It isn’t make-or-break, but it’s a pretty universal team goal.

We’d be lying to say not everyone cares about qualifying for the state tournament, or win at least once if/when they get there. Many certainly prioritize making it further in the tourney than they did the previous year. Others have sights set on the Final Four, and an elite bunch craves a state title at TD Garden.

But across the state, from the typical juggernauts to those without much state tournament success, winning the league/conference is near the top of the list of goals.

Now that winter break is in the rearview mirror and the season is in full swing, meaningful league matchups are by the handful. This week is overflowing with them, and some teams near the top of their league title races need wins in order to keep up.

The crystal ball had a major bounce-back last week, only making two wrong predictions. Though, both were league battles, wrongly picking against the Medfield boys and the Winchester girls. With a .700 win-percentage back as a realistic goal, we need to keep this momentum.

Here are the games that stand out over the next week, limited to one game per team:

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 12-2-1
OVERALL RECORD: 35-21-4 (.617)
**WINNERS in caps**

BOYS
WEDNESDAY
BELMONT at Woburn, 7 p.m. – Belmont head coach Tim Foley agreed with Reading coach Mark Doherty’s assessment that this could very well be the tightest the Middlesex League Liberty has been between all five teams. Winchester is a threat to beat anyone, while Belmont, Woburn, Reading and Arlington each have only one league loss in a carousel of parity. Anything is possible in these matchups, and they’re all big.
BRAINTREE at Natick, 7:40 p.m. – A Bay State Conference crossover between the leaders of the Herget and the Carey. Between strong conference play and forcing BC High and Woburn to overtime, the RedHawks have been right there with everyone. Braintree was two seconds away from overtime with Xaverian, though, and a Wamps group with high expectations hasn’t lost in their three games since.
ARLINGTON at Reading, 7:45 p.m. – The only two teams in the Liberty (entering the week) with a win over a Catholic Conference power, and each ranks highly in the hunt for the Div. 1 state title.  Both care deeply about the league title first, though, and Arlington narrowly edged Reading for the crown last year.
THURSDAY
NAUSET at Martha’s Vineyard, 4:30 p.m. – Martha’s Vineyard (6-1-2) is off to a good start in making the next leap in Div. 4. It’s a major challenge for the Vineyarders against a Nauset group that’s one of the state’s last four boys teams still unbeaten. Cape and Islands Atlantic play is just getting started.
SATURDAY
Newburyport at ESSEX TECH, 12:10 p.m. – The two current leaders in the Cape Ann League Kinney enter with just a loss apiece in league play. Newburyport’s loss came to the Hawks in the season opener as part of a 1-4 start, but three wins in their last four games – including a 4-0 rout over the Lynnfield team that beat Essex Tech – gives the Clippers momentum. Hawks are on a six-game unbeaten streak themselves.
DRACUT/TYNGSBORO at Methuen, 2 p.m. – The top of the MVC/DCL III is incredibly competitive. Last week, Dracut/Tyngsboro handed Bedford its first loss in overtime, just a few days before Bedford did the exact same to Methuen. Dracut/Tyngsboro looks to stay unbeaten in conference play – this one with heavy implications.
Scituate at HANOVER, 3:40 p.m. – A Patriot League Fisher special. The Sailors are unbeaten in league play and rank high in the Div. 3 power rankings. Hanover has just one loss with a slew of ties, ranking high in Div. 4.

SUNDAY
Catholic Conference Showcase, noon – Always a great event with all six Catholic Conference teams in the same barn. Xaverian takes on St. John’s Prep for the first time since last year’s Div. 1 state semifinals, followed by the Catholic Memorial-BC High rivalry, and Malden Catholic-St. John’s of Shrewsbury.
 

GIRLS
WEDNESDAY
BELMONT at Woburn, 5 p.m. – The leaders of the highly-competitive Middlesex League Liberty match up, both unbeaten in league play. Woburn’s only losses this year were one-score decisions to two of the state’s best in Div. 1, so it should give the reigning league-champion Marauders quite the challenge. One goal could win it for either.

HPNA at Billerica/Chelmsford, 5 p.m. – Only three Div. 1 teams have a GAA less than 1.00 entering the week; NDA Hingham, Winthrop and Billerica/Chelmsford. HPNA’s is 1.11. Both teams have approached the year with high expectations, and this battle between two of the state’s best goalies and defenses shouldn’t disappoint.

NDA HINGHAM at Archbishop Williams, 5:10 p.m. – Another Tenney Cup matchup we didn’t get, but certainly wanted. The Cougars have impressed on both ends to rank highly in the Div. 1 state title race, but Archies isn’t far behind amid a four-game win streak. Tough stretch for the Bishops this week, also playing Duxbury on Friday.

MALDEN CATHOLIC at St. Mary’s (L), 6 p.m. – Let’s start by saying St. Mary’s isn’t your typical 2-5-1 team. Losses in four of its last five is a rare stretch for the program. A win here for the Lancers would be as signature as any other in their loaded schedule. A Spartans win would be a major boost.

HINGHAM at Duxbury, 7:20 p.m. – In all their growth and success over the last few years, the Harborwomen have yet to top Duxbury for the Patriot League Keenan crown. Unbeaten Hingham has passed every other major test so far this year, but the two-time defending Div. 2 state champs are far from passing the torch over easy.
FRIDAY
MEDFIELD at King Philip, 7 p.m. – As of Monday, King Philip (7-1) hasn’t lost since the season-opener, and four of its wins have come by one goal in low-scoring affairs. Medfield (5-0-2) hasn’t lost, period, and has at least four goals in five games. Interesting to see how this non league clash of Div. 2 threats develops.
SATURDAY
Andover at METHUEN/TEWKSBURY, 4 p.m. – The unbeaten Red Rangers are up there with HPNA and Billerica/Chelmsford as defensive superstars with a 1.13 GAA. Andover (5-3-1) has narrowly lost to all three, but is a threat for much different results in Round 2.

Sandwich at NAUSET, 8 p.m. – The first set of MIAA Div. 2 power rankings weren’t kind to Sandwich for just how strong of a danger it is compared to its fellow Cape and Islands League powers. The Blue Knights ranked at No. 15, while Falmouth (No. 5) and Nauset (No. 7) each cracked the top-10. Big measuring stick matchup two weeks after Sandwich lost by one goal to Falmouth.