The Wayland girls’ varsity basketball team’s 59-37 loss to Grand Rapids South Christian Tuesday night assured its first losing season a long time.

The Lady Wildcats, of course, have been hobbled by injuries, particularly the one that has sidelined top scorer Ali Cutler. The defeat dropped their overall season record to 8-11.

South Christian, one of the top five Class B teams in the most recent Associated Press poll, got a scare early in the contest. Wayland led by as many as nine points during the first half.

Junior Taryn Coughlin scored 8 of her 10 points in that first half including two triples. The game was tied at 30–30 midway through the third quarter with a couple of threes by senior guard Karki Warning and another by Hope Dollarhide, but the Lady Wildcats shooting went cold and South Christian went on a run to pull away.

Dollarhide scored 12 points to lead Wayland in its last home game this season. Coughlin added 10.

Wayland will finish the regular season Friday evening at Ottawa Hills and then begin the Class B district tournament at Wyoming Godwin Heights. They will play Grand River Prep at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 2. If they can win in the first round, they will make it to the finals, probably once again against South Christian. The Wildcats last year had to beat South twice in the regular season and once again in the district tourney in what probably was coach Jim DeBryun’s last game.

PHOTO: Taryn Coughlin (Photo courtesy of Kenny Ritz)