Varsity Insider: Vermont high school boys, girls basketball power rankings (Feb. 12)
With the regular season winding down, we've reached the final week for the Varsity Insider high school boys and girls basketball power rankings.
The Rice boys only strengthened their grip for the top spot, while a new girls squad supplants Champlain Valley. How did the top 10s shake out? Read on below.
Enjoy!
This week's boys power rankings:
(Through Feb. 12)
1. Rice Memorial High School
Record: 17-1
Jan. 29 ranking: 1
► Simply put, the Green Knights have hit another level since the calendar turned to February. They blitzed St. Johnsbury 79-64 with a game-deciding fourth-quarter run, set an early tone to finish a season sweep of defending Division I champion Champlain Valley, and ran up a season-high 94 points to rout BFA-St. Albans.
2. Champlain Valley Union High School
Record: 15-3
Jan. 29 ranking: 3
► The Redhawks have won seven of eight games with two massive games on tap this week: at home vs. South Burlington on Tuesday and at St. Johnsbury on Friday to wrap the regular season.
3. St. Johnsbury Academy
Record: 14-4
Jan. 29 ranking: 2
► A second loss to South Burlington means a drop in this week's rankings for the Hilltoppers.
4. Rutland High School
Record: 13-4
Jan. 29 ranking: 4
► Rutland has captured four straight games since falling in back-to-back contests vs. Rice and St. Johnsbury. During the current four-game roll, Rutland hasn't allowed an opponent to reach 60 points.
5. Hartford High School
Record: 17-1
Jan. 29 ranking: 5
► Balanced Hartford ran its winning streak to 12 games, but not without a grind-it-out, 47-39 triumph at Fair Haven last week.
6. South Burlington High School
Record: 11-7
Jan. 29 ranking: 6
► The Wolves were struggling during a four-game slide. But last week's big win over St. Johnsbury might've revived playoff hopes in South Burlington.
7. Montpelier High School
Record: 15-3
Jan. 29 ranking: 8
► The Solons, on a 15-game winning streak, won all three games last week by double digits. They've reached 80 or more points in seven of their 15 wins.
8. Colchester High School
Record: 9-9
Jan. 29 ranking: Unranked
► The Lakers dusted a five-game losing skid with a four-game roll that includes a comeback vs. Mount Mansfield and a thrilling triumph on the road vs. Burlington.
9. Burlington High School
Record: 9-9
Jan. 29 ranking: 9
► Wins of BFA-St. Albans and MMU keep the young Seahorses in the top 10.
10. Hazen Union High School
Record: 15-3
Jan. 29 ranking: 10
► Hazen rebounded from its loss to Montpelier with three straight victories.
Games to Watch
South Burlington at Champlain Valley, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Burlington at Rutland, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Thetford at Hazen, 7 p.m. Thursday
Champlain Valley at St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Friday
Burlington at Rice, 1:30 p.m. Saturday
This week's girls power rankings:
(Through Feb. 12)
1. St. Johnsbury Academy
Record: 15-2
Jan. 29 ranking: 2
► St. Johnsbury earned its road win at Champlain Valley earlier this month. And with it, CVU's claim atop the rankings. SJA has also won 10 games in a row.
2. Champlain Valley Union High School
Record: 15-1
Jan. 29 ranking: 1
► CVU rebounded swiftly from just its fourth in-state home loss under 13-year head coach Ute Otley. The Redhawks have won four games in a row, all by double digits.
3. North Country Union High School
Record: 15-1
Jan. 29 ranking: 4
► The Falcons haven't allowed a team to reach the 40-point barrier since their defeat to Mount Mansfield. They've won all of those games for a 13-game roll.
4. Rutland High School
Record: 12-5
Jan. 29 ranking: 6
► Ten straight victories puts Rutland into the contenders' conversation.
5. Essex High School
Record: 11-6
Jan. 29 ranking: 7
► Winners of three of four games, Essex climbs this week thanks solid victories over Burlington and Mount Mansfield.
6. Burlington High School
Record: 12-5
Jan. 29 ranking: 3
► Following losses to Essex and CVU, Burlington cruised past South Burlington and then BFA-St. Albans for a pair of road victories.
7. Mount Mansfield Union High School
Record: 9-6
Jan. 29 ranking: 5
► Meghan Thompson returned from injury last week, but the Cougars drop a couple spots after giving up a big lead to Essex in Monday night's second half.
8. BFA-St. Albans
Record: 10-7
Jan. 29 ranking: 10
► The Comets have gone 4-2 over their last six games since a three-game slide in late January.
9. Fair Haven Union High School
Record: 13-3
Jan. 29 ranking: Unranked
► The Slaters return to the top 10 after compiling a three-game winning streak that includes knocking off defending Division III champion Windsor.
10. Hazen Union High School
Record: 15-1
Jan. 29 ranking: 9
► A 14-game winning streak has the Wildcats positioned as the No. 1 seed in Division III.
Games to Watch
Colchester at Mount Abraham, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Harwood at North Country, 6:30 p.m. Thursday
BFA-St. Albans at St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Thursday
Fair Haven at Windsor, 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Become a member of the Vermont Varsity Insider Facebook group at https://bit.ly/2MGSfvX.
Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont high school basketball: Girls, boys power rankings (Feb. 12)
