Quote:

The question is: What was the intention of the player passing the ball? If their intention is to pass to a player and that player is offsides, even if the ball gets deflected (or the pass is bad) and the offsides player never receives it, it can still be called offsides.


The intention of the passer is NOT the point. The point is whether or not the player who is in an offside position is actively involved in the play. Intent does not constitute action.

I do not have a copy of the high school rules with me, but here is the offside law from the FIFA Laws of the Game:

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
interfering with play or
interfering with an opponent or
gaining an advantage by being in that position.