The first month of the season is over. Here's how Eric Rueb ranked RI's top 20 football teams

The first month of the season is in the books and what have we learned? Plenty.

Hendricken and La Salle are still the top dogs in Division I. Turns out having one of the best players in the state is incredibly helpful in Division IV. Physical football is winning out in Division III. Division II-B is being dominated by one team, but the other side of the division has been an all-out war as teams fight for playoff seeding.

So after last week’s games – which ranked about a five in terms of overall matchups – who are the best of the best in Rhode Island? Here’s how the teams fall in my weekly Top 20 Power Rankings heading into Week 4.

20. Davies (3-0 Division IV)

If the Division IV Super Bowl can be half as fun as the game the Patriots and North Providence put together last Friday, it’s going to be the best game of championship weekend. With wins over the top two teams in the division that aren’t them, Davies earned this rank this week.

19. Coventry (2-1 Division III-A)

After beating up on the bottom half of the division in their first two games, the Oakers faced their first test last Friday. Coventry took an L, but it hung tough and showed it can contend. This week will be even tougher as the Oakers travel to take Lincoln.

18. Cranston West (1-2 Division II-A)

This feels low, but one win doesn’t change the fact that the Falcons opened the season with two losses. Friday’s victory over East Providence could be the start of something good for Cranston West, which has a non-leaguer against Hendricken this week before returning to league play.

17. West Warwick (3-0 Division III-B)

Nothing’s come easy for the Wizards so far this season and last week’s victory over Narragansett was no exception. The ability to win close games can only help West Warwick, which is ready to hit a rough three-week stretch of the season starting Thursday at Rogers.

16. Classical (2-1 Division III-A)

Last week’s win over North Smithfield was simply a case of the Purple being far too athletic for their opponent to handle. Classical should hold the same advantage against Toll Gate this week in a game that may give it a chance to get healthy, which it’ll need to be to close the season.

15. Johnston (3-0 Division III-B)

I can already hear the screaming from Atwells Ave wondering why the Panthers are so low. Johnston’s win over Moses Brown was impressive, but it’s hard to ignore the fact the Quakers top two players didn’t dress. The Panthers will try and hold momentum Saturday vs. Mt. Hope.

14. Moses Brown (2-1 Division III-B)

The Quakers fought tough with Myles Craddock and Luke Porcaro in street clothes, but didn’t have enough to stay undefeated. Healthy, Moses Brown is the best team in D-III. If it loses games while it’s trying to get back there, seeding for the D-III playoffs are going to be fun to watch.

13. Middletown (2-1 Division III-A)

The Islanders are a third-down stop away from being undefeated and after last Friday’s win over Coventry, it’s clear they’re prepared to play whatever brand of football necessary to win. They’ll keep focus this week vs. Chariho and after a week off, have a huge matchup at Lincoln on Oct. 20.

12. St. Raphael (1-1 Division II-A)

Last week’s loss to North Kingstown didn’t hurt the Saints in the standings, but it may have helped them moving forward. If St. Raphael is going to defend its title, it’ll need to continue to execute on the defensive end starting with Friday’s game at Cumberland.

11. East Providence (1-2 Division II-A)

If you took the eight best teams from Division II and put them in the playoffs, the Townies make it. With last week’s loss to Cranston West, EP is in trouble to be one of the four from II-A to make the postseason. Thursday’s home game vs. Mount Pleasant is a must-win.

10. Lincoln (3-0 Division III-A)

The Lions are feasting on teams that don’t play physical, disciplined football and it’s why they’re the top team in III-A right now. Thursday will be Lincoln’s first battle with a big, physical football team in Coventry. The Lions have embraced challenges all season and this will be no different.

9. Mount Pleasant (1-1 Division II-A)

Ranking the Kilties is impossible. When they’re good, they’re going to be really hard to beat. If you can find a way to contain David Rodriguez and not let Benji Soe gash you, they’re still pretty good. Mount Pleasant will hope to show as much Thursday at East Providence.

8. South Kingstown (3-0 Division II-B)

Are the Rebels legit? The record in impressive, but the wins have come against teams that are a combined 1-5. The SK defense continues to shine and it will have to do the same this week against Barrington in a game that should determine the No. 1 seed out of II-B.

7. Burrillville (2-1 Division II-A)

There might not be an All-Stater on the Broncos roster but you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a team that plays better as a group. Burrillville’s impressive start has to be scary because the team is relatively inexperienced, which means its only going to get better as the season rolls on.

6. Cumberland (3-0 Division II-A)

It’s amazing how good a team can be when players play for each other. The Clippers’ next man up attitude has keyed the tremendous start and as they start to get healthy, the team is only going to get better. Cumberland will be more than ready for its revenge game Friday vs. St. Raphael.

5. Barrington (3-0 Division II-B)

While the offense was the star of the show early, now the Eagles’ defense gets a chance to take center stage. Luke Van Ness ran the offense well vs. Cranston East, but Barrington’s defense pitched its second straight shutout and will be geared up for Saturday’s road game at South Kingstown.

4. Central (0-1 Division I)

Outside of getting their players film and trying to stay sharp, non-league games don’t matter to the Knights. The next two weeks, that’s what they’ve got. Central has Westerly Friday, Burrillville next week and then the season really begins.

3. North Kingstown (0-1 Division I)

After two non-league victories, it’s back to business for the Skippers. North Kingstown clearly has the talent to beat the state’s elite, but saying it can and doing it are two different things. Doing it on the road at La Salle on Friday may be another story entirely.

2. La Salle (1-0 Division I)

This is the biggest two-week stretch of the regular season for the Rams. A win Friday secures a home playoff game and sets them up for a big battle the following week at home vs. Hendricken. A loss would send shockwaves through the state, but La Salle isn’t thinking about that.

1. Hendricken (1-0 Division I)

This is the final week of the mid-season pre-season for the Hawks, who host Cranston West before traveling to La Salle and hosting Central in the games that matter. Hendricken will be focused on Thursday, but unless something shocking happens will retain this top spot until someone beats them.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Eric Rueb Rhode Island High School Football Power Poll heading to week 4