BHS beats Saline, wins district title for 4th year in a row

On Nov. 8, before a standing-room-only crowd, the Belleville High School Tigers varsity football team beat the Saline Hornets, 42-7, in the 2024 Michigan High School Athletic Association District 1 finals.
The Tigers, now 10-1, will play Detroit Catholic Central (9-0), in the Region 3 final next weekend. The Tigers are hoping to win their third state title in four years, after missing out last year.
The crowd at the BHS field on Friday lined the fence around the entire field and packed both stands after a busload of Michigan State University football fans arrived.
They joined the two schools’ fanbases in the stadium and wore specially printed shirts to try to encourage the nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect Bryce Underwood and four-star defensive back Elijah Dotson to back off their commitments to other universities and stay “home” in Michigan after their 2025 graduation from BHS.
Underwood has committed to Louisiana State University and Dotson has committed to Pittsburgh.
Belleville athletic director Joe Brodie confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that former Michigan football assistant Connor Stalions is “around” but did not officially hire him as a member of the coaching staff. Stalions was in the Belleville coaching box with a headset on. The Free Press reported Stalions was vocal over the headset when Belleville had the ball. The Free Press was told earlier that he is not on staff.
Stalions, who resigned from Michigan after he became the subject of the Wolverines’ NCAA investigation for sign-stealing, was the unpaid defensive coordinator for Mumford High School (who finished 1-8) and also served as head coach for one game.
Stalions was not available for an interview postgame, but the Free Press reported it was told that he is helping with the offense and “observing Bryce (Underwood).”
On Monday, Channel 4 announced it had confirmed that Stalions is coaching Underwood and has been hired to call plays during the BHS playoffs.
The MHSAA regional playoff game is 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, when Belleville High School varsity football will play Detroit Catholic Central High School at the Fr. Richard Elmer Stadium (The Elm) in Novi. Tickets are $9 and can be purchased at www.gofan.co .