![Referees have a brief discussion during the 2021 Finals at Ford Field.](/sites/default/files/2022-08/220823_referee_2H.jpg)
Be the Referee: Intentional Grounding Change
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
August 23, 2022
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Intentional Grounding Change - Listen
New this year in football is a change to intentional grounding.
What’s staying the same? A quarterback in the free block zone – who throws a pass to an area with no receiver nearby – will continue to be flagged for intentional grounding. That’s a five-yard penalty and loss of down.
So what’s different? Now … a quarterback outside of the free blocking zone can legally throw the ball away as long as the pass lands past the original line of scrimmage. This used to be flagged for grounding, but is now legal.
In fact, this rule doesn’t just pertain to the quarterback. Any passer, outside of the free blocking zone, can throw the ball away as long as it lands past the line of scrimmage.
![Gladwin's Treyton Siegert follows through on a kick during the Division 5 Final at Ford Field.](/sites/default/files/2022-11/221130_Gladwin_2H.jpg)
Performance of the Week: Gladwin's Treyton Siegert
December 2, 2022
Treyton Siegert ♦ Gladwin
Junior ♦ Football
In just his second year kicking a football, Siegert connected on a field goal that's sure to be remembered in his community for years to come. His 21-yarder with two seconds to play in Saturday's Division 5 championship game clinched a 10-7 win over Frankenmuth and Gladwin's first football Finals championship. The field goal was his fourth this season, in five attempts.
Much more unnoticed but still important Saturday, he sent two of his three kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, and he also averaged 41.2 yards on six punts, with his longest on the day 57 yards. Siegert also plays on Gladwin's soccer team during the fall, club hockey during the winter, and he was the Mid-Michigan Golf Conference champion shooting a 77 at the league tournament this past spring.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Treyton Siegert #performanceoftheweek #football #kicker#statechamp #champion #congrats #gladwin #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok #mistudentaid #fyp ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
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2022-23 Honorees
Nov. 24: Lily Witte, Dexter diving - Report
Nov. 17: Navea Gauthier, Shelby volleyball - Report
Nov. 10: Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27: Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20: Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13: Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6: Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Top photo by High School Sports Scene.)