Softball: North Jersey Top 25 rankings after the first month of the 2024 season

The North Jersey softball rankings are starting to reach a tipping point. We’re closing in on the midway point of the season, which means that the factors used for these rankings start to shift.

Head-to-head results still are important, but lose some value over time as we get a better sense of the true quality of each team. So don’t complain if you’re team is behind a team it beat head-to-head two weeks ago.

River Dell and Fair Lawn are the two newcomers to the rankings this week. The Hawks only have losses to Ramsey (two), Ridgefield Park and Glen Rock. Fair Lawn is coming off wins over Paramus Catholic and Pascack Valley.

The toughest team to figure in the Top 25 right now is the aforementioned Glen Rock Panthers. They lost to Park Ridge and Ridgewood but beat Westwood and Passaic Valley. They’re just all over the map right now. Are they a Top 10 team? Some days, it looks like it.

Again, the top three stay the same. I don’t think that will change until maybe the county semifinals. Then we will see.

Top 25 rankings

1. Immaculate Heart Academy (16-1)

2. Ramsey (12-1)

3. Weehawken (13-0)

4. Rutherford (11-2-1)

5. Ramapo (13-4)

6. Ridgefield Park (13-4)

7. Indian Hills (11-5-1)

8. Passaic Valley (8-4)

9. Passaic Tech (11-5)

10. Hawthorne (11-1)

11. Wallington (12-1)

12. St. Mary (8-2)

13. Old Tappan (10-5)

14. Ridgewood (10-4)

15. Waldwick (11-3)

16. River Dell (11-4)

17. Bergenfield (8-5)

18. Lakeland/Kinnelon (9-3)

19. Park Ridge (9-4)

20. Glen Rock (9-4)

21. Bergen Tech (10-4)

22. Fair Lawn (8-6)

23. Paramus Catholic (9-6)

24. Holy Angels (7-5)

25. Pascack Valley (7-4)