Be the Referee: Point After Touchdown
October 20, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how high school rules differ from those used by colleges when it comes to what's allowed after extra-point tries.
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 – Point After Touchdown - Listen
For many years at the pro and college levels of football, the P-A-T or the extra point kick, really became a ho-hum play.
Last year in the NFL, they tried to make the play more exciting by moving the kickers back, making it almost the distance of a medium-range field goal.
Under college rules, they allow the other team – the defense, whenever they get the ball – to try to return it all the way to the other end with the ability to score two points.
The next high school game you’re at, know this: that once the defensive team gets possession of the ball on an extra point or try for point, the try is over and the defense cannot score any points.
Past editions
Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen
Be the Referee: Base Runner Interference
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
April 1, 2025
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 – Base Runner Interference - Listen
Let’s head to the softball diamond today for a “You Make the Call," and how to score the play in the book.
We’ve got a runner on second with one out when the batter hits a grounder in the hole between short and third. The baserunner on second interferes with the shortstop attempting to make a play on the ball.
What’s the call? What happens to both the runner and batter?
The runner on second is out for interference. And the batter is awarded first base. There are now two outs with a runner on first.
In the scorebook, the batter is credited with a fielder’s choice, not a base hit. But if the interference is ruled intentional, both runner and batter are out.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
March 25: Pine Tar Usage - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen