Editor’s note: Last week’s issue featured events 11-6.

Here they are, my top five most memorable Northampton events from last season. As a reminder, only events I covered made the list. I’m sure there were other performances by K-Kids’ athletes and teams that would have been worthy of inclusion in a list of highlights.

5. Boys Volleyball – Emmaus def Northampton 19-25, 25-21, 31-29, 25-22

This district semifinal match would have been memorable for the epic third set alone. The K-Kids staved off an Emmaus set point to knot the score at 25. They held set points at 26-25, 27-26, 28-27, and 29-28, but fell short in their bid to take a-two-sets-to-one lead over the EPC champs.

Even after the heartbreak of dropping the third set, Northampton battled back in the fourth set and held a 22-21 lead before the Hornets ran off the last four points to clinch the match, a spot in the finals, and a trip to states.

4. Football – Whitehall 36 Northampton 35

The K-Kids scored on their first possession and never trailed until the Zephyrs added a two-point PAT with 20 seconds left in the game. Northampton had an opportunity to convert a 4th and 1 from midfield and run out the clock, but a false start forced a punt. Whitehall drove 75 yards in 2:13 to set up the winning score. Easily the most exciting football game I have covered in my three years.

3. Softball – Northampton 5 Whitehall 4

The K-Kids appeared to be cruising to their first district title since 2013 by holding a 4-1 lead going into the final inning. After a combination of singles, walks, an error, and a hit batter, the Zephyrs had tied the game and still had the bases loaded with only one out. Devyn Demchak made a leaping backhand catch on a liner in foul territory to record the second out. A routine fly to right ended the threat.

Northampton loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Rilee Ehrlacher hit a grounder up the middle and Ryley Stanchock beat the throw home to clinch the K-Kids’ only team district title of the year.

2. Softball – Northampton 1 Parkland 0

The district semifinal game was more memorable than the championship game.

Parkland’s Katie Zaun had retired the first 16 Northampton batters, 12 by strikeout. She had a 1-2 count on Ren Herschman. Herschman fouled off the next pitch to stay alive. She smacked the following 1-2 offering to right field and raced all the way to third for a triple. Rilee Ehrlacher delivered a 2-out single to drive in Herschman for the only run of the game.

The Trojans had leadoff doubles in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th innings but a pair of stellar double plays by the K-Kids’ defense and ice-water-in-her-veins pitching by Kaira Zamadics preserved the shutout, extended the season, and made the district title possible.

1. Wrestling - Jagger Condomitti wins the state title

Before the season started, it seemed like the only thing that could deny Jagger a state title was a COVID-related cancellation of the postseason. Despite having an abbreviated regular season of only three dual meet matches, he arrived in Hershey having not given up a takedown all the way through the super regional tournament.

However, in the state final he trailed 3-1 with under 7 seconds to go and was in desperation mode. He hit a takedown near the boundary to send the match into sudden victory and scored another takedown in the extra time to claim the gold medal.

As the referee signaled the end of the match, Jagger raised his hands in triumph, then clasped them to his head in disbelief before sinking to his knees in exhaustion and relief.

A state title under any circumstances would have merited the top spot, but the drama of the final match will make for a memory that endures for years to come.