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The appropriate NFHS Rule reference is 7-5-1, "Responsibility for forcing the ball from the field of play across a goalline is attributed to the player who carries, snaps,passes, fumbles or kicks the ball, unless a new force is applied to a grounded backwardspass , kick or fumble. The muffing or batting of a pass, kick or fumble in flight is not considered a new force".These exact definitions are repeated in NFHS 2-13-2 & 3.
NFHS: 2-13-1 advises, "Initial force results from a carry, fumble, kick, pass or snap. After a fumble, kick or backwards pass has been grounded, a new force may result from a bat, an illegal kick or a muff.
The fumble by the punter was not grounded, and although the muff by NE redirected the ball, the initial force created by the fumble had not ended and was therefore responsible for the ball exiting through the EZ.
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