Ryan Baker, Journalist
Will the streak continue for the Madison Radicals? Madison is looking for their fifth win in a row for a chance to return to championship weekend for the first time since 2018.
The matchup against the Minnesota Wind Chill takes place this Saturday night at Sea Foam Stadium, with the Central Division Championship hanging in the balance. The energy is going to be electric, as Madison faithfuls travel incredibly well, and they won’t miss a chance to see their team take down the favorite in this game. Madison wasn’t expected to be in this spot for the 2024 season, which relieves some of the pressure heading into this game.
“It feels like an unexpected opportunity coming off a 4-8 season. I think we will feel a lot less pressure in this game than they do. We're going to be the underdog, and we like playing the underdog role,” said head coach Tim DeByl.
This Madison team couldn’t be riding higher after finishing the season 8-4 after a 4-8 season last year. Additionally, they are on a four-game win streak that included a double overtime win in the first round of the playoffs against the Chicago Union a couple weeks back. It’s taken a certain level of focus for this young team to prevail through adversity, and veteran Victor Luo knows that more than anyone.
“Commitment and mental fortitude. In the past couple of games that we’ve won big, we’ve really committed to the game plan that the coaches have put together. In our last win against Chicago, we really displayed mental fortitude in coming back and pushing through a deficit and adverse conditions. If we can continue the commitment and mental toughness, we definitely have a good chance of getting back to Championship Weekend,” said Luo.
Even with the right mindset, what sits in front of this young team is a Minnesota squad that has had their number in recent years, especially at Sea Foam. The Radicals have dropped the last six away matchups to the Wind Chill.
“Sea Foam has been a problem for us since they moved there. We know what we need to do there. We've been close plenty of times. We're just going to try and close it out this time. It’s us putting together a complete game on both sides of the disc,” said DeByl. “I think it's going to be a great atmosphere. Their fans have gone up year after year, and it's become a really great venue.”
The Radicals will be bringing their best after a physical first round of the playoffs, other than one of their offensive workhorses in Pat Shriwise. Shriwise went down early in the Chicago game and won’t be able to suit up for the Central Division Championship. We will see if the Radicals offense can settle in early and be comfortable without, arguably, their biggest safety blanket on the team.
“I think the key is our turnovers. We have had significantly less turnovers these last four games that we've won in a row. I think our defense has been playing significantly better, like extremely better. We’ve got to hold every single time, and we’ve got to get as many breaks as we can and take advantage of their turnovers,” said Anthony Gutowsky.
Gutowsky nailed it on the head. The offense is going to be the difference-maker in this game for the Radicals. If they want to walk out with a win, their offense needs to stay consistent and not give up easy turnovers. They are in the bottom third in the league when it comes to hold percentage and O-line conversion rate. In the last game between these two at Sea Foam, Madison had 24 turnovers, an O-line conversion rate of 44%, and just three breaks.
“It’s a much different environment than Breese, especially with the way that they pull the disc. There is no backstop behind the end zones so our pull fielders will need to be on top of our game to get our offense a good start. That being said, both teams are playing on the same field, and they’re working through the same conditions. We’ve played there enough that it should not come as a surprise or shock when parts of the stadium bare their teeth during the game,” said Luo.
It will be interesting to note if the inexperience of the Radicals in big moments will affect them. This is an incredibly young team with a lot of guys who made their playoff debut versus Chicago this year. Not being able to keep their foot on the gas could be an issue for this squad, but leading goal-scorer and second-year player Gutowsky feels as if this team has finally molded into a contender.
“Last year we had a lot of new players coming in, and, especially for me, it was a whole different experience playing in the pros. Now that we've all played with each other for a year, the team has not changed much since last year. I feel like the chemistry is just there. People have grounded very well. We all enjoy playing with each other,” said Gutowsky.
There are a ton of variables for this game when it comes to Madison. Can they stay locked in for four quarters? Can their offense keep up what they’ve been doing? Can they handle the home crowd of the Wind Chill? Will being at home the last four weeks be a detriment? Can their league-leading defense keep up with a stout Minnesota O-line?
Those are only a few of the questions in this journey back to championship weekend for the Radicals. However, we do know that this team is rolling and feels as confident as ever.
“It's been electric. Everyone is supporting the team as much as they can. Everyone's hyped up. I know it's the first time I've ever been in the playoffs. I can't wait to put on that away Jersey again for the first time in four games,” said Gutowsky. “It would be awesome if we can go to Salt Lake City and really show the teams there how the Central Division is no joke, and that the Radicals are a force to be reckoned with.”
To watch the first-ever playoff matchup between the Radicals and Wind Chill, click here!
