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Tigers Stop Rutland 34-0 Now 4-0

Tuesday September 24, 2013

By Mike Cameron

Two of Vermont's most storied sports traditions would clash in a D-1 battle at Alumni Field in Rutland.  The two varsity football teams have met each other before in big ballgames and this one would be no different.  The Tigers were riding a 3-0 record and the Raiders were 2-1 going in.  Rutland was coming off a shaky D1 performance against a very sly Mt. Anthony team in a game played in Bennington.  (The Tigers gave up a quick TD early at Colchester and then settled down to trounce the Lakers in Colchester.)  Both teams had momentum going in and the Raiders would be able to employ “the 12th man,” with their usual large hometown crowd of rabid Rutland football fans.
   Last year the Tigers defeated Rutland before an equally frenzied home town crowd at Doc Collins Field in Middlebury.  Tigers fans were ecstatic.  They knew that one of the state's smallest student population schools had more than impressed the larger Rutland student body.  But sometimes while pundits are counting student population,  the rest of us are counting fans, alumni, volunteers and youth programs.  The Tigers have all four in and are a match for anyone in New England when it comes to supporting boys and girls athletics and other student activities at their school.  Plenty of orange and black would be on display in Rutland for this one.
   The buzz going in was simple.  Could Rutland stop the triple option with Tiger quarterback Austin Robinson at the controls?  Could the Tiger defense stop the big play that has kept the Raider's in the hunt so far this year? Rutland signal caller Nick Bowles was having a good one going in.  Which team would win the battle of the turnover?  The turnover bug was evident in the Tigers win at Colchester but they were able to compensate.  Rutland misfired several  times against Mt. Anthony and were able to adjust and win the game late with a 4th quarter drive.
   Alumni Field is artificial turf and that would play into the Tigers speed and quickness off the ball.  Middlebury got some great field position early and led 21-0 before most of the fans were settled in.
The shocked and awed Raiders never recovered.
Tiger D Solid Again
 Middlebury's Big D did it again with Sam Usilton leading the charge play after play.  The senior captain got plenty of help from James Ploof a junior and senior Nick Audet.  Rutland suffered a big hit early in the first quarter and Bowles, Rutland's  best skill player was out with an apparent concussion.
The standing room only crowd was going to see a slug fest with Middlebury doing all the scoring after creating great opportunities and taking advantage of Raider forced errors.
   Josh Stearns kickoffs were off the chart in this one, never giving Rutland any run back opportunities.  His extra points had the ball boy busy outside Alumni field. Stearns is also a rock on defense with two interceptions in this big ballgame.  It was 35-zip at the half.  Game over!  Not really.  The Tigers were able to play everybody but the bus driver and he looked like he could go if needed.
   Trautwein set the tempo in this one with a 47-yard blast right up the gut on the second play of the game and Stearns  booted the p.a.t. Almost out of the park.  It was a statement that the Raiders  could not counter.  Senior captain Sam Smith followed with a beautiful outside jaunt and simply out-ran defenders to notch another touchdown from 36 yards out at the  5:45 mark of the first quarter.
Less than a minute later junior Cullen Hathaway joined the hit parade with a 12-yard scamper after Rutland coughed up the ball on a turnover.  Austin Robinson added another with a flashy 14-yard highlight video beauty and another probe from the one.  It was 35-0 at the break as Stearns was perfect with another point after.  Connor Quinn went the rest of the way to Middlebury as coach Dennis Smith would pull many of his front line people early.  Jakob Trautwein was on the sideline with a bad ankle.  He was spelled by Nick Audet.  Quinn looked solid and ran the offense very well indeed.  The Tiger defense was all over the field.  They are excellent tacklers and can deliver some big hits in the secondary.  The Tigers go to 4-0 with CVU next at Doc Collins and Rutland is now 2-1 in Di Vermont and they will entertain Essex at Alumni Field next week.
The Passing of a Vermont Legend
All of us who love football were saddened this week to learn of the passing of long time Middlebury doctor and surgeon Doctor Ray Collins.  The Tigers home field bears his name.  Doc was a wonderful man and a trusted community resource.  Men like him are rare and he was on the minds of all who traveled to Rutland  last Friday evening for the game with Rutland.  

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