Hopkins’ non-league football contest Friday evening at Frankfort had all the ingredients for disaster. But the Vikings overcame the obstacles and recorded a 38-18 triumph nonetheless.

Factors working against Hopkins:

• A long bus ride on a school day, necessitated by two two O-K Silver Conference schools, Lee and NorthPointe Christian, switching to eight-man football.

• An opponent that sported a 6-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in its league, with its only loss to Evart.

• Really wet conditions as a result of a couple of really rainy days, which too often serves as an equalizer on the slippery field.

• Smarting from a difficult one-point 21-20 loss that ruined the Vikings’ homecoming last Friday.

Undaunted, Hopkins drew first blood with a touchdown and two-point conversion and was never headed the rest of the evening. The invaders were sitting on a 16-6 lead at halftime and piled on 22 more points in the latter 24 minutes to seal the deal.

The Vikings will close the regular season next Friday with yet another grudge match with Belding, the team they beat in the regular season but upset them in the first round of the playoffs.