The Wayland varsity football team’s hopes for making the post-season Division 3 playoffs suffered a major setback Friday night at Hamilton in a 34-21 non-league defeat.

The loss dropped the Wildcats’ season record to 4-4. Their only chance to qualify would be to pull off a major upset of a Grand Rapids Christian team that moved into a tie for the O-K Conference leadership with an upset victory over East Grand Rapids. The Eagles already have qualified for the playoffs with a 6-2 overall record.

Wayland started the season with a 3-0 record, but since then has lost four of five ballgames. The Wildcats’ first three losses all were by lopsided margins, 44-7 to Middleville, 26-0 to East Grand Rapids and 47-14 to Wyoming.

In league play, Wayland is 2-3. Hamilton now is 3-5 overall.

Details about Friday night’s ballgame were not available.