Be the Referee: Receiver Carried Out of End Zone

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

November 4, 2021

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 – Receiver Carried Out of End Zone - Listen

A football play for you to rule on today. The quarterback throws a pass to an eligible receiver in the end zone. The receiver jumps and makes the catch, but before he lands, a defensive player wraps him up and carries him out to the 2-yard line, where the receiver finally touches the ground.

What’s the call? Is the ball spotted at the 2-yard line where the receiver finally made contact with the ground? Or is it a touchdown?

Send out the extra-point team because it’s a touchdown. The receiver’s forward momentum was stopped in the end zone, while he had possession of the ball … which is considered a touchdown catch. He does not have to get a foot or any other body part down in the end zone for it to count.

Previous editions

Oct. 28: Volleyball Back-Row Block Listen
Oct. 21: Soccer Disallowed Goal Listen
Sept 30: Field Goal Falls Short Listen
Sept. 23: Volleyball Obstruction Listen
Sept. 16: Catch or No Catch  Listen
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen 
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen 
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics 
 Listen

Unforgettable 5ive: 2022 Football Finals

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

November 30, 2022

Ten unforgettable plays from the 2022 Football Finals (one from each division):

► Taegan Harris runs the kick back 94 yards in Martin's 74-24 win over Merrill in 8-Player Division 1.

► Jacob Gorzinksi throws a 33-yard touchdown pass to Luke Gorzinksi in Powers North Central's 66-26 win over Mendon in 8-Player Division 2.

► Shea Ruddy scores from seven yards out as Ottawa Lake Whiteford defeats Ubly 26-20 in Division 8.

► Derrick Walker scores from two yards out as Jackson Lumen Christi downs Traverse City St. Francis 15-12 in Division 7.

► Timmy Kloska propels Grand Rapids West Catholic to a 59-14 win over Negaunee thanks in part to this 61-yard touchdown run.

► Gladwin defeats Frankenmuth 10-7 in Division 5 on this field goal from Treyton Siegert with two seconds left.

► Jacob DeHaan scores from 54 yards out as Grand Rapids South Christian wins in Division 4, 28-0 over Goodrich.

► Detroit Martin Luther King repeats as Division 3 champ, defeating Muskegon 56-27 as Sterling Anderson scores from 80 yards out.

► Jack Yanachik catches the 38-yard touchdown pass from Brady Drogosh as Warren De La Salle Collegiate downs Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 52-13 in Division 2.

► Bryce Underwood keeps it 48 yards for the touchdown as Belleville defeats Caledonia 35-17 in Division 1.