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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

Hockey, Swim Finals Next on MHSAA TV

March 6, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

Finals on frozen pond and in swimming pools highlight this week’s schedule on MHSAA.tv, with live video streams of the MHSAA Ice Hockey and Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Championships.

The streaming this week begins at 5 p.m. Thursday (March 8) with the first of two Division 2 Semifinal games in the Ice Hockey Tournament. Division 3 and 1 Semifinals follow Friday (March 9), with the Finals on Saturday (March 10).

Here’s the complete Ice Hockey coverage schedule:

Thursday – Division 2 Semifinals

Friday – Division 3 Semifinals

Friday – Division 1 Semifinals

Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming and Diving coverage begins at noon Saturday at three locations, with the consolation and championship heats in each swimming event, plus the final round of the diving. Here are direct links to each Division of activity:

The continued Ice Hockey and Swimming 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. Over the next two weeks of live Winter championship coverage, the following events will be featured: 

  • Girls Basketball Quarterfinals – March 13 – ALL 16 GAMES
  • Girls Basketball Semifinals – March 15-16
  • Boys Basketball Quarterfinals – March 20 – ALL 16 GAMES
  • Boys Basketball Semifinals – March 22-23 

All events become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

The MHSAA Championship Radio Network begins three straight weekends of Winter tournament coverage this weekend at the Ice Hockey Semifinals and Finals. The audio stream is available at MHSAANetwork.com. Over the following two weekends, the MHSAA Championship Radio Network also will carry the Semifinals and Finals of the Girls and Boys Basketball Tournaments for distribution on an over-the-air network of radio stations, and on the internet.

In addition to all of the MHSAA Network coverage of tournament action, participants in the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program will bring over a dozen playoff contests into homes over the coming week.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of live video streams being produced by SBP members (All times Eastern Standard):

Monday, March 5

Wednesday, March 7

Friday, March 9

Monday, March 12

  • Boys Basketball Regional at Fowlerville – TBA
  • Boys Basketball Regional at Marquette – TBA
  • Boys Basketball Regional at Negaunee – TBA

Tuesday, March 13

  • Girls Basketball Quarterfinals – Sites & Times TBA

Be sure to check “Upcoming Events” on the MHSAA.tv home page daily for last-minute additions.

In 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.

Highlights of games produced in the past week by MHSAA School Broadcast Program members feature District Girls Basketball games Fowlerville v. Williamston and Manchester v. Pittsford, and a Regional Ice Hockey game Detroit U-D Jesuit v. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.

Highlights can be found each week on the MHSAA.tv website, the home page of the MHSAA Website, and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube.