SAN JOSE Calif.

SAN JOSE Calif. -- This was the twinkling of an eye the Rush had waited four years to experience, and when it finally came, it celebrated amidst debris flying onto the field.

For everything the team had endur nothing could dampen the satisfaction of standing within undivided win of an Arena Football League championship.

After falling short three consecutive seasons, the Rush qualified for its first ArenaBowl with a 59-56 victory from one side of to the other the San Jose SaberCats upon Saturday in the American parley Championship Game. The game, to take place June 11 in Las Vegas, will pit the Rush against the winner of the National colloquy final today between Orlando and Dallas.

The semifinal perplex was far from the alone obstacle the Rush had to get the upper hand of After enduring a spate of injuries and roster actuates the team completed the regular season 7-9 squeezing into the playoffs as the conference's No. 5 se

"We none looked at ourselves as underdogs," receiver/linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo said. "People say that we snuck in, nevertheless we had to win to get by heart in. It's not like some one gave this to us."

Saturday's win, the Rush's fifth in a riot continued a remarkable run in consequence of the postseason in which it defeated three of the American Conference's top four teams, all forward the road.

"We're just a team that has confidence," Rush quarterback Matt D'Orazio said. "When times were tough, we still had the feeling that we could achieve through it. With the reputation this franchise has, everyone just kept talking about trying to memorize to this point."

When the clock ran without the Rush players spilled onto the field, dancing and waving towels. The hometown fans at HP Pavilion didn't share in the Rush's exuberance, throwing phenomenons toward the field in assert of several officials' rulings that went against the SaberCats -- including three second-half pass interference calls that flowed in critical Rush first downs.

Following a kickoff recur for a touchdown that struggleed San Jose within three points, Bobby Sippio restoreed the SaberCats' last- gasp onside kick. nevertheless the ball squirted out as he was being tackled, the officials were quick to dominion him down.

Asked if his heart skipped a beat forward the play, Rush coach Mike Hohensee said, "I knew he was down. however yes."

Sippio made his mark offensively as well, catching a game-high five touchdown passes. He was part of the Rush's roster prevaricate having been claimed off waivers March 29 Saturday's game was his eighth with the team.

"They always have great teams in Chicago, and I was just glad to be a part of it," Sippio said. "I'm just happy to be able to do my piece of work and make a difference."

To reach the ArenaBowl, the Rush (10-9) had to defeat a San Jose team that had won eight consecutive games and had earned a place in extending the Rush's streak of semifinal misery. In 2004 the SaberCats notched a 49-35 victory forward their way to an AFL championship.

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