Tuesday night was Opening Night for new Hopkins interim varsity basketball coach Nate Mitchell, who was named to succeed Darrin Smith, who resigned Friday.

The result for the Vikings was virtually the same. They lost 51-44 to Hamilton in Smith’s last game. They lost 49-44 to Comstock Park in Mitchell’s first game.

Furthermore, the Hopkins tenacious and quality defense was still intact, as was the poor shooting offense. Defense kept the Vikings in the ballgame and even sparked a nifty run in the third quarter, but inability to make baskets reared its ugly head once again in the final eight minutes.

That tenacious zone defense enabled Hopkins to keep within striking distance throughout the first half. Mitchell’s charges were down only 24-19 at intermission.

The Vikings made an astonishing run in the third period, outgunning the Panthers 14-3 in the first four minutes of the second half. The sudden and unexpected offensive flurry was sparked by guards Hunter Lewellyn and Curtis Opatik, who somehow came up with steals and turned them into fast break baskets. Lewellyn was the main beneficiary, scoring 13 points in that stretch, including one three-pointer that put Hopkins ahead 36-30 near the end of the period and 38-33 as the last stanza began.

But almost as quickly as the points came in the third quarter, they were almost as rare as local Democratic voters in the fourth. The Vikings did not make a two-point field goal until Lewellyn netted a baseline jumper with just 1:37 left in the ballgame. By that time, Hopkins was down 45-41, close enough to dare to win because of that defense. But the home team the rest of the way got only a free throw and a basket from Drew Weber down the stretch.

Lewellyn finished with 20 points and Weber and Justin Weick added seven apiece.

Hunter Spence scored 13 points for the Panthers, seven in the fourth period, and Conner Brower added 10.

But the difference for Comstock Park in the late going was the ability of senior point guard Andrew Taylor to distribute the basketball to open teammates under the hoop.

Hopkins now is 1-2 overall for the season.

PHOTO: Resigned coach Darrin Smith (left) helped new interim coach Nate Mitchell on the bench in Tuesday night’s ballgame. Mitchell has been girls’ varsity assistant until now.

Hunter Lewellyn