Northampton manager Mick Sugra and the Kids dropped a heartbreaking, 3-2 defeat to an upstart Allen team in the District 11 Class 6A semifinals Monday night at Easton High School that ended the Konkrete Kids’ season with a 14-9 record.

It can be a loss that can have some lingering effects, but Sugra looked at the big picture.

The Kids had a runner on third in the top of the seventh, but they couldn’t push across the tying run.

“It was a rough one,” said Sugra, whose club was back in district play after they missed for the first time in 15 years last year. “A couple of things didn’t go our way, but we played them tough.

“We had the tying run 90 feet away in the last inning. The Cartegna (Allen starting pitcher Wally) kid is legit, and he is only a ninth grader.”

Sugra was proud of the effort from starter Jake Raysely, who allowed two runs, two hits, four walks and five strikeouts over 93 pitches in four innings. Gavin Taff followed with three hits and a run over 37 pitches in two innings.

“Our pitching was great,” beamed Sugra. “Raysely was dealing. An unfortunate error on a dropped fly ball gave them a 1-0 lead. But he only allowed a run. Taff also did a good job in relief. He ran out of gas in the sixth, but he threw well, too.”

Sugra stated the team set a new school record for runs scored (211) and stolen bases (79). He also noted how the top three hitters, Casey Williams (50), Aidan Sugra (52), and Brady Simock (58) accounted for 160 of their 211 runs. The younger Sugra had 23 steals and Williams added 18.

“We never touched that part of the lineup,” said the skipper. “Those are crazy stats from the top. They will be hard to replace.”

The younger Sugra, who went 2-for-3 against Allen, didn’t see the game as a reflection.

“I just see that one game like today doesn’t define what we did as a team this season,” said Sugra. “Yeah, it’s not the outcome we wanted but 14 wins, a school record of 211 runs scored, and another school record of 79 bases stolen is something to be proud of. I wouldn’t want to end it any other way than with these teammates and coaches.”

Simock, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, agreed with his teammate.

“Obviously, the way we ended wasn’t what we wanted,” said Simock. “We fought hard until the very end of the season. It will sting a little bit, but looking back we had a great year. We are graduating eight seniors, and we really enjoyed playing together. So many of the younger guys stepped up as well and I’m super proud of them.”