For Northampton head coach Matt Scholl, it’s year two, and the expectations will be raised.

Last season, the Konkrete Kids finished with an overall 10-13 record and qualified for the eighth and final spot in the Class 6A tournament. They lost to Parkland in the opening round.

This season, the Kids will return senior starter and leading scorer Tristen Pinnock as well as other starters J.J. Kolumber and Brody Graff. Trent Moyer and Shakim Dunbar are the other seniors.

Pinnock averaged 10.4 points, and Kolumber tallied 7.8 points per contest, and Graff added 5.6 points.

“The seniors have shown a tremendous amount of grit, going all the way back to their sophomore year when they were asked to be the scout team when we went on a run to the final eight of the state playoffs,” noted Scholl. “For each state playoff game, they learned the opponents’ playbook and ran them effectively in practice against our starters, which was a tremendous part of our success.”

According to Scholl, Kolumber, Graff, and Dunbar will be counted on to handle the ball. The second-year head coach and longtime assistant will be looking to maintain some standards of the past.

“The goal will be to establish our identity, which will revolve around the match-up zone defense and shooting a high percentage from the three-point line,” added Scholl. “The core group that we will be counting on has been consistent at summer workouts, and they have put in a tremendous amount of work in the offseason to prepare for the opportunity.”

Sophomores Noah Walakovits, a transfer from Brandywine Heights, and Brady Simock will round out the opening rotation.

Derek Hall has been added to the coaching staff, joining his brother Phil. Mason Humphrey, who previously coach at Kutztown has also joined the staff. Phil Hall and Scott Johnson will begin their 12th consecutive season, and varsity assistant Ed Seidick will move to the freshman team.

Scholl knows his team faces challenges ahead.

“We have emphasized conditioning, and this team is in the best shape of any team that we have had in a long time,” stated Scholl. “We have to put in the work to compete with the top teams in the league, but we have to perform on the court to earn the league’s respect.”