JULY 20, 2023
By Aidan Delehanty
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The DC Breeze (8-3) this week are closing out the 2023 AUDL regular season with one final home game against our friends from north of the border, the Toronto Rush (5-5). The first pull will go up at 7:00 PM ET on July 21st at Catholic University’s Carlini Field.
The Breeze have already secured the second seed for the East Division playoffs and will host the first round of the playoffs on Saturday, July 29th. However, their opponent for that first-round game hasn’t been decided yet. Depending on the outcomes of certain games this weekend, the Breeze may face the Rush two games in a row.
The Boston Glory currently sit as the third seed with a record of 6-5. If the Glory win on Friday against the winless Montreal Royal, they will clinch the third and final seed for the playoffs. For the Rush to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019, they will have to win both of their games on the road this weekend and pray that Montreal gets their first win of the season against the Glory. Capping the Rush’s double header this weekend, they will face the Philadelphia Phoenix on Saturday, July 22nd, the night after their game against DC
This game also marks the final regular season game for Breeze head coach, Darryl Stanley. Stanley has been with the Breeze for six seasons and is regarded as one of the best tacticians in the game. During his time with the Breeze, he has never missed the playoffs. This year will be no different and with the team playing the first round of the playoffs at home, this isn’t technically Coach Stanley’s last at Carlini Field.
This will be the second matchup of 2023 between DC and Toronto, as the teams met back in Week 4 of the season, and the Breeze prevailed 20-13. Several of the team's top-line players did not make the trek up into Canada for that contest. It will be the first time that Christian Boxley, Tyler Monroe, Jacques Nissen, Thomas Edmonds, and Charlie McCutcheon face the Rush this year after missing that contest. That game saw the D-line show out with nine breaks and a 41% break percentage. Cole Jurek had a season-high six assists for the O-line in that game.
Friday's game should be another exciting contest – come out and show your support for the Breeze’s regular season finale and Coach Stanley’s last regular season home game of his career. Tickets are available here.
