[Back In The Saddle]

Interesting situation. First of all, I agree with the "no foul" crowd.

As for the held ball, we've got two separate NFHS rules:

Art. 1... Opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness.

and

Art. 2... An opponent places his/her hand(s) on the ball and prevents an airborne player from throwing the ball or releasing it on a try.

There was a suggestion that we consider this situation as it relates to article 2. But I don't think that's valid. In this sitch the player was not airborne.

So we're left with article 1. We usually think of this in terms of two more or less stationary opponents who are gripping the ball and attempting to pull it in opposite directions. But could it apply to opponents who, because of momentum, are pushing from opposite sides of the ball? Certainly their hands are firmly on the ball, and getting firmer. And there seemed to be a component of undue roughness.

But there is an element of the sitch that's like Article 2, in that you've got two players essentially pushing against the ball from opposite directions.

And as the Snaqmaster pointed out, there is no time requirement.

So I think I've got a held ball here.