In terms of roster construction, there might not be two teams more different than Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and Forward Madison FC.

For the Hailstorm, an eye for emerging talent has become a hallmark for Head Coach Eamon Zayed and his staff, giving players who might not otherwise have found a spot in the professional ranks their break.

For the Flamingos, a foundation of experienced heads has been central to Head Coach Matt Glaeser’s turnaround of side that was the toast of the league off the field but went three seasons without a playoff appearance on it before his arrival.

So, what – and who – might make the difference when these teams square off in the 2024 USL Jagermeister Cup Final this Saturday night at 4Rivers Construction Stadium (9 p.m. ET | ESPN+)?

Let’s break it down.

The Teams by the Numbers

The simplest way to look at the two sides is through their lineups for the Semifinals two weeks ago. The Hailstorm’s lineup – while slightly above its overall average squad age – sat at an average of 25.4 years old and had only two players aged 28 years old or over. The Flamingos? Their average age at kickoff was 27.7 years old, and seven players were at least 28 years old.

How about this, too? Over the full Jägermeister Cup tournament, seven players have seen action for the Hailstorm who are younger than the youngest ‘Mingo to feature – Wolfgang Prentice, who will be 24 years, 156 days old when the Final arrives on Saturday. That group of seven includes three breakout stars we’ll get to in a minute for Northern Colorado.

The Flamingos’ experience, meanwhile, is reflected in the number of seasons its players have racked up in their careers. Led by goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann – currently in his 12th campaign – the Flamingos prospective lineup averages 6.9 seasons of experience, with Prentice currently in his fourth campaign as a pro at the bottom of the scale.

By comparison, there are four Hailstorm players with three or fewer seasons of professional experience, while the side averages 5.7 seasons of experience overall – a number skewed by veterans Billy King and Enock Kwakwa, each in their 13th campaigns.

Breakout Stars vs. Established Veterans

Go deeper into the individual numbers, and the split between the contributors that have powered their teams to the final becomes clearer. Here are three players that have grabbed the spotlight for each side who also serve as avatars for the club’s broader philosophy.