IN PICTURES: HURRICANES EDGE DOLPHINS IN GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL

Four quarters didn’t settle the Dec. 14 girl’s varsity basketball game between the Coral Shores Hurricanes and Marathon Dolphins. In the end, a 26-point, 10-rebound game by Coral Shores guard/forward Bekky Valenzuela would propel the Hurricanes to a 50-47 victory over the Dolphins. Valenzuela also registered four assists and nine steals in a big night for the senior. Sophomore forward Brooke Mandozzi was the Hurricanes’ second-leading scorer with 11 points on four field goals and three free throws. The Dolphins were led by junior guard Abrianna Marshall, who scored 20 points, and freshman guard Elena Eubank with 14 points. The Lady Hurricanes, 5-5, followed up with a victory over Westminster Christian, 47-44, on Dec. 16 before heading into the holiday break. They return to the court on Jan. 4 against the Florida Christian Patriots. The Lady Dolphins, 4-6, are back in action Jan. 12 when they welcome the Keys Gate Knights.

Photos by Barry Gaukel. More game photos at ShadyPalmPhotography.com

Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.