PORTAGE, Mich. — There's a reason why Unity Christian head coach Craig Tibbe ends his postgame speeches after wins with a common phrase:
"Who does it better?!" He yells.
"We do!" His team responds.
This season, nobody has done it better and very few, if any, have done it better in state history.
On Saturday, the Crusaders were expected to get a bit of a test against Edwardsburg, a team that has become a state powerhouse over the past decade.
At the end of the first quarter, Unity would take a 14-8 lead on a pair of Cam Chandler touchdown runs but from there, it was all Crusaders.
Abraham Rappuhn would score three second quarter touchdowns of four, fifty-two, and 81 yards, respectively to make it a 37-8 lead at the half.
The Crusaders would go on to put up 21 more in the 58-8 rout of the Eddies on Saturday, advancing to the state championship for the first time since 2018 when the program won its first.
"Every game, we come in here and we are expecting a hard game every time we show up," said senior Ryan Shinabery, "when our offense shows up, it's great and when our defense shows up, it's great and when you combine it, it's just so awesome."
Bakita and Book on Unity Christian's continued dominance pic.twitter.com/Uot7wZqujp
— FOX 17 Blitz (@FOX17Blitz) November 20, 2021
In fact, Unity Christian's offense has showed up all season. The 58 points on Saturday now gives the team 751 points scored this season, just 23 points behind the all-time single season record in the state of Michigan.
"It's all about the team right now," said Rappuhn, who finished with 197 yards and the three touchdowns, "It was all about us working to reach out goal of Ford Field and we made it!"
The Crusaders now get ready for battle with Chelsea in the Division 4 state championship on Friday at 7:30 PM.
