Sometimes seen when traveling out and about is a bumper sticker, obviously owned by a NASCAR fan, that declares “If you can’t run with the big dogs, get off the track.”

Well, Wayland Saturday afternoon proved it’s one of the big dogs when it comes to high school basketball. The Wildcats more than proved themselves with a 77-54 victory over Class B defending state champion Detroit Henry Ford in one of the five showcase games of the I-96 Challenge at Ottawa Hills High School.

Seniors Zack Nieuwkoop and Avery Hudson both had double-doubles and senior Mitchell Dykstra led the scoring with 21 points.

Detroit Henry Ford, with the loss, fell to 2-1 overall on the season.

The Wildcats have been getting a lot of attention in state-wide polls over the past couple of years, especially after they won district and regional titles in 2014 with a team loaded with sophomores. They were extremely unlucky in the luck of the draw for state post-season tournaments in 2015 and last March, having to play state champion and perennial power Wyoming Godwin Heights.

This year coach Mike Hudson’s group will face even greater challenges from Grand Rapids Christian and Xavier Tillman in O-K Gold Conference play. And rumor has it that if the ‘Cats win their Cornerstone Holiday Tournament opener Wednesday, Dec. 28, they face the dreaded Godwin Heights in the tourney finals Dec. 30.

(PHOTO courtesy of Terry Ellis)