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
Highlight Reel: Girls Lacrosse Semifinals
June 5, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
East Grand Rapids and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood earned berths in Saturday’s Division 2 Girls Lacrosse Final with Semifinal victories Wednesday.
Below are highlights from their victories taken from broadcasts on MHSAA.tv. Click the headings for each to watch.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 24, Farmington Hills Mercy 6
Mercy Goes Top Shelf Chandler Pincheck gets Farmington Hills Mercy on the board against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, going up high with this shot.
Barnes With Late First Half Goal Cranbrook Kingswood was cruising by halftime, a late goal coming here from Abby Barnes.
Vespa Second Half Goal Ari Vespa makes a nice run here to score Cranbrook Kingswood's first goal of the second half.
At-a-way Ottaway Here's a nice run off a restart by Farmington Hills Mercy's Brooke Ottaway for a second half goal.
Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here
East Grand Rapids 9, Okemos 5
East's Elder's Early Goal Liza Elder gets East Grand Rapids on the board right off the opening draw, driving in from the wing to score.
Vanhoven Goes Low Cydney Vanhoven picks up a first half goal for East Grand Rapids with a low shot.
Chiefs Convert Turnover Okemos tightened things up near the end of the first half, converting an East Grand Rapids turnover into a goal by Melaina Grewal.
Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.