Performance of the Week: Grand Ledge's Shawn Foster

October 7, 2022

Shawn FosterShawn Foster ♦ Grand Ledge
Football ♦ Senior

The name “Shawn Foster” is well-known in the Lansing-area football community, and the Grand Ledge senior quarterback added to its prestige Friday with a performance that made many recall his father Shawn Foster, who starred at Lansing Sexton until graduating in 1998 and played at Michigan State.

The Comets’ Shawn Foster, a spread offense quarterback, ran 27 times for 396 yards and seven touchdowns as Grand Ledge defeated DeWitt 56-49 – with his 75-yarder with 51 seconds to play the game-winner. Foster’s yardage was a school and family record, and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied for third-most in one game in MHSAA history. The win put Grand Ledge at 5-1 and was its first over the Panthers since 2016. Foster has committed to continue his academic and football careers at Grand Valley State University.

@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Shawn Foster #performanceoftheweek #football #grandledge #comets #7td #touchdown #win #letsgo #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok#mistudentaid #fyp ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat

Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.

MI Student Aid

Second Half’s "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

2022-23 Honorees

Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22:
Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15:
Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8:
Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1:
Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25:
Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Grand Ledge athletic department.)

Set, Ready, Challenge: 11-Player Football Finals Challenges New in 2022

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

November 25, 2022

New this year at the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals is the opportunity for head coaches to challenge a call.

In previous years, all potential scoring plays and potential turnovers were automatically reviewed. That process will continue and now, under a limited set of circumstances, the head coach can challenge calls.

To do so, the head coach must first call a timeout. If a team has no timeouts remaining, they are not able to challenge a call. Challenges must be presented to the officials immediately after the timeout is granted. If the challenge is successful, the team will get its timeout back and have the ability to challenge one more call during regulation. A second successful challenge will not result in the ability to challenge a third call. 

The following plays are reviewable by challenge:

  • Complete/incomplete passes
  • Runner/receiver in/out of bounds
  • Runner ruled not down
  • Forward progress spot as it relates to the yard to gain
  • First touching of a kick
  • Recovery of a ball in/out of bounds
  • Forward/backward pass
  • Penalties called on the field only for:
    • Illegal forward pass
    • Targeting or illegal helmet contact
    • Pass interference only as it relates to the pass being previously tipped

NOTE: All other penalties called on the field are not reviewable. These include, but are not limited to: illegal formation, ineligible receivers downfield, illegal participation, illegal substitution or delay of game. If a penalty is not called by the officials on the field, the play can never be reviewed to retroactively call a penalty.

In overtime, challenges – like timeouts – reset. Each team has the ability to challenge one call for the entirety of overtime, but must have a timeout to use to do so. A successful challenge in overtime will not result in the ability to challenge a second call.

If a play is overturned in regulation or overtime, the replay officials will correct all aspects of the play including time, position of the ball and whether the clock will be started on the RFP or snap. The game clock or play clock may be reviewed only as it directly relates to the overturning of a call on the field.

There is no change to the review of potential scoring and potential turnover plays. Those plays are automatically looked at by the replay official and replay assistant. If the replay official can confirm the ruling on the field without stopping play, the official will do so. If more time is needed to review the play, the on-field referee will announce that and then will announce the replay official’s decision. For a play to be reversed, there must be indisputable video evidence that shows the original call was incorrect. Every attempt will be made to complete the review process in 90 seconds or less.

The addition of the coach’s challenge was approved by the MHSAA’s Representative Council at its May 2022 meeting.