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
Mat Action Abounds on MHSAA TV
March 3, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
The mats in Grand Rapids and Detroit will get a workout this weekend with live streaming video on MHSAA.tv both Friday and Saturday (March 6-7), with NFHS Network coverage of the MHSAA Girls Competitive Cheer and Individual Wrestling Finals.
This will be the second of five straight weekends of Winter championship activity, which also will include more than 100 District games from the Girls Basketball Tournament and the final week of the regular season in boys basketball.
The Competitive Cheer coverage on MHSAA.tv begins at 6 p.m. Friday from the DeltaPlex in Grand Rapids. Here’s the complete schedule:
Friday – March 6
- 6 PM – Division 1 - Brighton, Grand Blanc, Hartland, Lake Orion, Plymouth, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Utica Eisenhower
Saturday – March 7
- 10 AM – Division 2 - Allen Park, Cedar Springs, Charlotte, DeWitt, Gibraltar Carlson, Muskegon Mona Shores, Southgate Anderson, Walled Lake Western
- 2 PM – Division 4 - Addison, Adrian Madison, East Jordan, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, Hudson, Munising, Pewamo-Westphalia, St. Charles
- 6 PM – Division 3 - Berrien Springs, Comstock Park, Croswell-Lexington, Escanaba, Paw Paw Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Onsted, Richmond
At Ford Field, there will be 20 mats providing 1,680 bouts over two days from the Individual Wrestling Finals. Here’s the round-by-round schedule:
Friday – March 6
- 11:30 AM – First Round – Championship Bracket
- 2:45 PM – Second Round – Consolation Bracket (Round may begin earlier if time allows)
- 4:15 PM – Third Round – Quarterfinal Bracket (Round may begin earlier if time allows)
- 6 PM – Fourth Round – Blood Round-Consolation Bracket (Round may begin earlier if time allows)
- 7:30 PM – Fifth Round – Semifinal Round-Championship Bracket (Semifinals will not begin early)
Saturday – March 7
- 9 AM – Sixth Round – Consolation Bracket
- 10 AM – Seventh Round – Consolation Bracket (Round may begin earlier if time allows)
- 11 AM – Eighth Round – Medal Round – Consolation Bracket (Round may begin earlier if time allows)
- 3:30 PM – Ninth Round – Finals – Championship Bracket (Finals will not begin early)
Over the remainder of the Winter season, MHSAA.tv will have live final round coverage of the following:
- Ice Hockey Semifinals & Finals – March 12-13-14
- L.P. Boys Swimming & Diving Finals – March 14
- Girls Basketball Quarterfinals & Semifinals – March 17, 19-20
- Girls Basketball Quarterfinals & Semifinals – March 24, 26-27
You always can reach a list of the upcoming tournament games by Clicking Here. Fans can purchase a Month Pass to watch on the NFHS Network for $10.99.
Subscribers will have access to all live video across the country for 30 days. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live.