Negaunee Public Schools took full advantage when offered the chance to be in the national spotlight.

The “Today” show invited the Negaunee High School football Miners the chance to be on the final edition of the segment “Friday Morning Lights,” which has been featured this autumn.

The school district said yes but took it one step further: in addition to the football players it included the marching band, flag corps, cheerleaders and the student body of its high and middle schools in the spotlight.

And at 8:34 a.m. Friday, the Miners were greeted by the “Today” show crew in New York City. At Miner Stadium, WLUC-TV 6 anchor/reporter interviewed NHS football coach Paul Jacobson about the community and about that evening’s MHSAA Division 6 playoff game in which Grayling traveled north to face the Miners.

Jacobson talked about the town’s work ethic and about the team’s reasons for success — the first being the community support.

As this editorial went to press before Friday night’s game ended, we don’t know if the Miners advanced. But we do know they scored a touchdown of a different sorts by highlighting Negaunee Nation in an all-encompassing way.

We hope NHS alumni across the country were able to watch the segment. If not, the Negaunee Public Schools’ Facebook page has a post from TV6 with the segment.

The Miners represented the Upper Peninsula well. As “Today” show anchor Hoda Kotb said in closing the appearance: “Negaunee knows how to do it.”