The top high school football team in the state of Michigan dropped its first regular-season football game in over three years in Week 9 of the 2024 high school football season.

No. 1 Belleville, the top team in the Super 10 and Division 1 rankings gave up nine unanswered points in the final 5 minutes, capped by a touchdown with 3 seconds left, to fall, 30-29, on the road to No. 9 Howell, the No. 3-ranked team in Division 1. It's the Tigers' first regular-season loss since Sept. 2021. Howell finishes the regular season a perfect 9-0 and KLAA champions, while Belleville drops to 8-1.

Belleville seemingly clinched a win with 5 minutes left when the Tigers stuffed Howell senior running back Justin Jones on fourth-and-goal from the 1, but Howell got in the backfield and forced a safety on the next play to cut it to 29-23 and get the ball back.

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"If we were able to move the ball out from there, it might be a different game," Belleville head coach Calvin Norman said. "But, hats off to them. They did a good job of controlling the game."

The Highlanders marched downfield with a run-heavy approach before airing it out on first-and-goal from the Belleville 2 with 8 seconds left. Junior quarterback Preston Barb faked and hit Jones for his third touchdown to grab the win.

Five-star Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood, the consensus top recruit in the country and an LSU commit, finished with a pair of rushing touchdowns and running backs Ray-mond Smith Jr. and Andre Thomas Jr. also scored. Jones and Bryce Kish were responsible for Howell’s points along with the safety. Jones’ three touchdowns gave him 22 total through the Highlanders’ undefeated regular season.

"The players are going to respond all right," Norman said. "The players are hurt. Everybody's hurt right now, it's supposed to hurt after a loss. So, we got to go back to work and do what we do."

It's just the second loss for Belleville’s senior class, and its first since the 2023 state championship game against Southfield A&T. Belleville starts the state playoffs next week looking for a third title in four years.

"We have to just keep working," Norman said. "A new season starts next week."

Belleville safety leads to late lead change

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With the score tied at 21, Belleville had third-and-15 from its own 46 on the first play of the fourth quarter after a holding penalty and two negative runs. But Underwood showed why he’s the nation's top QB on the next play.

He rolled out slightly to his right, pump-faked and fired a dime to Antwon Thomas, who got open on a double move, for a diving 52-yard completion to Howell’s 2. Thomas powered in for a goal-line touchdown two plays later and converted a 2-point attempt to give Belleville a 29-21 lead with over nine minutes left.

Howell drove 84 yards on the next drive, sparked by a 55 yard gain from Jones on a cutback to the right, and eventually reached Belleville’s 10 for first-and-goal. Jones got the ball four straight plays, picking up 9 yards before getting stuffed on fourth down.

"That's our offense," Jones said. "Being physical, smash-mouth football is going to wear down teams. ... We take advantage when they get tired. That's the key to our success."

Jones, along with senior defensive back Tyler Mira, then got in the backfield for the immediate safety to set up the winning score.

"We all believed in this," Jones said surrounded by his classmates at midfield. "We all had the vision that we were going to go deep into the playoffs, we are going to go to Ford Field. And this is just another week, another step in the process."

Howell dictates pace in even first half

Howell gave Belleville all it could handle in an even first half. Howell received the opening kick and put together an 80-yard drive consisting of small chunks on the ground and two play-action passes that led to 22 yards with a personal foul against Belleville tacked on. Jones then punched in a one-yard touchdown.

"They did what they were supposed to do," Norman said of Howell's relentless rushing attack.

Belleville answered with its own ground-heavy approach, with Underwood carrying it four times for 40 yards on the opening drive, and Smith carrying it twice for 22 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown.

Howell drained over half of the second-quarter clock with another 80-yard drive. Howell converted a key third-and-12 deep in Belleville territory, and Bryce Kish powered in with an off-tackle run a few plays later. Belleville used up the final five minutes of the half with a 61-yard touchdown drive that Underwood finished off with three straight runs from inside the 10, including a fourth-and-1 conversion, to tie it at 14. Underwood had eight rushes for 65 yards in the first half.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football: No. 1 Belleville stunned on late TD