Question Number: 30957

High School 10/26/2016

RE: High School

Teresa bowers of Pembroke, Ky Christian asks...

During regular season, the referee kept the time and added on for delays due to injuries etc. during a regional tournament game, the announcer counted down the last ten seconds aloud over the speakers and the time was counted by the clock. What happened to the time to be added due to stops in play but not the clock?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Nothing. Under NFHS rules once the clock runs out, that's it. Over and done, it doesn't matter what's going on at the time. A player could be making a run to a wide open net, but if the clock hits zero, out of luck.

The ref can signal to have the clock stopped for some events (subs, injury, cautions, etc.) - the NHFS rules consider that to be equivalent to a FIFA ref adding time. And if the person running the clock makes an error, the ref can have the clock reset to the correct time.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Teresa
The decision rests on who was managing the time. It reads to me that there was an official timer present and the duties of the timer is defined in NFHS Rules which includes a ten second countdown. The referee asks the timer to stop the clock for events such as substitutions, injuries, penalty kicks, cards and the scoring of a goal which are defined by the Rules so that takes account of time lost in those instances.
In the absence of a timing official the task is carried out by the referee using a stopwatch.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Teresa,
In high school, time should not have been added for delays if the clock or the referees watch were not stopped with a signal from the referee. The referee was incorrect for adding time for delays. The clock or referees watch should only be stopped for an injury, for a penalty kick, for a caution, for a disqualification, following the scoring of a goal, and when the referee signals for the clock or watch to be stopped. (NFHS Rule 7-4-1). Thus, time on the referees watch and the time kept by the official timer should end at the same time. If the official time kept on the stadium clock is incorrect, the referee must request the timer to correct it. But, again, let me emphasize that in high school play, no time is to be added for delays where the clock is not officially stopped by the referee signaling that the clock is to be stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Teresa,
The clock is the official timer . The referee can request the clock to stop to compensate for a delay but he does not allow the clock to finish then state the extra time, it must be added as it occurs for the reasons permitted within the rules. It sounds as if the regular season matches were played a wee bit looser with how they like things to work.
Cheers