Charge vs Block
 

In a recent game, as the offensive player drove to the hoop (Michigan HS) the defensive player moved to position himself to take the charge. He satisfied all requirements except he was only able to move so that probably 1/4 of the offensive players body contacted him. I called it a block. Right or wrong?

Ask yourself this question: What did the defender do wrong/illegally (if anything)? Your answer will determine whether your call was correct. Since you’re implying the defender obtained and maintained LGP there was no reason to penalize him. There’s nothing in the rule book requiring a defender to take a charging/PC foul squarely in the chest.

Torso Shmorso
 

Check out. . .
4-23-3
10-6-7
10-6-9.
Lump all those together, and note that "fraction of a defender's body" isn't a factor in your situation.
Why in the world 4-7-2 still retains the "torso" phraseology which, perhaps, caused you to rule as you did, I'll never know. Just pass over 4-7-2 and go to 4-7-2a. That'll conform to everything else in the book.
Finally, note casebook 4.23.3, which mentions "on the side of B1's torso." That, too, isn't full body on body, only part of it, apparently.
Sound good?
(a recent thread dealt with this topic, as well...might want to check that out, too)

If that's the only reason, then you were wrong. Now, though, you'll own the play.

Just curious whether the defender was the primary defender or if he came from off the ball to attempt to take the charge?

The way you describe it, I think it would be unlikely (but possible) that an off the ball defender "met all the requirements" to obtain legal guarding position, yet was only able to move enough to get 1/4 of the way into the path of the defender. I'm trying to visualize the play, and I'm seeing a defender who isn't able to get two feet on the court and the front of their torso facing the opponent.

As others have pointed out though, it all depends on whether legal guarding position was obtained and maintained. Can't know for sure from the description.

Euro Step...
 

This to me sounds like the defender was off ball and come to help defense. Then the offensive player maybe used a Euro Step to try and get around him...

I am having a hard time with block/charge on Euro Step in HS BV level...many kids are trying it and aren't good enough at it to get around the defender and are causing contact thru the torso but on the side. I believe that again don't penalize the defender for bad offensive moves but it sure looks like a block...

Anyone else having problems with this?

No problems with calling it the charge that it is when it is.
Problems for some come when they're not focused on the defender but on the dribbler. When the Euro Step is executed, their attention is directed at that to verify travel or not and that moment away from the defender is what makes the calling official indecisive about the play.
My take on it.

Don't look so much at where the contact is as what the defender did wrong. If he has LGP, see if he maintains it and don't penalize him if he does. A no-call could be in order if the contact is that slight, otherwise a charge is likely to be the call.

Exactly. If the defender is in position and the only reason they don't take it straight in the chest is because the opponent adjusted so they hit off-center, I'm am NOT penalizing the defender.

However, if it is off-center where the only contact is on the shoulder and it is so because that is all the defender could get in front of the opponent prior to contact, I'm likely to consider that such a defender never made it into the path.