The Green Mountains are a little greener and the hermit thrush’s song a little sweeter. There is nothing like state pride to start off a new year.

And CVU provided some. The Redhawks competed in the Amsterdam Holiday Showcase over the break and won both games, taking down two strong New York state teams. The Redhawks toppled Columbia of East Greenbush 46-35 and then overcame a 27-20 halftime deficit to beat Kingston 57-53.

The Redhawks remain the No. 1 team in the Rutland Herald/Times Argus girls basketball power rankings but had to face a St. Johnsbury team on Wednesday that is likely the equal of either of the two Empire State teams that the Redhawks defeated.

Wednesday’s game is a rematch of the 2023 Division I state championship game when CVU defeated the Hilltoppers 43-29.

But winning championships is nothing nothing new to CVU coach Ute Otley. She played for Dartmouth College during the greatest of times for Big Green women’s basketball. When Otley played from 1987 through 1990, the Big Green won the Ivy League championship all four years.

She led her Valparaiso (Indiana) high school team to a conference championship as a junior.

CVU has won numerous state crowns since she arrived in Hinesburg. Is there a second consecutive one around the corner?

The showdown in the Northeast Kingdom should would shed some light on that possibility.

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’s game.

1. CVU 4-0 (1) The Redhawks keep building on an incredible resume that once included a 96-game winning streak.

2. Burlington 3-1 (2) If you watched the Seahorses’ 20-point victory over a solid Rutland team, it is difficult to get their athleticism, skills and shooting touch out of your head. Until they suffer a misstep, that image endures.

3. Fair Haven 6-0 (3) Outscoring a very good Mount Abraham team 24-10 in the second half has to get your attention. The Slaters also looked very good on Tuesday night from start to finish in cruising past Springfield.

4. Windsor 5-0 (4) One team that the Yellow Jackets did not blow out was Thetford, dispatching the Panthers by 10 points. Thetford comes into Windsor’s gym for the rematch on Jan. 11. It could be a telling game in the D-III pecking order.

5. St. Johnsbury 5-0 (6) Northeast Kingdom fans were fortunate to have the Game of the Week in their corner of the world with CVU in town.

6. Mount Mansfield 4-0 (7) The Division I Cougars beat what might be one of the two best teams in Division II and then beat Rutland, a solid D-I team convincingly. Those results make a pretty loud statement.

7, North Country. 4-1 (8) The holiday break did not interrupt the Falcons’ stride. They whipped Spaulding 45-20 on Tuesday. They appear to be the main threat to Fair Haven in Division II.

8. Essex 5-1 (UR) After falling on the road against North Country (39-35), the Hornets have packed a sting, whipping Burr and Burton Academy and Rice by a combined score of 120-51.

9. Hazen 3-1 (UR) The Wildcats passed their toughest test by ending West Rutland’s 40-game winning streak with a 14-point victory.

10. Harwood 4-0 (UR) The showdown with rival Spaulding on Thursday will be a telling game for both teams.

TOP FIVES

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

Notes: A team not ranked in the top five in this division is Colchester. The 2-3 Lakers are one to keep an eye on. They have already played Burlington twice and one of those was a 38-36 loss. ... Rutland has fallen out of the rankings but here is another team that you don’t want to discount. They have the pieces and figure to get on a roll once they get into the Southern Vermont League schedule.

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

NOTES: Fair Haven is that team basketball purists appreciate. They find the open man on offense and play defense every possession as though the game were on the line. ... North Country’s one-sided victory over Spaulding this week was a rematch of the 2023 state championship game.

Division III — 1. Windsor 2. Hazen, 3. Thetford 4. Oxbow 5. Bellows Falls.

Notes: Bellows Falls last won a state title in girls basketball in 2003 and it was of the Division I variety. The Terriers sailed through the season at 23-0 and capped it with a 59-43 victory over Mount Anthony in the final game at Patrick Gym. Now, the Terriers look capable of making some noise in Division III. .... Can it really be 26 years ago that Mona Garone passed away. Garone coached Bradford Academy and Oxbow Union High School to a whopping 31 final fours and bagged 10 state championships. Oxbow’s next three games are on the road but when they return to Mona Garone Gymnasium on Jan. 16, that game will be a doozy. Thetford is in town.

Division IV — 1. West Rutland 2. Long Trail 3. Arlington 4. Poultney 5. Williamstown.

Notes: When West Rutland had its 40-game wining streak ended by Hazen this week, it prompted talk about Vermont’s win streaks in girls basketball. The longest was the 107 games that Williamstown won in a row from 1947 through 1956. ... Hazen’s well executed stall to protect its lead in ending Westside’s win streak, prompted a quote from West Rutland coach Carl Serrani as to why a shot clock is needed in Vermont high school basketball. There was no major outcry from the game as there was in 2005 when BFA-Fairfax beat Milton 5-2 in a boys basketball game where Milton put the ball in the deep freeze. The intent of Serrani’s quote was not to take anything away from Hazen. After all, the Wildcats won that game by 14 points.