It was supposed to be the day to honor Northampton’s seniors and anxiously move forward to the next step in the presumed league playoffs.

Instead, the 10 seniors each had their houses decorated by the school’s booster club on the team’s Senior Night Schedule for May 4, as a show of gratitude for their efforts and contributions to the program.

The event marked the end of the Konkrete Kid careers for Tyler Antonis, Cameron Cooper, Cullen Cooper, Ayden Hughes, Michael Kuzio, Nate Rex, Mickey Rimbey, Garrett Smith, Justin “JT” Taylor, Evan Zwolenik and manager MaKenzie Bernhard.

They all were instrumental in helping the Kids to their first conference title since 1998 and produce an overall 20-4 record last season.

“I would say the same thing about all 10 of them,” said head coach Mick Sugra, who would have begun his 10th season. “They are all selfless, they all put the team’s success in front of individual success, and each of them would do anything for one another.

“Their work ethic in the weight room and on the field was second to none, and each one leads by example. We tell our kids to do five things – do what’s right, do your best, treat others how you would like to be treated, be humble, and don’t make excuses. These 10 guys have been doing these things for the last two years without us having to bring them up.”

Zwolenik, who was instrumental with a 7-1, 1.04 mark on the mound last season, made the most of a situation with an expected high ceiling.

“Senior day was great,” noted Zwolenik, who will continue his career at Northampton Community College next spring. “Although I couldn’t walk down the third base line with my mom and dad, it was still nice to see the parents and a couple of juniors honor us.

“This year, I had very high expectations for myself. Everyone else had the same mindset. We worked hard in the weight room and on Sundays in open gym. But overall, I am very satisfied with my career. I owe a huge thanks for all of the coaches developing and having confidence in me.”

Others shared similar sentiments.

“It was awesome,” said Smith about the senior send-off. “Although I wasn’t able to walk on the field with my mom, seeing what she and the other moms did had me speechless. Seeing the juniors even made me think even more of what a family we are.

“This bond we had as a team was like no other. We had each other’s back. I would have loved to have seen what we could have done.”

Taylor had some high hopes as well.

“Everyone was very confident, and we were all ready to buy in and work to get on top again,” he said. “Our senior class joined together with the juniors and we had great chemistry. Throughout my four years, the program has meant a lot to me. Coach Sugra and his coaches work hard to help us become the best young man we can be on and off the field.”

“I was excited to walk out on the field,” said Brimey. “But unfortunately, we had to do it a different way. To give us some kind of recognition was a very nice thing to do.

“Winning the EPC championship meant we had targets on our backs, and we wanted to show everyone else that we wanted it the most again. A lot of us have played together for most of our lives, and we talked about the days we would play together in high school. With the family we built and the talent we have, I have no doubt that we would have made a deep run this year.

“This was going to be special because we were going to be recognized for the hard work and dedication we put into this program,” added Hughes. “It’s a special day that marks the end of a chapter of our lives, but also the beginning of a new chapter for each of us. I believe the 2020 squad was a special group of guys that had a great work ethic and was poised to have a winning record and beyond.

“We knew that wouldn’t come easy and we also knew how to approach it. It was about staying in the moment and perfect the little things. My career may not have been the most interesting, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The feeling of putting on the black and orange number one jersey is truly and amazing thing, and I will always cherish my time as a Konkrete Kid.”

Sugra succinctly summarized his final thoughts about the 10 seniors.

“If my 11-year-old Aidan would turn out like these 10 guys in six or seven years, I would be a proud father,” he beamed.