Entering week five, Northampton finds itself in some unchartered waters.

After their loss to Liberty last week, the Konkrete Kids dropped to 2-2 overall, and they have lost two consecutive games for the first time since they started 1-3 in 2017, and they had a 1-4 season in the shortened 2020 COVID campaign. Over the past three years, the Kids have posted an overall 32-5 record.

Head coach John Toman saw some choppy seas before the Liberty game.

“Honestly there were a lot of distractions this week, “stressed Toman ”It was not a great week of practice and that translates to Friday night. The defense played well enough to win, but offense sputtered in the first half with self-inflicted wounds. The kids battled and put us in position to pull it out.

“We need to clean up the little things.”

The Kids now have an emotional battle Friday night at Al Erdosy Stadium when they host rival Whitehall in the annual “Cement Bowl” matchup. Whitehall picked up its first win last week with a 41-6 rout of Pocono Mountain West.

Over the past few seasons, the game has been tight, witnessed by a 45-44 Whitehall win last year.

Toman knows well what’s ahead.

“Whitehall - it’s a rivalry game so anything goes. They will play out of their minds and we will expect their best.”

Whitehall head coach Andy Marino also sees a tussle ahead.

“They have an excellent program,” stated Marino. “They are battle tested this year in all the close games they have been in. We look forward to playing them.”

PREDICTION: (Season record 2-2) Kids’ quarterback Gavin Taff completed eight of 10 passes for 57 yards with a touchdown, and Billy Stuhldreher ran for 122 yards on 22 carries last week ... Whitehall quarterback Tanner Dogmanits completed 10 of 15 passes for 100 yards with a touchdown against PMW. Noah Jones led the Zephyrs in rushing with 51 yards on nine carries, and Kevin Herrara added 50 yards on seven carries ... Rivalry goes back to the early 1950s, and the Kids have dominated the series ... Both teams desperately need a win here, and the Kids are feeling more pressure with consecutive losses to former East Penn Conference South teams, keeping the myth of them not being able to beat EPC South teams alive ... Whitehall will be looking to get its feet more firmly planted on the ground after a confidence booster. This will come down to what team has the least turnovers ... Kids believe they still have plenty to play for, while Zephyrs are still in a transition mode ... Like both teams here, but leaning toward the Kids in another tight one. Associate head coach Kevin Ronalds can bring me another tomato pie ... K-KIDS, 28-24.