It’s a comfortable time of year in Colorado Springs from a weather standpoint and things are no different at Weidner Field. 

The Switchbacks are well into the 2026 season, which began three months ago, and even newcomers like defender Patrick Burner are becoming comfortable, confident and familiar with the way the team plays and what’s expected on a week-in, week-out basis. 

Burner, who is from Martinique, said he enjoys waking up to the majestic scenery of the Pikes Peak Region each morning. He also enjoys playing on Colorado Springs’ back line and trusts the way the club is playing defense. Late in last week’s match at Oakland Roots SC, Burner and fellow defender Talen Maples made a crucial stop on Roots’ midifielder Wolfgang Prentice, who was momentarily left alone in the 18-yard box. The play capped off a strong defensive effort for Colorado Springs, leading to the club’s first road win of regular-season play and its second shutout in three weeks. 

“His goal really was to keep the clean sheet, especially at the end of the game like that,” Colorado Springs defender Garven Metusala said while translating the French-speaking Burner. “He said he didn’t even think about it, it just happened. End of the game, let’s get a clean sheet and he just reacted.”

Burner and the rest of the Switchbacks’ back line will face a tall test this weekend in El Paso Locomotive and forward Rubio Rubin. The Switchbacks host El Paso at Weidner Field at 7 p.m. on Saturday in their third match of the Prinx Tires USL Cup.  

Rubin is one of three players tied for the lead in goals in the USL Championship regular season with eight alongside Phoenix Rising FC forward Ihsan Sacko and Colorado Springs’ Khori Bennett. 

“He doesn’t really think about (Rubin),” Metusala said. “He has faith and he trusts the defense. We’re going to do everything to shut him out.”

Colorado Springs will have to do so without Bennett, who is with Jamaica for international duty. 

The last time the Switchbacks and El Paso played was the season opener on March 7 when Rubin scored twice in a 2-2 draw. 

“He’s impressive. He’s a good physical specimen, especially for USL,” Switchbacks coach Alan McCann said of Rubin. “He’s strong on the ball, he can run in behind, he can drop deep, he’s got a big brain to match that physicality. His instincts in and around the box are elite so obviously players like that, and there’s three to four like that in the league, but players like that become a priority in the box. Defending actions, especially in transition, they’re good in transition too, and he’s going to be a focal point of what they’re looking at.”

If the Switchbacks can stymie Rubin and the Locos, Colorado Springs can earn a much-deserved reward for its stellar Cup play this season. The Switchbacks bested Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City and took the neighboring Colorado Rapids to a seven-round penalty shootout in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup earlier this year. As for the Prinx Tires USL Cup, the Switchbacks are 2-0 and have yet to concede a goal, outscoring Phoenix and New Mexico United by a 5-0 margin. 

A regulation win in the club’s third USL Cup match would clinch a spot in the knockout rounds which begin Aug. 12. 

McCann said that the team’s current shape is what he envisioned when he first took the head coaching job in November: a group of talented men of character, capable of starting for any team in the league, vying each week for a starting position and being more than able to close out matches if they are called on as subs. 

“We’re in a different phase of the season where it’s Saturday (to) Saturday,” McCann said. “We no longer have to be worried about managing minutes here because we have another game on Wednesday. So we can roll out there with top competition in training and who’s won their position in training. It’s something we’ve done before. Khori gets the call-up now for Jamaica, so next man up. … So there’s nothing new in terms of our approach, it’s still the same approach, but I do feel we’re in a sharper position now.” 

McCann praises Bennett’s work ethic

Bennett earned the call-up for Jamaica’s friendly in Mexico against South Africa on Friday. 

Playing for the Reggae Boyz has been a long-time goal for the Switchbacks striker. 

McCann, who has known Bennett since the late 2010s, when both were at Reading United in Pennsylvania, is very happy for his player. 

“When we want to build a culture of lads earning their spots and earning the rewards that come to them, he’s absolutely earned that and it’s not just for the goals for,” McCann said. “The amount of effort and defensive work and miles that he covers is exceptional and we can say that about Juan (Tejada) too. The two of them will not let up, and you know, once they’re starting, you know what you’ve got in levels of commitment. And although Khori’s the top scorer for us, it’s team first in his mind and I don’t think we’ve had that since Ronaldo (Damus).”