As expected, Major League Soccer is throwing fuel on the increasingly heated Rapids-Real Salt Lake rivalry by scheduling the teams to meet, again, in the season finale. This year, the teams finish the regular season October 23 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The league released its 2010 schedule on Wednesday, and the Rapids won't meet defending champion (gag, cough) Real Salt Lake until the final two months of the season.

The Colorado Rapids will host the Seattle Sounders at 7 p.m. March 19 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park to raise money for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

The match will be the team's first Charity Shield fundraiser, patterned after similar games in England, where they are a longstanding tradition.

The Colorado Rapids have set a 2 p.m. kickoff time for their 2010 home opener at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, April 3, against the Chicago Fire.

The Rapids will open their 15th Major League Soccer season on March 28 on the road against Chivas USA.

The Rapids' complete 2010 schedule and kickoff times will be released at a later date.

New England goalkeeper Matt Reis starts to lean to his right as Rapids striker Conor Casey takes aim for the other side of the net in the 58th minute on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

On Sept. 18, Rapids striker Conor Casey scored a second-half goal on a penalty kick at San Jose.

ABOVE: University of Colorado goalkeeper Kara Linder clears the ball on Friday against Nebraska. Linder was named defensive player of the week for the second time this season. (Photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com) BELOW: CU defender Quinn Krier was named the Big 12's newcomer of the week.

Random notes from the Colorado Rapids' third draw in nine days, a 0-0 tie with the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night at Community America Ballpark:

SIZE MATTERS: The official dimensions of the pitch at Dick's Sporting Goods Park are 120 yards long by 80 yards wide. In contrast, the fields surrounding Dick's are 110 by 70.

Colorado's Jacob Peterson goes flying after colliding with Andre Luiz in the first half Wednesday. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

You've got to be kidding. For the second time in less than a week, Conor Casey scored on a penalty kick deep into extra time as the Colorado Rapids tied the San Jose Earthquakes 1-1.

Colorado Rapids striker Omar Cummings puts a bicycle kick on goal in the second half of the team's 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday. (photos by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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Colorado striker Conor Casey wasn't supposed to be at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.

(photos by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

John Spencer was made the fourth member of Colorado Rapids' Gallery of Honor on Sunday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The 38-year-old assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo was in town for a fixture between the two teams, and the Rapids honored him at halftime.

Rapids midfielder Jacob Peterson outleaps Houston defender Wade Barrett during Colorado's 1-0 victory over the league-leading Dynamo on Sunday in Commerce City. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

A little more than a month ago, Rapids defender Julien Baudet was lying on the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, his wrist and hand pointing one way, his forearm pointing another.

University of Denver freshman Nathan Sackeyfio tries to strip the ball from Stanford's T.J. Novak on Saturday at the practice fields at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Pioneers won the exhibition 3-0. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Stanford University is one of the finest academic institutions in the world.

Lots of notes, many of them from Boulder. Let's get to 'em. ...

GOALKEEPER HONORED: University of Colorado senior goalkeeper Kara Linder was named the Big 12 defensive player of the week for games played Aug. 21-23, the conference office announced. Linder led Colorado to a 1-0 win over then-No.

Saturday's exhibition between the University of Denver men's soccer team and Stanford has been moved to the Colorado Rapids' practice field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The game time has been changed to 4:30 p.m., and admission will be free. Denver opens the regular season at the Duke Classic in Durham, N.

The Colorado Rapids will celebrate the newest addition to their Gallery of Honor during halftime of the team's match Aug. 30 against the Houston Dynamo.

Former Rapids captain John Spencer will have his name and number hung permanently inside Dick's Sporting Goods Park, becoming the fourth player in the Gallery of Honor.

A few Colorado fans might recognize goalkeeper Chris Sharpe, but the Rapids players certainly did on Saturday night. With Sharpe suited up for Chivas USA at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, many of the Rapids bumped fists or shook hands or patted him on the back as they passed the Goats' bench.

Sharpe's rights are owned by the Rapids, and he trains with the Rapids.

Rapids striker Conor Casey scored his ninth, 10th and 11th goals against Chivas USA on Saturday. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

When defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni scores, the Colorado Rapids need to make it count.

Rapids striker Omar Cummings kept Columbus defender Chad Marshall, right, off balance throughout Saturday's game — but couldn't find a goal for Colorado. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Call it yellow-and-black magic.

Nick LaBrocca celebrates scoring in the second half of the Rapids' 4-0 victory over New York on Saturday night in Commerce City. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Four players scored as the Colorado Rapids poured water on a drowning team, dousing the New York Red Bulls 4-0 on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

Chicago's Wilman Conde, left, heads in the winning goal over the head of Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura and beyond the reach of goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
(photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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The game was a dud, and so were the fireworks.

Ugo Ihemelu of the Rapids nearly scored on a corner kick in the 81st minute, when the Rapids were trailing FC Dallas 1-0. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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There seemed to be no end to the goal-scoring chances the Colorado Rapids created on Wednesday night.

Force midfielder Maggie Doe, right, closes in on NY/NJ Sky Blue striker Natasha Kai during the first half of their friendly on Wednesday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.Â
(photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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Mother Nature gave them lemons.

Today we'll take a look at the leading goal scorers for our two W-League teams in the state, the Real Colorado Cougars and the Colorado Force.

The Force has just reached the halfway point in its W-League season. Lisa Franke scored twice on Sunday to give the team its first victory, a 2-0 decision over Los Angeles.

The Colorado Rapids will host Mexico's Club América at 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in an international friendly.

Club América, based in Mexico City, has captured 10 Primera División championships. Despite not being the oldest Mexican club, Club América has achieved more international glory than any other club from Mexicoand is tied with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich for the number of official international titles, with eight.

In the interests of openness, here's how I voted in the North American Soccer Reporters' balloting for week 14's top player:

PLAYER NAME: Omar Cummings, Colorado Rapids

SECOND: Fredy Montero, Seattle Sounders

COMMENTS:Â Omar had two goals and assisted on Colin Clark's score as the Rapids defeated D.

Omar Cummings slips an attempted tackle by D.C. United defender Greg Janicki en route to his first goal of the game Saturday night in Commerce City. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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The Rapids made an opponent pay.

Omar Cummings collected two goals and an assist, and goalkeeper Matt Pickens and the Colorado defense played a nearly flawless game in a 3-0 victory over D.

Shay Powell returned to action Wednesday after injuring her left knee against Real Colorado.
(photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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The Colorado Force hopes to extend its four-match unbeaten streak when it hosts the Los Angeles Legends at 7 p.

The Rapids and Ivan Guerrero have decided to go their separate ways.

The team announced Wednesday that it has terminated the contract of the midfielder-defender, who was acquired in a trade with D.C. United for Christian Gomez.

Guerrero had not played for the Rapids this season, and the team said the move was by mutual consent.

Conor Casey and the Colorado Rapids were stymied repeatedly by the goalkeeping of Seattle's Kasey Keller. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Had the Colorado Rapids known before Saturday's match that they'd score two goals against Seattle keeper Kasey Keller, they might've been ecstatic.

The Rapids have taken their official team photo for 2009, and the team will be selling it at home games.

Fans will be able to get their hands on the team poster, which features the photo on a thick-stock poster, starting Saturday.Â

Members of the Rapids Academy will be selling the team posters at all gates of the stadium at all games this season at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The Colorado Rapids have announced plans for a promotion revolving around the man of the match for home games.

The feature will allow fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park to vote via text message for who they believe should be the man of the match.

Starting at the 75th minute, fans will be asked to decide between three of the game's top players.

Rapids captain Pablo Mastroeni was not alone in his criticism of the referees in a 1-1 tie with the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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COMMERCE CITY — Los Angeles striker Landon Donovan and Rapids midfielder Colin Clark scored as the Galaxy and Colorado played to a 1-1 tie Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The starting lineups for Saturday night's fixture at Dick's Sporting Goods Park:

LOS ANGELES GALAXY

Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts

Defense: Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Gregg Berhalter,

Midfield: Chris Klein, Stefani Miglioranzi, Dema Kovalenko, Eddie Lewis, Sean Franklin

Forward: Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon

Tonight's Galaxy starters: Donovan, Gordon, Lewis, Miglioranzi, Kovalenko, Franklin, Berhalter, Gonzalez, Dunivant, Ricketts

COLORADO RAPIDS

Goalkeeper: Preston Burpo

Defense: Ugo Ihemelu, Jordan Harvey, Kosuke Kimura, Scott Palguta

Midfield: Pablo Mastroeni, Colin Clark, Mehdi Ballouchy and TERRY COOKE!

University of Denver fullback Blake Shannon tackles the ball away from Colorado Rapids midfielder
Nico Colaluca in the first half Tuesday in Commerce City. (George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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It would be difficult to discuss Tuesday afternoon's scrimmage between the University of Denver men's soccer team and the Colorado Rapids reserves without discussing the red cards.

                                         (Photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

As the Rapids prepare for their second home game of the season on Saturday, we look at attendance totals at Major League Soccer home openers for each year of the Colorado Rapids franchise.