Northampton baseball coach Mick Sugra likely is to remember one moment of the season before it even began.

Last Sunday, the Konkrete Kids hosted a youth clinic in which current players taught and worked with elementary-age students.

“The younger kids look up to the high school players as role models,” said Sugra. “That’s where it all starts. A connection is made there and it keep going.”

Sugra sees the connection flourishing again this spring as he begins his eighth year with some high aspirations after a 15-win season last year, the first time since 1998 that the Kids achieved that many victories.

A main part of the Kids’ strength this season will be their pitching where Mike Ettl (4-3, 2.50) and Jared Hunsberger return along with Cole Rufe, Cam Rodgers, and Seth Lakey in the fold.

“We’ll be leaning on our pitching this year,” said Sugra. “Although they struggled in a scrimmage against Saucon Valley. We’ll find a way to adjust.”

In the field, the Kids will deal with the loss of first baseman Dan Thomas and shortstop Carson Gantz (. 368, a team-high 28 hits and 14 RBIs).

“Those two will be missed for their leadership,” stated Sugra. “Those will be big shoes to fill. We will need a few of them to step up in leadership roles.”

Brittain Shandor (. 336, a team-high 18 RBIs, 26 hits) will move from third to second base, and Kyle Morin, who make the move up the middle at short.

“Shandor did a great job at third, but he will do a solid job at second,” added Sugra. “Kyle (Morin) will also fill for us.”

In the outfield, Tim Antigua (. 342) and Issac Tucker (. 366, 11 RBIs) are back, but the Kids will lose Devon Britton, who decided to focus solely on his wrestling career.

Zach Lambert is back behind the plate for the Kids.

Sugra is optimistic his club can duplicate the same kind of chemistry and success rendered by last year’s club whose season ended somewhat prematurely in an opening - round district playoff loss to Emmaus.

“No one expected us to win 15 games last year,” he said. “Everyone likes each other and there wasn’t fighting or bickering. We were all team first and that when good things will happen.”

The Kids will open the season Friday when they host rival Catasauqua. From there, they will host North Pocono Monday and travel to East Stroudsburg North Wednesday.

Sugra expects another tough battle with divisional opponents Allentown Central Catholic, Emmaus and Nazareth

“We have talent,” said Sugra. “Our division is loaded again. It’s the toughest in the league. We feel we have some pitching depth and we have some things to work out. But we’ll work through everything.”