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
Girls Quarterfinals to Stream Live
March 19, 2019
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
All 16 games of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Quarterfinals on Tuesday (March 19) will have live streaming video on MHSAA.tv.
Most of the games will be streamed by schools participating in the School Broadcast Program and will consist of single-camera coverage with natural sound and a scorebug graphic.
Here’s the complete schedule. All games start at 7 p.m. (EDT) unless otherwise indicated:
Division 1
Saginaw Heritage v. Hartland at Grand Blanc
Wayne Memorial v. Temperance Bedford at West Bloomfield – 5 PM
Southfield A&T v. St. Clair Shores Lakeview at West Bloomfield
Muskegon v. DeWitt at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
Division 2
Cadillac v. Freeland at Mt. Pleasant – 6 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian v. Hamilton at Holland (Hope College)
Haslett v. Chelsea at Fowlerville
Detroit Edison v. Goodrich at Port Huron (St. Clair County Community College)
Division 3
Ishpeming Westwood v. Lake City at Gaylord
Royal Oak Shrine v. Flint Hamady at Lapeer – 6 PM
Adrian Madison v. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep at Tecumseh
Pewamo-Westphalia v. Niles Brandywine at Middleville-Thornapple Kellogg
Division 4
Baraga v. St. Ignace at Escanaba
Clarkston Everest Collegiate v. Kingston at Burton Bendle – 6 PM
Gaylord St. Mary v. Fowler at Clare
Fruitport Calvary Christian v. Adrian Lenawee Christian at Richland Gull Lake
The continued basketball coverage is part of six straight weekends of live MHSAA Championship coverage on MHSAA.tv, and online viewers can catch every weekend of action for one low cost of $9.95. A subscription purchased this week will be good for coverage of the Girls Basketball Semifinals on Thursday and Friday (March 21-22).
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.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.