Kicking question

[mbyron]

In HS football, the rules permit the receiving team (usually designated R, not B) to choose where they will take the ball: either the spot of first touching by the kicking team, or the result of the play.

The answers will be different in your two situations. In (1), R will take the ball at the spot of first touching, as you say. In (2) it's more advantageous for them to take the result of the play, which is a touchback. First touching is defined in rule 2-12.

Your intuitions are correct, and now you know why!