Rush Alumni Show Commitment on Final Day of Alumni Week

Over a foot of snow falling in the Denver metro area could not stop the truly committed alums of Colorado Rush. Almost 30 players braved the elements and showed up for Day 6 of Colorado Rush's Alumni Week (pictured at Right). Colin Clark (Houston Dynamo) came down from Ft. Collins and current 18 Academy GK traveled north from Colorado Springs. Rush president Tim Schulz said of the turn out today, "It is wonderful to see what the club and this week means to these players. This is indeed a special event made so by special players."
A different format from the norm, a 11v11 game was played at Foothills Indoor. DOC's plus the Pros vs. College All-Stars. One last chance for Coach DelPiccolo and his captain Morgan Sacco to achieve the glory they had long been seeking. With Reid Hukari manning the back line and Zack Foxhoven running up top, the younger alums were confident entering the climactic game of the week. A last minute transfer to the young alums was Raymundo Reza and in the early stages he proved to be a handful for the DOC's/Pros, but 15 minutes in the ice was broken when Jeb Brovsky played Bushey in on the left wing. The streaking Bushey found a darting Phil Owen entering the six and in a moment, it was 1-0. And from there, it was as if Barca had gone ahead of Madrid which means the show was about to begin. Mikey Piserchio, fresh off his haiatus from the day before, awoke and ran the show along side Collen Warner (Montreal). A sign of things to come in this next MLS season, Brovsky and Warner, both now of Montreal, showed their ability to combine with one another and picked apart the young alums defense. CO-MVP's, Colin Clark and Phil Owen continued to dominate helping the senior side seemingly score at will. Owen added a second and Clark scored the goal of the game hitting a rocket from the left, glancing off the left upper post. Tim Schulz, a.k.a. Pierre Luigi Colina for the day, gifted the young alums a penalty kick from a phantom hand ball, but JT Howlan ('87) hit a howler and sailed it wide. DelPiccolo said of the PK, "JT missing the PK put our team in a downword spiral. There was just no recovering." Howlan said of the PK, "the grass got pushed up to the right which made me push it right." Howlan didn't understand when he was later told that we were playing on turf. 3-1 was the score at half after Reza tallied with a late header.

Coach DelPiccolo went to the transfer market at the half and stole GK Marscheider as well as Warner. Sacco insisted the check is in the mail. Nick Cardenas, floored that he was not the chosen one to come across to the young alums, played inspired football and controlled the entire game from his post at center back. Well, he controlled the back line at least...well, he controlled his temper...well, until he earned a yellow card for disrespecting Colina. Thankfully, Wes Hart, fresh after not having done any work the previous day, did most of Cardenas' dirty work. Zack Foxhoven's goal midway through the half provided little spark for the youngsters. When future alum Eduardo Reza intercepted a pass deep in the senior side's attacking 1/3, he slotted the ball for Owen who put the game out of reach of the young alums. Owen added the sixth goal of the game and immediately following, after 80 minutes, the referee implemented the mercy rule and with that, the game and the week were over. A glorious victory not soon to be forgotten for all the players and fans involved (winners pictured above right).

In a very special and sincere way, thank you to all involved who helped make this one of the most special weeks of the year. 

Nick Cardenas, JT Howlan, Paolo DelPiccolo, Zander Deitz enjoying the post- game social.