2018 American Ultimate Disc League season facts for kids

The 2018 American Ultimate Disc League season was the seventh year for this exciting ultimate frisbee league. The Madison Radicals team won the championship, which was their very first win! A player named Rowan McDonnell from the DC Breeze team was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) after the season.

What Happened Before the Season?

Before the 2018 season, one team, the Vancouver Riptide, stopped playing. They planned to move to Portland, Oregon and join the league again in 2019. Also, a sports TV channel called Stadium became the new broadcast partner for the AUDL. This meant they would show one game live each week. They also showed all three games during the big Championship Weekend.

How the Regular Season Played Out

The regular season was full of exciting games. Teams played against others in their division to earn a spot in the playoffs. Here are some of the key games from each week:

Week 1: Kicking Off the Season

• On March 31, the Indianapolis AlleyCats beat the Detroit Mechanix 24 to 12.
• The Raleigh Flyers won against the Tampa Bay Cannons with a score of 27 to 22.

Week 2: More Action on the Field

• On April 7, the Seattle Cascades had a close win against the Minnesota Wind Chill, 29 to 28.
• The Los Angeles Aviators showed their strength, beating the San Diego Growlers 30 to 17.
• The Madison Radicals defeated the Indianapolis AlleyCats 20 to 13.

Week 3: Teams Battle It Out

• On April 14, the Chicago Wildfire won against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds 20 to 15.
• The Toronto Rush had a good game, beating the New York Empire 18 to 14.
• The Dallas Roughnecks won a close game against the Los Angeles Aviators 20 to 17 on April 15.

Week 4: Big Wins and Close Calls

• On April 21, the Madison Radicals had a huge win against the Detroit Mechanix, 27 to 12.
• The New York Empire beat the Ottawa Outlaws 28 to 16.
• The Los Angeles Aviators won against the San Jose Spiders 25 to 16 on April 22.

Week 5: Mid-Season Highlights

• On April 27, the Austin Sol won against the Raleigh Flyers 25 to 23.
• The Montreal Royal had a high-scoring game, beating the Ottawa Outlaws 35 to 33 on April 28.
• The Indianapolis AlleyCats won against the Chicago Wildfire 25 to 21.

Week 6: Intense Competition

• On May 5, the Madison Radicals had a tight win against the Minnesota Wind Chill, 20 to 19.
• The Los Angeles Aviators won a high-scoring game against the San Jose Spiders 33 to 31.
• The Indianapolis AlleyCats beat the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds 27 to 18 on May 6.

Week 7: Dominant Performances

• On May 12, the Minnesota Wind Chill won big against the Detroit Mechanix, 34 to 17.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Austin Sol 27 to 23.
• On May 13, the Madison Radicals had their biggest home win of the season, scoring 37 goals to the Detroit Mechanix's 8!

Week 8: Playoff Race Heats Up

• On May 19, the Madison Radicals defeated the Chicago Wildfire 24 to 16.
• The Toronto Rush won against the DC Breeze 33 to 20.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Atlanta Hustle 26 to 21 on May 20.

Week 9: Key Matchups

• On May 26, the Toronto Rush won against the Philadelphia Phoenix 28 to 23.
• The Raleigh Flyers beat the Madison Radicals 24 to 16.
• The Indianapolis AlleyCats won against the Chicago Wildfire 26 to 22.

Week 10: Final Push for Playoffs

• On June 2, the Toronto Rush won against the Montreal Royal 24 to 20.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Nashville NightWatch 31 to 21.
• The Los Angeles Aviators won against the San Francisco FlameThrowers 23 to 19 on June 3.

Week 11: Division Showdowns

• On June 8, the Madison Radicals had a close win against the Minnesota Wind Chill, 20 to 17.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Austin Sol 19 to 17 on June 9.

Week 12: End of Regular Season Nears

• On June 16, the Madison Radicals won against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds 25 to 21.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Atlanta Hustle 24 to 20.
• On June 17, the Indianapolis AlleyCats had a close win against the Madison Radicals, 21 to 20.

Week 13: Last Games for Some Teams

• On June 23, the Toronto Rush won against the DC Breeze 28 to 21.
• The Los Angeles Aviators beat the San Jose Spiders 27 to 18.
• The Indianapolis AlleyCats had a huge win against the Detroit Mechanix, 40 to 20.

Week 14: Final Regular Season Games

• On June 30, the Madison Radicals won against the Indianapolis AlleyCats 26 to 17.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Austin Sol 29 to 25.
• On July 1, the Los Angeles Aviators won against the San Francisco FlameThrowers 28 to 21.

Week 15: Wrapping Up the Season

• On July 7, the Toronto Rush won against the Montreal Royal 28 to 24.
• The Dallas Roughnecks beat the Tampa Bay Cannons 21 to 18.
• On July 8, the Tampa Bay Cannons had the lowest scoring game of the season, beating the Austin Sol 7 to 6.

Week 16: Final Standings Decided

• On July 14, the Madison Radicals won against the Chicago Wildfire 27 to 24.
• The Indianapolis AlleyCats beat the Minnesota Wind Chill 26 to 16.
• The Los Angeles Aviators lost to the San Diego Growlers 21 to 34.

Who Made the Playoffs?

After all the regular season games, teams were ranked in their divisions. The top teams moved on to the playoffs.

East Division Standings

Midwest Division Standings

South Division Standings

West Division Standings

The Playoff Journey

The best teams from each division moved on to the playoffs. This is where the competition really heated up!

Divisional Playoff Games

These games decided which teams would play in the Divisional Finals.

Divisional Final Games

The winners of these games earned a spot in the big Championship Weekend!

Championship Weekend VII: The Grand Finale

The most exciting part of the season was Championship Weekend VII. It was held in Madison, Wisconsin at Breeze Stevens Field on August 11 and 12, 2018.

Semifinal Games

The top four teams played in the semifinals to see who would make it to the championship game.

The Championship Game

The final game was played on August 12.

The Madison Radicals won their very first championship! It was extra special because they won it right in front of their home crowd in Madison. What an amazing way to end the season!