Just what is a statement game? Every game makes a statement of some sort. The words get thrown around a little bit loosely today.

But there are games that truly deserve to be tagged as statement games. Two of those girls basketball games that fit the category this past week were one in Duxbury where North Country toppled previously undefeated Harwood 50-35 and the one in Rutland that saw Rutland avenge an earlier defeat to St. Johnsbury, beating the Hilltoppers 54-46.

North Country's statement was resounding. It was thought that Fair Haven and North Country were the cream of Division II. But Harwood brought a 5-0 record into the game and the Highlanders had designs on making the division's "Big Two" the "Big Three."

The Falcons delivered the statement. Make no mistake: It is the Big Two. 

It is not all that often that you see a player explode for 15 points in a high school eight-minute quarter but that is what North Country's Sabine Brueck did on the way to 29 points.

Well, it is the Big Two for now. Most people see it that way.

But Harwood coach Tom Young and his Highlanders do not believe they are out of the picture even if others do.

Nonetheless, there is no debating that North Country made a loud statement this past week about the pecking order of D-II. And earlier in the week Brueck scored 17 points in a 48-23 victory at U-32.

That other statement game: Rutland came into Saturday's home game with a 3-5 record.

Sure the Red & White had proven that they were a good 3-5 team by playing CVU very tough and leading for much of the game before fading late.

But to get your club card to join the elite of Division I girls basketball, you have to win some of those games against the iron.

Rutland was extremely impressive in beating a St. Johnsbury team that came to Keefe Gym with a 5-1 record, the only loss being to CVU. The Hilltoppers' five victories included a five-point win over Rutland in St. Johnsbury.

Rutland was in control early and was never really threatened. They had a very healthy 43-25 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

"Rutland is a good team. Anna Moser is something. I love her," St. Johnsbury coach Jade Huntington said after the game.

Accurate 3-point sniping by Moser and teammate Brinley Gandin helped the Red & White carve out the big lead that they were able to protect.

There's no doubting that St. Johnsbury is a Division I contender. Now, Rutland must be regarded as one also. The Red & White made that loud of a statement.

St. Johnsbury is ranked No. 8 and Rutland No. 9 in this week's Rutland Herald/Times Argus power rankings.

Rutland was unranked in last week's power rankings and North Country moves up from No. 7 to No. 4.

That's what happens when you make a booming statement.

Here are this week's Rutland Herald/Times Argus power rankings. Last week's ranking is in parentheses and the rankings were constructed prior to Wednesday night's games.

1. CVU 6-0 (1) A big test is coming, a game against Mount Mansfield on Jan. 16.

2. Burlington 5-1 (2) The Seahorses are getting better all the time. They just got by Colchester by two points in mid-December and beat the same team by 16 in late December.

There weren't many games played Tuesday night due to the storm but Burlington and Essex did manage to keep their date and the Seahorses beat a good Essex team by 13 points.

3. Fair Haven 7-0 (3) Every victory for the Slaters has been lopsided since the season-opening 58-50 win over Burlington.

4. North Country 6-1 (7) Since the Falcons fell 57-53 to Mount Mansfield, they have reeled off four straight wins, all by sizeable margins. A dream D-II final between Fair Haven and the Falcons could be brewing.

5. Windsor 7-0 (4) The Yellow Jackets need some competition after outclassing the last two opponents by a combined score of 123-31. They will get that competition when Thetford comes to town on Thursday in a rematch of Windsor's 41-31 win on Thetford.

6. Mount Mansfield 5-0 (6) The Cougars swamped Colchester 54-28 on Saturday. MMU has to be eagerly anticipating their chance against CVU on Jan. 16.

7. Essex 6-1 (8) The Hornets one of several Chittenden County contenders which should spice up life in that area over the rest of the winter.

8.St. Johnsbury 5-2 (5) The Hilltoppers have lost two straight against CVU and Rutland. Not to worry: This team is good.

9. Rutland 4-5 (UR) That mediocre record is about to get beefed up. 

10. Hazen 5-1 (9) The Wildcats just might ride that momentum of ending West Rutland's 40-game winning streak all the way to Barre Auditorium and the Division III final four.

TOP FIVES

Division I — 1. CVU 2. Burlington 3. Mount Mansfield 4. Essex 5. St. Johnsbury.

NOTES: Mount Mansfield will be running through the gauntlet. Following that game with CVU, the Cougars next two contests are against Essex and Burlington. Coming out of that 2-1, or even 1-2, would be a good thing. ... The teams from northern Vermont have long dominated the division. If you discount Rutland's quad championship in 2020 when they shared the title with three northern schools due to COVID, a team from the southern tier of the state has not won the crown since Mount Anthony beat CVU in the title game in 2008.  

Division II — 1. Fair Haven 2. North Country 3. Mount Abraham 4. Lyndon 5. Harwood.

NOTES: Lyndon, the only team to defeat Hazen, could be a team to be wary of. ... It was thought before the season that if Fair Haven had a weakness it might be in post play. That has been quickly changing as 6-footer Victoria Kelly has been one of the fastest improving players in the league.

Division III — 1. Windsor 2. Hazen 3. Thetford 4. Vergennes 5. Oxbow.

NOTES: Windsor is so explosive. The Yellow Jackets can put any of five players in double figures on any night. ... Thursday's game between Windsor and Thetford could be a doozy. A key for the Jacks will be containing the Panthers' Addison Cadwell who had 14 of Thetford's 31 points in the first meeting. Cadwell is the daughter of former Thetford standout Jolene Thurston who went well over 1,000 points at Thetford and at Bates College. ... Windsor's Sydney Perry will play next year for Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Division IV — 1. West Rutland 2. Williamstown 3. Long Trail 4. Arlington 5. Mount St. Joseph.

NOTES: Long Trail is the only unbeaten team in the division. The Mountain Lions' chances to stay that way are enhanced by the fact they do not play West Rutland in the regular season. .... The Arlington-Long Trail games on Jan. 29 and Feb. 22 will be great barometer games for those teams.