RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – Rutland’s football program is one of the best in the state, winning ten D1 titles in the last 40 years. The last two seasons have been rough, however, with Rutland losing 14 of its final 15 games and missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2017. Rutland’s last successful season was 2021, when the team started 8-0 before losing a semifinal on home soil to eventual champion Essex. The freshmen from that team are now the senior leaders, and they hope to get the younger members back to the postseason. The offense will once again be led by quarterback Noah Bruttomesso in his second year as a starter, but he’s just one of the many seniors looking to make their final days on the high school field memorable. “It’s the last time I’m around these guys, so everybody kind of flipped a switch,” senior running back Jayden Graham said. “We realized it’s our last time, so we have to do well.” “I’m excited to take it one step at a time, every game, every day, every practice,” senior wide receiver Ethan Wideawake said. “Honestly, we have a great group of guys, a lot of seniors. The chemistry that we build and we hold each other accountable, I think that’s definitely good, so hopefully we’ll be pretty good this year.”
