Nothing compares to hoisting some championship hardware at the end of a hard-fought season.
It’s a feeling the Mount Mansfield girls basketball team hasn’t been able to taste in its history, with no outright Division I state championships to its name.
Mount Mansfield was one of four teams that was awarded a quad-championship when COVID-19 wiped out the semifinals and finals of the 2020 tournament, but the Cougars are still looking for that moment when the championship feeling is all their own.
Off to a hot start, MMU surely feels like this year is one of its best chances in a while to accomplish that goal. Let’s jump into the first Vermont girls Top 10 of the regular season, where the Cougars sit atop the rankings.
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1. Mount Mansfield (5-0)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: vs. Burlington, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
Mount Mansfield made it to Patrick Gymnasium, site of the Division I semifinals and final, last year, but fell short of the title game. Their early dominance is showing they want to get over that semifinal hump this year. MMU hasn’t hit the toughest part of its schedule yet, but it has dismantled every team put in front of it so far. Four of the Cougars’ five wins came by 50 points and the other one was by 38 points. Absolute dominance.
2. Rutland (6-0)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: vs. Brattleboro Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m.
The Jake Eaton-coached era has gotten off to a great start with six straight wins. The Rutland alum inherited a very talented, young roster and the team has lived up to its potential. The guard duo of Brinley Gandin and Lola Sparks is one of the best in the state, and both took turns steering the ship in a recent win against BFA-St. Albans. Rutland has been great in close games and has already notched tight wins against fellow contenders CVU and St. Johnsbury.
3. St. Johnsbury (3-1)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: vs. South Burlington, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.
Last year’s Division I runner-up St. Johnsbury’s only loss came by just four points to undefeated Rutland on the road. The Hilltoppers picked up a really big win on Tuesday, beating CVU, a team they knocked out of the D-I playoffs last year as well. St. Johnsbury has another measuring stick game coming up next Thursday, playing against Mount Mansfield.
4. Lamoille (7-0)
Previous rank: 8
Next game: at Thetford Academy, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
Lamoille has fallen to Fair Haven in the Division II state semifinals two years in a row and wants to get to the final this season, and the Lancers clearly have a team that could do it. They are one of just two Division II teams with an undefeated record early in the New Year. Lamoille already has a win over Essex in its back pocket and handed a loss to another D-I North Country on Wednesday. The Lancers are for real.
5. North Country (6-1)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: vs. Hazen, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
North Country has made the move up to Division I this year after being a perennial title contender in Division II and hasn’t missed a beat. The Falcons won their first six games of the regular season, including wins against fellow D-Is South Burlington and BFA-St. Albans. The tough part in handicapping their potential playoff success is that those are the only D-I teams on their schedule this year.
6. Essex (5-2)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at CVU, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
Essex has been playing some great basketball as of late, winning four straight games after going 1-2 to open the season. They were pretty competitive in a loss to Rutland earlier in the season, but is still to be seen how they’ll be against some their fellow Metro Division foes. A win against South Burlington on Tuesday was a nice start, but matchups with CVU and MMU loom.
7. CVU (2-3)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: vs. Essex, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
CVU has been a bit more up and down early in the season than most Vermont high school basketball fans are used to seeing from them, but the Redhawks have been very competitive even in their losing efforts. Two of their losses have come by just two possessions, so if a few things go the other way in those contests they could very easily be 4-1. Given the program’s pedigree, it’s hard to count them out of any game.
8. Hartford (5-0)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: vs. Spaulding, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
Hartford has the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year, Charlotte Jasmin, leading the charge, and the Hurricanes have looked every bit of a team that is determined to reach the Barre Auditorium this year. Hartford’s biggest win remains its opening win against rival Fair Haven, and the rematch was supposed to be on Monday before snow threw a wrench in things.
9. Fair Haven (6-1)
Previous rank: 10
Next game: at Otter Valley, Jan. 8, 7 p.m.
Defending Division II champion Fair Haven has just one loss, to aforementioned Hartford, and the Slaters were in control of that game until Charlotte Jasmin put her cape on for the Canes. Since then, all Fair Haven has done is win games. A tight win against Windsor was impressive, as was a blowout win against a very good Granville team from neighboring New York State.
10. South Burlington (3-3)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: at Rice, Jan. 8, 7 p.m.
South Burlington has a pair of Division I wins with both coming against nearby Colchester. Their game with Essex on Tuesday was the start of a busy week for the Wolves, as they play Rice and Mount Anthony this week as well. Both of those games are ones where South Burlington should be favored.
