Both Northern Valley and Franklin Township suffered setbacks in the Connie Mack state playoffs on Sunday.

While the results knocked both teams out of the tournament, neither squad was ever out of the fight.

Northern Valley’s season came to an end with a 9-6 loss to Montgomery, while Franklin suffered a 7-6 setback against Central Perk.

“I am nothing but proud of the team and how they grew in the little bit of time we had them,” said Northern Valley mentor Erich Klein. “I think we can make a heck of a run next year if the kids want to stay together.”

Montgomery-Northern Valley

The Chargers fell behind early when Montgomery posted five runs in the top of the first inning.

Kevin Brace and Jordan Collier scored on a single off the bat of Tom Fitzgerald for two runs, and Dominic Lupiannici came around to score on a line drive from Jimmy Cashley to push the lead to 5-0.

Northern Valley pushed across two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-out hit by Josh Lichman that plated Sam Mauro and Wesley George.

Montgomery answered with runs in each of the next three innings to increase its advantage to 8-2.

The Chargers got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Bobby Croneberger scored on an error and Nick Buskirk came home on Shaun O’Donnell’s groundout.

Northern Valley loaded the bases with one out on walks by Erik Mather, George and Lichman in the bottom of the fifth inning.

After a strikeout, Buskirk drew another walk to score Mather and trim the deficit to 8-5.

But a groundout ended the inning and the threat.

The Chargers brought in another run in the bottom of the sixth when Zach Russo scored on a single by Buskirk.

“You make that state tournament, and it’s fun,” said Klein. “I have been doing this for 20 years. It’s the 12 best teams pretty much in the East Coast of Pennsylvania in Connie Mack, and Bux-Mont has a lot of good ball clubs down there. We’re kind of a smaller market, but we played well down there. We could have won both games if a couple of things had fallen our way.”

Luke Cody was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Montgomery.

George doubled for Northern Valley.

The Chargers enjoyed remarkable success this season, advancing to the semifinals of the Lehigh Valley Connie Mack playoffs before falling to eventual champion Northwest Bethlehem 7-6.

And most of the squad will be back to do it again next year.

“After that loss to Emmaus (16-10 on July 11), we played as good as any team in our league down the stretch,” said Klein. “I wish we would have won at least one game at states, but these kids can hold their heads high. Down 5-0 in the first inning, the kids could have packed it in. But just like the last three weeks, they didn’t, and they kept trying to fight back. I’m very proud of the group.

“I’m looking forward to them coming back. I hope that’s what’s going to happen, I think it is. But we’ll see.”

Franklin Twp.-Central Perk

Like Northern Valley, Franklin Township also faced an early deficit.

“I had these guys when they were 11- and 12-year-olds and I’ve had some of them here and there for the last couple years,” said Franklin manager Ron Steigerwalt. “It’s a good group of kids. They always did whatever they could, and they did the best they could. They never gave up.”

Central Perk pushed across four runs on six hits in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to an early lead.

Micah Seitzinger and Michael Poruban both doubled in the inning, while Jared Leighton, John Brady and Kevin Fitzpatrick and Peyton Allen all singled.

Brady and Fitzpatrick finished with two hits apiece and both knocked in a run.

Franklin got two runs back in the top of the third inning. Aiden Rarick started the rally with a two-out double and Adam Bastone followed with a walk before Ian Rarick delivered a double of his own.

After Central Perk increased its lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Franklin tied it with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and sixth.

Ian Rarick, Michael Yeakel, Carter Birnbaum and Talan Sensinger all had singles in the fifth, with Birnbaum and Sensinger scoring runs.

Brady O’Donnell doubled in the sixth and Cameron Gable walked before Birnbaum singled with one out.

John Brady, who drew a leadoff walk, scored the go-ahead run for Central Perk in the bottom of the frame.

Ian Rarick and Yeakel and Birnbaum all had two hits apiece for Franklin.

Franklin Township was stellar throughout the season in Lehigh Valley Connie Mack play, finishing the regular season as one of the top four teams and earning a bye into the quarterfinals.

As is the case with Northern Valley, Franklin’s roster should remain intact for another postseason push.

“Next year, I believe we have nine of the 11 coming back,” said Steigerwalt. “They were all pretty young, mostly 14s and 15s, with two 16-year-olds.

“But they’ll remember this experience forever, getting to play in states as a team.”

Montgomery 511 101 0 - 9 8 4

Northern Valley 200 210 1 - 6 6 4

Collier, Laguara (5) and Smith; Moyer, George (1) and Russo. W - Collier. L - Moyer.

Franklin Township 002 022 0 - 6 10 1

Central Perk 400 201 x - 7 10 1

Keiser, Bastone (4), Gable (6) and Yeakel; Brady, Leighton (6), C. Pascoe (6) and Seitzinger. W - C. Pascoe. L - Bastone.