DePaul and Immaculate Heart are tied atop the Big North United standings, both at 3-1, with two games to go. The two North Jersey powers will meet Monday (according to our schedule) at IHA.

DePaul and Immaculate Heart are tied atop the Big North United standings, both at 3-1, with two games to go. The two North Jersey powers will meet Monday (according to our schedule) at IHA. Shown above is DePaul’s Natasha Duplain and IHA’s Angelina McGuire from last year’s sectional final. (CHRIS PEDOTA/Staff Photographer)

Here’s a look at every division race in North Jersey softball, as some big games are about to take place next week. All these division and overall records are what we’ve got in our system, so coaches (or players), if you see any discrepancies, please e-mail me at conrad@northjersey.com. If there’s an incorrect record or an incorrect scheduled game I’ve listed, let me know. Below are division race for the Big North and NJIC and I included North Bergen and Pequannock as well, since both teams are winning their respective divisions, too. 

Big North United
Division leaders: Immaculate Heart (3-1 in division; 12-1 overall) and DePaul (3-1 in division; 10-2 overall)
In the hunt: Paramus Catholic (2-2 in division; 7-5 overall)
Big games: DePaul at Immaculate Heart — Monday, April 29; Paramus Catholic at DePaul — Tuesday, April 30 (is that right? If so, that’s some back-to-back for the Spartans)
What you should know: Did you hear IHA lost? As much as the Blue Eagles shied away from talking much about their 44-game winning streak, I’m sure they’re already sick of hearing about it coming to an end. They talked more about repeating as triple crown champs, though, than the winning streak anyway and the first part of that road to repeating can be clinched (at least a share anyway) on Monday vs. DePaul. It’s pretty much a league championship game, though both teams would still have one league game to go (IHA vs. Holy Angels; DePaul vs. Paramus Catholic). In the first meeting, IHA jumped out to an early lead and eventually won, 8-0. But the Spartans — on an eight-game winning streak — are playing as well as anyone in North Jersey right now. The eight-run margin was a bit of a surprise in the first meeting between IHA and DePaul after so many close one-run games in the past. Monday should be a good one.
How can Paramus Catholic earn a share? There’s a few ways for it to happen, depending on the IHA/DePaul winner on Monday. The good news for PC? Someone is going to lose that game. The bad news? Someone is going to win. First off, and most importantly, PC needs to win out vs. DePaul and Holy Angels. That would get them to 4-2… and it would get DePaul to two league losses since they’d have beaten them by winning out. The key would be getting IHA to two losses, which is why Paramus Catholic should be rooting for DePaul on Monday at IHA. So… DePaul beats IHA… PC beats DePaul… then IHA and PC both beat Holy Angels (which is no gimme these days) and there’d be a three-way split for the United championship. Monday’s IHA/DePaul winner will be guaranteed at least a share of the title.

Big North Freedom
Division leaders: Indian Hills (5-1 in division; 11-2 overall) and Ramapo (5-1 in division; 9-4 overall)
In the hunt: Paramus (3-3 in division; 8-5 overall)
Big game: Ramapo at Indian Hills — Sunday, May 5 (according to our schedule)
What you should know: It was Ramapo’s 2-1 win over Indian Hills on April 10 that kind of showed what the Raiders are capable of this season. IH coach Joe Leicht said the Braves made one mistake in the game and it ended up costing them. The game ended when Nicole Paiotti lined out to short with the bases loaded. Ramapo’s Melanie Psota got the win, striking out just one, while allowing seven hits. Indian Hills has been on fire ever since, winning seven straight, while outscoring its opponents, 42-2, in that stretch. Ramapo has gone 5-3 since that big win over the Braves, but the three losses came to Cedar Grove, IHA and Pascack Valley.
Outside shot: Paramus just lost to Indian Hills, 10-0, on Wednesday so the Spartans will need help. They do play Ramapo today, but will need Indian Hills to fall twice to have a shot at sharing a league title. If they beat Ramapo, they’d need the Raiders to lose at least once more as well.

Big North Patriot
Division leader: Ramsey (6-1 in division; 12-2 overall)
In the hunt: Mahwah (4-2 in division; 7-4 overall)
Big game: Mahwah at Ramsey — Wednesday, May 1
What you should know: Ramsey already defeated Mahwah, 9-4, back on April 10, extending a two-run lead in the top of the seventh with three insurance runs. Deven Hadeler doubled and drove in three, Sarah Novak doubled and drove in two, and Abby Triglia added a pair of RBIs. Jess Juhlin got the win in the circle.
Another thing you should know: With seven league games played already and a one-game advantage in the loss column over Mahwah, Ramsey has already secured at least a share of the league title. I just realized this now, but Novak’s game-winning RBI on Wednesday to beat Westwood, 2-1, in the eighth inning clinched it. At worst, Ramsey could finish 6-2 in league play, while Mahwah, at best, could finish 6-2. But no one wants to share anything, making Wednesday’s game vs. Mahwah interesting.

Big North Liberty
Division leader: Bergen Tech (6-0 in division; 10-4 overall)
In the hunt: Clifton (5-1 in division; 7-6 overall)
Big game: Bergen Tech at Clifton — Friday, May 3
What you should know: In the first meeting between Bergen Tech and Clifton, the Knights struck for three runs in the first, eventually defeating the Mustangs, 5-3. Bergen Tech P Mel Hrbek threw a complete game with eight strikeouts and Chrissy Chen homered and drove in two. Clifton was the Big North Liberty division champion last year, with a perfect 8-0 league record.

Big North Independence
Division leaders: Fair Lawn (6-2 in division; 10-3 overall) and Lakeland (4-2 in division; 8-4 overall)
In the hunt: West Milford (4-3 in division; 9-4 overall) and Passaic Valley (3-3 in division; 10-3 overall)
Big games: Lakeland at West Milford — Monday, April 29; Lakeland at Fair Lawn — Wednesday, May 1; West Milford at Passaic Valley — Wednesday, May 1; Fair Lawn at Passaic Valley — Friday, May 3
What you should know: First, this is a crazy division right now — by far the craziest in North Jersey. I think Fair Lawn is in the best position right now with only two league games to go, but Lakeland controls its own destiny, too. And you could argue that the two behind them — West Milford and Passaic Valley — are the two hottest teams in the division at the moment. The biggest game, and the one that will determine everything else, is that Fair Lawn-Lakeland game on Wednesday (assuming Lakeland beats Wayne Hills today, which is also no gimme right now since the Pats have won 5 straight). If the Cutters beat the Lancers, they wrap up at least a share of the title since they’d only have one game remaining (vs. PV), but they’ve said they don’t wanna share anything this year after two straight years of sharing league titles with Ramapo.

But if Lakeland beats Wayne Hills (thriving in the spoiler role lately) today, then West Milford on Monday and Fair Lawn on Wednesday… they could be the outright champions with just a game vs. Wayne Valley left. Things really became interesting on Wednesday when Fair Lawn and Lakeland both lost.
Also, the winner of that West Milford-Passaic Valley on Wednesday will have an outside shot at grabbing a share of the league title. Too many scenarios to play out right now.
Just know that the rematch between Fair Lawn and Lakeland is the key game in all of this. I remember the first meeting between those two being pretty good…

Big North National
Division leaders
: Old Tappan (5-1 in division; 9-4 overall) and Pascack Valley (5-1 in division; 8-4 overall)
In the hunt: Demarest (3-3 in division; 7-7 overall)
Big game: Old Tappan at Pascack Valley — Wednesday, May 1
What you should know: Way back on April 8, Pascack Valley beat Old Tappan, 9-8. Old Tappan was The Record’s No. 11-ranked team that week, and the win kind of put Pascack on the map. The Indians only league loss of the year came on Opening Day to Demarest, 5-1. Three of Old Tappan’s four losses this year have come by one run — to Pascack Valley, Midland Park and Indian Hills. Pascack Valley also lost by one run to Indian Hills — both 1-0 games. These are two very evenly-matched teams based off their past results, so it’s not surprising it was 9-8 in the first meeting. It’ll likely be an unofficial league championship game on Wednesday, assuming OT and PV don’t stumble before then (each have two league games before then).

Big North American
Division leader: Dumont (6-0 in division; 7-6 overall)
In the hunt: Ridgefield Park (4-1 in division; 9-5 overall)
Big game: Ridgefield Park at Dumont — Monday, April 29
What you should know: You should know that Dumont is a hard team to figure out. They’re 6-0 in the league, but 1-6 out of it, so they certainly make their wins count. The most important one came on April 10 when Dumont defeated Ridgefield Park, 8-6. If Dumont beats Ridgefield Park again on Monday, it will wrap up the outright division title with just one league game remaining and a two-game lead in the loss column over RP. If RP wins, Dumont and Ridgefield Park would likely end up sharing the division title.

NJIC Colonial
Division leader
: Rutherford (10-0 in division; 10-3 overall)
In the hunt: Pompton Lakes (9-1 in division; 12-2 overall)
Big game: Rutherford at Pompton Lakes — Monday, May 13
What you should know: Rutherford appears to be the cream of the crop in this division, after ten-running its closest competition, Pompton Lakes, on April 16, 10-0. The rematch isn’t for a few weeks, so who knows what will happen. But as of now, the Lady Bulldogs are the big favorite to capture the league title this season, led by school record-breaking pitcher Julie Sosnicki and Wilkes-bound Ally Paskas.

NJIC Meadowlands
Division leader
: Immaculate Conception (9-0 in division; 15-0 overall)
In the hunt: Saddle Brook (8-1 in division; 12-1 overall)
Big game: Saddle Brook at Immaculate Conception — Thursday, May 2
What you should know: Immaculate Conception is the last remaining unbeaten team in North Jersey and has proven to be one of the top teams in not only North Jersey, but the entire state. IC beat Saddle Brook, 9-1, back on April 9 to seize control of the division, getting a complete game, 12-strikeout, four-hitter from Sarah Piening and a home run and three RBI from Shannon Truppi. Six different IC players recorded at least one RBI that day. Saddle Brook will likely need a win on Thursday to have a shot at earning a share of this year’s league title. The loss to IC is the Falcons’ lone loss this year.

NJIC Liberty
Division leader
: Lyndhurst (9-0 in division; 10-2 overall)
In the hunt: New Milford (7-1 in division; 10-4 overall)
Big game: Lyndhurst at New Milford — Monday, May 13
What you should know: You should know that Lyndhurst is pretty darn good and flying under the radar a bit. The Bears are the only NJIC Liberty team to defeat New Milford, 9-4, on April 18 — a win that allowed the Bears to take control of the division. Lyndhurst struck for five in the second and four in the fourth in its win over New Milford, getting a home run and two RBI from Casey Zdanek, who was also the winning pitcher.

NJIC Patriot
Division leader
: Park Ridge (9-0 in division; 12-2 overall)
In the hunt: Midland Park (8-1 in division; 12-1 overall)
Outside shot: Emerson (7-2 in division; 7-5 overall)
Big game: Park Ridge at Midland Park — Monday, May 6
What you should know: Park Ridge and Midland Park met on April 10, with the Owls winning, 4-2. It was the seventh of what turned out to be a season-opening 10-game winning streak and allowed Park Ridge to take control of the division. Junior SS Alexis Criscuolo delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the 3rd and Emily Kline — in her first game against her former team — got the win, firing a complete game five-hitter, with five strikeouts. As most already know, Kline is out indefinitely after a comeback liner struck her in the face on Tuesday vs. Ramsey. The rematch, which will likely decide whether the league title is won outright by Park Ridge or shared with Midland Park, is still 10 days away. And the way the Dirty Dozen are playing right now, the Owls would probably like their ace on the mound.

Hudson County – Coviello
Division leader: North Bergen (7-0 in division; 10-1 overall)
In the hunt: Kearny (5-1 in division; 11-2 overall)
Big game: North Bergen at Kearny — Monday, April 29; Kearny at North Bergen — Thursday, May 2
What you should know: I don’t know if I jotted this down correctly, but I think when I spoke to North Bergen coach Tom Eagleson the other day, he said Kearny and North Bergen were scheduled for two games in a four-day span coming up. If that’s right, those two games will be deciding the league champion. He did say it’s a friendly rivalry between the schools and that no matter how good, or bad, either team is, it’s always a good game between the two programs. This year, both seem pretty good… which should make next week even better.

NJAC Independence
Division leader
: Pequannock (6-0 in division; 12-3 overall)
In the hunt: Butler (5-2 in division; 11-2 overall)
Big game: It happened. Pequannock beat Butler, 7-0, on Wednesday, giving the Bulldogs their first loss of the year.
What you should know: Butler lost its next time out to Boonton, 3-1, on Thursday… so this division is all but locked up for Pequannock. Pequannock and Butler will meet again on May 8, but the Panthers hold a two-game lead with just a few league games remaining.