Northampton head baseball coach Mick Sugra took full responsibility for his team missing the district playoffs for the first time in 15 years this past season. The Konkrete Kids finished the season with an overall 8-12 record.

However, Sugra already is excited about the 2026 season that will return 11 rising seniors. It potentially will be the Kids’ largest senior class since 2016 and 2020, the latter being the COVID season.

Aidan Sugra, the coach’s son, will return as the team leader last season in home runs (2), RBIs (15), and slugging percentage (.547). Sugra was recently selected to the Lehigh Valley Carpenter Cup team.

“I know he wanted to do more than he did this year,” said his father. “We look forward to continuing to improve over the summer to come back better next year.”

“This season I feel like with every other player that it was not a great feeling at the end,” said the younger Sugra. “The whole point of what we do and what we work for is to make playoffs to have a chance at winning something for Northampton baseball. Not making playoffs for the first time in 14 years it’s a painful feeling.

“I know for a fact that for my senior season I want a chance to win a championship and I will do everything I can possibly do in the offseason to help my team as much as I can next year and I’m hoping I can make my teammates feel the same way.”

Brady Simock was one of the top pitchers in the league in strikeouts (54), but he also put a lot of runners on base via walks and hit by pitch (36).

“Brady Simock didn’t have the type of year that he wanted to, but he learned a lot about the game and being more efficient and being a more complete pitcher. He should have a great summer and improve for next year,” the elder Sugra said.

Sugra expects Cole Schaffer, who threw 17 innings this year to be one of the horses on the mound next year. Sugra said Casey Williams played nearly every game for NHS in the outfield all year. He struggled early on in the season, but he finished strong in the back half of the year.

Sugra added Brayden Giandomenico should be at 2b next year, or in the outfield. Giandomenico got a good amount of at bats this year filling it at second and in the outfield.

Charles Burrell took reps at catcher, but should be back at first base next season, which is his natural position.

The catching duties could go to Jaxson Rutzmoser, who struggled early on offense but caught quite a bit throughout the year.

Owen Churetta (3b, 2b), Brandon McEntire (P), Connor Muth (P), and Noah Kline (P) are the remaining, soon-to-be seniors that should play a role as well next year, along with the incoming class of new juniors, Sugra added.