The best league race...

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Just may be in the Northern League.

Crack all you want about it being an ‘Invitational’ league. The Northern gang is the only league where all six teams are sporting above .500 records. Belmont and Eagle Rock are 5-0; Franklin and Lincoln are 4-1; Marshall and Wilson are 3-2.

Belmont and Eagle Rock will open league play against each other on Friday. Along with the possibility of a great game, the loser will have time to recover and still have a chance to win or tie for the league title. It’s doubtful any team will go through the league undefeated.

Among the big City dudes, the Marine League race, on the surface, will be the most intriguing.

Banning, Narbonne and San Pedro are all 5-0, but I wouldn’t automatically grant them the three league playoff slots. Carson, after a slow start, seems to be awakening. Washington isn’t expected to win the league, but the Generals have averaged almost 24 points a game in their five nonleague contests. Meaning they have the offensive capability to unexpectedly mess up one of the other contender’s plans.

All league races are meaningful and worth watching. But the Northern and Marine leagues start out with the best story lines.

- Mike Terry