Heading into the final phase of the season, Northampton knew what it needed to do to secure itself a better playoff seeding.

They did just that.

The Konkrete Kids (7-8-0, 3-2 in their last five) shutout Emmaus, 6-0, Feb. 12 to grab the third spot in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League playoffs. With the win, the third-seeded Kids met second-seeded Freedom in a one-game playoff. The Pates would end up winning that game 5-4 and moving on to play Parkland in the best-of-three finals. The Pates would have leads in both games one and two but the Trojans battled back in both contests to win the series 2-0 and claim this year’s LVSHL title.

In the win over Emmaus, Erik White scored a pair of goals and Derion Ruch assisted on three of them. Goalie Tyler Hoagland turned back all 21 shots to register the shutout. White it currently the Kids’ leading scorer with 18 goals and 27 overall points. Ruch is second overall with 16 points.

It was a much-needed win in several ways.

“We knew this was a big game and we needed to answer the call,” said veteran head coach Brian Ruff of the Emmaus game. “We have had trouble putting the puck in the net and this was a good showing.

“We have had two lines working well for us lately and we are getting some good performances overall.”

In the loss to Freedom, the Pates jumped out to a 2-0 lead and the Kids just couldn’t catch up. John Musella and James Moniz scored in the first which was answered by the Kids Donovan Smith. But Musella would score again for a 3-1 Pates lead.

Nathan Stofik would cut it to 3-2 after one period but Freedom was the only team to score in the second period (Dominic Augello) to make it 4-2. Mike Kearns opened the third with a goal to make it 5-2 before the Kids rallied with goals from White and Nick Herman to get within one.

Along with the varsity’s steady performance, Ruff has been impressed with Northampton’s other teams in the league. The Kids’ JV team finished second overall, and they also have two middle school teams and two youth teams.

“I am happy with our younger teams,” said Ruff. “I expected our varsity team to be better this year. Overall, though, we had a good year.”

Ruff noted the program will have two JV teams and three youth teams next season, a direct result of an influx of players into the program. The largest growth has been in the Kids’ recent evolution at the developmental level that currently features 34 players at the Kindergarten, and First, and Second grade levels.

“Some programs like to work from the top to the bottom,” said Ruff. “We have concentrated our efforts in doing it from the bottom up. We have to build from the bottom and our developmental program is doing well.

“We will continue to have a good future for the program.”