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
Tune In for Spring Tournament Coverage
May 21, 2019
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
The first three weekends of June will wrap up another school year of MHSAA Tournament action with live audio and video streams on MHSAA.tv and MHSAANetwork.com.
Finals coverage begins June 1 at 10 a.m. (EDT), with live streaming video from the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals on MHSAA.tv. The following Saturday – June 8 – Lacrosse takes center stage, with audio streaming on MHSAANetwork.com joining the video streaming of the Boys & Girls Finals at Howell and Novi.
The third weekend features 28 games over three days in three sports. Audio and video streams of the Baseball and Softball Semifinals and Finals take place June 13-15, with four games each day. The Girls Soccer Finals also will have live audio and video June 14-15, with two games each day. All of the action will originate from Old College Field at Michigan State University.
All can be viewed on MHSAA.tv by purchasing a Month Pass for just $9.95. One subscription allows for three logons and is also good for watching other live high school events on the NFHS Network. The audio streams on MHSAANetwork.com are free. Instant downloads of audio and video files are available on the respective websites.
Select tournament games in Lacrosse and Soccer also will be available from MHSAA members participating in the School Broadcast Program.
Here is the schedule for Spring sporting events to be streamed live on MHSAA.tv for May 21-24:
Tuesday - May 21
Softball - Mattawan at Stevensville Lakeshore - 3:52 PM
Boys Lacrosse Regional - Flint Powers v. Bay City Western - 5 PM
JV Girls Soccer – Temperance Bedford at Saline - 5:30 PM
Girls Soccer – Temperance Bedford at Saline - 7 PM
Boys Lacrosse Regional - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. B. Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - 7 PM
Girls Regional Lacrosse – Lake Orion at White Lake Lakeland – 7 PM
Wednesday - May 22
Baseball - Houghton at Negaunee - 4 PM
Girls Soccer District – Wyandotte Roosevelt at Woodhaven - 5 PM
Girls Lacrosse Regional - Royal Oak v. B. Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - 5 PM
Boys Lacrosse Regional - Livonia Stevenson at Novi - 6 PM
Boys Lacrosse – Detroit Cass Tech at St. Clair Shores Lake Shore - 6 PM
Girls Soccer District - Clinton at Manchester - 7 PM
Girls Lacrosse Regional - Vicksburg at E. Grand Rapids - 7 PM
Girls Soccer District – Walled Lake Northern at White Lake Lakeland - 7 PM
Girls Lacrosse Regional - Rochester Hills Stoney Creek v. Warren Regina - 7 PM
Thursday - May 23
Softball - Hancock at Negaunee - 4 PM
Girls Soccer District – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern at Cedar Springs - 6 PM
Friday - May 24
Softball - Portage Central at Stevensville Lakeshore - 3:55 PM
Girls Soccer District – Battle Creek Pennfield at Plainwell - 5:45 PM
In its 10th 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 events. The SBP also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 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 also are selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.