Dover Senator Kyra Moore and the rest of the Senators have the goal of reaching the state tournament.

DOVER — As she dribbled the ball upcourt, Kyra Moore couldn’t hear anything.

All the Dover High guard knew was that the game was tied, there were only a few seconds left and William Penn’s defenders were harassing her all the way.

“But, as soon as I looked up the court, it was the most beautiful sight,” said Moore. “Brionna (Hill) was right there. I was so tired, I didn’t think I was going to make that pass to her.”

Moore, though, did get the ball ahead to Hill, who was all alone near the basket. The sophomore put in the shot with just over a second left and the Senators had themselves a satisfying 46-44 victory over the Colonials last Tuesday.

“I know how much we work in practice,” said Moore. “So, for us to pull through, was the best feeling.”

While Dover’s players wish they had a few more victories like that to celebrate this winter, they go into the last few weeks of the season with some goals still in reach.

The Senators (8-6 overall) are slated to host Cape Henlopen (8-7) today at 7:15 p.m. It’s one of five games left on Dover’s regular-season schedule as it tries to make the DIAA girls’ basketball state tournament.

While a three-game losing streak just after Christmas knocked the Senators out of contention for the Henlopen Conference Northern Division title, they’ve bounced back to win four of their last six games.

“They’re starting to come back around — they’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said coach Katie Byrnes. “They’re like, ‘Hey, maybe we’re not getting conference this year but still have the state tournament, we still have other things to work towards.’ They want to end on a high note.”

That won’t be an easy task, however.

The Senators lost to two of their remaining opponents — Cape and Sussex Tech — while St. Elizabeth is currently 10-2. Dover also lost senior Pashence Harris to a torn Achilles tendon three games ago.

But Byrnes said other players have stepped up. Now the Senators need everybody on the squad to make one last push.

“We said we have a no limit rule,” said Byrnes. “It’s all 110 percent all the time. Give it your all. And if you’re on the ground, pick each other up and keep it moving. What do we have to lose at this point?

“They’re in it to win it. They’re ready to roll. They’re still coming hard to practice.”

“We have to work and play together as a team,” said Moore. “Sometimes when things go wrong or we start falling behind, we turn into an individual team. We just need to play together.

“I’ve played with some of these girls for like five years now. I’m just trying to have fun.”

Dover boys face another test

The dust has just settled from Dover’s last-second, 48-47 win over Smyrna on Saturday when the Senators’ boys have to turn around and face another crucial Henlopen North showdown today.

Weather permitting, the division-leading Senators (8-0 North, 11-3 overall) travel to second-place Cape Henlopen (6-1, 8-6) for a 7:15 p.m. contest.

A Dover victory would give the Senators a 2-0 record against the Vikings and essentially a three-game lead with three North games remaining.

A Cape win, on the other hand, would leave the two teams even against each other and turn the division a two-team race.

Including a 70-51 win on Jan. 5, Dover has won three straight over the Vikings. Cape, though, comes into the matchup having won four of its last five games.

Wilson wasn’t too worried about his players getting up for another crucial test after Saturday’s big win.

“Yesterday (Friday) they worked hard in practice,” said Wilson. “You wouldn’t have known we had a game today. They were knocking each other around. It feels so good for these kids to have a little of the gratification.”

Notes

Radio station Delaware 105.9-FM is slated to broadcast Thursday’s Caesar Rodney-Milford boys’ matchup. The contest starts at 6:15 p.m. at Milford. ... When Terrence Woodlin sank a jumper at the buzzer to give Dover it’s win over Smyrna on Saturday, Wilson remembered being on the other end of that kind of shot against the Eagles in 2010. Freshman Todd Hughes, now at Delaware State, hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Smyrna to a 68-66 win. ... Along with his game-winning basket, Woodlin also had a big block in the final minute. He then ran down the ball before it went out and passed it ahead to teammate Jordan Allen, who ended up sinking two important foul shots on the play. ... CR’s girls’ squad (13-3 overall) takes an eight-game winning streak into today’s home game with Sussex Tech. That starts a string of four straight home games for the Riders (8-1 North), who still own a one-game lead over Sussex Central (7-2) in the North.

Sports editor Andy Walter

can be reached at 741-8227

or walter@newszap.com.