Unity Christian fell just one point short at the high school football state championship in Michigan on Friday. The Crusaders attempted a fake extra point that ultimately proved to be the difference.
Head coach Craig Tibbe would like a do-over.
His decision not to kick the PAT lost his team the high school football championship. It was a bad call.
Divine Child won the Michigan high school football state championship.
Divine Child High School is located in Dearborn, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 1,500 students in Grades 9-12. Unity Christian High School is located in Hudsonville, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 800 students.
They are separated by 160 miles on opposite ends of the state.
The Crusaders and the Falcons both compete on the Division 4 level of high school football competition in The Mitten State. They met in the state championship at Ford Field on Friday.
Divine Child ultimately defeated Unity Christian by a final score of 23-22.
Unity Christian faked an extra point.
One point proved to be the difference in the state championship game. That one point was an extra point.
The Crusaders scored a touchdown with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. A successful point after touchdown would have tied the game at 23. Just kick the ball through the uprights!
However, head coach Craig Tibbe decided to get cute.
Unity Christian lined up in an unusual field goal formation with two wide receivers split out to the left. It was a fake! The holder received the snap, as per usual, but he rose to his feet and rolled out toward the sideline. His pass was intercepted so the attempt failed.
The fake PAT cost the Crusaders a chance to play for overtime. Tibbe deeply regrets his decision.
D4 State Championship:
— Alex Pallone (@alex_pallone) November 28, 2025
Unity Christian Head Coach Craig Tibbe on why he decided to fake the Q4 extra point.
Unity Christian fell to Divine Child, 22-23 pic.twitter.com/E6FkPQzurM
Maybe Unity Christian would’ve gone on to lose to Divine Child anyway. We will never know.