In their last game against Madison Radicals, the Indianapolis AlleyCats (9-2) have something worth fighting for: home field advantage in the playoffs and Midwest Division season title.
Last time the AlleyCats faced the Radicals, Indy came out victorious with a 21-20. John Jones, who led the team in Ds in their last game against Madison, said this game is the game of the year.
“We are going to be missing some guys, but if we believe in one another and compete for all four quarters, we can prove to the American Ultimate Disc League that we aren’t just happy to be here,” Jones said. “We are a serious threat to the Midwest.”
If the AlleyCats win this game, it will have home-field advantage and will claim its second MD crown. Head coach Eric Leonard said his team is focused on two aspects of their game and not the added pressure.
“We’re focused on what we can control; working hard and playing good ultimate,” Leonard. “Hopefully, the players can forget about the stakes and simply play hard.”
That’s what Jones and the rest of the team are hoping to do.
“We just have to bring the same level of focus and intensity that we had when we played them at Grand Park Events Center,” Jones said. “Then magnify that by two, since we’re without our fans.”
WHAT THE RADICALS BRING TO THE GAME
After a week of preparation, the Madison Radicals (9-2) look to win their fifth consecutive MD crown. In its last game against Indy, Dave Wiseman led the team with five goals. Victor Luo threw four assists in the game. On defense, three players each had one D.
This time around, Jones said the team needs to rely on their speed.
“We need to run our system,” Jones said. “When we play our game we are a tough team to beat and it shows on both ends of the disc. When we are winning with our legs instead of relying on throwing, we have a good chance to beat anyone.”
This AUDL “Game of the Week” is at 7 p.m. on June 30 at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, Wisconsin.
Patrick Murphy 