Be the Referee: Most Important Line
October 31, 2019
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains what the goal line means for offenses, defenses and special teams in high school football.
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 - Most Important Line - Listen
There’s an old saying in football officiating that the most important line on the field is the goal line.
This is certainly true when it comes to touchdowns, as the high school rule is just like that at the college and pro level, where all the ball has to do is break the plane for the score.
One unique part of the goal line under high school rules deals with kicks. Whenever a kickoff or a punt breaks the plane of the goal line, it becomes a dead ball with an automatic touchback. Now, whenever the defense gets possession of the ball in the end zone, it can return a fumble or interception out of the end zone for advancement, except if it’s on an extra point or any time in overtime.
Past editions
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
Today in the MHSAA: 6/3/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 3, 2024
1. BOYS TRACK & FIELD Kalamazoo Central won its first Finals since 1965, Fowler its first since 1988, and Berrien Springs and Pewamo-Westphalia also were victorious in the Lower Peninsula – MHSAA.com
2. GIRLS TRACK & FIELD Sault Ste. Marie claimed its first Finals title in more than two decades, and Bark River-Harris and Lake Linden-Hubbell were repeat champions in the Upper Peninsula – MHSAA.com
3. GIRLS TRACK & FIELD Oak Park and Hart extended their reigns, and Fowler and Dearborn Divine Child joined them as Lower Peninsula champions – MHSAA.com
4. GIRLS TENNIS Clarkston won its first Finals team title since 2011, and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Detroit Country Day and Ann Arbor Greenhills also were Lower Peninsula champions – MHSAA.com
5. BOYS TRACK & FIELD Marquette and Pickford extended championship streaks, and Newberry also claimed a Finals title in the Upper Peninsula – MHSAA.com
6. BASEBALL Montague claimed a Division 3 District title with a 4-1 win over top-ranked North Muskegon – CatchMark SportsNet
7. SOFTBALL Houghton earned its first District title in this sport with a 4-3 win over honorable mention Negaunee in Division 3 – Upper Michigan Source
8. BASEBALL Top-ranked Beal City claimed a Division 4 District championship, along the way defeating No. 2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 3-0 to start Saturday – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
9. GIRLS SOCCER Salem downed Livonia Stevenson 3-0 in Division 1 to clinch its first District title since 1999 – Hometown Life
10. SOFTBALL Honorable mention Gladstone downed Menominee 4-3 in eight innings in Division 3 to extend its District title streak to 24 – Escanaba Daily Press