Lightning delays played havoc with most area high school football games on Friday night. If you’ve followed this trend over the years, only one question remains: What took so long?

Most games started, but not all. Host Northmont and visiting Lakota East never lined up for a play at Clayton. Neither did Bellbrook at Fairborn.

Those were just two of the many games that were rescheduled for completion or postponed to today. If a game has been stopped, it’ll restart with the same down and yardage and time remaining.

Teams that don’t return to complete a contest could forfeit that game.

We concede: That wasn’t the situation with Vandalia Butler’s game at Graham in St. Paris. The Aviators mounted a 21-0 second-quarter lead when the game was stopped. Officials apparently couldn’t be secured for a restart today and the Falcons (0-3) conceded the contest.

Familiar foe: Middletown (1-1), the top-ranked Division I team in the area power rankings, is at Winton Woods at 6 p.m. today. Middies coach Troy Everhart led Winton Woods to the D-II state title in 2009.

He’s back: Jim Place took his Withrow Tigers to Centerville on Friday. They’ll resume at 6 p.m. today with the Elks leading, 7-0.

“We had two open dates and we wanted to play playoff-caliber teams because we’d like to be that,” Place said. “If you’re going to do that, you’ve got to play playoff-caliber teams.”

No stopping that: Denzel Norvell picked up where he left off last week, gouging host Columbus Eastmoor for 248 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 42-13 victory. He went for 278 yards rushing against Chaminade Julienne in Week 2.

The Cougars (3-0) should be among the Division III state leaders when the first Associated Press polls are released on Monday night.

Unbeatens: Badin (2-0) and No. 2 in the D-IV power rankings, and Edgewood (2-0) will kick off their non-league showdown at 7:30 p.m. today at Trenton. Admission is free.

Reporting games: Contact Cox Media Group Ohio with information as soon as possible after games.

To report scores call (937) 225-2250; (800) 562-7737 or send to sports@coxohio.com. To report weekly stats, send by e-mail only by noon, Wednesdays.