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Detroit Lions name Sanford Meridian’s Mike Bilina as High School Coach of the Week for Week 8
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Oct 20, 4:25 PM EDT

Detroit Lions name Sanford Meridian’s Mike Bilina as High School Coach of the Week for Week 8

Bilina led the Mustangs to an Oct. 16 win over Gladwin, earning the program its first Jack Pine Conference title since 2015.

By The Apex Times Newsroom1 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Detroit Lions have named Mike Bilina of Sanford Meridian High School the 2026 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week for Week 8, presented by Carhartt.

Sanford Meridian earned the honor after a 28-13 win over the Gladwin Flying G’s on Oct. 16. The Mustangs finished 8-0 and captured the program’s first Jack Pine Conference Championship since 2015, an outcome highlighted by the team as unique in Jack Pine Conference crossover history because a Division 2 squad defeated a Division 1 opponent.

Bilina, who has coached high school football for 19 seasons, has served as Sanford Meridian’s varsity head coach for 14 seasons. The Lions say he took over head coaching duties in 2013 after working as an assistant coach at the school, and that he has guided the Mustangs to playoff berths in eight seasons.

Alongside coaching, Bilina is described by the Lions as Sanford Meridian’s Coordinator of Student Success and an assistant principal. The release also notes that he was notified of the selection through the Lions’ Head Coach Hangout series and that an interview with coach Bilina is available through.

The Mustangs’ next step, according to the Lions, is a road matchup on Friday, Oct. 23 against the Birch Run Panthers, a game described as only the third meeting between the two schools.

Why It Matters

  • The Coach of the Week recognition spotlights a Michigan high school program that has surged to an undefeated start and a conference title moment late in the regular season.
  • Sanford Meridian’s crossover win over a Division 1 opponent is positioned as a rare benchmark in the Jack Pine Conference structure.
  • The Oct. 23 road game versus Birch Run adds another early-season matchup with limited recent history between the programs.
  • The Lions’ award program also ties coaching recognition to direct support for school football development.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The Detroit Lions named Mike Bilina of Sanford Meridian High School as High School Football Coach of the Week for Week 8 (presented by Carhartt).
  • On Oct. 16, Sanford Meridian beat Gladwin 28-13 to improve to an 8-0 season.
  • The win produced Sanford Meridian’s first Jack Pine Conference Championship since 2015.
  • The Lions described the result as the only instance in Jack Pine Conference crossover history where a Division 2 team defeated a Division 1 team.
  • Sanford Meridian is set to play at Birch Run on Friday, Oct. 23.
  • Bilina has 19 seasons in high school football, including 14 seasons as Sanford Meridian’s varsity head coach (since 2013).
Detroit Lions name Sanford Meridian’s Mike Bilina as High School Coach of the Week for Week 8 | The Apex Times