The athletes, musicians and school mascots put up a good fight, but they were no match for the zombies whose Thriller-inspired video took home first prize at Macomb County's first Lip Dub Film Festival Saturday night.

Taking inspiration from the late great King of Pop, Pankow Center students transformed themselves and their school into a zombie nightmare truly befitting Michael Jackson's iconic music video. 

Earning the highest score from the festival's seven-judge panel, the Pankow Center students were awarded a first place trophy and $300 scholarship. Following Pankow in second place and winning a $200 scholarship was Fraser High School with its rendition of (Too) Hip To Be Square.

Trophies were awarded to the top five videos.

"The scores were very close together and this shows the effort that went into these videos," said New Haven Community Schools Superintendent Keith Wunderlich. "Those who participated in the Lip Dub should be proud, they are great show pieces for your schools."

Challenged by the New Haven High School video club at the start of the year to produce the best lip dub video in the county, participating schools had anywhere from four to six weeks to plan their video, which meant choregraphing, coordinating and rehearsing every filmed action down to the second.

Of the 33 eligible high schools in Macomb County, only 10 took New Haven up on its challenge.

While the schools were allowed to edit the video's soundtrack, per the rules of lip dub, the video itself must have been filmed in one take without any editing.

And the winners are ...

• First – Pankow Center, $300 scholarship
• Second – Fraser High School, $200 scholarship
• Third – L'Anse Creuse High School
• Fourth – Warren Woods Tower High School
• Fourth – New Haven High School
• Fifth – Romeo High School

Other participating schools included: Neil Reid High School, Lakeview High School, Riverside Academy and L'Anse Creuse High School North.

See more of the lip dub entries here.