Varsity Insider

No surprises, no changes to the top five in girls and boys basketball. Sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t see any flip-flops or big movements to make. Perhaps tomorrow’s hockey rankings will be different.

Here’s our Week 8 basketball rankings (through games played 1/30):

Boys basketball

1. Essex (13-1): The Hornets had a surprising test last week: A road meeting against two-win North Country. Thanks to Demir Smajovic’s 34 points, Essex rallied with a late run. Smajovic added 26 points in a victory over Colchester later in the week. Over the next eight days, Essex plays Rice twice, CVU and South Burlington. Grueling. Last week: 1.

2. Burlington (13-1):Can you guess who scored 24 second-half points in a win over South Burlington on Tuesday and, Friday, sink a pair of free throws in the final seconds to edge Rice? Yep, no surprise: Joe O’Shea Last week: 2.

3. Rutland (12-3): Only one win for the Raiders since our last rankings. However, it stretched the Red Raiders’ winning streak to 11 games. Last week: 3.

4. Mount Anthony (10-2): Two blowout wins, including a victory over Brattleboro, keeps Mount Anthony in the fourth slot. Last week: 4.

5. South Burlington (9-5): The Rebels had Burlington in an 11-point hole at halftime. Then O’Shea took over. They rebounded by using one big surge to knock off St. Johnsbury. Last week: 5.

Teams on the outside looking in:

Champlain Valley (10-4) and Brattleboro (11-4) are the only teams on the bubble of the rankings this week.

Girls basketball

1. Burlington (14-2): Middle-of-the-pack St. Johnsbury has a couple of impressive wins on its resume. But there was no letdown for BHS. Tonya Conley and Hannah Senftleber posted double-doubles and BHS now has eight straight wins. Last week: 1.

2. Rutland (15-2): Defense wins championships – or so the old cliché goes. The Raiders used that motto Saturday, running up a 24-2 halftime lead on St. Johnsbury – a team the Raiders only beat by four points earlier this season. Last week: 2.

3. Milton (16-0): The question of who’s No. 1 in Division II was answered on Saturday. Milton went into Hyde Park and dispatched previously unbeaten Lamoille, perhaps the Yellowjackets’ chief rival to the title come tournament time. Now this question: Should Milton be higher in our rankings? Last week: 3.

4. Rice (12-4): The Green Knights weren’t messing around in Newport, rolling past North Country by 23. Last week: 4.

5. Champlain Valley (13-3): CVU has a great scorer in Allison Gannon and a defensive-minded star in Shae Hulbert (five blocks and nine rebounds in a win over Spaulding). Big test Monday night for CVU, too: Off to Buck Hard Gym to face Burlington. Last week: 5.

Teams on the outside looking in:
Burr and Burton topped Brattleboro to improve to 12-2. … I wouldn’t bank on these teams going far in the Division I tournament but Mount Mansfield (9-7) and South Burlington (9-6) are playing better basketball of late. MMU’s on a three-game winning streak while SBHS has a five-game roll going.

OK, the power rankings are back from the holiday break.

There’s plenty to consider since we last ranked the state’s best teams right before Christmas. And things should continue to get interesting as teams enter the second half of the season.

Here’s week 4 for basketball (through games played 1/02). Hockey rankings to follow Tuesday morning.

Boys basketball

1. Burlington (7-0): The Seahorses only played two games since our last rankings — an easy win over cross-town rival Rice and a squeaker over previously unbeaten Champlain Valley. In both wins, Joe O’Shea was BHS’ leader in points, netting 21 and 23 points, respectively. Last week’s rank: 1.

2. Essex (6-1): Last week’s first-quarter surge helped the Hornets fend off South Burlington. That win cemented the Hornets place as our No. 2 — and they get a crack at the top-ranked team tonight when they play host to BHS at 7:30 p.m. BHS beat Essex on Dec. 7. Last week: 2.

3. Champlain Valley (6-1): Starting to see balance with CVU’s offense. Soccer star Mike Clayton registered a season-high 14 points as the Redhawks gave BHS its toughest test to date this season in a 56-50 loss. Clayton should be added punch for Jake Donnelly, Will Hurd, Robert Russ, and Co. Last week: 4.

4. Mount Anthony (6-0): Besides a five-point win over Rice, Mount Anthony hasn’t been tested. Perhaps meetings with Rutland and Burr and Burton over the next weeks will be a proper gauge. Last week: 5.

5. South Burlington (5-2): A loss to Division II Vergennes — plus a slow start in a defeat to Essex — are two reasons the Rebels dropped two places. However, expect the Rebels to make a move up the rankings. Too much talent at SBHS. Last week: 3.

Girls basketball

1. Champlain Valley (7-1): Let’s be clear: There’s no definitive No. 1 in girls basketball right now. Plenty of teams can make a case, but we’ll stick with CVU as our top team, despite scoring only 26 points in a loss to a charging Rice squad. CVU did bounce back with narrow wins over Spaulding and South Burlington. Last week: 1.

2. Milton (7-0): We’ve been unkind to the Yellowjackets in these rankings. They don’t play one week, we drop them a spot. They win a pair of games, we drop them a spot again. Well, Division II Milton is still undefeated, and we’ve made amends: The ‘Jackets move up to No. 2. But beware Milton fans, some D-I teams are gaining. Last week: 3.

3. Burlington (6-1): The Seahorses shined, despite the suspensions of three starters, nailing down wins over Rutland and St. Johnsbury. One player who rose to the occasion, Brittany Robertson Last week: 5.

4. Essex (4-4): The Hornets? The same Hornets who started 0-4, including a meek 22 points in a double-digit loss to South Burlington? Yes. The Hornets are hot after reeling off four straight wins, including a road victory over Brattleboro. Last week: Not ranked.

5. Brattleboro (8-1): The Colonels’ only loss is a heart-breaking overtime defeat to Essex. Too harsh to drop them three spots? Maybe, but the four teams in front of them had better weeks. Last week: 2.

Here’s our Week 3 basketball power rankings (through games played 12/21).

Hockey rankings to follow after Wednesday’s large slate of games.

Boys basketball

1. Burlington (5-0): Joe O’Shea’s stat line in BHS’ lone win last week says it all: 26 points, seven rebounds and six steals. Schedule alert: The BHS-Rice rivalry resumes Wednesday in South Burlington. Last week’s rank: 1.

2. Essex (4-1): The Hornets only played one game — a 93-57 win over BFA-St. Albans — but hold down No. 2 spot for the second straight week. Last week: 2.

3. South Burlington (5-0): It was milestone week for the Rebels. Tyler Kaczor set the program’s 3-pointers record (120 for his career) and coach Mike Kennedy earned his 100th career win. Last week: 3.

4. Champlain Valley (5-0): Jake Donnelly and Robert Russ combined for 71 of team’s 121 points during a pair of double-digit wins. Last week: 4.

5. Mount Anthony (4-0): The Patriots had two wins last week, including a 57-52 win over Rice. Last week: 5.

Girls basketball

1. Champlain Valley (5-0): Allison Gannon scored 16 and 20 points, respectively, in wins over North Country and Mount Mansfield. CVU notched its second win this season over MMU. The second time around was a 13-point win, opposed to the season-opening 55-51 triumph. Last week: 3.

2. Brattleboro (6-0): The Colonels jump to the second spot after another perfect week. One of their wins was over St. Johnsbury, the second time this month the Colonels beat SJA. Last week: 4.

3. Milton (5-0): The Yellowjackets won on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of last week, with their best win a 45-27 triumph over Vergennes. Brittaney Rice had 17 points in that win. Last week: 2.

4. Rutland (5-1): It’s tough to stay on top. Ranked first last week, the Raiders fell to defending champion Spaulding by 12 points at home last week. Last week: 1.

5. Burlington (3-1): Without three starters, who were suspended, BHS rolled over BFA-St. Albans. The depth is there for the Seahorses, and now they venture into our rankings. Last week: Not ranked.

Another week is in the books.

Here’s our Week 2 rankings through games played 12/12:

Boys basketball

1. Burlington (4-0): The Seahorses had to eke out a win over Rutland on Day 2 of the North-South Challenge. O’Shea was limited to eight points, but Brendan Corriveau sank the key, go-ahead three-pointer. Still the team to beat. Last week’s rank: 1.

2. Essex (3-1): Behind Demir Smajovic and Ben Ferris, the Hornets cruised to double-digit wins over southern powers (Rutland and Brattleboro) in the North/South Challenge. Last week: 3.

3. South Burlington (3-0): The Rebels have started well without Josh Varney. A quick glance at their schedule and they should be 6-0 by the time they meet Essex on December 30. Last week: 2.

4. Champlain Valley (3-0): The Redhawks have been consistent — never allowing more than 49 points nor scoring more than 65 — during their 3-0 start. Last week: 4.

5. Mount Anthony (2-0): So the Patriots have racked up wins of 79-21 (over Windsor) and 63-33 (over Massachusetts’ Mount Greylock). The jury is still out on how good the Pats are, but they certainly fit nicely at No. 5 at this point in the season. Last week: Not ranked.

Girls basketball

1. Rutland (4-0): They’re beaten a feisty Rice team twice thus far this season — and edged a very good BHS squad in overtime. Last week: 2.

2. Milton (2-0): The Yellowjackets didn’t play last week. Doesn’t help their cause to stay No. 1 – not with Rutland playing so well. Last week: 1.

3. Champlain Valley (3-0): The Redhawks are off to a good start. Allison Gannon’s 17 points led CVU’s comeback vs. SBHS last Tuesday. Last week: 4.

4. Brattleboro (3-0): A third-quarter surge lifted the Colonels past previously ranked Spaulding. Bratt also has wins over St. Johnsbuy and Windsor, but last Tuesday’s comeback win over Spaulding was a marquee triumph. Last week: Not ranked.

5. Burr and Burton (2-0): The defending D-II champs are now in D-I. So we will have to wait and see how they stack up against the higher-division opponents. For now, defeating Bellow Falls 72-9 is nothing to overlook — that’s impressive no matter what. Last week: Not ranked.

Boys hockey

1. Essex (2-0): The Hornets are buzzing: Nice wins over South Burlington and BFA-St. Albans gives us no reason not to place Essex in the No. 1 slot. In Saturday’s win over BFA, Essex converted power play chances. Coach Bill O’Neil must like that. Last week: 3.

2. South Burlington (3-1): The Rebels bounced back from a loss against Essex to edge Burlington. Tom Royer has scored in three straight games (four goals total) and Charlie Vallee has been solid in net. Last week: 1.

3. Harwood (3-0): The Highlanders have crushed Peoples on back-to-back Saturdays. Nik Laskaris has been a scoring machine. Will it continue against D-I competition? Last week: 2.

4. Rutland (2-0-1): How’s this for a turnaround: The Raiders tie the Lakers in the season-opener, then rout them for a 8-1 win 10 days later. It was the second straight game Rutland has scored eight goals, and Taylor Porrier has five of them. Last week: Not ranked.

5. Burlington (2-2): Although they lost to SBHS 3-2, the Seahorses stay in the top 5 on the strength of the previous week’s wins. Plus, no other team has a better resume to displace them. Last week: 5.

Girls hockey

1. Essex (3-0-1): The Hornets finished second in BFA’s tournament, claiming a 4-1 win over N.Y.’s Salmon River and falling to Hanover, N.H. in a shootout. (although, it goes down officially as a tie). Chelsea Normand scored twice during Day 2 of the tournament. The Hornets have scored 13 goals in four goals, while yielding just 2. Last week: 1.

2. BFA-St. Albans (3-1): The Comets were within a period of winning their tournament, before falling to Hanover, N.H., 3-2. That said, one-sided wins over Missisquoi and Salmon River, N.Y. put BFA near the top of this ranking Last week: 5.

3. Champlain Valley (3-0): Gotta like CVU’s resolve. Down 3-0 entering the third period, the Redhawks rallied past South Burlington for a 5-4 win. After winning a pair of blowouts earlier this season, CVU showed it can comeback and win a close game. Last week: 3.

4. Spaulding (3-0): Should the Crimson Tide be ranked higher? Their latest win — a 5-3 triumph over Hartford — saw the return of all-state goalie Kaitlyn Lague. Spaulding will be a force with her back. Last week: 4.

5. U-32 (3-0-1): The Raiders bumped off previously ranked Montpelier to capture the 11th annual Dr. Dick Butsch tournament. Other teams could — and likely will — knock U-32 from this list. But, for now, the Raiders earned some recognition. Last week: Not ranked.

The high school winter season is not a week old, but it’s never too early to take a stab at some rankings.

Throughout the season, we will rank the top five teams — regardless of division — in basketball (boys and girls) and hockey (boys and girls) on a weekly basis.

So without further ado, here are Varsity Insider’s Week 1 power rankings (through Dec. 7).

Boys basketball

1. Burlington (2-0): Some things never change, do they? The Seahorses are the top-ranked team at this point in the season thanks to Joe O’Shea’s latest milestone. The senior scored his 1,000th point in Monday’s win over Essex. BHS is 2-0 — the other win at Rutland — making the proud program the obvious choice for Week 1′s top spot.

2. South Burlington (2-0): The Rebels haven’t been challenged in two impressive wins. Mark Mallory, Tyler Kaczor and Eric Dubuque lead SBHS’s balanced and dangerous attack.

3. Rutland (1-1): The Raiders started with a loss to Burlington, but were impressive in a road win over Rice. The Raiders have key returnees back from last year’s final four appearance.

4.Champlain Valley (2-0): Backed by Jake Donnelly, the Redhawks have started the season with two wins, both by more than 10 points.

5. Spaulding (2-0): The Crimson Tide beat defending Division I champion Rice in the season opener, then beat Division II title contender Harwood by 14 on Monday night. Evan Tullar has been Spaulding’s top scorer.

Girls basketball

1. Milton (2-0): The Yellowjackets, D-II champs in 2008, are senior-heavy — led by SMC-bound Kaitlin Geary. Their two early wins are impressive and, with no clear-cut front runner in Division I yet, we give the top spot to a D-II team.

2. Rutland (2-0): The Raiders have wins over a pair of last year’s Division I semifinalists (Rice and BFA, who lost in the final).

3. Spaulding (1-0): The defending champs could very well move up to the top spot in the coming weeks, but one win over lower division Randolph isn’t enough this week.

4. Champlain Valley (1-0): The Redhawks slipped past MMU in the season-opener.

5. Montpelier (2-0): The Solons’ average margin of victory is 24.5 points. Their second win was over Division I Colchester.

Boys hockey

1. South Burlington (2-0): The Rebels topped defending Division I champion CVU in overtime in the season-opener (Matt Chickanosky goal). The SBHS rolled to a second win — a 7-0 triumph over MMU. For now, they are looking too good not to be in this spot.

2. Harwood (2-0): Coach Dave Morse has quite the program in Duxbury. And they are off to another solid start.

3. Essex (0-0): The Hornets haven’t played a game yet — they open vs. South Burlington on Wednesday — but reputation can’t be ignored in this ranking. By next week, Essex, which has 13 D-I titles, could be slotted for the top spot.

4. Spaulding (1-0): How good does the Tide’s 6-2 win over Burchard tournament winner Burlington look now?

5. Burlington (2-1): After getting trounced by Spaulding, BHS won its home Burchard tournament with wins over Colchester and Champlain Valley.

Girls hockey

1. Essex (1-0): The defending Division I champions are off to a fast start, beating D-II champ Burr and Burton in the season-opener.

2. Montpelier (2-0): The Solons have outscored opponents 9-3 in their two wins. Erin Banfield, who had a four-goal effort in Saturday’s win, is one of the state’s finest goal-scorers.

3. Champlain Valley (2-0): Plenty of goals — 15 in two games — led by Molly Howard’s five tallies for the Redhawks. Can the offensive production continue against the likes of tougher, more defense-oriented teams?

4. Spaulding (2-0): Division I finalist a season ago, the Crimson Tide should have thoughts have another contending season, especially after a OT win over SBHS on Saturday.

5. BFA-St. Albans (1-0): BFA’s tradition and an 11-goal outburst can’t be ignored.

Heavily recruited by college basketball coaches the last two years, Joe O’Shea spent a lot of time weighing his options.

The Burlington High School senior ended the suspense this week, revealing that he will play at Holy Cross.  The 6-foot-4 guard informed HC first-year coach Sean Kearney of his decision Friday and will join Crusaders for the 2010-11 season. O’Shea confirmed the commitment in a phone interview this afternoon.

O’Shea said he also considered offers from the University of Vermont, Yale and Brown.

More in Sunday’s Free Press print and online editions.