Ryan Baker

It feels like the Madison Radicals and Indianapolis AlleyCats have played each other nonstop this year, and that’s not far from the truth. For the fifth time in 2026, they’ll meet in a must-win playoff game with a shot at the divisional championship on August 8.

Madison won three out of four games against the AlleyCats this season, so they get home-field advantage for Sunday afternoon’s matchup. Both teams just wrapped up their regular seasons with 1-1 records in doubleheader weekends.

The Radicals D-line is going to be the deciding factor in this one. Last time these two played, Madison suffered their worst loss in franchise history, mainly because they failed to convert a single break. The defense also produced only four blocks, but it’s a game in the past for the Radicals.

“We really struggled last game against them playing tight man defense when a cutter would clear deep,” Anthony Gutowsky said. “It wouldn’t look like they are making a viable cut, but because [Jake] Felton or [Elliot] Hawkins have the disc, they can put up a throw that goes right over our defenders.”

Since then, Madison has put their own 30-ball up on Pittsburgh, beat Chicago, and lost to Minnesota. As for Indy, they’ve beaten Pittsburgh twice and got dismantled by Toronto since the historic performance. Surely, the Radicals will have some motivation to erase that memory from their fans’ minds.

“It seems like we play them every week,” Head Coach Jacob Spiro said. “Five times is a lot. It’s just another game at this point.”

They’ll also have the personnel on their side for this one. The only notable players not suiting up for the playoff game are Luke Marks and Donte Buckingham, with a chance of Victor Luo, who is listed as questionable. The AlleyCats can’t say the same. William Wettengel and Sofiène Bontemps, who were menaces in their last matchup, and Jonathan Mast won’t be playing.

“It’ll be about remaining focused through the game,” Spiro said. “We lost focus once we got down last time and the wheels came off. The time before at home we got down but remained resilient and came back to win.”

Even with those guys out, Madison will have to be at the top of their game. That includes the dominator staying consistent, role players not committing costly turnovers, and not letting Indy’s shooters manipulate the game. If this game turns into a shootout, it could be a very dangerous outcome for the Radicals.

“The defense really needs to prioritize when [Jake] Felton and [Elliot] Hawkins have the disc,” Gutowsky said. “I feel like if every defender on the field knows when those two have the disc, we can really lock in on help defense in deep space and be aware that a disc might be going up.”

Another big factor in this game will be how Madison succeeds in the red zone. In the previous blowout, Madison was 76 percent in the red zone, which is the worst mark they’ve had in the four games. The Radicals will need to step it up because it has been an area that has cost them games, as they are a bottom-ten team in the category.

“The team's mentality is realizing that the regular season is over and both us and Indy are 0-0,” Ian McCosky said. “Playoffs are a different intensity, so we’re preparing for that.”

Two guys, from either side of the disc, who can change the trajectory of the game are Eric Sjostrom and Gutowsky. Here’s the thing: guys like McCosky, Nico Ranabhat, Gabe Vordick, and Pieran Robert are going to get theirs. However, if Sjostrom can find holes downfield to let some shots fly, and Gutowsky can utilize his two-way talent and challenge more deep balls from a team that sends it deep the most, it could be the difference on Sunday.

Getting the crowd involved early will also play to Madison’s success. If they can avoid a slump out of the gate and give the fans something to cheer about, it will give them a much-needed boost if Indy were to go on a quick run.

“The crowd is such a vital piece for our success,” McCosky said. “Keeping them involved and pumped up is definitely going to be a priority.”

Madison has history on their side—they’re 7-0 in home playoff games, not counting Championship Weekend. If they win again, they’ll earn a trip to play the Wind Chill in Minnesota in a couple of weeks.

To buy tickets to the playoff game at Breese Stevens Field on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT, go here!

To watch the game, go here!