In a game that some would compare to David versus Goliath, the Indianapolis AlleyCats came out and defeated the Madison Radicals, 21-20, ending a 16-game losing-streak.
HOW THE ALLEYCATS WON
With under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the AlleyCats had marched straight up the field and stalled right before the goal line. Then with one minute and ten seconds and back at midfield, Travis Carpenter threw a hammer (a throw over the head) into the back of the end zone to Levi Jacobs. On this drive, the AlleyCats took two minutes and 54 seconds off of the clock. The score was 20-19.
The Radicals were down to just one minute and eight seconds. After the pull, Peter Graffy sprinted towards the open field and caught the disc. Then, Graffy threw a deep pass down the field to Colin Camp. Tied up at 20.
With Fifty-four seconds left in the game, the AlleyCats have the disc. After the pull, the AlleyCats move the disc around. Then, Keegan North made a leaping catch to have the AlleyCats closer to the end zone. After North caught the disc, he threw it on the right-side of the end zone where Carpenter made a jumping catch into the end zone. After catching the winning score, Carpenter said he felt like the game was sealed.
“We already seemed to be in control, and that just felt like the dagger that finished it off,” Carpenter said. “I knew we had them at that point.”
This was the first time in franchise history that they AlleyCats beat Radicals. Leonard said this win “sends a statement.”
“It’s more than just notching another win,” Leonard said. “Beating Madison gives us a huge boost of confidence going down the home stretch and into the playoffs. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
ANOTHER PLAYER JOINS AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB
Though beating the Radicals is one major achievement for the AlleyCats, Rick Gross joined the 100 goals, 100 Ds and 100 assists club with two Ds, two assists and four goals in the game. Carpenter said, “it was pretty awesome to witness.”
“It feels good to say that we have two of the only four people to achieve it on one team,” Carpenter said.
Gross joins Carpenter as the only two current AlleyCats that have joined the 100-100-100 club. Head coach Eric Leonard said, “Gross has had a great career so far.”
“He’s an incredible player,” Leonard said. “I’m happy for him that he got to join the very exclusive 100-100-100 club in front of our home crowd.”
Gross joins four other AlleyCats that have joined the 100-100-100 club.
The next home game is at 7 p.m. on June 23 against Detroit Mechanix at Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana.
Patrick Murphy 