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Five head to head match-ups with play-off implications and the biggest game of all, according to many a fan, highlight Week eight in the Vermont High School Football schedule. There are two weeks remaining for the twenty teams in Divisions 2+3, but for those in Division I, the play-offs begin next week. Remember, eight teams make the Division 1 post season because there are fourteen teams in the Division, while the customary four advance in Divisions 2+3.

The most unique of the five head to head games which should draw the most attention is the cross division pairing of Colchester at Milton on Friday night at 7 p.m.. As the weekend commences, the Lakers (4-3) hold down the seventh spot in the Division I standings. A win could move them up the ranks and allow them a better first round opponent. If the play-offs began today, the Lakers  would travel to Hartford next week, a test no one really wants. Colchester's opponent, Milton, has theatrics of its' own going on. They are unbeaten, tied with North Country at 7-0 at the top of Division II and need a win to make sure they stay pace, and they meet that NC team at home a week from Friday. The only way the QPR should assure the Yellow Jackets  of the top spot is to win both games. North Country has no easy time of it this week either, as they complete their home season on Friday evening at 7 p.m. hosting Burr + Burton (5-2), who is still fighting for a spot in the post season. Two spots are available between B+B, Fair Haven and Rice.

Back to Division I, where although they have lost, Bellows Free Academy of St. Albans (6-1) leads the pack QPR-wise. The number one team hosts (0-7) Burlington on Friday night. Hartford (7-0) remains second and will host presently sixth seeded Rutland (4-3) Friday as well, with Middlebury (6-1), who plays a big contest at Champlain Valley Union (5-2) Friday night at 7 p.m., third. CVU is currently fifth in QPR, but obviously the outcome of this week's match-up will go a long ways to seeing if one or both of the teams ends up with a top four seed and a home play-off game next week. Fourth ranked South Burlington (6-1) travels to Essex (2-5), who has had a tough year, but can always be dangerous. In the biggest game of all, in some peoples books,  St Johnsbury (4-3-Division I) is at Lyndon (3-4- Division II) in another cross division affair and the longest standing rivalry in Vermont football.. Rounding out the proceedings in Division I, Brattleboro (3-4) is scheduled to be at Mount Anthony (1-6) Friday at 7 pm. (this game may end up as a forfeit or moved to Saturday or a later date due to a Bennington's Teachers Strike) and Mount Mansfield will be at Spaulding Saturday at 1 p.m. in a battle of 0-7 teams.

Rutland-Hartford is often played with everything on the line, but such is not the case this time around. Raider coach Mike Norman has been around awhile and realizes that the Hurricanes are the heavy favorite in this one, but Norman still is eager to play the game. "This is a great rivalry," Norman notes, adding " we know we are going to have to play real well, our best game of the season to win, but this is the time of year you are suppose to be playing your best. Sometimes in rivalry games things happen."

Brattleboro will not be playing in the post season, but with a win this week and a repeat next weekend, when Division I teams are paired in the nine thru fourteen spots, the Colonels could have a winning season. Although Brattleboro probably fell one game short of the post season, Hatt saw growth in the program. "It took us quite awhile to transfer important things from the practice field to the playing field, but we finally have. I wish we could have some games back. We didn't take care of business when we met Rutland and St. Johnsbury (14-6 and 12-7 losses) and that's why we didn't make it, but we are playing well now," Hatt offered.

In addition to the top two ranked teams in Division II already mentioned, third place Fair Haven (5-2) will attempt to hold on to a play-off spot hosting Union-32 (1-6) Friday at 7 p.m. and Rice(4-3) will hope to sneak into a better position when they play host to Springfield (0-7) Saturday at 1 p.m. in Burlington. The remaining Division II game also will be Saturday when Otter Valley (2-5) is at Bellows Falls (3-4).

Hold on to your hats as eight teams are still alive for the four spots in Division III. Woodstock (5-2) has moved into the lead in QPR and should breeze this week as they host (0-7) Mount Saint Joseph on Friday night at 7 p.m. Windsor and Mill River are tied for second, both 5-2 and tied in QPR. The Yellow Jackets own the tiebreaker with a 64-43 win over the Minutemen way back in week one. The Jacks travel to Bellows Free Academy of Fairfax (3-4) on Saturday at 1 p.m. These two often specialize in high scoring affairs when they meet each other. The Minutemen are at home on Saturday hosting Montpelier (3-4). In the two remaining Division III games, both on Saturday, Poultney (2-5) will be at Oxbow (3-4) and Winooski (4-3) is at Mount Abraham (4-3). If the play-offs were to begin today, Mount Abraham would hold the fourth Division III slot.