Be The Referee: Catch Momentum

October 17, 2019

This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice offers a "You Make the Call" regarding catch momentum after an interception near the goal line. 

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 - Catch Momentum - Listen

Here’s another edition of a football You Make The Call. On a passing play, a defender intercepts the ball at the 2-yard line, and the momentum of the catch carries him across the goal line.

The defender is allowed to come out of the end zone on this play. But while breaking free from the grasp of an opponent, the ball is fumbled out of the back of the end zone. What’s the call?

Since it was the momentum of catch that carried the defender into the end zone to begin with and the ball remained in the end zone and was declared dead there, a rules exception places the ball 1st-and-10 at the 2-yard line. 

Past editions

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

Flashback: Big Play Leads Off Big Reds

July 26, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

Highlighted by what was then an MHSAA Finals kickoff return record, Muskegon takes on Detroit Martin Luther King in this week’s 80s Finals Flashback series on MHSAA.tv. 

The fifth game in our weekly summer series is the 1988 Class A Football Final between the Big Reds and the Crusaders.

Week of July 25 – Muskegon 16, Detroit Martin Luther King 13 – 1988 Class A Football Final Muskegon's Marcus Longmire dashed 89 yards for a touchdown on the opening kickoff of the second half as the Big Reds downed Detroit Martin Luther King, 16-13, in the Class A Final. Longmire's TD gave Muskegon a 16-0 lead, but the Crusaders did not fold. On second down of the following series, King quarterback Zolton Hall hit David Bowden on a 76-yard touchdown pass. Hall scored with 3:36 remaining in the third to cut the Big Reds’ lead to three, but the Crusaders were unable to score again. (Click here to watch Longmire’s kickoff return)

A new game will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 22.  DVDs may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the “Get DVD” button below the player.

Previous Flashbacks

July 19: Northport 80, Beal City 78 – 1988 Class D Boys Basketball Final - Watch
July 12:
Detroit Cass Tech 52, Saginaw 51 – 1987 Class A Girls Basketball Final - Watch
July 5:
Traverse City 24, Detroit Catholic Central 14 – 1988 Class A Football Final - Watch
June 28: Saginaw Buena Vista 33, Flint Beecher 32 – 1986 Class B Boys Basketball Final - Watch