It was indeed the knock-down, drag-out fight for the crown that almost everybody expected in a football showdown Friday night between Hopkins and Belding.

And in the end, the Vikings scored the winning touchdown with less than three minutes left in the ballgame on a one-yard plunge by QB Trevor Smith to go up 34-28 and the defense came up with a clutch interception as the clock ran out.

Host Belding and Hopkins both entered the contest with 3-0 overall records and most observers regarded this battle to decide this year’s O-K Silver Conference championship.

In the five years since Belding joined the O-K Silver, it often has been one of the top hurdles for the Vikings to clear for the league title. The Black Knights probably are still smarting from a controversial 37-35 loss at Hopkins two years ago.

Hopkins scored first and was up 6-0 until Belding overtook the visitors with two touchdowns and a 14-6 lead. The Vikings answered late in the second quarter to send the two rivals into intermission knotted at 14-all.

The Vikings came up with two TDs and a two-point conversion, highlighted by a long TD pass from Smith to Colin Weber, in the third quarter to seemingly create some breathing room, but the Black Knights pulled to within six, 28-22, at the fourth period began. They knotted the count at 28-all before Hopkins came up with the last-minute heroics.

Hopkins is now 4-0 for the season overall and has won its last 15 league games in a row.

But the Vikings now must get past Godwin Heights and Kelloggsville in its last two regular season ballgames at home Oct. 16 and 23, in order to annex their third consecutive O-K Silver Conference crown. Then it’s on to the playoffs.