X-Factors For Division A

Hey everyone, I’m back with another article talking about the X-Factors for these talented Division A teams. The players that I’m about to talk about may not the first names when thinking of these teams or they might be in a new role but I believe that they can each play a key part towards a championship run. Before we get into it, let’s recap my predictions from Week 3.

Vultures vs Braves
Game Info: Sunday June 8, 11:00am, Loyola Maisonneuve, field 1

Prediction: Braves 45 – Vultures 39

Final Score: Braves 44 – Vultures 0

In last week’s article, I talked about the impact Ben McMahon and Samuel Omombo would need to have to have this game close. AJ Gomes, nominated as a reserve WR for Team Canada in their tournament in Los Angeles, stepping in at QB for Vultures. AJ did the best he could with a 67% completion rate but 4 INTs doesn’t help. The Braves capitalized as they scored on every drive, Jonathan Maheu throwing 18 for 20 and with 6TDs. Jeremy Murphy played a role, as predicted, with 4TDs, 3 INTs and a pick-6. For Vultures, it’s hard to evaluate while missing key players but putting up no points is still a shock. Shoutout to Sophie-Anne Caron who got to play with the Braves as she’s teammates with Emile Chateauvert and Gabriel-Charles Dabe Champagne in CO-ED 2.

The Infantry vs PartyCrashers
Game Info: Sunday June 8, 9:00pm, Laval field 1

Prediction: The Infantry 48 – PartyCrashers 38

Final Score: The Infantry 14 – PartyCrashers 55

Another game where I made my predictions anticipating the QB of one team would need to play a good game and they were absent. Phil Cutler, QB for KGP, one of the top 5v5 teams in Canada and FPF, took place for Kevin Wyeth. Partycrashers might’ve seen my previous article and decided to prove me wrong and if that was the plan, it worked. Jeanslee Alexis had a great game with 6TDs and 0 INT. Mendel Joseph, making a name for himself, played a huge part with 2TDs on offence and 3 INTs, returning two of them for scores. For Infantry, Rory Semerjian and Matt Bond each scored a TD but the offence wasn’t able to move consistently and defence weren’t able to contain Partycrashers.

X-Factors

Braves: Gabriel-Charles Dabe Champagne

With the Braves, it seems as if they have the perfect team. Their offence is flawless and they have playmakers on defence at every position. Champagne may be one of the newest Braves but he fits right in. He hasn’t played a near full season with Braves in 6v6 since Fall 2024 and I believe with a full season, he can connect with Maheu beautifully in Div A. The two-way player is always a matchup nightmare when at the line and even though the opposition might be eyeing Murphy first, Champagne can equally do damage if not being attended to on both sides of the ball.

Vultures: Anthony Drysdale

Vultures are an interesting team as they have a lot of players who have played together for a bit and slowly adding pieces in hopes of winning Div A. Drysdale is a WR who has played with McMahon over the years and has been a consistent target. Drysdale has great hands and even thought he might not lead the team in targets as I expect snapper Kevin Donnet to do so, Drysdale is able to stretch the field for McMahon as Vultures will need to keep up score for score with the best in Div A. Drysdale is also important on defence as with his high tackle numbers each season, yards are crucial as the 1st to midfield concept can be advantageous for Vultures if he can stop some drives himself.

The Jamesons: Adam Rosen

The Jamesons have a talented roster, however, only 4 players have played all 4 games. Some players might get to the five games for playoff eligibility but without a consistent roster throughout the season, will this come back to haunt them? Rosen has been playing for The Jamesons for a few seasons now and has been reliable. Having Daniel Mancini, Anthony Brisebois and Jordan Panetta definitely helps QB Jeff Rosenblatt on a game-to-game basis and I believe if Rosen can be a consistent piece on both sides of the ball, it will open the offence for The Jamesons. On defence, Rosen is always a threat when looking down the opposing QB and with INTs being sacred in Div A, I believe he can make a real impact down the road.

One Stop: Ryan McNally

One Stop is another team who had made the jump from Division 2 to Division A. They had a close victory against The Infantry but a major defeat towards Braves. For McNally, you’ll always know where he is on the field due to his vocality. He might not be the WR1 of a Michael Caparelli offence but when his name is called, he can deliver. On the defensive side is where One Stop would need him to excel. Ironically, One Stop would need to generate at least one stop a game to compete with these talented teams. It’s been a few seasons since McNally has had a dominant season on defence, stats-wise however, his impact is bigger than what the stats say. For One Stop to make it competitive, he would need to have to keep being a vocal leader and including some INTs for himself can further prove how good this defence can be.

PartyCrashers: Mendel Joseph

As I mentioned in my previous article, I believe PartyCrashers may be the most athletic team in all FPF. They have the talent to keep up on both sides of the ball with the best of them. I also believe with this roster, Joseph can be the key to PartyCrashers making a run. Being know as a great defender in FPF, Joseph can make plays that not many can. I’ve had the pleasure of watching him play at Concordia University and his tackle football IQ has translated well into FPF. For Joseph, if he can develop into a two-way star and key offensive option for Jeanslee Alexis, PartyCrashers can cause havoc later in the season. Joseph has always been a great secondary piece on offence but if he can make the leap into a top WR, this team can look at championship possibilities by the end of summer.

Idaho Udapimps: Brady Ohanessian

For Idaho Udapimps, they have playmakers all over the field. Whether it’s Manu Allard-Roy, Jerome Hovington, Danick Coulombe or Marvin Steinberg, this team has the capability to match with the best talents of Div A. What I think that can differentiate them from either being a first round exit or a contender is the play from their QB in Ohanessian. Ohanessian might not be the house hold name as a QB in Div A like his opposition but I do think he has the weapons on this team where if he can elevate his play and limit turnovers, the offence of Idaho Udapimps can achieve great things. I think their defence will soon adjust playing together and Ohanessian can also play a part in that.

The Infantry: Kevin Wyeth

Wyeth being an X-factor for a team in FPF, how does that happen? Well, being the QB with his accolades, him being the newest QB for The Infantry is the biggest shuffle among teams in Division A. Despite an 0-3 start, I can’t count The Infantry out. Semerjian won’t be the one to quit on the field and with a roster full of talent on both sides, Wyeth may be the missing piece. He did miss their last game and The Infantry deeply missed him. It has been a few seasons since Wyeth has put up the 50+ TD seasons many are used to so are those days behind him? Even if they are but he can still produce at an elite level, The Infantry can be possibly make a deep playoff run. With already 3 games and three losses, games matter now more than anything. If there’s any QB I can’t count out after an 0-3 start, it’s a team that has considerably the GOAT of FPF throwing the ball.

Week 4 Predictions

PartyCrashers vs Braves
Game Info: Friday June 13, 10:00pm, Laval field 2

Both teams came off a convincing win in Week 3. Braves dismantled One Stop 53-18 and PartyCrashers made a statement with a 55-14 victory over The Infantry. For Braves, keeping things the same and using their threats such as Murphy, Champagne, Mike Pierrecin and the rest of the squad. If they can keep course and avoid turnovers, they’ll have a high chance to win. For PartyCrashers, they have the athletic talent to keep up as Joseph, Francois Hogue, both Alexis’ and if Emerson Peterkin is present, they can compete with Braves. The key for this game for PartyCrashers would be generating turnovers and being efficient with the ball. Last week, PartyCrashers may have been dominant but I do think Braves are going to use their converts to pull ahead which will be the difference maker.

Prediction: PartyCrashers 38 – Braves 41

The Infantry vs Vultures
Game Info: Sunday June 15, 8:00pm, Laval field 2

Last week, I was wrong with both of these teams as each of their QBs were absent. I’m anticipating that McMahon and Wyeth will both be present. If one of them isn’t playing then I’d have to give the advantage to the other team based on continuity. For Vultures, having McMahon and Omombo back can bolster both sides of the ball. There’s speed with Alexandre Szalipzski and physicality with Ryan Perry which will test The Infantry. Looking at the opposition, losing in brutal fashion to PartyCrashers wasn’t on the schedule but they have a chance to regroup. Wyeth will need to rely on key receiver such as Semerjian, Matt Kirouac and Bond. If Nicholas Di Maulo is present then that makes their offence even more dynamic. On defence, Quaysie Gordon-Maule and Ethan Adrian will need to ties any loose ends to avoid McMahon running around constantly. This should be a good game and if both teams are at full strength, I think this might be the game Wyeth and company prove that they are a team to still worry about, amid the 0-3 record.

Prediction: The Infantry 38 – Vultures 30

Week 5 Preview:

Vultures vs The Jamesons

One Stop vs Idaho Udapimps

One Stop vs The Infantry

Closing Remarks
That’s all for this article! This rounds out the article for Week 4 and if you are playing or traveling this weekend, be safe as with the increasing amount of tourists and pedestrians out for F1 weekend! Thanks for reading this article and if you have any questions or suggestions, you can always email me at [email protected], message me on instagram @keyoncyrus or message me from the FPF Facebook page.

[Article Finalized on June 12, 10:00pm]