12/13/08 - After the Denver Dynamite’s 9-7 win over the Fort Collins Fury in last Saturday’s Open Cup game, the team will next face the Colorado Lightning in the arena soccer league’s season-long championship tournament.

The Open Cup is unique because semi-pro (PASL-Premier) and professional (PASL-Pro) teams compete against each other for a chance to play in the February championships. The Fury is a PASL-Premier team affiliated with the Colorado Lightning, but its status as a semi-pro team didn’t make for an easy win for the Dynamite.

“They gave us a quick wake up call when they stayed with us goal-for-goal,” said player/coach Chris Handsor. “I was very pleasantly surprised with the level of talent and energy that the Fury brought”

Handsor said the Dynamite regrouped during halftime and came back to the field with a new focus and resolve. That’s when the team began to dominate the game.

However, “the Fury did give in or back down, even after we took a large lead,” Handsor said.

Although the Dynamite ultimately went home with a win, Handsor said that “They kept us on our toes until the final whistle—the Fury quickly earned the respect from each player in our club.”

The Dynamite’s next Open Cup game is January 10, when hosts rival team Colorado Lightning.