Elida held off a last-minute effort to send the game into overtime by LCC to beat the Thunderbirds 40-33 at Spartan Stadium on Saturday night in the football opener for both schools. After a first half in which both teams moved up and down the field and combined for 53 points, the defenses played more of a role in the second half and the fourth quarter was scoreless. A 43-yard touchdown pass from Issac McAdams to Sam Quaintance that made it 40-33 with 1:44 left in the third quarter was the final score of the game. Elida led 27-26 at halftime and increased the margin to eight points, 34-26, on a 21-yard TD pass from Cole Harmon to Baylen Stinson 25 seconds into the second half.