FRANKFORT -- Darkness dominated Benzie County on Friday night due to power outages, but light was shining on a Frankfort 21-14 Division 8 football playoff victory over Mio.
The power outage started at around 4 p.m. Cummins Bridgeway of Traverse City had generators to Lockhart Field by 6:30, a half hour before kickoff, and Olsen Electric of Frankfort had the field's lights up and running.
"Pretty incredible," Frankfort coach Matt Stapleton said. "The only place in the county that had power was at Lockhart Field. It certainly was a community effort. We've always said football at Lockhart was special."
Once the game was underway, Dan Nugent threw three touchdown passes to Andrew Newbold to account for all of the Panthers' scoring.
Nugent hit Newbold for TDs of 54 and 15 yards in second quarter to give Frankfort a 14-6 halftime lead, and after Mio had knotted the game up at 14-14 in the third quarter, Nugent found Newbold again for a 23-yard touchdown.
Frankfort (8-2) was ready to put the game away, but was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Mio 12 with two minutes left and the Thunderbolts were driving when Cam MacArthur's interception sealed the deal.
Poom Hang ran for 94 yards, Nugent threw for 100 and ran for another 73 and Alex Gokey kicked three extra points.
Justin Heniser and Hang each led the defense with nine tackles.
The Panthers host Manistee Catholic Central next week.
Manistee Catholic 28
Central Lake 22
Manistee Catholic Central held off Central Lake in double overtime, emerging with a 28-22 Division 8 playoff victory.
Nick Kolanowski scored the third touchdown of the day in the second overtime to give the Sabers (8-1) the victory. Kolanowski ran 27 times for 121 yards as Manistee CC had 171 total yards.
Kolanowski scored TDs in each of the overtime sessions.
Central Lake (6-4) was led by Adam Folsom's 95 yards on 15 carries, and Ian Beal was 7-for-15 passing for two touchdowns.
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