No. 19 Hawthorne Christian

Coach: Tyler Van Dyk

Last year’s record: 12-6-2

2016 final ranking: Not ranked

Best assets: Set the nickname aside because the Defenders can really score with almost all of their offense back from last year. Senior forward David Falcon is coming off a 17-goal season and will be a frontrunner in the Passaic County scoring race. What makes Falcon even more dangerous is the support system around him. Hawthorne Christian returns five of its top six scorers from 2016 including junior forward Ben Maura and sophomore midfielders Carson Guingon and Cole Foster. That should take some pressure off goalie Tim Mastroberti and standout defenseman Chris Silos. After losing only two seniors, this could be a special year for Hawthorne Christian.

“We have excellent numbers again this season,” Van Dyk said. “We have 32 boys between junior varsity and varsity and this is almost half of the boys enrolled in the High School at HCA.”

Forecast: Hawthorne Christian will be in the running for the NJIC Patriot title along with Waldwick and defending champion Emerson. The Defenders have a winning percentage around 61 percent in 12 seasons under Van Dyk, and don’t appear to be slowing down. Staying healthy is going to be especially important with such a limited roster. But Hawthorne Christian’s experience and offensive ability should make for an even more successful season than last one.

No. 18 Waldwick

Coach: Jonathan Noschese

Last year’s record: 12-4-3

                                       2016 final ranking: 23

Best assets: Only at Waldwick could a “rebuilding season” be as successful as last one. Staying strong in 2016 with a completely new lineup should set up the Warriors for an even bigger year now. Almost every starter is coming back, giving Waldwick more balance and more experience than before. The high turnout numbers also give Noschese a lot to work with for a small school. “The strength of the team this year is that we’re not really relying on one part,” Noschese said. The Warriors will build from the back with junior goalie Lucas Mainenti entering his second year in net. “I think he’s ready to take the next step,” Noschese said. Junior D Garrett Mironenko is a third-year starter and should be even better with an older team around him. Junior M Chris Borgese gives Waldwick good size and playmaking ability. Senior M Eric Lim, who’s having a nice preseason, is welcomed back after missing time a year ago with a foot injury. Senior F Dan Lee will also be looked to for offensive production.

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Forecast: This is a team with the potential for a huge season. Having skill throughout the field should help Waldwick overcome a handful of significant losses. For the Warriors, winning a sectional championship is a primary goal and this season is no exception. The road to a third title in four years won’t be easy with Pompton Lakes and Wallington likely in the way. But the Warriors are a legitimate contender, and could overtake Emerson and Hawthorne Christian in the NJIC Patriot race as well.

                                  No. 16 Pompton Lakes

Coach: Rob Edgar

Last year’s record: 17-3-1

2016 final ranking: 21

Best assets: Pompton Lakes has an offensive superstar in Carlo Gonzalez – the reigning scoring champion of Passaic County – who’s one of North Jersey’s top players. The senior forward is going into his fourth varsity season, looking to top his 23-goal year and lead the Cardinals to their first sectional title in over a decade. “I’m expecting a lot from him,” Edgar said of Gonzalez. “Not only on the field with putting the ball in the net, but also leading a lot of the new players.” Senior G Jason Dubrovich brings experience in goal for Pompton Lakes with two years of starting experience behind him. Senior D Michael Maygar (6 G in 2016) is another veteran leader who’s smart and can move the ball well. Senior M Jared Allen will be key on offense along with juniors Yianni Ekonomides and Bobby Jenkin. Since the Cardinals get their top four scorers back, their offense should be able to put up good numbers.

Forecast: Stars across the board give Pompton Lakes a bright future and a good foundation to build on. The next step is developing enough depth to stay on top in a really deep division. The challenges will come from across the NJIC Colonial with six teams coming off 10-plus win seasons. And Pompton Lakes graduated nine players, many of whom were longtime contributors, a significant blow to a Group 1 program. But the Cardinals still have the talent to defend their league title and put together a deep run in the state tournament. Edgar believes the make-or-break factor for them is having a good defensive group that can win close, low-scoring postseason games. “It comes down to defending as a team and understanding the system the coach is implementing,” Edgar said.

No. 15 Wallington

Coach: Alessandro Barchi

Last year’s record: 19-4

2016 final ranking: 13

Best assets: A special offense that led Wallington to a sectional final is back to finish the job in 2017. The return of seven starters – and five of the Panthers’ top seven scorers – makes Alessandro Barchi’s team one of the most dangerous ones in the NJIC. Opposing defenses will have a hard time game planning against Wallington with so many weapons to choose on. Do you focus on sophomore stars Damian Zurawski and Nick Zielonka? Or try to stop senior Wojciech Marut? All three had at least 10 goals last season for the Panthers. Seniors Krystian Dziob and Derek Orjuela weren’t far behind, either. Another crucial player is senior D Maxim Madrzak, an all-division selection who shores up the back line.

Forecast: Wallington is the frontrunner in the NJIC Meadowlands and possibly North 1, Group 1. The biggest keys will be playing together as a unit and staying consistent on the defensive half. The Panthers also have to groom a new goalie after graduating both their starter and backup. Losing a top playmaker like Nick Kozdron leaves a hole in the midfield too. But Wallington should benefit by having a litany of scoring threats rather than one or two to rely on. Putting so many young players in important roles during last season’s state tournament run could also pay off in the weeks to come.

No. 4 Harrison

Coach: Mike Rusek

Last year’s record: 19-4-1

2016 final ranking: 4

Best assets: No one knows winning quite like Harrison. The Blue Tide own 25 state titles which is believed to be the national record. This year, like so many before, the ultimate goal is to win another trophy come November. “As long as they’re handing it out, we want to be the one holding it,” Rusek said. Harrison is in an excellent position to do just that once again. There are eight starters back from a team that won its section, creating an embarrassment of riches on offense. The Blue Tide are capable of video game numbers and 100-goal seasons by using an aggressive style that allows backs to move up the field. “We feel like if we can take on a team from many different directions and with many different players, then how can they stop us?” Rusek said. The crown jewel of that offense is forward Deydiry Chamba. The senior is coming off a 26-goal season and could break the school scoring record with another big year. Senior F Raphael Resende is a star in his own right who can put up points. Juniors Omar Sowe and Kalleb Braga are exciting players in the midfield. Seniors Harman Briceno and Ney Moreno bring plenty of experience on defense.

Forecast: The Blue Tide are going to be a fun team to watch. As good as they were last year, this group has even higher potential. Since the players already know the system very well, they are ahead of schedule compared to last year at this point. “We’re a veteran team now,” Rusek said. “You don’t have as many question marks. You feel like right from September 1st, you can get going with what you want to do.”