Ryan Baker 

This Friday, the Madison Radicals host the Indianapolis AlleyCats with a chance to clinch the Central’s second seed and secure a home playoff game.

This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams, coming a week after Madison handled the AlleyCats 21-17. It gives Madison a chance to sweep the AlleyCats in dramatic fashion. These teams have met four times in four separate seasons, including 2026, and this would be Madison’s first 4-0 finish since 2013.

It’s been an odd series between the two this season because Indy has fielded a different active 20 in every game, with major changes each time. In the first and third games, they were down some heavy hitters, but in the second game, they were near their best in terms of the names on paper, which will match Friday’s game.

“Their roster has been so variant that in a lot of ways it’s a different team every time, which makes it seem less like the same team four times,” said Head Coach Jacob Spiro.

This time it’s Madison who is seeing the most change in their lineup. There will be no Luke Marks or Kyle Conniff, plus Kainoa Chun-Moy, Sterling Knoche, and Mitchell McCarthy will all be game-time decisions. If all three of those guys can’t go, it wouldn’t provide much change compared to the last couple of weeks, but it still would be a big hit to the D-line.

The two headlines in terms of player returns are Victor Luo, who returns after a one-game absence, and Mac Weber, who has returned from injury and will make his season debut. Weber will be able to provide some relief to the battered D-line with his length and ability to lay out.

“We are focused on being at our very best for the playoffs,” said Spiro. “That only happens if we build every game between now and then, win or lose on Friday.”

It’s expected that the Free Friday Night Frisbee game will be just as close as Madison’s first two one-point victories.

“Each game is a test to be a better version of our team than the previous week,” Luo remarked. “There’s still so much to work on, regardless of our opponent. It’s exciting to see how the Cats adapt to those previous losses, and in turn, what we can do to combat those adjustments.”

The three biggest themes in this series have been breaks, turnovers, and blocks. While the numbers aren’t lopsided, one hold or break has decided these games. Madison has 10 fewer turnovers than Indy, seven more blocks, and six more breaks.

“There’s always lots of energy and banter in our games with Indy; I’d expect the same this time,” Max Sample said. “We’ll be prepared to come out firing and expect some physicality; it’s something we’re okay with. When it comes time to grind and fight for a possession, I have faith in our guys to get it done.”

Madison plays the game of possession, so turnovers and blocks help them chew clock in the handler set, and it’s been tough on Indy in the second half to get the disc back from Madison’s O-line.

Additionally, Madison’s O-line has been playing solid defense. After a turn, they force an error or get a block, resulting in a dirty hold. If the Radicals struggle in that area, their first loss to the AlleyCats could be inbound. The powerhouse in that aspect has been Pieran Robert, with his 12 blocks leading the team and serving as a primary offensive weapon.

This is also a game of building momentum for Madison. While they are in a great position to secure the second seed even if they lose, they want to keep leveling up.

“The game plan will probably stay the same,” said Luo. “We haven’t shown that we can execute it at 100 percent, so we need to continue to build and get better at the fundamentals like defensive positioning and marking to allow us to reach that 100 percent goal.”

The Radicals are focusing on the bigger picture. They have done well at not getting too high or too low after games or even during them. They know the work doesn’t stop even if they come out on top on Friday.

“It’s great to have a home crowd, but it’s not the main driver,” Sample said. “The best way to hit our ceiling and goals for the year is to win every game in front of us, and that’s the focus. We know we’re likely to see this team again in the first round, so there’s no relief yet.”

To buy tickets for Friday’s game at Breese Stevens Field at 7 p.m. CT, go here!