Game 1 Indy vs Madison Recap
Author: Ryan Baker
Photos: SEDIII Productions
Despite the outcome, the Indianapolis AlleyCats showed they will be a dangerous team this season in their season opener against the Madison Radicals. The home and season opener for the AlleyCats was a high-intensity, back-and-forth matchup in which neither team held more than a 2-point lead.
Indy suffered a disappointing one-point loss, 18-19, after leading most of the third quarter. However, the outcome highlighted the team’s high potential. Most of the 20 players had never played together in a UFA game, and several top players were missing.
“At our best, I believe this is a championship team,” Branson said. “Losing the first game of the year doesn’t take away from the fact that we have a locker room full of studs who are capable of winning a whole lot of games this year. Our best will beat anyone in the league, and we didn’t play our best last night. I’m excited for when we do!”
The AlleyCats started shakily, with a drop and a stall. They quickly ironed out their issues, capitalizing on Madison’s mistakes. Max Squires connected with Avi Ghitterman for the AlleyCats’ first score of 2026.
“I was happy we didn’t turn on each other when things got tough,” Head Coach Nathan Bussberg said. “No one is happy with a Loss. However, if we can learn from all of the mistakes we made and improve on them, our trajectory is upward. We're a brand new team, new systems, and new structure. We're all still learning how to compete together.”
It was an aggressive game from the start. Bodies were flying around, smack talk was happening, and fouls were being called on nearly every point. Indy gained momentum when William Wettengel threw a huck to James Pollard and Kai Creed. Creed pulled it down over two Radical defenders to score his first career UFA goal.
That play ignited another break by the AlleyCats, tying the game at four at the end of the first quarter. The emotion continued in the second quarter when Nate Little reached over Anthony Gutowsky and set up a Seth Gudeman goal, resulting in a celebration right in the face of his defender.
It was haymaker after haymaker from there. Jake Felton threw a full field huck to Jeremiah Branson, giving Indy a one-point lead at halftime. After the break, the AlleyCats appeared more refined. Wettengel connected with Cameron Brock for a goal that put them up by two, but Madison clawed back.
Branson returned the favor to Felton, tossing him an incredible layout goal to retake the lead for the AlleyCats. The next point featured back-to-back turnovers that produced a Creed to Gudeman score, pushing their lead back up to two.
Foul calls kept either team from finding a true groove, but at the end of the third quarter, Indy saw themselves up 14-12. The highlight plays continued for Indy as Wettengel made a possession-saving catch, then darted an assist to Felton, who toe-tapped the score in the back of the end zone.
A floaty disc ended in a Madison block during the fourth quarter, which allowed Madison to tie the game. Both teams traded points until Jack Havey scored with 51 seconds left, tying the game at 18. However, a crucial foul call on the second-to-last point gave Madison the opportunity to take the lead with barely any time remaining.
As time ran out, Wettengel’s flick huck was batted down by the Radicals, ending the game. The AlleyCats start the season 0-1, but this was a solid benchmark, showing flashes of a team poised to be a force as the season progresses.
“It was a strange game,” Branson stated. “At moments, you saw the potential and how good we can be this year, and at other moments, it felt obvious that our group hadn’t played games together. The thing I am most proud of, though, is our attitudes and how we responded to the things happening in the game.”
While the star-studded defense only produced eight blocks on the night, the AlleyCat offense was the brightest spot, shooting a near-perfect on hucks, led by Felton, Wettengel, and Branson.
Wettengel debut on offense had a game-high seven assists, more than double the next player, and a game-high 568 total yards. Branson tallied three assists, one goal, and one massive layout block in his return to Indy. Felton made impressive plays, putting his body on the line and earning one assist and two goals. Finally, Brock led the team in goals with four on the night.
“It felt so great being back in Indy,” said Branson. “Obviously, I have seen a lot of my teammates from previous years throughout the preseason, but it was so awesome to see former players and fans that I haven’t seen in a long time at the game.”
The biggest emphasis for Bussberg was his team's ability to fight through adversity and rally around one another. Even with the loss, this team demonstrated impressive resilience and unity.
“I feel like we responded to adversity well. I truthfully expected this type of game,” Bussberg stated. “Madison showed maturity, experience, and cohesion in the final quarter, and we showed that we’re a new team.”
Now, anticipation builds for an even tougher matchup as the AlleyCats host the Minnesota Wind Chill this weekend.
“We’re a brand new team, so I’d say the biggest focus is to keep learning from each other,” said Bussberg. “Minnesota is a title contender. Time to see where we stack up. And, if we get beat, can we remain together and trust the process?”
Watch the game highlights here!
