NFHS Question

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Maybe because the officials saw that while all the other players are standing around looking at the ball, R1 is coming barreling in from a distance to play it.

He wouldn't even have to come barreling in from a distance. As long as the covering official determines any player is attempting to secure possession the ball remains alive. What constitutes "attempting to secure possession" is a judgement call without any specific guidelines (other than the ball being "motionless"). Even the act of reaching toward the ball might be enough for the official to determine he is attempting to secure possession and thus ball would remain alive.