While we haven’t seen all the teams yet, we’ve been paying close attention to all the scores around the state and have an RPI ranking system that we have used to compose this list of the Top 8 teams in the state.
1. Essex Hornets (4-0-0)
Essex will face a strong opponent in South Burlington on Jan. 7th, but they have been taking care of business with a notable win against a competitive Mt. Mansfield team.
2. Mt. Mansfield Cougars (4-1-0)
With strong wins over South Burlington and CVU, and a close game against Essex, Mt. Mansfield is a strong contender this year.
3. BFA-St. Albans Bobwhites (1-0-1)
We see BFA take on Spaulding tonight. They tied CVU at home and handled Spaulding 4-1 earlier in December.
4. Colchester Lakers (3-1-1)
A balanced team that was fiercely competitive in an early game against Rice where they tied. A significant win over South Burlington gives them a slight edge here.
5. South Burlington (4-2-0)
South Burlington has a top line that is a threat almost every time it takes the ice. The question here is consistency to bring it against all opponents.
6. U-32 Raiders (3-1-0)
Convincing wins and a close loss to South Burlington, this is the team to watch out for this year with a heavy senior class featuring 14 players.
7. Rice Memorial Green Knights (2-1-1)
A tie with Colchester, a strong win each over CVU and Spaulding, and a 2-0 loss to Essex, Rice has shown it can score and take control of games.
8. Burlington Seahorses (4-0-0)
While they don’t have the strongest schedule, they have more than handled their opponents and will face some tests soon on their schedule.
Honorable Mentions
Rutland Raiders (4-2-0)