Varsity Insider: Who is No. 1 in our Vermont high school field hockey rankings? (Oct. 5)
A few changes mark our field hockey rankings this week. But South Burlington still holds the top spot with a perfect 9-0 record.
The Wolves denied Rice on the road with Ella Maynard's winning goal in the closing minutes of regulation. The Metro and Southern Vermont League play is heating up with playoffs nearing.
But for now, our most recent Vermont high school field hockey power rankings.
Enjoy!
This week's rankings (through 10/5):
1. South Burlington High School
Record: 9-0
Sept. 21 rankings: 1
▶ It's been the Wolves' season to start. South Burlington's 2-1 win over Rice highlighted a four-game stretch where they've outscored opponents 15-3.
2. Rice Memorial High School
Record: 6-2-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 2
▶ Rice knotted SB with six minutes left in regulation before falling before the final whistle. The Green Knights should be eyeing another opportunity against the Wolves.
'I stopped breathing': Rice's Lucy Stillman defies odds, returns to sidelines
3. Colchester High School
Record: 6-1-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 4
▶ I went back-and-forth with the Lakers and Champlain Valley for No. 3. Ultimately, I gave Colchester the nod for six straight wins before a 1-0 loss to Essex. CVU and Colchester meet soon (see games to watch).
4. Champlain Valley Union High School
Record: 6-3
Sept. 21 rankings: 3
▶ CVU responded to the 5-1 drubbing against South Burlington with three shutout wins and another 2-1 loss to Rice. If the Redhawks had pulled out one of those one-goal losses to the Green Knights the rankings might look different.
5. Essex High School
Record: 4-4-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 8
▶ After a slow start to the year the Hornets are pacing with their Metro League foes mentioned above. They knocked off Colchester by a goal and lost to the Redhawks 1-0 in back-to-back games. The margin between the top teams in the league is slim.
6. Bellows Falls Union High School
Record: 5-2
Sept. 21 rankings: 5
▶ Taking a trip south in our rankings, the SVL seems up for grabs after the Terriers and Hartford battled to a pair of 2-1 OT finishes. Our Rutland Herald counterparts have the Terriers at No. 5.
7. Woodstock High School
Record: 8-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 10
▶ The D-II defending champions edged Hartford 2-1 in a title game rematch on Wednesday. Hannah Gubbins tallied both goals in the overtime win.
8. Hartford High School
Record: 7-2
Sept. 21 rankings: 6
▶ Hartford's loss to the Wasps snapped a three-game win streak that included beating Burr and Burton and St. Johnsbury by a combined score of 13-0. BF, Woodstock and Hartford are all neck-and-neck with the season winding down.
9. Burr and Burton Academy
Record: 6-1-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 7
▶ The Bulldogs travel to Bellows Falls on Friday and will host the Terriers a couple weeks later to wrap the regular season.
10. U-32
Record: 7-1-1
Sept. 21 rankings: 9
▶ The Raiders first loss of the season came against Spaulding (first team on the bubble) in a 4-3 final on Thursday. Before the loss, U-32 hadn't allowed a goal in nearly a month.
On the bubble
Spaulding, Montpelier, Windsor
Games to watch
Burr and Burton at Bellows Falls, 4 p.m. Friday: SVL contenders square off for the first time this fall.
U-32 at Hartford, 4 p.m. Monday: A rare cross-league tilt between Division II powers.
Champlain Valley at Colchester, 4 p.m. Tuesday: Both teams are jockeying for position in the Metro and play each other for the first time.
Essex at South Burlington, 7 p.m. Tuesday: These rivals play a night game on Tuesday with Essex looking for an upset win against the Wolves.
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: Vermont high school field hockey power rankings (Oct. 5)
