Vermont high school football: Week 3 power rankings

Last-minute wins. Big defensive stands. Head-turning blowouts.

There was plenty to absorb from Week 3 of the 2018 Vermont high school football season. And, once again, plenty to consider when writing this week's Varsity Insider power rankings.

With the halfway point of the regular season just around the corner, this much is clear: St. Johnsbury has earned its status as state's top-ranked team. But Division II powers Fair Haven and Burr and Burton are right on the Hilltoppers' heels.

After that, it's wide open — another week of volatile movement. 

Enjoy.

1. St. Johnsbury (2-1): The Hilltoppers are averaging 39.9 points a game, an offensive output that has gone up in each of the three weeks. That vaunted air attack led by Jake Cady gets a good test this week with a trip to defensive-minded Rice. Last week: 1

More:Vermont high school highlights: Cady, St. Johnsbury power past Middlebury

More:Vermont Varsity Insider Athletes of the Week: This week's winners

2. Fair Haven (3-0): Another week, another six-touchdown performance from Slaters quarterback Cam Coloutti. And after three routs to start 2018, the Slaters welcome Burr and Burton this week for a Friday night clash that is the game of the year in Division II. Last week: 3

3. Burr and Burton (3-0): Week 3's biggest statement belongs to the Bulldogs. Not just for winning — Forecast prognosticators all had BBA — but for the manner in which the Bulldogs routed the Terriers, last year's state runners-up. Jake Baker returned two punts for scores in a 28-0 first half and the defense, led by Oliver Cazaudumec's 10 tackles, held the Terriers to 183 yards from scrimmage and kept them out of the end zone until their 10th and final drive. Last week: 4

4. Hartford (2-1): A big jump in the rankings this week — and a deserved one at that — for the Hurricanes, who rattled off 21 unanswered points to stymie visiting Rice on Friday night. Last week: 8

5. Rice (2-1): The Green Knights left points on the board — Hartford halted two Rice drives inside the 10-yard line — that will make the 21-8 defeat a bit tougher to swallow. Last week: 3

More:Vermont high school football: Imposing linemen anchor Rice's defense

6. Mount Mansfield (2-1): The Cougars put up 50 points, had a kickoff return for a touchdown and forced a couple turnovers. And yet they almost had their homecoming spoiled by Tyler Millerick and Brattleboro Colonels, who stormed back from a 29-point deficit only to have their final drive halted by an interception in the 50-43 result.  Last week: 9

7. Burlington-South Burlington (2-1): After a couple uneven performances on offense to start the year, the SeaWolves attack came to life vs. Colchester. Behind Kai Schmidit (23 carries, 150 yards, two TDs), the SeaWolves reached 30 points while the defense kept the Lakers out of the end zone for the final three quarters. Last week: Bubble

8. BFA-St. Albans (2-1): Turning a pair of late Rutland fumbles into touchdowns, with the game-tying score and go-ahead extra point coming with 16.8 seconds to go, the Bobwhites secured a stunning win. And with it, a return to the top 10. Last week: Bubble

More:Vermont high school highlights: BFA's wild rally beats Rutland 29-28

9. Colchester (2-1): The Lakers were averaging 30.5 points entering Week 3, but they could only find the end zone with some trickery vs. the SeaWolves (Bailey Olson scored on a fake punt in the first quarter). Last week: 6

10. Middlebury (1-2): The Tigers couldn't keep pace with St. Johnsbury's high-scoring offense. Can they rebound at BFA this Friday? Last week: 7

On the bubble: Bellows Falls (2-1), Rutland (2-1), Woodstock (3-0)

WEEK 3 SCORES

BFA-St. Albans 29, Rutland 28

Burlington-South Burlington 30, Colchester 10

North Country 40, Mount Anthony 27

Hartford 21, Rice 8

Essex 22, Champlain Valley 8

Woodstock 55, Oxbow 0

Milton 34, Windsor 24

Mount Abraham 36, Otter Valley 18

Springfield 34, Mount St. Joseph 14

St. Johnsbury 44, Middlebury 32

Burr and Burton 48, Bellows Falls 7

Fair Haven 55, Lyndon 12

Poultney 22, Fairfax-Lamoille 8

Mill River def. Missisquoi via forfeit

Mount Mansfield 50, Brattleboro 43

U-32 44, Spaulding 21

WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

(Games at 7 p.m.)

Middlebury at BFA-St. Albans

Mount Mansfield at Essex

Rutland at Hartford

Mount Anthony at Milton

Champlain Valley at Colchester

Burr and Burton at Fair Haven

Otter Valley at U-32

Brattleboro at Burlington-South Burlington

Spaulding at North Country

Lyndon at Mount Abraham

Saturday’s games

(Games at 1 p.m. unless noted)

Woodstock at Missisquoi

Springfield at Bellows Falls

St. Johnsbury at Rice

Poultney at Mill River

BFA-Fairfax-Lamoille at Windsor, 2 p.m.

Mount St. Joseph at Oxbow, 2 p.m.

The Vermont Varsity Insider high school football power rankings will be unveiled each Monday afternoon.

Become a member of the Vermont Varsity Insider Facebook group at https://bit.ly/2MGSfvX. Contact Alex Abrami at 660-1848 or aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @aabrami5.