By Richard Taylor
Thanks to head coach Frank Moore’s Maryland connections, Ocracoke’s high-scoring Dolphin boys’ basketball team traveled to Lusby, Maryland, to play two games in the 2023 Patuxent High School Holiday Classic this week.
The scrappy Dolphins (7-2) take on the Calvert Cavaliers (1-6) from Prince Frederick, Maryland, at 6 p.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 28). Ocracoke will wear white “home” uniforms.
The Dolphins switch to their “road blues” the next evening, Friday, Dec. 29, against host Patuxent Panthers (2-5) at 7:30 p.m. The two-day tournament features 16 teams, mostly from the local area.
Moore coached basketball in Maryland for years before coming to Ocracoke in 2019 when nine-year veteran Dolphin coach David Allewalt moved to Washington, Beaufort County, to coach the Washington Pam Pack. Moore still crabs the Maryland waters during the off season.
WOVV broadcaster Tommy Hutcherson also made the 370-mile trip to the Chesapeake Bay area to share his exciting play-by-play interpretation of both games with Dolphin fans listening on WOVV, 90.1 FM on the island, on wovv.org, wovv.rocks, on the TuneIn app or on any Alexa-type device.
Hutcherson’s enthusiastic descriptions of Dolphin players’ nicknames and particularly well-executed plays are legendary on the radio. Tommy can hardly contain his excitement when Rahnier Lyons (Shack-a-Nier) or Landon Fuller (Landino) make spectacular plays.
Hutcherson marvels how coach Moore constantly preaches “Defense, defense, defense.” That advice seems to be paying off this season.
Ocracoke has its best season start in years, winning their last three games by 18 or more points, including an 85-42 romp over Washington Montessori on Dec. 7. The Dolphins have constantly improved their shot selections, whether on thrilling defensive fast break layups or 3-pointers from beyond the arc. They still have too many offensive turnovers against strong teams.
With cross-sound rival Hatteras and perennial powerhouse Bear Grass Charter struggling this year, the 7-2 Dolphins are on track to potentially win both the regular season and Atlantic 5 tournament titles. Only Mattamuskeet and Columbia, both with average preseason records, stand in the way of Ocracoke advancing to the state 1A playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year.
With the Dolphins on a three-game pre-season, non-conference winning streak, and with both Calvert and Patuxent struggling this season in Maryland, the Dolphins stand a good chance of winning the Patuxent Invitational in Coach Moore’s off-season back yard.
WOVV will broadcast all varsity, girls and JV boys home games live from the Tank this season, plus selected away games, beginning Jan. 12 at Mattamuskeet.
