapting to the quarterback play of other league teams to help his teammates get ready in practices for Friday night.

It was that kind of play that earned him the respect of his coaches, but his hard work in and out of the classroom helped Forsythe win the scholarship.

The senior, who is also a key part of this winter’s Tomahawk basketball team, carries a 4.0 grade point average that puts him at the top of his class. In addition he volunteers and mentors an elementary school student.

“I think he’s going to go a long way in life,” Sund said, adding his thanks to the organization’s sponsors for making the award banquet possible.

Each school within the Snohomish County Football Officials’ jurisdiction — which also includes South Whidbey and Cedarcrest — may nominate two students each, from which the officials select five scholarship winners. Mike Stone was the other nominee from Marysville-Pilchuck while Arlington football captains Sherman Pruitt and Jerod Baker were nominated to represent the Eagles Class of 2009.

Lakewood seniors David Moore and Joey Davenport were also nominated.