Moore Catholic’s Nick Doscher deals with a fluid roster every year, that’s the nature of being a high school baseball coach. Some players graduate, some fail off, others transfer.

But the Mavericks are still trying to cope with the death of a popular teammate, which is something no coach can prepare his team for.

Johnny Ray, a two-sport star at the small co-ed Graniteville Catholic high school, died on Oct. 24 when he crashed his parents SUV into a utility pole after veering out of control on a rain-slicked Father Capodanno Boulevard. He hydroplaned after hitting a puddle near Slater Boulevard in Midland Beach. Ray, who didn’t have a driver’s license, was pronounced dead on the scene. He was just 16.

A vigil was held near the crash scene and students, family and friends still go there every 24th of the month, lighting candles, talking and praying. His wake and funeral was attended by a combined 5,000.

“If you just came and saw us play, he’d be the one with that charisma, that smile, he was the one guy you know he’s good,” Doscher said. “A lot of these kids play two sports and they lost him two ways, they also lost him in the football season.”

The football team cancelled a scheduled road game against Pope Pius X (Pa.) the following weekend before returning to play Beach Channel on Nov. 7. The players wore No. 4 stickers on their helmets and had ribbons on their uniforms in Ray’s memory.

As for the baseball team, Doscher said it’s been difficult for them to deal with Ray’s death.

“We were really affected by it,” Doscher said. “A lot of those kids it was the first time they saw a dead body and there was their teammate laying there. It just doesn’t seem right.”

There was no way of knowing it then, but I covered Ray’s final high school baseball game. The Mavericks lost to Monsignor Farrell, 2-0, at the College of Staten Island on May 19. Moore failed to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Farrell went on to win the Staten Island division title.

Farrell hurler Chris Mione gave up just five hits in the complete-game shutout and two were by Ray, who batted leadoff and played shortstop. He led off the game with a single to left and singled again in the third inning.

As was the case last year, Moore is young, but the squad is motivated to put last year behind them and to play every game for their fallen teammate. Ray’s No. 19 is on the back of every fitted cap. Ray is gone, but he’s very much not forgotten.

“We had a great bond, me and Johnny,” senior centerfielder Chris Ahearn said. “He’s always on our mind. Before the game we always mention him and we know who we’re playing for this year, which is another big spark for us. We’re playing for a teammate this year. He’s never left and we’ll always remember. Whether we catch the ball or not, after we make a play, he’s still there.”

dbutler@nypost.com