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: 5/28/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 28, 2024
1. TRACK & FIELD The No. 3 Frankenmuth girls and No. 2 Battle Creek Harper Creek boys won Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Division 2 championships – Saginaw News | Battle Creek Enquirer | Athletic.net
2. TRACK & FIELD Both of Clare’s teams claimed MITCA Division 3 titles, the boys their seventh-straight and the girls their fifth over the last six seasons; the boys were ranked No.1 and the girls No. 4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun | Athletic.net
3. TRACK & FIELD The top-ranked Hillsdale Academy girls and No. 2 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep boys were the MITCA Division 4 champions – Hillsdale Daily News | Athletic.net
4. TRACK & FIELD The top-ranked Rockford boys and top-ranked East Kentwood girls won the MITCA Division 1 meets – RockfordRams.org | Athletic.net
5. BASEBALL Division 2 top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic rode a five-run rally to win the Greater Flint Tournament with a 6-5 clincher over Goodrich – WJRT
6. SOFTBALL Grand Ledge clinched its first Greater Lansing Hall of Fame Softball Classic title in nearly two decades with a 7-1 win over Division 3 No. 10 Leslie – Lansing State Journal
7. TRACK & FIELD The Oak Park girls and Walled Lake Central boys won Oakland County team championships – Oakland Press Girls | Boys | Athletic.net
8. BASEBALL Griffin Gonzalez threw a no-hitter to lead Fowlerville past Corunna 2-0 in Division 2 District play – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
9. GIRLS SOCCER Hart scored the final two goals of overtime to get past Manistee 4-3 in their Division 3 District – Local Sports Journal
10. TRACK & FIELD The Detroit Renaissance girls and Cass Tech boys won Detroit Public School League championships, Cass Tech by a point – Athletic.net
Also of note …
TRACK & FIELD The Wayne Memorial girls and Detroit U-D Jesuit boys were Wayne County champions – Athletic.net
BASEBALL Division 4 No. 5 Muskegon Catholic Central finished its outright Alliance League title with an 11-1 win over Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy – Local Sports Journal