After beginning the season with a 4-0 streak, the Dolphin football team hit a rough patch, losing their last three games in nail-biting, one-score fashion.
In particular, the Oct. 18, 2024, face-off with Salem went to triple overtime, the longest battle in Virginia Beach football this season.
Regardless of the final scoreboard, Ocean Lakes held a lead into the second half in each of their losses, something the squad is using as a stepping stone for a team whose 4-3 record is its best mid-season mark since 2021.
“We had a great start to the season, there have been some recent bumps in the road that I know we will overcome,” senior receiver and defensive back Devin McGill said. “The best way to bounce back is to come to practice hungry; I know we want these wins more than anybody else.”
This year’s schedule, back-loaded with away games, led to a unique scenario where the Dolphins played their senior night only halfway through the regular season. With that being said, the coaches and players have a lot to look forward to a potential playoff run.
“We have the skill to be a 7-0 team right now,” senior edge rusher Antonio Kati said. “We have yet to play our best football, everyone will know when we do.”
Throughout the season, the team was led by a few standout seniors, including dual-threat quarterback and Division One commit Noah “Jiggy” Colon.
“We haven’t played a complete game so far, but we can still make a good run this year,” Noah said. “Even coming from me, someone who is often negative, [seniors] need to stay positive to set an example for the rest of the varsity and JV teams.”
Underclassmen varsity players like freshman wide receiver Brayden Allen, echo this sentiment, saying that many of the seniors have been crucial in showing them the ropes.
“I’ve learned a lot from Jiggy; he’s instilled in us that we have a tradition, whether it’s in our stretches or our walk-throughs,” Brayden said.
Aside from Devin, Antonio and Noah, the team is chock full of senior standouts who earned recognition after the team’s senior night on Oct. 10, 2024.
“We have a lot of leaders on the team, including tight end William Maisenbacher, edge rusher Josiah Lloyd and linebacker William “Boogie” Raines, as well as juniors Michael Walter and Taylor Vogel,” head football coach James Yeager said.
Many of the seniors attribute this year’s success to previous classes.
“Last year’s seniors were the best group of leaders I’ve played with until now,” Antonio said. “Guys like Ethan Mapstone and RJ Gatlin, though very different from each other, taught us to never hold ourselves higher than our teammates.”
Other senior starters include talented cornerback Zayquan Reynolds, vocal leader and linebacker Zach Jones and explosive running back Sincere Bracey, according to Yeager.
As all eyes turn towards the postseason and beyond, many players are looking towards playing careers in college, which would be aided by playoff wins that have eluded recent teams.
“I do think a lot of our guys can play at the next level,” Yeager said. “We need to focus on staying healthy and having good practices to position ourselves to make the playoffs.”
