Madison Radicals Begin Playoffs on Saturday

The Madison Radicals finished their first season with a record of 13-3, and have earned a home game in the American Ultimate Disc League playoffs.

The Radicals host the Indianapolis AlleyCats at Breese Stevens Field in Madison on July 27 at 12:00 p.m.

It will be Madison's first game in nearly two weeks, when the Radicals closed the regular season with a 25-23 win over the AlleyCats. The team overcame the loss of a player to a broken foot and high temperatures in that game. 

“It was really hot. People were tired. We've had a little rash of injuries,” Radicals coach Tim DeByl said. “But it was good. We finished really well.”

He believes his team is ready for the playoffs. The Radicals beat the AlleyCats three times this season, but never by more than four points. 

DeByl said that the playoffs will be challenging, but he is confident that the Radicals will perform well.

“All the games are going to be close,” DeByl says. “I'm hopeful. I think we're the best team, to be honest.”

Madison fans seem to believe the same thing. Through the season, DeByl has seen growing support for the team, and he is planning some pre-playoff events to celebrate with fans, but wanted to clear the last games of the season before organizing anything.

“It seems like it's grown a little bit, and it's been really good. It's been an awesome experience for everybody,” DeByl says. “People wear the shirts around town. People come to talk to you. It's really cool like that.”

Saturday's winner will earn a trip to Chicago to take on the Windy City Wildfire in the Western Conference Final as part of the AUDL's Championship Weekend (Aug 3-4).  The Eastern Conference playoffs see Philadelphia play New York this weekend for the right to take on Toronto in Chicago next weekend's Eastern Conference Finals. Those winners will meet Aug. 4 for the league championship.