Division 4B: Quarter-Finals Preview

After an action-packed Divisional Round of the playoffs, let me be the first to say welcome to the Quarter-Final Round of the FlagPlus Football post-season!

Before we get into the elite eight of teams that remain, let’s take a quick look back at what happened in the opening round.

In Conference A, the A-Squad, took care of business, as they easily knocked off Tone It Down, (45-12), behind the effort of Quarterback Yacoub Telemaque, who had 6 touchdown passes, and a defense that created 2 sacks, and 5 interceptions, 1 of which was returned to the house by the aforementioned Telemaque.

The only positive for Tone It Down, was the performance of receiver Angelo Mourelatos, who had a team-high 5 catches fir 64 yards, and a touchdown.

The Blue Chips, survived a scare and pulled out a tight one against Lobster Dinner (27-20).

Although Blue Chips’ Quarterback Jordan Mitchell, was his usual self, as he threw for three touchdowns, and ran for another, the team relied on a superb defensive performance to get the win, as they were able to force three takeaways. The effort of Marcus Mitchell, stood out in particular, as he recorded 2 sacks, and an INT.

Despite a monster three touchdown, and 110 yard performance from Wide Receiver Georges Élie-Voyer, and a pick-6 by Backley Charles, Team Ethnik, fell short in their attempt to eliminate the favoured Martine et le Flag, as the number 2 seed in Conference A, walked out of Loyola, with a (35-25) victory.

Leading the way for Martine et le Flag, was Guillaume Ranger, and Justin Dion, who combined for four touchdowns.

FPF veteran Craig O’Brien, (how has he never been voted an All-Star?) was a one man wrecking crew on both sides of the ball versus Be Ready, as he recorded 5 touchdown passes, and 2 interceptions, to lead Past Our Prime, to a (39-25) win.

For Be Ready, they got a solid performance out of the Daoust clan, as David Daoust, caught 5 passes for 61 yards, and 2 touchdowns, Devin Daoust, recorded an offensive touchdown, and added an interception, and a sack on defense.

Quarterback Dilan Daoust, threw four touchdown passes, but unfortunately for Be Ready, he also tossed three interceptions. The turnovers, along with the team’s inability to move the ball efficiently in the second half, sealed their fate.

With three interceptions, and an offensive touchdown, Akeem Hoyte-Charles, was the best player on the field for Norfolk In Chance, and the main reason for their (33-22) victory over Le Red Tiger.

Norfolk In Chance Wide Receiver Andrew Carruthers, also had a solid performance, with a game-high 7 catches, for 83 yards, and touchdown.

For Le Red Tiger, they got a standout showing from Gabriel Samné, as he threw for two touchdowns, ran for another, and picked up 3 sacks as a Rusher.

 

My apologies for saying that he wasn’t playoff eligible last week. When I originally started writing the article last Friday night, the FPF site, said that he had only played in 5 regular season games.

Unfortunately for him and his team, 3 interceptions, and an offensive power-outage that saw them on score six second half points, made the comeback next to impossible.

Félix Laflamme, showed why he is the MVP of Les Studs, as the Division 4B Wide Receiver of the Year, had a game-high 9 receptions for 92 yards, and 3 TDs, along with a sack and an interception on the other side of the ball, in his team’s (47-26) win over Game Changers.

Les Studs Quarterback Samuel Caron, was impressive as well, with 7 touchdown passes, and big plays, that shredded the Game Changers’ defense.

Louis-Philippe Paquette, of Game Changers, had a fantastic game with 5 grabs for 71 yards, and three trips to the endzone, but it wasn’t enough, as his team couldn’t keep up the pace with their opponents offensively.

Charles-Olivier Lavigne. Let me say that again, Charles-Olivier Lavigne, proved me wrong in betting against his team last week, as he accounted for an incredible 8 touchdowns (6 via the pass, one rushing, and a defensive score) to go along with a jaw-dropping three interceptions, as his team All Hooks, smashed the Small Giants (54-13).

In the shootout to end all shootouts, the Sphinx, came up with one more defensive stop than Truth Squad, and it made the difference, as they won the game (49-45).

As you can imagine, this game featured a ton of huge plays and performances by both teams. None were bigger than the play of both Quarterbacks, as Andre Benoit (Truth Squad), and his counterpart in Etienne Cloutier (Spinx), put on a show, last Sunday at Stade Hébert.
Benoit, the reigning Division 4B Quarterback of the Year, had a near-perfect game, as he went 17 of 19 for 250 yards, and 6 touchdowns, and added a score on the ground.

Cloutier, the two-time All-Star, was even better, as he connected on 24 of 35 passes, for 256 yards, and a season-high 7 touchdowns.
As mentioned above, the Sphinx, escaped with the four point win. Let’s hope this is the beginning of a long-lasting rivalry.

Les Studs, Sphinx, and All Hooks, ignored the long-held adage, that defences tighten up, and scoring becomes that much harder come playoff time, as each team scored 47, 49, and 54 points, in the Divisional Round respectively.

 

The question now for all three teams, is whether or not they can keep up the avalanche of points, tonight, as they face tougher competition.
Now on to the Quarter-Finals preview…

 

Conference A

 

(1) A-Squad versus (4) Norfolk In Chance

Previous Meeting: N/A

 

This matchup features a ton of solid players. Chris Williams, Texon Bernagene, Rocco Christiano, Rick Cummins, Yacoub Telemaque, Andrew Carruthers, Richie Mondesir, and Akeem Hoyte-Charles, just to name a few.

Whether it be a shootout, a tight defensive affair, or in a blowout, as they just delivered to Tone It Down, throughout the regular season and playoffs, the A-Squad, has shown that they can beat teams in a variety of ways.

To continue their winning ways, the usually aggressive A-Squad defense, will need to be precise, and pick their spots, if they want to slow down the Norfolk In Chance attack, led by Quarterback Rocco Christiano, who with 516 yards, was the second leading rusher in 4B.

That task in particular, will fall on the shoulders of Kerdley Micourt. The veteran Rusher, who recorded two sacks last week, will have to contain the elusive Christiano. It won’t be easy.

I think this game will be a shootout, while the A-Squad, have looked like the more dominant team, they have had the luxury of beating mostly lesser teams.

Prediction: Norfolk In Chance (36-35) (Upset Special)

 

(2) Martine et le Flag versus (3) Past Our Prime

 

Previous Meeting: Past Our Prime 36-29 (Week 8)

 

I have always been a firm believer in having two capable Quarterbacks on your roster. Work, injury, family, and life, sometimes get in the way of playing this amazing game.

It appears that Past Our Prime, believes in the same thing, as Wide Receiver Ryan Payne, who filled in for the absent Craig O’Brien at Quarterback, played nearly flawless football, as he went 16 of 21 for 181 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

Receivers Angelo Kalaidopoulos, and Tanner Burrell, helped out Payne, as they combined for 10 receptions, for 134 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Kalaidopoulos, would add a pick-6 on defense as well.

Martine et le Flag, couldn’t beat Past Our Prime when they were without their starting Quarterback. With O’Brien back in the lineup this time around, I really don’t see the result being any different.

Prediction: Past Our Prime (28-20).

 

Conference B

 

 

(1) Blue Chips versus (6) Sphinx

Previous Meeting: N/A

Two teams with completely different Divisional Round results, do battle in this one.

For only the third time this season, the Blue Chips, were held to less than 30 points, in their (27-20) win over Lobster Dinner.

On the other side, the Spinx, who came into the post-season, as the lowest-scoring team among all 16 playoff squads with 220 points, crossed the 40 point plateau for the first time this season, in their (49-45) win over Truth Squad.

As impressive as they were in their shootout victory over Truth Squad, I wonder if the Sphinx, have enough left in the tank, to knock off Blue Chips.

I mentioned last week that coming into the post-season, the Blue Chips, hadn’t been playing their best football lately. Last week, they had to dig deep to avoid the colossal upset that would have shaken up Division 4B, as they managed to squeak out a 7-point win over Lobster Dinner.

I am tempted to go with the upset here, but I am going to stick with the Blue Chips, as they are the better team.

Prediction: Blue Chips (27-25).

 

(2) All Hooks versus (5) Les Studs

 

Previous Meeting: 26-26 Tie (Week 10)

 

After an entertaining game that went down to the wire just three weeks ago, it is only fitting, that we get to see both teams lock horns again.
In the first contest, both teams traded big plays, and key touchdowns.

Both Quarterbacks, in Samuel Caron of Les Studs, and Charles-Olivier Lavigne of All Hooks, were equally effective, as they combined for 350 yards, and 8 touchdowns.

The battle between leading receivers, in Jeremy White, and Félix Laflamme, will be huge. Each player is capable of not just taking over a game, but dominating it. Whichever WR, wins that matchup, will most likely end the contest on the winning team.

Jean-Christophe Ferland, William Nkaye, Thomas Coutu, Maxime Hurtubise, and Felix-Antoine Lavigne, are just some of a few names, who will be heavily involved in the outcome as well.

I think that this will be a fantastic game, that will come down to the wire just like last time. Despite the seeding and regular season records, I think that these two teams couldn’t be anymore even.

I am loosely picking Les Studs, to take the rubber match in overtime.

Prediction: Les Studs (34-32) OT. (My pick for Game of the Week).

 

That’s it for the Division 4B Quarter-Final Round. Just a quick reminder of the lightning-fast turnaround that will be in store for the teams that win tomorrow, as the Semi-Finals kickoff Tuesday night at Stade Hébert.

Good luck to all the teams this week-end. Happy Easter!

Cheers!

If you loved the article, hated it, or simply felt that I left something out, feel free to contact me on Twitter @BADNEWSB51, or by e-mail at [email protected]