Both the Wayland and Middleville Thornapple Kellogg girls’ basketball teams are having strange seasons.
Wayland, coming off an awful loss in which it scored only 17 points and coach Wes Hudson was ejected and served a one-game suspension over too much “discussion” with refs at Lowell, came up big in a 67-58 victory Friday night over the visiting Trojans. Father Mike Hudson took over the team and hiked his coaching record this season to 1-0.
Some of this didn’t make a lot of sense because TK last month beat Wyoming and Grand Rapids Christian, two teams that beat the Lady Wildcats, and it lost in overtime to South Christian. But somehow they come up big against the Trojans, now having defeated them twice this season, and they hiked their overall record to 10-5, and 3-4 in the O-K Gold Conference.
In case you haven’t had enough weird, top scorer and rebounder Stephanie Ainsworth returned to the lineup after suffering an injury against GR Christian, but she wasn’t her old self, playing tentatively on offense and scoring just seven points, but handling the load of rebounding chores, easily in double figures.
No matter. Though it’s been said Wayland relies too heavily on the 6-2 star pivot, three other players stepped up big time offensively.
Sophomore shooting guard Emma Ludema nailed several threes in the second quarter and had 12 points by halftime. She finished with 14.
Senior forward Haley Dobry turned in some heroic scoring down the stretch, banking shots into the hoop from close range and she wound up with 13.
But stepping up big again was junior point guard Parrish Hudson, who nailed a huge three to counter a furious TK rally, and she made free throws when it counted most. She led the ‘Cats offensive attack with 18 points.
Putting the nail on the coffin for the Trojans were senior forward Brianna Thurston and senior guard Kenzie Wolf, who took advantage of TK’s gambling and desperate defensive efforts in the last two minutes.
Wayland sported a zone defense throughout most of the contest, which it’s done in past games to protect the foul-prone Ainsworth and give rebounding opportunities.
Paige VanStee, Middleville’s inside star, took game-high honors with 22 points and sharpshooting forward Tyah Jefferson netted 15. Both are just juniors for a team that now has an overall record of 8-6.
The victory came at a good time because the Lady Wildcats had lost five of their last six encounters after a remarkable 8-0 start.
COVER PHOTO: Dylan Kelly and Gracie Hasse were selected as Duke and Dutchess of the Winter Festival at Wayland High School Friday evening.
