FOOTBALL: Saline Defeats Woodhaven, Wins First District Title Since 2020

Saline defeated Woodhaven, 57-17, to win its first district championship since 2020 and advance to the regional championship against Detroit Cass Tech.

Tommy Carr threw four touchdown passes, including two to Lincoln Keyes, one to Nolan Klein and another to Gabe Iadipaolo. Carson Cherry rushed for two touchdowns while Klein and Hunter Orr each rushed for one. The Saline defense was dominant for most of the night and kept the Woodhaven offense off balance and out of sync.

The Hornets, who've experienced their share of heartbreak and frustration in the district tournament over the last few years, relished the victory.

"It feels great. It's one step along the way in the journey. It's one of the goals we worked for. And it's a step further," senior Isaiah Harris said. "Every year we've gotten knocked out in the district. So it really means a lot that we got here and we got the job done."

Harris is one of several Hornets who has been on the varsity team since his freshman year. Another is QB Tommy Carr.

"It's great. This is what we've worked for, looking forward to this moment since the offseason," Carr said. "But we're not done. We want to keep going and get to that state championship. We're going to celebrate today, but we're on to next week."

Both Carr and coach Kyle Short said the Hornets asked around the locker room to see who on this team had ever won a district championship. None of the players' hands went up.

"The boys deserve it. They've had years with really talented football teams and never had a district championship, so it feels really good for this group," Short said. "We'll enjoy this one for a couple hours and then get ready for the task at hand next week."

That task is Detroit Cass Tech - a football team that played a large role in the Hornets' lore in the 2010s. The Hornets' only trip to the state final game came after defeating Cass Tech. This year, Cass Tech is 11-0 after their 48-8 win over Dearborn Fordson to the win their district Friday.

The game will be played at Hornet at 7 p.m., Friday.

Woodhaven was probably never going to have the depth to beat Saline, but the Warriors suffered a terrible loss on the third play from scrimmage after recovering an onside kick. Marquez McAdoo, the teams starting DT,  ran for a 20-yard gain up the sideline when Gabe Iadipaolo brought him down with a shoestring tackle. McAdoo left the game with a broken leg.  Saline's defense held the Warriors to a field goal before scoring three straight touchdowns.

Saline answered quickly. First, Carson Cherry rushed for 28 yards. Two plays later, Carr was rolling out to his left and faked a pitch before handing off to Klein, who went all the way for a 40-yard touchdown.

Saline's defense forced three incomplete passes and Woodhaven punted. Cruz Hanson caught it at the 17 and returned it 40 yards, to the Woodhaven 43.

Two plays later, Cherry ran for the first of his two touchdowns, a 36-yard beauty. Saline led 14-3.

Woodhaven's only first down on the next drive came on a facemasking penalty after Harris and Allen Saidov sacked QB Preston Scheffler. But the next three plays were passes that failed to click.

Saline took over at its 34. The Hornets were moving the ball slowly up the field when Carr ran for 33 yards to the Woodhaven  17. After a couple of runs by Cherry, Carr threw to Keyes for a 12-yard TD. Saline led 21-3. 

It was still the first quarter.

Isaiah Ibrahim ran for a first down on the Warriors' next possession, but the drive quickly stalled. Saline's next drive began at its 38. It had moved to midfield when it stalled. First Cherry was caught for a two-yard loss and then Carr was sacked for a big loss. Cherry got some of those yard back with a run. On 4th-and-26, the snap went over the head of Kevin Huber, who scrambled all the way back to the Saline two to pick up the ball and desperately kick it away.

The Warriors' next drive started at the Saline 19. It looked like Saline might stop them inside the 10, but the Hornets were penalized on 4th-and-3. Woodhaven scored  a passing touchdown. Saline led 21-10.

Brady Baldwin fielded the kickoff at the Saline seven and went 63 yards before he was pushed out of bounds. On 4th-and-13, Carr lofted a beautiful pass over the middle where only a streaking Klein could catch the ball in the end zone. Saline led 28-10 after the Huber kick.

The Hornet defense stymied the Warriors' next possession and they punted after three downs.

Saline took over at the Warriors' 31. After a penalty, Carr passed to Cade Tousa for a 22-yard gain. A couple of plays later, Carr connected with Keyes again for an 11-yard TD. The snap on the extra point kick didn't work and Lucas Fidh swept around the outside and dove over the marker in the corner of the end zone for two points. Saline led 36-10.

Gabe Iadipaolo leaped into the air at the goal line and swatted down a pass to prevent the Warriors from scoring before the end of the half.

Saline's defense came out firing in the second half. Saidov had the QB within the grasp far beyond the line of scrimmage, but he was able to toss it away. He was penalized for intentional grounding. On 3rd-and-27, several Hornets rushed the quarterback and hit him as he fired an incomplete pass. The Warriors punted - and it didn't go far.

Saline took over at the Warriors' 36. Carr threw a little floater for Klein, who gained 19 yards. After a pass to Keyes, another to Iadipaolo and a short run by Cherry, Saline faced 2nd-and-goal from the 5. Carr tossed to Iadipaolo at the goal line and he scored.

Saline led 43-0.

The Warriors punted from their 22 on their next possession. Saline opened at its 45. On first down, Carr through to Klein over the middle for a 37-yard pickup. On the next play, Cherry rushed in for an 8-yard run.

Saline led 50-10.

Saline added one more touchdown. QB Austin Falkowski, running back Hunter Orr and a strong offensive line led the reserves up the field. Orr scored on an eight-yard run.

Saline led 57-10. The Warriors added a late touchdown.

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