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
MHSAA TV Ends 17-18 with 28-Game Finale
June 12, 2018
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
A total of 28 games over three days will close out the championship coverage of MHSAA Tournaments for the 2017-18 school year with live streaming audio and video in three sports on MHSAA.tv and the MHSAA Network.
Baseball and Softball Semifinal coverage begins Thursday and runs through Saturday’s Finals from Old College Field at Michigan State University. On Friday and Saturday, you also can catch the Lower Peninsula Girls Soccer Finals from Williamston High School.
Today and Wednesday, the final events of the year for the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program will be originated by Comstock Park and Cedar Springs High Schools, which are hosting Semifinal games in Girls Soccer. Here’s that schedule:
Tuesday – Girls Soccer Quarterfinals – Division 4
- 7 p.m. – North Muskegon v. Kalamazoo Christian at Comstock Park
Wednesday – Girls Soccer Quarterfinals – Division 3
- 6 p.m. – Freeland v. Grand Rapids Catholic Central at Cedar Springs
The NFHS Network will feature landing pages on MHSAA.tv for the Baseball, Softball and Girls Soccer games this weekend. Audio of all games will be available on the home page of the MHSAA Network.
Here’s the complete schedule of games on MHSAA.tv and the MHSAA Network this weekend:
Thursday Baseball Semifinals (Quarterfinals on Tuesday)
- 9 a.m. – Division 2 – Livonia Clarenceville/Orchard Lake St. Mary’s winner v. Grand Rapids West Catholic/Stevensville Lakeshore winner
- 11:30 a.m. – Division 2 – Muskegon Oakridge/Saginaw Swan Valley winner v. DeWitt/Tecumseh winner
- 2:30 p.m. – Division 1 – Grosse Pointe South/Macomb Dakota winner v. Midland/Holland West Ottawa winner
- 5 p.m. – Division 1 – Grand Ledge/Brownstown Woodhaven winner v. Birmingham Brother Rice/Northville winner
Thursday Softball Semifinals (Quarterfinals on Tuesday)
- 10 a.m. – Division 1 – Garden City/Warren Regina winner v. Alpena/Caledonia winner
- 12:30 p.m. – Division 1 – Howell/Plymouth winner v. Clarkston/Hartland winner
- 3 p.m. – Division 2 – Dearborn Divine Child/Richmond winner v. Spring Lake/South Haven winner
- 5:30 p.m. – Division 2 – Escanaba/Saginaw Swan Valley winner v. Eaton Rapids/Flat Rock winner
Friday (June 16) Baseball Semifinals (Quarterfinals on Tuesday)
- 9 a.m. – Division 4 – Indian River Inland Lakes/Gaylord St. Mary winner v. Beal City/Muskegon Catholic Central winner
- 11:30 a.m. – Division 4 - Plymouth Christian/Unionville-Sebewaing winner v. St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic/Petersburg-Summerfield winner
- 2:30 p.m. – Division 3 – Gladstone/Standish-Sterling winner v. Madison Heights Bishop Foley/New Lothrop winner
- 5 p.m. – Division 3 – Michigan Center/Riverview Gabriel Richard winner v. Montague/Schoolcraft winner
Friday Softball Semifinals (Quarterfinals on Tuesday)
- 10 a.m. – Division 3 – Negaunee/Sanford Meridian winner v. Sandusky/Millington winner
- 12:30 p.m. – Division 3 – Clinton/Allen Park Cabrini winner v. Stanton Central Montcalm/Coloma winner
- 3 p.m. – Division 4 – Rudyard/Rogers City winner v. Frankfort/Coleman winner
- 5:30 p.m. – Division 4 – Waterford Our Lady/Unionville-Sebewaing winner v. Centreville/Ottawa Lake-Whiteford winner
Friday L.P. Girls Soccer Finals (Semifinals on Tuesday)
- 1 p.m. – Division 4 – Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett/Lansing Christian winner v. Kalamazoo Christian/North Muskegon winner
- 4 p.m. – Division 1 – Troy/Novi winner v. Midland/Grand Blanc winner
Saturday Baseball Finals
- 9 a.m. – Division 2
- 11:30 a.m. – Division 1
- 2:30 p.m. – Division 3
- 5 p.m. – Division 4
Saturday Softball Finals
- 10 a.m. – Division 2
- 12:30 p.m. – Division 1
- 3 p.m. – Division 4
- 5:30 p.m. – Division 3
Saturday L.P. Girls Soccer Finals (Semifinals on Wednesday)
- 1 p.m. – Division 3 – Warren Regina/Flint Powers Catholic winner v. Grand Rapids Catholic Central/Freeland winner
- 4 p.m. – Division 2 - Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Richland Gull Lake winner v. DeWitt/Bloomfield Hills Marian winner
A $9.95 subscription allows viewing of live content on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network for 30 days. All events will be archived for free on-demand viewing beginning three days after their completion. Subscriptions must be cancelled before the 30-day period is over to avoid recurring charges. Instant Downloads of all games are available for $19.95.
The MHSAA Network website has provided free live audio coverage of various MHSAA Championships since the 2005-06 school year. Instant Downloads of all games are available for $4.99.
Completing its ninth 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 the events. The program 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.