FAVORITE

Lyndhurst

Lyndhurst is in the driver’s seat in the Liberty Division and a title there will buy a ticket into this tournament. The Bergen County squad is 8-0 and has only let up two goals all season. Lyndhurst is clearly the top team in the NJIC right now and the league title is its for the taking. Northeastern commit Kaydee Yallo has 12 goals and is the leader of an offense that has scored 35 times this season.

CONTENDERS

Pompton Lakes

Pompton Lakes dropped its season-opener against Glen Rock, 3-2, but came back and won its next seven games by outscoring opponents, 34-3. This team needs to win the Colonial Division to earn a ticket to the dance and in order to do that, Pompton Lakes will need to beat Glen Rock on Friday and hold off teams like Hawthorne and Rutherford next week. Glen Rock is playing well the guidance of coach Steve Grenz, who just won his 300th career game. If that squad can beat Pompton Lakes again, it will have the upper hand in the division. Hawthorne and Rutherford are also still alive in the divisional title race.

Saddle Brook

Ashley Geogevich and Anna Memija have been a 1-2 punch on offense for Saddle Brook and that has made the Falcons hard to handle. The defending NJIC Tournament champs will need that type of firepower to keep up and challenge teams like Lyndhurst. On the defensive end, keeper Alexis Geogevich will look to keep teams out of the net and give Saddle Brook an advantage in close games down the stretch.

Waldwick

Waldwick is one of the last undefeated teams left in the state and right now, there is no one in the Patriot Division that can stop it. The Warriors are outscoring opponents, 29-3, and showing that they can get the job done on either end of the field. The final four in this conference title race is going to be full of good teams, but Waldwick looks like it will be just fine when it gets to go up against those squads.

Brandon Gould may be reached at bgould@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonGouldHS. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.