Ryan Baker

The Madison Radicals went to Pittsburgh this past Friday and handily beat the Thunderbirds 21-17.

The Radicals showcased their dominator-heavy offense, with handlers carrying the disc upfield until midfield. The approach still needs polish: Madison had four dirty holds in the first half, meaning the O-line scored on second-chance opportunities.

“As always, the offense is a work in progress,” Head Coach Jacob Spiro said. “We have some good things going, but building continuity in an O-line takes time and repetition, so I’m hopeful we will improve as the season wears on.”

While the Radicals' offensive approach can be worrisome and potentially tiring, Madison managed it well by rotating players. Different combinations of Kainoa Chun-Moy, Gabe Vordick, Ian McCosky, Eric Sjostrom, and Pieran Robert kept the offense fresh. Although most players could step into these roles, those five were the main contributors against Pittsburgh.

The first quarter unfolded as a back-and-forth battle. Pittsburgh gained the edge by breaking Madison’s offense on the third point, but Madison responded and tied the game. Luke Marks suited up for this one and immediately showed his defensive skill, making a poach block that led to a Victor Luo and Sterling Knoche connection, tying the score at three.

Momentum shifted in the second quarter, favoring the Radicals. A key block on a huck from Knoche set up a Nico Ranabhat to Robert connection for the lead. Although Pittsburgh answered with a score, they managed only two more before halftime. Madison extended their lead to 9-7 with two additional breaks, fueled by blocks from Knoche and Kelsen Alexander.

Poach blocks consistently created short fields and quick goals for Madison. Though risky, Madison has refined this defensive scheme over time.

“Poach blocks are part of our defensive system, but they only happen when the whole team is doing the right things,” Alexander said. “We set double teams at good times, and had players taking away the first and second reset looks.”

One of the tougher moments for the Radicals came late in the first half, when Mitchell McCarthy had a massive layout block that had just enough air under it for Pittsburgh to toe-tap it into the back of the end zone.

Pittsburgh capitalized on cross-field back-corner goals. Defensively, forcing cross-field throws is ideal, as they're risky and difficult, but Pittsburgh found success. Their huck-heavy game ended 8/14, a risk Madison wanted them to take.  

“It felt like at times that was Pittsburgh’s best option, but that's also the risk we want them to take,” Alexander stated. “I trust our guys to make plays and welcome hucks against us. Not to mention, if we can get a help defender to join the pack. Our D-lines are looking incredibly strong.”

Despite Pittsburgh’s earlier niche successes, the third quarter marked the turning point as the game opened up. A 5-1 run from the Radicals put the game out of reach. Robert played a crucial role during this run, blocking and scoring twice. In just two and a half quarters, he posted four goals, four blocks, and over 260 total yards.

Madison held a four-point lead after the third quarter. The fourth saw evenly matched teams, with six goals each, trading pairs of scores until the end.

“It always feels good to win,” said Spiro. “That said, it’s a long season, and we are only in the beginning of it, so there is still a lot for us to do.”

Individually, everyone contributed to the Radicals' win. Their big names, like Ranabhat and Anthony Gutowsky, had a phenomenal game together. Ranabhat had six assists, four of which went to Gutowsky, and Gutowsky tacked on another five-goal game.

The veterans Alexander, Knoche, Luo, and Joshua Wilson haven’t lost a step, combining for seven assists, six goals, and four blocks. Even the younger guys like Donte Buckingham and rookie Arthur Carne played important roles in this one, shedding light on Madison's depth.

“Our depth is the strength of our team,” Spiro said. “The fact that we can have people missing or injured and have the players we are plugging into the lineup make plays consistently is a huge luxury.”

Madison’s offense took a step up in this one. Even against a weaker defensive team that was battling injuries, their decision-making and tendencies looked improved. They only had three huck attempts and held at a 63 percent rate.

“Starting 2-0 is good, but we're obviously hungry for more,” Alexander said. “We won, and that was the job, but no one is satisfied with our performance. Coach Spiro has been talking about how every game we're going to get better, and this isn't close to the best iteration of our team this year. This is a talented, hardworking, and hungry team. Next up is Minnesota, and that's a test I'm excited for.”

The Radicals home opener is May 31st vs the 3-0 Minnesota Wind Chill! Get tickets!