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
Hoops, Wrestling Dominate TV Listings
January 21, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
Here’s the complete schedule of varsity events on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network over the next seven days. More than 300 events on this week’s schedule are Junior High/Middle School, Freshman or Junior Varsity and not shown as part of the listing below.
Visit MHSAA.tv to look for all upcoming games:
Tuesday, Jan. 21
GBB - Genesee Christian v. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian - 4:30 PM
BBB - New Lothrop v. Chesaning - 5:30 PM
GBB - Montrose v. Otisville Lakeville - 5:30 PM
GBB - Mt Morris v. Durand - 5:30 PM
GBB - Saginaw Swan Valley v. Bay City Western - 5:30 PM
GBB - Stevensville Lakeshore v. Edwardsburg - 5:45 PM
GBB - Southfield Christian v. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist - 6 PM
GBB – Lake Linden-Hubbell v. Dollar Bay - 6:25 PM
BBB - Salem v. Howell - 6:45 PM
GBB - Norway v. Stephenson - 6:45 PM
BBB - Burton Bendle v. Flint Kearsley - 7 PM
BBB - Bloomfield Hills v. Lake Orion - 7 PM
BBB - Brighton v. Novi - 7 PM
BBB - Cadillac v. Essexville Garber - 7 PM
BBB - Livonia Clarenceville v. Plymouth Christian - 7 PM
BBB - Detroit Catholic Central v. Birmingham Brother Rice - 7 PM
BBB - Freeland v. Bay City John Maple City Glenn - 7 PM
BBB - Otisville Lakeville v. Montrose - 7 PM
BBB - Linden v. Flint Powers Catholic - 7 PM
BBB - Montrose v. Otisville Lakeville - 7 PM
BBB - Mt Morris v. Durand - 7 PM
BBB - Rockford v. East Kentwood - 7 PM
BBB - South Lyon v. Walled Lake Central - 7 PM
BBB - Saginaw Swan Valley v. Bay City Western - 7 PM
BBB - Walled Lake Northern v. White Lake Lakeland - 7 PM
BBB - Walled Lake Western v. Waterford Mott - 7 PM
GBB - Big Rapids v. Chippewa Hills - 7 PM
GBB - Cedar Springs v. Northview - 7 PM
GBB - East Kentwood v. Rockford - 7 PM
GBB - Maple City Glen Lake v. Kingsley - 7 PM
GBB - Grand Blanc v. Flushing - 7 PM
GBB - Grandville v. Grand Haven - 7 PM
GBB - Holly v. Ortonville Brandon - 7 PM
GBB - Huron Valley Lutheran v. Livonia Clarenceville - 7 PM
GBB - Kalamazoo Christian v. Galesburg-Augusta - 7 PM
GBB - White Lake Lakeland v. Walled Lake Northern - 7 PM
GBB - Madison Heights Lamphere v. Warren Mott - 7 PM
GBB - Lapeer v. Lake Orion - 7 PM
GBB - Manchester v. Adrian Madison - 7 PM
GBB - Highland Milford v. Birmingham Seaholm - 7 PM
GBB - New Lothrop v. Chesaning - 7 PM
GBB - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. Flint Carman-Ainsworth - 7 PM
GBB - Novi v. Brighton - 7 PM
GBB - Ovid-Elsie v. Byron - 7 PM
GBB - Petoskey v. Traverse City Central - 7 PM
GBB - Plymouth Christian v. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest - 7 PM
GBB - Flint Powers Catholic v. Marine City Cardinal Mooney - 7 PM
GBB - South Lyon East v. Waterford Kettering - 7 PM
GBB - Walled Lake Central v. South Lyon - 7 PM
GBB - West Bloomfield v. Waterford Our Lady - 7 PM
BBB - Stevensville Lakeshore v. Edwardsburg - 7:15 PM
GBB - Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian v. Wyoming Godwin Heights - 7:15 PM
GBB - Gwinn v. Negaunee - 7:15 PM
GBB - Houghton v. Calumet - 7:15 PM
BBB – Riverview Gabriel Richard v. Madison Heights Bishop Foley - 7:30 PM
BBB - Hemlock v. Ithaca - 7:30 PM
BBB - Novi Christian v. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian - 7:30 PM
BBB - Southfield Christian v. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist - 7:30 PM
BBB - St. Charles v. Michigan Lutheran Seminary - 7:30 PM
GBB - Caro v. Cass City - 7:30 PM
GBB - Harbor Beach v. Capac - 7:30 PM
GBB - St. Clair Shores Lake Shore v. L'Anse Creuse - 7:30 PM
GBB - Munising v. Manistique - 7:30 PM
BBB - East Grand Rapids v. Grand Rapids Christian - 7:45 PM
Wednesday - Jan. 22
WR - Hart v. TBA - 5 PM
WR – Quad at Burton Bendle - 5 PM
WR - New Lothrop v. Chesaning - 5 PM
CHR – OAA Jamboree at Brighton - 5 PM
WR - Wyoming v. Grand Rapids Christian - 5 PM
WR – Troy Athens v. Ferndale - 5:30 PM
WR - Big Rapids v. Reed City - 5:30 PM
WR – OK Quad at Grand Rapids Catholic Central - 5:30 PM
WR – OAA Quad at West Bloomfield - 5:30 PM
WR - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. TBA - 5:30 PM
WR - South Lyon v. TBA - 5:30 PM
WR – Quad at Fremont - 5:30 PM
WR - Corunna v. Clio - 6 PM
WR - East Kentwood v. Holland West Ottawa - 6 PM
WR - Hemlock v. Away - 6 PM
WR - Rockford v. Away - 6 PM
CHR - Grandville v. TBAD - 6 PM
WR - Gobles v. Watervliet - 6 PM
BBB -Waterford Our Lady v. Clarkston Everest Collegiate - 7 PM
HKY - South Lyon v. White Lake Lakeland - 7 PM
WR - Rockford v. Caledonia - 7 PM
BBB - Brethren v. Baldwin - 7:30 PM
BBB - Caro v. Cass City - 7:30 PM
BBB - Clare v. Beal City - 7:30 PM
BBB - Harbor Beach v. Capac - 7:30 PM
Thursday - Jan. 23
BSW – Brownstown Woodhaven v. TBA - 6 PM
BBB - Manchester v. Addison - 6:30 PM
CHR – OAA Jamboree at Troy Athens - 6:30 PM
BBB - Norway v. TBA - 6:45 PM
BBB - Detroit Catholic Central v. St. Michael's - 7 PM
BBB – St. Clair Shores Lakeview v. Madison Heights Lamphere - 7 PM
GBB - Bloomfield Hills v. West Bloomfield - 7 PM
GBB - Oxford v. Lake Orion - 7 PM
GBB - Pentwater v. Cadillac Heritage Christian - 7 PM
BBB - Cheboygan v. St Ignace - 7:15 PM
BBB - Hancock v. Calumet - 7:15 PM
BBB - Ishpeming v. Gwinn - 7:15 PM
BBB - St. Clair Shores Lake Shore v. Macomb L'Anse Creuse - 7:30 PM
GBB - Bad Axe v. Vassar - 7:30 PM
GBB - Bear Lake v. Marion - 7:30 PM
GBB - Brethren v. Manistee Catholic Central - 7:30 PM
GBB - Caro v. Reese - 7:30 PM
GBB - Clare v. Gladwin - 7:30 PM
GBB - Harrison v. Pinconning - 7:30 PM
GBB - Hart v. Muskegon Oakridge - 7:30 PM
HKY - Berkley v. Lake Orion - 7:45 PM
Friday - Jan. 24
GBB - Cedar Springs v. Lowell - 5:30 PM
GBB - Chesaning v. Ovid-Elsie - 5:30 PM
GBB - Grayling vs Boyne City - 5:30 PM
GBB - Otisville Lakeville v. Mt Morris - 5:30 PM
GBB - Saginaw Swan Valley v. Birch Run - 5:30 PM
GBB - Stevensville Lakeshore v. Niles - 5:45 PM
GBB - Armada v. Imlay City - 6 PM
GBB - Big Rapids v. Grant - 6 PM
GBB - Fowlerville v. St Johns - 6 PM
GBB - Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian v. Hopkins - 6 PM
GBB - Grandville v. East Kentwood - 6 PM
GBB - Huron Valley Lutheran v. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian - 6 PM
GBB - Kalamazoo Christian v. Lawton - 6 PM
GBB - Flint Kearsley v. Linden - 6 PM
GBB - Rockford v. Hudsonville - 6 PM
GBB - Southfield Christian v. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian - 6 PM
GBB - Swartz Creek v. Holly - 6 PM
GBB - Williamston v. Mason - 6 PM
GBB - Canton v. Howell - 6:45 PM
GBB - Norway v. North Dickinson - 6:45 PM