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Varsity Insider: Who is No. 1 in our 2023 Vermont high school football preseason rankings?

jacob rousseau, burlington free press
·3 min read

It's time...

The first edition of the Free Press Vermont high school football power rankings has arrived for the 2023 season. Practice began on Monday with games still two weeks out so dive into our Top 10 teams to start the year.

Teams will move up and down as the season progresses, but for now a familiar face is at the top. What about the rest of our early contenders?

New this season we will be doing outlooks for every football team in the state. For more on our fall sports preview plan, go here.

Enjoy!

1. Champlain Valley Union High School

The Redhawks have now spent 365 days at the top of our rankings. With a roster of 60-plus and returning quarterback, Ollie Cheer the Redhawks will remain No. 1 until someone takes it from them.

Opener: at Burr and Burton on Sept. 2.

Rewind: CVU football holds off Middlebury on dramatic final play to claim historic title

2. Middlebury Union High School

Middlebury garners the two-hole spot after last year’s championship appearance. The Tigers have lost some star power to graduation, but the always competitive Addison County program should contend under Jed Malcolm’s leadership.

Opener: at Brattleboro on Sept. 1.

3. Hartford High School

Hartford QB Brayden Trombly finds a hole in the Hornets defense during the Hurricanes 30-21 win over Essex last fall.
Hartford QB Brayden Trombly finds a hole in the Hornets defense during the Hurricanes 30-21 win over Essex last fall.

The injury bug bit the Hurricanes last year as they stumbled out of the playoffs in the first round. But they return a veteran crew with quarterback Brayden Trombly and Brody Tyburski to snag the third spot.

Opener: at St. Johnsbury on Aug. 31.

Earlier: Vermont high school football games to watch and 2023 schedule

4. Essex High School

Essex's quarterback, Carter Crete receives the ball during the Hornets' D-I football semifinal vs. the CVU Redhawks last fall.
Essex's quarterback, Carter Crete receives the ball during the Hornets' D-I football semifinal vs. the CVU Redhawks last fall.

Essex looked poised for a championship appearance after leading CVU 17-0 in the first quarter in the semifinals. The Redhawks rattled off the comeback, which should leave the Hornets amped for revenge with a new-look backfield leading the way.

Opener: at Rutland on Sept. 1.

5. Burr and Burton Academy

Burr and Burton's Jack McCoy pitches the ball to his running back during the Bulldogs' game vs. the CVU Redhawks last fall.
Burr and Burton's Jack McCoy pitches the ball to his running back during the Bulldogs' game vs. the CVU Redhawks last fall.

Jack McCoy enters his final year as play caller for the Bulldogs, who has a roster nearing 60. BBA fell to Middlebury in the semifinals last fall.

Opener: vs. CVU on Sept. 2.

6. St. Johnsbury Academy

Quinn Murphy accounted for 42 of St. Johnsbury’s 45 touchdowns last year. The quarterback star graduated leaving the Hilltoppers with a void in the offense. But SJA coach Rich Alercio will have the group ready for Week 1.

Opener: vs. Hartford on Aug. 31.

7. Bellows Falls Union High School

Seniors Walker James and Jesse Darrell take the reins on an offense that has lost just one game in two years. Bellows Falls has about two dozen returnees to varsity.

Opener: vs. Springfield on Sept. 1.

8. Fair Haven Union High School

Fair Haven's Trey Lee hauls in a pass during the Slaters 35-21 win over Colchester last fall.
Fair Haven's Trey Lee hauls in a pass during the Slaters 35-21 win over Colchester last fall.

Quarterback Joe Buxton and wide receiver Trey Lee lead an experienced group that reached the Division II semifinals last fall.

Opener: at Poultney on Sept. 2.

9. North Country Union High School

North Country started 4-0 before dropping the next five last fall. If they can regain that magic from the start, watch out for the Falcons in 2023.

Opener: at Burlington/South Burlington on Sept. 1.

10. Windsor High School

Windsor celebrates after defeating BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille 35-21 on Saturday at Rutland for its second straight perfect season in Division III high school football.
Windsor celebrates after defeating BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille 35-21 on Saturday at Rutland for its second straight perfect season in Division III high school football.

Greg Balch is fresh off a Shrine Bowl win and his Windsor squad rounds out our preseason Top 10. The Yellow Jackets are 22-0 over the last two years in D-III.

Opener: vs. Oxbow on Sept. 2.

On the bubble

Rutland, Mount Anthony, Brattleboro, BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille

Become a member of the Vermont Varsity Insider Facebook group at https://bit.ly/2MGSfvX. 

Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Ranking Vermont's top 10 high school football teams heading into 2023