Team A punted the ball. B1 caught the punt and was running with the ball, when A2 started the tackling procedure, but then he stripped the ball. As he started down the field, the official blew his whistle stopping the play. A2 would have scored a touchdown untouched. We gave the ball to team A in the location of where it was when the whistle was blown. Is this the right ruling? If not, what is the right ruling?
Sounds like R1 had possession of the ball, fumbled, and the fumble was possessed by a player on K. This is a live ball and action should be allowed to continue. The covering official may have gotten this confused with a muffed punt (touched but never possessed by R) in which the ball is dead once K possesses it. So, on this play we have an inadvertent whistle. There are 3 scenarios that could have happened here, and they will determine who gets the ball/option and where.
Situation 1: IW occurs before R fumbles. R has the option to keep the ball at the spot of possession at the time of the IW, or replay the down.
Situation 2: IW occurs while the fumble is still loose. R has the option to keep the ball at the spot of last possession (where the ball was fumbled, and where we hopefully have a bean bag), or replay the down.
Situation 3: IW occurs while K is in possession. K has the option to keep the ball at the spot of possession at the time of the IW, or replay the down. They will obviously keep the ball here.
In all 3 situations, own up to the coaches about what happened and be ready for some intensity directed towards you from K's.