Is this illegeal batting?

[Zeke5]

I got into a discussion this weekend about a play in which
is legal in the NFL, but was unsure whether or not it was
legal in H.S.

1-K kicks an on-sides free kick which pops up high in the
air and is going to land in bounds near the sideline. R25
jumps up and intentionally bats the ball backwards and out
of bounds. My gut feeling is that this is a legal (and
smart) play, and R would get a 1st and 10 wherever the ball
went out of bounds.

1b-What if R25 intentionally batted it forward and out of
bounds? My guess is that this would be illegal (Assess the
yardage and re-kick).

2-What if it was a deep free kick and the ball is rolling
towards R's endzone and R35 intentionally bats the ball on
R's 3 yard line into the endzone? Is this illegal batting
and does the act of batting represent a new force which
would not make the ball dead when it breaks the plane of
the goal line?


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