The most highly anticipated game of the MHSAA Football Semifinals will take place at Portage Northern High School on Saturday afternoon. A battle of unbeatens, Edwardsburg and Unity Christian, will decide which team will make the cross-state trek to Ford Field next Friday.
Fans of the ground game will be treated to quite a show in this contest. Both teams run their own variation of the “T”, and to great levels of success. Edwardsburg has scored 631 points in 12 games, while Unity Christian has 693. The ‘Saders offense is on pace to break the state record for points (774), averaging 57.75 points through their first twelve contests. Unity Christian has yet to punt this entire season.
Coach Bartz’s Eddies run the T in a manner that is similar to John Shillito and Zeeland West. In fact, Coach Shillito aided on the install. “Their team has been able to take the foundations of John’s system and run with it,” Unity Christian Head Coach Craig Tibbe remarked. “They bring a level of toughness to that offense.”
Unity Christian brings their own unique angle to the T offense. “They have such a quickness to which they run the T,” Bartz explained. “They are the fastest T team I’ve ever seen. The twins (Cam and Drew Chandler) are extremely fast, and their other ball carriers have speed too. Their linemen get off the ball, and their T hits a lot faster than most teams do.”
Coach Tibbe praised his players for the dynamic they bring to the field. “We have a qualified, hard-working offensive line. They take ownership of knowing what they have to do in different circumstances. We have kids with speed, it’s a blessing. You can’t coach players to run that fast. We have never had this much speed before.”
Despite running similar offenses, both coaches believe there are advantages and disadvantages to playing an identical style. “Teams that run a true T scheme get a familiarity from seeing it in practice each day,” Bartz shared. “We know what offenses and defenses try to do to us, so both teams have an idea of what the other does. Defensively, it’s an advantage for sure. Offensively, they know the nuances of the scheme, so it may be a disadvantage”.
The Eddies’ defense has been a monster this fall, holding 12 opponents to a combined 56 points. Edwardsburg has shutout seven of their opponents, including two in the postseason. “General quickness on the defensive side has been key,” Bartz revealed. “If a player makes a mistake, others on our defense have been able to erase those mistakes. We stay within our position and make the plays necessary.”
One of the state’s most reliable programs the past eight years, with seven seasons of 10+ wins, Coach Bartz believes that the playoff experience helps his club. “There is a comfort level going into these games, having been there before”, Bartz stated. “That being said, last week was big for our team too. We had gone all year playing with a running clock in the second half, so it was good to get test by a strong South Christian team. The experience of playing four full quarters and capturing a win was big for our team, especially with 4-6 starters playing both ways.”
Coach Tibbe sees withstanding the physicality of Edwardsburg as a key to this game. “We need to be able to stand up to them,” Tibbe explained. “They will bust their share of big plays, but they are very happy to pound the rock and wear you down beforehand. If you can’t match them and their physicality, they will beat you.”
On the contrary, Coach Bartz wants to prevent the big plays of this explosive ‘Saders offense. “We cannot give Unity the chunk plays. We need to use our physicality to slow them down. Part of that comes on offense, where moving the chains keeps them off the field. This game might come down to the number of possessions, and a single turnover might swing it. We are going to need a couple key stops, and we may need to score on every possession.”
Both teams are looking to return to Ford Field for the first time since 2018. That fall, Edwardsburg captured the Division 4 crown, while Unity Christian brought home the title in Division 5. This Thanksgiving weekend, there is only one seat available at the table.
