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
P-W/New Lothrop Tops MHSAA TV List
November 13, 2019
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
A monster rematch of the last two Division 7 champions will highlight the schedule of MHSAA Football Playoff Regional Finals streaming live video this week on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network.
Undoubtedly the game of the week statewide, 2016 and 2017 champion Pewamo-Westphalia (12-0) travels to 2018 winner New Lothrop (12-0) for a 7 p.m. game Friday (Nov. 15). The teams have split their last two meetings, P-W winning a Pre-District contest 35-14 in 2017 and New Lothrop rebounding in the Regional Final last year, 26-14.
The game is one of nine being shown on the NFHS Network this weekend, in addition to three games being streamed live on the Prep Zone.
The Prep Zone games can be seen on FoxSportsDetroit.com and on FOX Sports Go! for handheld and streaming devices like Roku. Here are this weekend’s Prep Zone games, all at 7 p.m. Friday:
- Utica Eisenhower at Davison (Div. 1)
- Port Huron at Birmingham Seaholm (Div. 2)
- Allen Park at Chelsea (Div. 3)
MHSAA.tv has live streaming video Thursday (Nov. 14) of Volleyball Regional Finals at Howell, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, Bear Lake and Plymouth Christian Academy.
Here’s the complete schedule of upcoming events on MHSAA.tv:
Thursday - Nov. 14
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Volleyball Regional Final | Macomb L’Anse Creuse North v. Fraser - 6 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Volleyball Regional Final | Southfield Christian vs. Cardinal Mooney - 6 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Volleyball Regional Final | Leland vs. Traverse City Christian - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Volleyball Regional Final | Ann Arbor Skyline v. Novi - 7 PM
Friday - Nov. 15
2019 MHSAA Div 5 Football Regional Final | Kalamazoo United v. Lansing Catholic - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. Flint Powers Catholic - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 7 Football Regional Final | Pewamo-Westphalia v. New Lothrop - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 2 Football Regional Final | Livonia Churchill v. Walled Lake Western - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 2 Football Regional Final| Portage Northern v. Muskegon Mona Shores - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 8 Football Regional Final | Lenawee Christian v. Reading - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Hudsonville Unity Christian v. Paw Paw - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Onsted v. Hillsdale - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Football Regional Final | Brighton v. Hudsonville - 7 PM
Saturday - Nov. 16
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Calumet v. Maple City Glen Lake - 1 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Cadillac v. Grand Rapids Catholic Central - 1 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Monroe SMCC v. Montrose - 2:45 PM
Now in its 11th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – the NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games but lacking the ability to staff the events. The SBP also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants benefit as a portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.