You'll have to go a long way to top a story out of Michigan about how four Lake Fenton High football players and a member of the golf team conspired to honor a friend of theirs by overriding the school's Homecoming king selection to honor a stricken friend.

The five boys, who were all in contention for Homecoming honors, stepped aside so that Eli Florence, a sophomore and former offensive lineman on the football team, could be crowned king. Florence was diagnosed four years ago with acute myelogenous leukemia, which had rendered him unable to speak at times.

However, Eli's teammates and classmates drew strength from his courage and character and broke precedent to take their names out of the running and clear the way for Eli to be chosen Homecoming king, despite the fact that the honor goes to a senior.

The story, alas, does not have a happy ending. Eli, who was supposed to attend the Michigan-Purdue football game Saturday, and who was the subject of a fund-raiser yesterday, died at home Sunday afternoon. However, his life and the example set by his friends serve as terrific testaments to the concepts of friendship and camaraderie.