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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

UP Swim/Dive Finals to Stream Live

February 13, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

Six straight weekends of Winter Finals tournament coverage on MHSAA.tv begins this week, with coverage Friday and Saturday (Feb. 15-16) of the Upper Peninsula Swimming & Diving Finals at Marquette High School. 

Coverage of the Diving Finals takes place Friday, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The Swimming Finals will be contested Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. 

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 swimming action, there will be coverage of Wrestling Regionals and Girls Competitive Cheer Districts produced by School Broadcast Program participants. 

The Regional phase of the Team Wrestling Tournament takes place Wednesday (Feb. 13), and the Regional round of the Individual Wrestling Tournament is scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 16). Competitive Cheer Districts are Friday and Saturday. 

Here’s the schedule for the Team Wrestling Regional action to be covered: 

Division 1 

Grandville
5:30 p.m. – Hudsonville v. Grandville; Rockford v. Traverse City West
6:45 p.m. – Final

Division 2 

Cedar Springs
5:30 p.m. – Muskegon Reeths-Puffer v. Cedar Springs; Ada Forest Hills Eastern v. Allendale
6:45 p.m. – Final

Here’s the schedule for the Individual Wrestling Regional action to be covered:

Division 1

Saline – 10 a.m.

Division 2

Fremont – 10 a.m.

Here’s the schedule for the Girls Competitive Cheer Districts to be covered:

Division 1

Rockford – Saturday – 10 a.m.
Lake Orion – Saturday – 10 a.m.
Novi – Saturday – 11 a.m.

Division 2

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore – Saturday – 10 a.m.
Linden – Saturday – 10 a.m.
Mt. Pleasant – Saturday – 11 a.m.

Division 3

Comstock Park – Friday – 6 p.m.

Here’s the remainder of week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by SBP members. Check the online schedule throughout the week for late changes. 

Tuesday - Feb. 12

Wednesday - Feb. 13&