Derby seniors step in, lead

Kaitlyn Sanders, Yearbook staff writer, photographer

The end of the regular season means a home game celebrating the seniors.

Three of the four seniors — Tyler Brown, Emilio Valentin, Bryant Mocaby — transferred from other schools at the beginning of the school year. It hasn’t diminished the meaning of their last game before the postseason.

Mocaby has enjoyed playing with his younger brother, Jared, in his last season.

“I haven’t really got to play with him (Bryant), but it is fun,” junior Jared Mocaby said. “You kind of enjoy every moment with him, knowing this is the last time you get to play with him.”

Three players came into the team new and expected to lead and made the best of it.

“Tyler and Emilio especially,” Mocaby said. “Emilio is more kind of a vocal leader, Tyler is a vocal leader as well, but it’s hard to do especially stepping into a new school with a bunch of new kids that have been here forever, so they did a great job. Bryant’s done it, too; he’s not as vocal as both of them.”

Going into the last game of the regular season, the postseason is bright.

“Especially towards the beginning we struggled a little bit, but it doesn’t really matter when you get to postseason,” Mocaby said. “But I think we are on a good roll right now, we’re playing good.”

The Panthers (13-5) face the Andover Central Jaguars (14-4) tonight for senior night.

The Hutchinson game, which was originally scheduled for Feb. 20 was postponed for tonight due to weather. It has been canceled.