The stakes Friday evening in a girls’ basketball game between Wayland and visiting Forest Hills Eastern were sole possession of first place in the O-K Gold Conference.

The hometown girls prevailed by double digits, 52-34.

The Lady Wildcats have been trying to live down that really awful first half a week ago in a 54-48 defeat at South Christian. Now they’re out to prove they are worthy of being regarded as the team to beat at the halfway mark of the league season.

The victory propelled Wayland to a 6-1 record in the O-K Gold and dropped the Hawks to a tie for second place at 5-2 with Kenowa Hills and South Christian.

Sophomore Harmony Laker collected 17 points to lead the Lady ‘Cats. Senior guard Maddy Terry added eight, and senior guard Liberty Laker and junior pivot Reese Coughlin had six apiece. Nine different Wayland players broke into the scoring column.

The Wildcats now are 12-3 overall for the season and Forest Hills Eastern is 10-3.

The Wildcat boys had their season record evened at 6-6 Friday after a 78-64 loss to a Forest Hills Eastern team that now is 11-3 overall.