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

D3 Hoop Powers Clash On MHSAA TV

January 15, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

A battle of two of the top-ranked girls basketball teams in in the state and rivalry games to the South and North on the hardwood head this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule, which again is offering more than 250 events produced by School Broadcast Program participants.

The top-ranked girls basketball team in Division 2 and two-time reigning Class C champion Detroit Edison (9-1) will travel to play the second-ranked team in Division 3, Pewamo-Westphalia (6-0), at 6 p.m. Monday (Jan. 21). The two teams faced each other in the 2017 Class C Final, with Edison registering a 46-44 victory, and they also met in the Semifinals in 2018 with Edison again prevailing, 50-39.

It’s the first of two big nonconference home games in two weeks for Pewamo-Westphalia, which will host reigning Class B champion Detroit Country Day on Feb. 1.

A Detroit Catholic League Central girls showdown of once-beaten Farmington Hills Mercy (6-1) and unbeaten Bloomfield Hills Marian (7-0) takes place at 7 p.m. Friday (Jan. 18) at Marian. Both teams are 2-0 in league play, and Marian is ranked among the top 10 in this week’s Division 1 media polls.

About 260 miles to the north, Pellston’s boys team (9-1) will host Gaylord St. Mary (5-2) at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 16) for the lead spot in the Ski Valley Conference. Pellston is ranked among the top 10 in Division 4.

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.

Here’s the upcoming MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by School Broadcast Program members and the NFHS Network:

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