CHAMPIONSHIP SPOTLIGHT: L’IMPACT AND THE STABLES MEET AGAIN

Monday, May 12, 2025 – Stade Soccer MTL | 11:00 PM

The Winter 2025 Division 6B Championship has delivered the matchup no one expected.

Tonight at Stade Soccer MTL, under the glare of the indoor lights and the pressure of a finals game, L’Impact (6-4) and The Stables (4-6) will battle for the championship. One is a high-powered offense; the other, a Cinderella story that has knocked off giants, one upset at a time.

The Road to the Finals

Neither team entered the postseason as a favorite — in fact, they barely made the cut.

L’Impact, finishing 8th out of 12 playoff teams, came into the bracket with questions about their consistency. But those doubts quickly disappeared after a 30-18 opening-round win over the Spartans. The team then delivered a statement performance in the quarterfinals, stunning the 2nd-seeded Empereurs Retraités 44-31 behind a great performance from quarterback Julien Coossa. In the semifinals, they dispatched a dangerous TD BLITZ squad 25-13, showing that their defense could dominate as well.

Meanwhile, The Stables, the 12th and final seed, began their playoff run facing elimination every step of the way. In Round 1, they shocked FC Bing, a top-five team, with a 40-30 win. They followed that up with a defensive masterclass in a 22-6 upset over #1 seed Balls Deep, completely flipping the script on a team that scored 267 points during the season. Then, in the semifinals, The Stables survived a shootout thriller against Passin TDs, escaping with a narrow 36-35 victory.

Three wins. Three upsets. And now, one shot at it all.

Quarterback Clash: Coossa vs. Mather

This game centers around two vastly different, but equally dangerous quarterbacks.

Julien Coossa, L’Impact’s field general, has been nothing short of elite this season. In just 7 games, he threw for 1,138 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions — good for a 106.8 passer rating and a 63.3% completion rate. Coossa is one of the divisions leaders in efficiency and production, consistently turning drives into points.

He was at his best in the teams’ regular-season meeting on March 30, where he went 16-for-20 for 254 yards and 6 touchdowns with no interceptions. It was a surgical performance in a 46-18 blowout, setting the tone for what L’Impact is capable of when firing on all cylinders.

On the other side is David Mather, a gritty dual-threat quarterback who has been the engine of The Stables’ playoff surge. Mather passed for 1,189 yards and 25 touchdowns this season but also threw 13 interceptions — making him a high-risk, high-reward player. Where he separates himself is on the ground: 336 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, and 13.4 yards per attempt, which puts pressure on any defense.

While Coossa plays with calculated precision, Mather plays with improvisational flair. Whichever QB rises to the moment may determine the champion.

Receiving Weapons

Both teams bring top-tier receiving corps into tonight’s final.

For L’Impact, the headliners are Luca Venditto and Rafael Gélin, who each caught 15 touchdowns during the regular season. Venditto finished with 433 yards on 30 receptions, while Gélin added 413 yards and elite after-the-catch ability. Together, they are one of the most prolific scoring duos in the division.

Complementing them are Zach Caron (7 TDs), Maxence Giroux (5 TDs), and Matteo Dimaria, who round out a deep group of route runners with speed and chemistry. This group shredded The Stables earlier in the year, with Venditto and Caron combining for 5 touchdowns in their March 30 victory.

The Stables, for their part, lean heavily on Sean Costello, who ranked among the division leaders with 695 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. At 20.4 yards per catch, he’s the ultimate deep threat. Behind him are Noah Ennis (7 TDs) and Jason McCo (3 TDs), both of whom have come up clutch in recent weeks. McCo’s reliability over the middle and Ennis’ red zone ability will be crucial against an aggressive L’Impact secondary.

Expect fireworks on both sides — and a lot of points.

Defensive Duel: Turnovers Will Tell the Story

Championships are often decided on defense, and both teams have playmakers who can swing momentum.

L’Impact’s defense is led by Rafael Gélin, a true two-way terror. Not only is he a top receiver, but he also registered 8 interceptions, 32 tackles, and 1 defensive touchdown — numbers that put him firmly in Defensive Player of the Year conversations. Maxence Giroux added 5 INTs and a sack, while Matteo Dimaria contributed 4 INTs of his own. They thrive on jumping routes and baiting risky throws — something they’ll look to exploit against Mather’s aggressive style.

The Stables don’t have the same gaudy takeaway numbers, but they’ve been clutch when it matters. Daniel Iarrera leads the team with 15 tackles, and Erik Farge has a team-high 7 pass deflections. Sean Costello and Noah Ennis also play both ways.

For The Stables to win, they’ll need pressure on Coossa and discipline in the red zone. One early turnover could tilt the game.

The Rematch Factor

These teams met just over a month ago, and the result was lopsided.

On March 30, L’Impact crushed The Stables 46–18, dominating in all three phases. Coossa was flawless. Venditto and Caron were unstoppable. Mather threw two picks. And The Stables had no answers defensively.

But that was then.

Since that loss, The Stables have completely rewritten their season narrative. Their defense has tightened, their offense has found a rhythm, and they’ve taken down the league’s top three seeds. They’ve learned from the loss — and now have the ultimate shot at revenge.

L’Impact, on the other hand, has done nothing to suggest a slowdown. Their quarterback has remained elite, their receivers consistent, and their defense opportunistic. They enter the final with confidence — but also with the pressure of being expected to win.

Keys to the Game

L’Impact’s Ball Security: If Coossa plays mistake-free football, it may be impossible to outscore them.
The Stables’ Red Zone Efficiency: They must convert every opportunity into points to keep pace.
Explosive Plays: Venditto, Gélin, and Costello can all change the game in one snap.
Quarterback Mobility: Mather’s legs could extend drives — or backfire if forced into errors.

Prediction:

It’s rare that a #12 seed reaches the final. It’s even rarer that they look like they belong. But The Stables have earned every inch of their improbable run. They’re playing with heart, momentum, and nothing to lose.

L’Impact, however, has been the most complete team over the last month. They’ve combined a consistent offense with playmaking defense — and have already beaten The Stables once this season. In a championship setting, with everything on the line, they have the edge in experience and consistency.

Final Score Prediction: L’Impact 39, The Stables 27

MVP: Julien Coossa (6 TDs, 0 INT)
X-Factor: Rafael Gélin (2 TDs, 1 INT)