Lyndhurst, N J - Six games on tap in the Lyndhurst League. Traveling between the two sections of the gym to see as much as possible, it was safe to assume Rutherford was the best team on the night. The Lady Bulldogs stopped Hackensack 39-17. Rutherford coach Ed Guy has a young team but one, he is confident, can put points on the board this season. On defense Rutherford showed several different looks. Their 1-3-1 was impressive with wings getting in the passing lanes for steals or deflections. They showed some man and zone. "Actually we used some matchup zone mixed in with the man," Guy said. Each defense kept Hackensack off balance all game.

North Arlington dropped games to Bloomfield and Ridgefield Park. The Lady Vikings were ahead of Bloomfield at the half before the Bengals came on strong the final twenty minutes. For coach Brendan Queenan, regardless of the results, the games of summer builds a strong foundation. "My first year we won two games (in a Covid shortened campaign) ," Queenan said. "We followed that up by winning 12 then 18 and getting in the states last year." Queenan has done a great job rebuilding the program. He does it with an even keeled, encouraging disposition, Always in a teaching mode, he greets players coming out of the game with a fist bump and a word of encouragement and instruction. "We practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday," Queenan said. "Our girls work hard and are very coachable and committed."

A former boys assistant at Lincoln High School in Jersey City, Queenan admires the aggressive style of Hudson County ball. "I schedule games with Ferris and Lincoln," he said. "It gets our girls to face a physical style and gets them ready for conference play."

On this night Skylar Acosta had two good games . The Lady Vikings’ post player has been contributing, effectively scoring and rebounding, all summer. An All-Conference player, Queenan expects her to have an outstanding senior year.

Prior to tip off, Becton coach Mike Ryan lamented on missing a few starters for his game with Ridgefield Park. Ryan did have the services of a top notch performer Katie Reiner. All-League as a sophomore, Reiner can play in the backcourt and on the wing. A perimeter threat she did a good job getting inside in the Lady Wildcats’ win over Ridgefield Park.

Stat note: In the first half of their contest, Becton showed a .76 offensive efficiency on 19 points over 25 possessions.

On of the key concerns of Ridgefield Park coach Dorian Capuri has been consistency. Or lack of it. "We have been inconsistent at times, Capuri said prior to her team’s two games. On the night the Lady Scarlets defeated North Arlington before a loss to Becton. In the first contest the outside shooting was on the mark. In the latter meeting the shots weren’t falling and the offense was a bit stagnant. The two games epitomized what the coach alluded to. Summer though, is the time to smooth out those bumps in the road.

League wraps up this week. There are no playoffs.