THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008

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Michna Excels For Rush

By DWIGHT ESAU

Journal Sports

The Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League is proving that a Chicago team can solve a quarterback problem.

And Russ Michna, a 2001 graduate of Conant High School, is right in the middle of all this success at the professional level of football.

A backup, left-handed quarterback who has paid his dues, Michna continued his remarkable season for the Rush by leading them to a 51-46 victory last week over the Tampa Bay Storm. The Rush is 8-2, on top of its division of the Arena Football League, and shooting for home field advantage throughout the upcoming playoffs.

Improving to 5-0 as a starter in relief of Arena legend Sherdrick Bonner, Michna completed 18 of 32 passes for 184 yards and 4 touchdowns, and ran for 35 yards and a pair of scores. Rush receiver Travis LaTendresse caught 9 of Michna's throws for 98 yards and 3 TDs.

The Rush won the game in the final 28 seconds when defensive back Dennison Robinson recovered a Storm onside kick and Chicago ran out the clock.

The next Rush game is May 19 against the Los Angeles Avengers at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

Michna is living out a storybook experience with the Rush this season. After high school, Michna played at Western Illinois University, then had two pre-season tryouts with the St. Louis Rams of the NFL in 2004 and 2005 when Mike Martz was the coach.

He next spent two years in Canada with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the Rush signed him in 2007 as a backup to starter Matt D'Orazio.

Michna has completed 74% of his passes this season for 22 touchdowns versus 3 interceptions.