Conference Preview: Big North

<p>Next up on our Conference Previews is the Big North which could be argued as the deepest conference in the State of New Jersey. How many teams will be right there at the end of the season? You have the favorites, but there are some potential dark horses that can make some noise. Lastly, there is a contingent of players looking to make a monstrous impact this season. Let’s look deeper into the Big North. </p> <p><strong>Last Season</strong></p> <p>In a shortened and condensed season, the teams from the Big North still showcased their depth and potential as 9 teams finished with over a .750 winning percentage. Three of those nine squads ended up being crowned sectional champions with a couple more being finalists. The champions were Immaculate Heart, Ridgewood and Tenafly. Even though no true champion was crowned in conference, Demarest finished with the best winning percentage in conference play. </p> <p><strong>Favorites</strong></p> <p><em>Immaculate Heart</em></p> <p>The machine that keeps on running in Immaculate Heart as they continued their dominance a year ago after losing so many players. Coach Nolan just continues to plug-in players that make immediate impacts. Now, the team is extremely young like a season ago. They do lose three senior components from last years’ squad but that number is miniscule to losing seven two years ago. Expect greatness to continue from one of the dominant programs in the state. </p> <p><em>Demarest</em></p> <p>A year ago they came up short as they lost to Sparta in their sectional final. However, that does not mean the team won’t be right there again. The squad that had the best record in conference play will be there. The team does lose some significant senior leadership but they may arguably have the best player in the state coming back in [player_tooltip player_id="128499" first="Olivia" last="Cammalleri"]. They will be right there. </p> <p><em>Ridgewood</em></p> <p>Last season, was an intriguing one for Ridgewood as the team actually struggled in conference play, but were dominant outside of the conference to be a sectional champion. A team returning basically everyone will have the belief to take on another challenge which is to be the best in their conference. Expect them to rise to the occasion. </p> <p><strong>Dark Horses</strong></p> <p><em>Clifton</em></p> <p>A squad that many see has a significant threat as every key contributor will be returning this season. The squad will be senior-heavy so this is their best chance at making a run at the conference crown. A season ago, they were upended by Ridgewood in the NJSIAA semifinals. This is a resilient group and I have high expectations for them this season. </p> <p><em>Bergen Tech</em></p> <p>One of the better turnarounds from a season ago was Bergen Tech. The squad in 2019 struggled immensely and the amount of belief showcased in what they were able to do last season was immense. A team returning many significant pieces will be right there and it will come down to them going against those at the top if they want to be a success this season. </p> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="99886" first="Brookelyn" last="Talmadge"] (Immaculate Heart; MB)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="128499" first="Olivia" last="Cammalleri"] (Demarest; S)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="99871" first="Ruby" last="Van Der Heide"] (Northern Highlands; S)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="99860" first="Kate" last="Louer"] (Clifton; OH)</p> <p>Cammi Quirk (Ridgewood; S)</p> <p>Taylor Grady (Pascack Valley; S)</p> <p>Rebekah Eng (Indian Hills; DS/L)</p>