The battle for bragging rights among girls basketball teams in the Northern Lakes Conference promises to be a good one.

That should hold to be especially true this season if the success of the league’s eight squads in non-conference games is any indication of what’s to come.

The NLC teams posted an overall mark of 42-8 versus non-league foes over the first month of the regular season. Leading the pack were unbeatens Wawasee (6-0) and Warsaw (5-0). Northridge, after a huge home win over Penn Thursday night, sits at 7-1. Goshen and Plymouth are both 6-1, NorthWood 4-1 and Concord and Elkhart Memorial each 4-2.

The ICGSA polls reflect the power in the league this year too. Northridge was No. 9 in this week’s Class 4-A poll with Warsaw among the teams statewide receiving votes. NorthWood was No. 6 and Plymouth No. 10 in the Class 3-A poll with Wawasee receiving votes.

League play tips-off tonight (Dec. 7) with defending champion Memorial playing at NorthWood and Goshen traveling to Wawasee. The other four teams open NLC play tomorrow (Dec. 8) as Concord plays at Northridge in the afternoon and Plymouth treks to Warsaw for a night contest.

The league has plenty of star power individually on the girls side this season. Among the top players to watch are KiLee Knafel of Wawasee, Lindsay Baker and Jennifer Walker-Crawford of Warsaw,  the NorthWood trio of Jordyn Frantz, Morgan Olson and Savannah Bley, Aimee Swihart of Goshen, Khadijah Moore of Memorial and twin sisters Haley and Madison Schrock of Northridge.

Memorial, under then first-year coach Steve Scott, won the NLC championship a year ago at 6-1. Warsaw, NorthWood and Northridge all finished 5-2, followed by Goshen (4-3), Plymouth (2-5), Wawasee (1-6) and Concord (0-7).