After beating South Christian in the district opener Monday night, Wayland girls’ basketball team members probably spent a couple of days wondering about their next opponent, “Who are these guys?”
Indeed, Kentwood Grand River Prep was somewhat of a mystery, with its 16-2 season record, but it didn’t take long for the Lady Wildcats to issue the statement, “Welcome to the big leagues, kid.” Wayland, ranked No. 4 in the last state-wide Class B poll and sporting a 20-1 record, racked up an amazing 50 points in the first half and then cruised to a 76-46 victory.
Coach Marty Howard’s Lady Wildcats now will be in search of a district championship at 7 p.m. Friday against Wyoming Godwin Heights, which defeated Kelloggsville 50-39 in the semifinals earlier in the evening at South Christian High School.
There was a tussle in the first five minutes of the ballgame, and the Titans dared to be great by taking a couple of slim leads. Their last was 11-10 before all-state point guard and Miss Basketball finalist Presley Hudson scored off a steal and senior C.J. Miller drilled a three to put the running ‘Cats up 15-11 and they never looked back.
By the end of the first quarter, Wayland already was pulling away with a 26-16 advantage and it looked like Grand River couldn’t stop anything the ‘Cats were doing. Though they may have been keying on Hudson, her teammates were nailing threes, getting steals and junior Hope Dollarhide somehow was virtually unstoppable in the paint with her deadly short jumpers.
Wayland went into intermission enjoying a 50-24 cushion. By that time Dollarhide, despite not starting and being in foul trouble, already had a dozen points. Hudson had 11, junior Sydney Ritz had nine off the bench and Miller had eight.
Also by that time, the Lady Wildcats had swished six three-point field goals. Warning to all remaining opponents, if the ‘Cats are hitting their threes, they are virtually unbeatable. Hudson had only one of the threes. Miller had two and Ritz, Ali Cutler and junior Karli Warning had one apiece.
Like Grand Rapids Catholic Central, the only team to beat Wayland this season thus far, Grand River had a couple of big girls and a height advantage. But somehow these big girls couldn’t find a way to stop Dollarhide inside and Hudson outside.
Lexi Harvey, perhaps the biggest girl on the court, enjoyed a reasonably solid first half with nine points offensively, but the Titans’ top scorer, guard Mariah McCully, was limited to just one three-point field goal.
The pace of the game slowed considerably in the second half, as the Lady Wildcats seemed determined to run time off the clock and pass the ball around against Grand River’s zone. And by midway through the third period Wayland had widened its lead to more than 30 points.
The game got so comfortable that Howard emptied his bench early in the fourth quarter and then let his eager sophomores up from the junior varsity play a couple of minutes. Taryn Coughlin picked up her first varsity field goal.
Dollarhide finished with a career-high 20 points, despite nearly fouling out. Hudson collected 16 points, Miller 10 and Ritz and Cutler nine apiece.
Harvey finally wound up with 15 points and McCully rallied in the second half to finish with 11.
PHOTO: Hope Dollarhide (4), shown getting ready to rebound here against South Christian, scored a career-high 20 points against Grand River Prep in the district semifinals. (Photo courtesy Kenny Ritz)