Vermont HS Football Teams and Games of the Week

Here are my thoughts on the top teams and games from Week 3 of the Vermont High School football season.

Teams of the week

• Division I: The schedule makers weren't kind to Brattleboro, giving the Colonels matchups with Hartford, St. Johnsbury and Middlebury to start the season. The results weren't great for the first five halves, but Brattleboro responded with a dominating last 24 minutes to end Middlebury's 28-game regular-season winning streak, 28-13. The Colonels (1-2) forced five turnovers and running back Cheick Diakite piled up 243 yards and three touchdowns in a win that seriously changed the landscape in Division I. 
• Division II: Mt. Mansfield proved that last week's win over Milton was no fluke, turning in an amazing offensive performance in outslugging perennial Division I defensive stalwart BFA-St. Albans, 40-28. Asa Carlson and Ryan Wilson shined as the Cougars (2-1) jumped ahead early and kept answering every Bobwhites rally. MMU looks like a serious playoff contender heading into another big test at Bellows Falls in Week 4.
• Division III: For the second time in three weeks, Woodstock has to be the choice here. The Wasps (3-0) rolled out to a 29-0 halftime lead in route to a 41-14 victory over defending champion Otter Valley on Saturday. With Bill Wood and Ezra Astbury leading a big-play attack, Woodstock has clearly established itself as the team to beat, although matchups with fellow 3-0 teams Mill River and Windsor are still to come.

Game of the week

•  Burlington 28, Lyndon 20: That this one was this close might be the most surprising result of the season to date, and I seriously considered naming Lyndon team of the week despite the loss. It took all that Kevin Garrison and the Seahorses could muster to break from a 14-14 tie and hold on to improve to 3-0 against a winless LI team that piled up 318 yards of offense. BHS will need to play a lot better, especially on defense, if it's going to pose any challenge to mighty Burr and Burton on Friday night.
  

Week 4 Game to Watch

•  CVU at Essex (7 pm Friday): This weekend's only Division I game between teams with winning records provides an interesting contrast. CVU is a defense-first squad that has yielded just 15 points but struggled offensively at times in a 3-0 start. Essex boasts an explosive backfield but gave up 22 unanswered points to St. Johnsbury in suffering its first loss last weekend. The winner of this one takes a huge step toward home field in the quarterfinals.