Written By: Ryan Baker, Journalist
It’s time to right the ship, however that comes as no easy task for the Minnesota Wind Chill when they travel to Breese Stevens Field to play the Madison Radicals on May 24.
It’s a game that is in the spotlight for a multitude of reasons. First, it’s a border battle game. Second, it is being played in one of the most iconic UFA stadiums in the league. Third, it’s Madison’s home opener for the 2024 season. Finally, and the most important, it’s a Super Series game featured free on YouTube.
This will be the first of three Super Series matchups that Minnesota is featured in, and head coach Ben Feldman is stoked to be able to have that opportunity. Not only because of the amount of Super Series games, but with the first one being such a big matchup.
“The whole intention of the Super Series is to showcase the best teams in the best venues with the best matchups. The games we’ve had within the last couple of years against Madison, and in Breese have been pretty remarkable. They’re always close and really competitive. We need to feature the best experiences, the best games, that’s the whole intention of this offering and campaign. The ultimate goal is to get more eyeballs on what we offer, and hook them to follow our teams and games going forward, said Feldman.”
There will definitely be a ton of eyes on this game as the Wind Chill attempt to spoil their third home opener of the season. First it was Pittsburgh, then it was Chicago, and now Madison is on the docket. Coming from a few of their key players, playing at Breese Stevens is always a good time, but a hard time.
“In my experience, no stadium is harder to play in than Sea Foam. The conditions at Breese Stevens tend to be more favorable for the offense, but that is true for both teams. I expect the crowd to be extra rowdy this weekend with college nationals being in town, at the same time, which should make for a great atmosphere. We'll see who the out of town crowd is rooting for,” said Tristan Van de Moortele.
“We’re thankful to have these opportunities to play at Madison, because of the atmosphere that they create there, what the fans create there. Everyone is always so stoked to go play in this game every year,” said Feldman.
“The away games at Madison are always a highlight of the season. We know they play well at home, and the fans are a component of that. It’s loud, everyone’s adrenaline is high, and it’s going to be a battle. It’s always a great time, but you got to be mentally prepared for the highs and lows of the game with the added pressure of the venue and spotlight,” said Bret Bergmeier.
This matchup features two teams that play incredibly deep. The 20 guys that they each bring to the table have the chance to impact the game in a big way. For Minnesota, they see the return of one of their top guys in Dylan DeClerk after a two game absence, but will be without William Brandt, Sam Berglund, and Jordan Taylor. The mindset is about righting the ship, and getting back to Minnesota-branded frisbee.
“Walking away with a road win isn’t going to be an easy task this weekend. Everyone, including myself, knows the mistakes we made this past weekend against Pittsburgh, and knows that we can compete at a higher level. Righting the ship at Madison is going to mean playing composed, running our systems, and being prepared for the grind,” said Bergmeier.
The mistakes made against Pittsburgh in their home opener were self-inflicted. On top of correcting those, it is a short turnaround to travel into enemy territory. Feldman had a focus this week of internalizing, and wanting to mitigate those wounds.
“I think it will be similar to when we played Chicago. Remembering that the game is four quarters long. Whether we are up or down early, keeping our foot on the gas will be critical in the first few quarters to make the fourth quarter ours,” said Van de Moortele.
We are only a few weeks into the season with tough games ahead of both of these teams, but the result of this marquee matchup could be the difference come the end of year standings. With a win Minnesota will take over the lead in the Central Division, but with a loss they would drop a game and a half behind Madison.
“A win would mean a lot, especially after dropping our home opener. This is a big game for us. We have to get the team back on track. We got some really tough games ahead. We can’t afford to be dropping games with where we want to be, come the end of the season. I think a win would give a lot of confidence back to the team, and there’s no shortage of motivation there,” said Feldman.
The Wind Chill having success against Madison in recent history is an understatement. While a lot of the games have come down to the wire, dating back to 2021, they are 8-1 in the last nine games against the Radicals. Of those nine games, five have been played in Breese Stevens and the Wind Chill have walked out of those with a 4-1 record. We will see if trends continue, and Minnesota can get back on track.
“It’s really important for us to take care of business on Friday in Madison, going into the holiday and a bye week. It’s go time,” said Feldman.
Anyone can watch the border battle between Madison and Minnesota for FREE on YouTube this upcoming Friday, May 24, at 7 p.m. CDT. Click here! You can also head to the official watch party at Pocket Square Cocktail Lounge to catch the action with fellow Wind Chills and win prizes during the game!
