June 14, 2023
By Shaggy Shragis
The Philadelphia Phoenix (3-4) went North of the Border this past weekend to capture their third straight win, defeating the Toronto Rush 27-23. This was their fifth straight win against Toronto, a streak that goes all the way back to 2018. It was also the most consistent game for a Philly team who did not trail at any point during the game.
The offense worked, and it worked over and over again even when the defense was not getting strings of breaks. After playing games in the teens all year, the Hotbirds winning a game where both teams scored well over 20 was a welcome improvement on the season.
A large part of the inflated point totals was both teams starting lights out from deep. Toronto ran roughshod over a Philly defense that had contained the deep game all season, and Ty Barbieri was the recipient of fearless Rush hucks, leading Toronto with 5 goals in the first half and 8 for the game, while receiving for over 700 yards. The Hotbirds were just as indefatigable on hucks, and CJ Colicchio, James Pollard, and Greg Martin exploded for massive yardage on precision throws from Calvin Trisolini, Jordan Rhyne, Sean Mott, and quite frankly each other. Rhyne had another layout D on a dump throw to win the disc back for Philadelphia after a turn, which has become a welcome habit for the second year Hotbird. CJ, JP, G-Mart and Jordan combined for nearly 2000 yards of total offense as the Rush simply had no answer for their height and athleticism.
The defense once again deserves all their accolades, although perhaps not in typical fashion. Despite giving up the most points in any Phoenix game this season, the D made key adjustments in the second half, and with the offense clicking picked up more than enough breaks for the comfortable 4 point win. With a less flashy defensive showing from Max Trifillis and Eric Witmer, it was a different cast of Phoenix defenders who carried the day in Toronto. Paul Owens was masterful against the Rush handlers with three blocks, and orchestrated impressive break after impressive break, never giving Toronto the chance to get the disc back. Matt Hanna (after a scuffle in the endzone) had one of the plays in the game in the second half: a spectacular head high layout block in the endzone followed by a perfectly placed assist for the break.
But the hero of the defense was Eric Nardelli, who earned his 72nd block to become the all time Philadelphia Phoenix franchise leader in D’s. Toronto had worked the disc to the break side of the field, and was attempting to swing it back to the force side. Nard, who read the play like only a veteran of his caliber could, pulled off of his man who had cleared back to the stack and raced towards the disc. He reached and slapped it out of the air, where it fell into Nard’s arms for a bobble, then a catch. Nard looked around for the next throw, and saw the referee signal a goal. The Philly sideline erupted: Eric Nardelli became the franchise leader on a callahan.
This is a massive accomplishment for both the Phoenix and for Eric Nardelli. Nard has played 8 seasons and 84 games for Philadelphia, second only to Sean Mott. In 2016, Philly had its worst season ever, before or since, losing all 14 games. Only one player stuck through the grind for each and every game: Eric Nardelli. He has been one of the most consistent, reliable, and impressive players in AUDL history, and has done it without the accolades or attention of defenders with half his talent, and has done it in the hardest division in the league. A humble star who is going to text me angrily about this paragraph, Nard has earned his place on the Hotbird Mt. Rushmore time and time again, and is now one of just four Phoenix players to have caught a callahan!
Philadelphia will face off against Canadians once again this weekend as Montreal comes to town, before entering their first bye week of the season. After starting 0-4, Philadelphia has won three straight, and has just one remaining game against a 2022 playoff participant. If the Phoenix can take care of business against Canada and Boston at home, then Philly should earn a playoff berth for the second straight year.
