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But the Central Lake Trojans defeated the Mancelona Ironmen by a foot last Friday night. Jared Danbert's foot.

Danbert successfully converted a 23-yard field goal on fourth down to give the Trojans a thrilling 30-28 victory over Mancelona and tie the Ironmen for first place in the Ski Valley Conference.

The Ironmen came into the game with a four-game winning streak and were undefeated in the conference. They finished it 4-2 overall and 4-1 in the league.

Central Lake improved to 5-1 overall and is also 4-1 in the conference. A sixth win secures the Trojans an automatic berth in the state playoffs. Mancelona needs to win two of its remaining three games for a guaranteed spot in the post-season. Each year a few 5-4 teams are selected as at-large picks.

Danbert nearly gave the Trojans a touchdown when he threw a third-down halfback option pass in the end zone. However, it fell incomplete.

Coach Adam Grybauskas' call for the field goal was a gamble all the way, since the Trojans hadn't practiced kicking from the right hash mark at that close range all season.

"The call came from upstairs (in the press box) to go for the field goal," coach Grybauskas said afterward. "Jared had been kicking the ball well all night, and we thought he had a good chance of making it."

Mancelona still had time to mount a last-gasp drive. The field goal came with 2:50 to play in the fourth quarter, and runs by Kodi Balhorn and Adam Duerksen got the Ironmen to the Central Lake 37 with 35 seconds left.

Central Lake snuffed out the Ironmen's rally at that point, however, as junior safety Jarrod Steenwyk twice batted away Mancelona quarterback Greg Blanco's pass attempts deep down field in the final seconds.

"They (the Trojans) played a great game, and we played a great game," Mancelona coach Dan Derrer said. "They made the plays they needed to come out on top."

It appeared the Trojans would win easily after they built a 21-7 lead at the half.

Nolan Howes tied the score at 7-7 with a two-yard run, and the Trojans scored two more touchdowns with no answering tally from Mancelona to build their 14-point lead.

Quarterback Travis Rogers ran for one touchdown and hooked up with receiver Jason Barnett on an 11-yard scoring strike. Danbert kicked all three extra points.

But the Ironmen came storming back in the second half, eventually mounting a 28-27 lead with 6:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. After the two teams exchanged touchdowns, Blanco scoring for Mancelona and Danbert going in from 27 yards out for the Trojans, the Ironmen scored two unanswered touchdowns to take the lead for the second time in the game.

Duerksen ripped off touchdown runs of 41 and 12 yards, while adding a 2point conversion, and just that quickly the roles were reversed. Central Lake didn't fold, though.

"We've been there before, and I think that made a difference," coach Grybauskas said. "The seniors on this year's team had so many big games last year.

"This wasn't unchartered water for us. We stayed focused, and beat a very good team."

Danbert finished the game as Central Lake's leading rusher, piling up 103 yards, while Howes added 81. Rogers completed 6-of-11 passes for 75 yards.

Howes was Central Lake's defensive leader with 14 tackles, Zach Light and Rogers had 12 apiece and Landon Waller 11.

Mancelona's leading rusher, as always, was Duerksen with 103 yards on 14 attempts.