This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Rising. We all knew just how much of a disaster last year was, and I said from the beginning that to me, making the playoffs this year was the goal. The team would have to build on that next year, but for 2023, that was progress.

I could have never imagined that they'd win the final. To be frank, I had zero expectations that they would even make the final. Just to run through a list of times where the team felt like they'd never make it this far:

-Failing to win in the first three games of the season -Pitiful showing away to Tampa Bay -Losing to Las Vegas at home, somehow -Losing away to Miami FC -Getting battered 4-0 by Sacramento -Kevon Lambert leaving -Ending the regular season winless in five...

-Going down away to San Diego in the first half -Going down again away to San Diego in the first half -Conceding their lead to a penalty deep in stoppage time in San Diego -Going behind away to Sacramento This is a non-exhaustive list.

But they battled through, got to the final, and somehow did the impossible again: -Go behind in the first half -Equalize in the 90th minute -Go 2-0 down after two complete rounds of KFTM, only to then win 3-2 after five rounds.

As Juan Guerra described them, those boys were "savages". The more you counted them out, the more likely they were to reply with a polite 'fuck you' in the form of the ball in the back of the net. They just refused to give up, ever.

The talent was always there. We knew it from the start of the season, with guys like Trejo, Harvey, later additions of Stenberg and Armenakas. And of course, with Rocco Rios Novo in goal. But this team's mentality was genuinely unlike anything I've ever seen.

Juan throughout the season said that they need to never get too high, never get too low. When @NJEMurray asked me before the game what I'd seen in these boys throughout the year, that was honestly what I'd seen. Even after bad losses, they found ways to shake them off.

Last night was a special moment for Rising fans. It was also a fun moment to live alongside some of the best I get to work with. @MaxDavidSimpson with whom the show and my job wouldn't ever be the same without. @jwa1994 who's had to put up with me for too many years, honestly.

Then of course, the radio boys: @PeytonTGallaher , @HendersonDevon_ , @RonanHeykoop (and those who didn't make the trip - especially @_sykoraryan ) who, despite being incredibly young, have worked so hard and put so many hours in and have a bright, bright future in this industry.

I found myself at times before last night's game just taking a moment to soak it in. In honesty, I wish I could have after the game, but there was too much to do.

Last year was one of the hardest years I've ever had covering this team. It isn't fun travelling city to city, watching the team you cover drop points every week and having to be the face that asks the difficult questions.

But last night, getting to enjoy the moment was important. You can't expect to go to a final every year. It's so easy to get caught up in the work and seriousness that you can forget you've got a front row seat to moments like that, covering a sport that you love.

It's been a long year. By the time I make it back to Phoenix tonight, I'll have flown over 50,000 miles starting with preseason in Mexico City. I've covered countless friendlies, 37 USL games and 2 U.S. Open Cup matches.

Just worth a shoutout at year end to @Saul_Bookman for believing in launching @PHNX__Rising when we did. To @Jacob_Franklin4 for handling us and our daft ideas/equipment needs. The entire production team for putting up with the chaos. Oh, and @DLineCo for making the shirt 😉

On the club side, a huge thank you to @MillGrove08 who puts up with me constantly making requests. To @izzyyduran who has to juggle her actual social media duties with keeping me in line at certain road games. And to @HJBosch21 who is no longer here but always did so much for us.

Too many people to tag here, but to all the staff at other teams across USL who've helped me over this year and the previous ones as well. Only two teams in USL yet to visit - Detroit and Indy.

And of course, to @juanguerra16 and the entirety of his coaching staff and team that have had me there through the highs and the lows, and always been welcoming regardless of the results. If they weren't the people they are, we'd never be able to do what we do for the fans.

And with that, I'm going to keep sipping this champagne on this championship-winning trip from the lounge in Miami, until I pass out and sleep on the plane back to Phoenix. Five weeks on the road is no joke. Going to need to catch up on some rest.

@ojevans18 That’s why you go. Who cares about the disappointments, rubbish games, the what might have beens its the forever memory of equalising and winning so dramatically that will live with you forever.