Be the Referee: Most Important Line

Highlights

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

Highlights

Wrestling, Unified Hoops Top Dot-TV Slate

February 19, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

The schedule for this week on MHSAA.tv features Unified Basketball on Thursday (Feb. 21) and the MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals over the weekend.

The Kensington Lakes Activities Association will conduct its Unified Basketball Tournament on Thursday at Novi High School. Unified Sports bring together individuals of similar ages and abilities with and without disabilities on teams together, fostering friendship and acceptance through the power of sport.

Through this partnership, Special Olympics Michigan and the MHSAA share resources and networks with the hope of expanding the reach of Unified Sports and broadening the reach of youth athletic opportunities within a school.

Thursday's event begins at 4 p.m. with pool play, and concludes at 7:15 with the championship game and awards for all participants. MHSAA.tv will stream live video of games taking place in the main gym at Novi. Here’s the complete schedule:

Pool Play – 4 p.m. – Livonia Franklin v. Plymouth-Canton-Salem; Wayne Memorial v. Belleville; Wayne Memorial v. Livonia Churchill; Wayne Memorial v. Plymouth-Canton-Salem; Wayne Memorial v. Livonia Franklin.

Bracket Play – 6:30 p.m.

Final Game & Award – 7:15 p.m.

Team Wrestling at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo takes place Friday and Saturday (Feb. 22-23), the second of six straight weekends of Winter Finals tournament coverage on MHSAA.tv, with Quarterfinals on Friday; Semifinals Saturday morning; and Finals Saturday afternoon. Here’s the complete schedule:

Friday – Feb. 22
Quarterfinals – Mat 1
                Noon – Div. 4 – New Lothrop v. Manchester
                2:15 PM – Div. 1 – Detroit Catholic Central v. Clarkston
                4:30 PM – Div. 3 – Whitehall v. Alma
                6:45 PM – Div. 2 – Goodrich v. Niles
Quarterfinals – Mat 2
                Noon – Div. 4 – Hudson v. Leroy Pine River
                2:15 PM – Div. 1 – Brighton v. Macomb Dakota
                4:30 PM – Div. 3 – Remus Chippewa Hills v. Montrose
                6:45 PM – Div. 2 – Lowell v. Cedar Springs
Quarterfinals – Mat 3
                Noon – Div. 4 – Carson City-Crystal v. Onaway
                2:15 PM – Div. 1 – Davison v. Rockford
                4:30 PM – Div. 3 – Richmond v. Shepherd
                6:45 PM – Div. 2 – DeWitt v. Warren Woods-Tower
Quarterfinals – Mat 4
                Noon – Div. 4 – Clinton v. Schoolcraft
                2:15 PM – Div. 1 – Westland John Glenn v. Hartford
                4:30 PM – Div. 3 – Dundee v. Dowagiac
                6:45 PM – Div. 2 – Gaylord v. Tecumseh

Saturday – Feb. 23
Semifinals – Mat 1
9:30 AM – Div. 1 – Detroit CC/Clarkston winner v. Westland John Glenn/Hartland winner
Noon – Div. 2 – DeWitt/Warren Woods-Tower winner v. Goodrich/Niles winner
Semifinals – Mat 2
9:30 AM – Div. 1 – Davison/Rockford winner v. Brighton/Macomb Dakota winner
Noon – Div. 2 – Lowell/Cedar Springs winner v. Gaylord/Tecumseh winner
Semifinals – Mat 3
9:30 AM – Div. 4 – Hudson/Leroy Pine River winner v. Carson City-Crystal/Onaway winner
Noon – Div. 3 – Richmond/Shepherd winner v. Chippewa Hills/Montrose winner
Semifinals – Mat 4
9:30 AM – Div. 4 - Clinton/Schoolcraft winner v. New Lothrop/Manchester winner
Noon – Div. 1 – Whitehall/Alma winner v. Dundee/Dowagiac winner
Finals – Mat 1
                3:45 PM – Division 1
Finals – Mat 2
                3:45 PM – Division 2
Finals – Mat 3
                3:45 PM – Division 3
Finals – Mat 4
                3:45 PM – Division 4

Over the remainder of the Winter season, MHSAA.tv will have live coverage of the following:

Team Dual Wrestling Quarterfinals-Semifinals-Finals – Feb. 22-23
Individual Wrestling Finals – March 1-2
Girls Competitive Cheer Finals – March 1-2
Ice Hockey Semifinals & Finals – March 7-8-9
L.P. Boys Swimming & Diving Finals – March 9
Boys Basketball Quarterfinals & Semifinals – March 12, 14-15
Girls Basketball Quarterfinals & Semifinals – March 19, 21-22

Fans can purchase a Month Pass to watch on the NFHS Network for $9.95, which allows three log-ons. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country for 30 days. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live.

In addition to this weekend’s wrestling action, there will also be coverage of regular-season basketball and Girls Competitive Cheer Regionals being produced by School Broadcast Program participants.

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