With five consecutive losses to end their Valley Baseball League season, the Charles Town Cannons finished in last place in the summer league’s North Division and did not qualify for the eight-team playoffs that began earlier this week.

Charles Town’s 16-26 overall record left it behind (Front Royal (22-20), Strasburg (21-21), Aldie (21-21), Woodstock (20-22) and Winchester (20-22). Woodstock secured the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division when it defeated Winchester in a one-game playoff.

In the South Division, a late-season surge by Staunton saw the Braves overhaul Harrisonburg and both teams finish the 42-game season with identical 29-13 records. Also qualifying in that division was Waynesboro (22-20). Covington (18-24) and Charlottesville (18-24) had a one-game playoff for the fourth and final playoff slot in that division. Covington had a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning when the game was suspended by a thunderstorm.

Staunton defeated Harrisonburg for the No. 1 seed in the South Division.

The Cannons lost their last two games of the season, dropping an 8-4 decision to Woodstock and then falling, 7-1, to Front Royal in the season’s final game.

Charles Town had been mathematically eliminated before those two games were played when it trailed fourth-place Woodstock by three games with only two to play.

Christian Khawam, who batted .367, left the Charles Town team on July 13 and Ryan Phillips, who batted .351, was traded to Harrisonburg on June 30.

Charles Town and New Market shared the Valley Baseball League’s worst record with 16-26 marks.

The league’s playoffs see the quarterfinals be best 2-of-3 rounds. Also the semifinals and finals will be best 2-of-3 rounds.

In the quarterfinals, it will be Front Royal versus Woodstock, Aldie versus Strasburg, Harrisonburg versus Waynesboro and Staunton versus the winner of the Covington versus Charlottesville game.