Division C: Comeback SZN!!!!

Welcome to Week 4, this is the FlagPlus Football Division C article. If you blinked, you missed it, but a quarter of the regular season is already in the books.

Here are a couple of things that jumped out at me during the first 4 weeks of the season.

The competition, parity, and compete level in Div C, is at an all-time high. Through four games, there are only six undefeated teams, and the BearSkins, came within an inch of making it five.

This means a couple of things. Firstly, the division cap, while often annoying, – when you’re trying to put your possible team together, or in some cases (including mine), looking to keep a championship team intact, – really does work for the most part. Yes, there are still examples of people being underrated, and overrated, but nothing is perfect.

Secondly, this has made, and will continue to make for some very entertaining football all the way through the Finals.

Thirdly, this also means that the playoff race, and championship picture is wide open.

Defense reigns supreme. Through four weeks, only five squads have surrendered more than 100 points. All together, those teams have a combined record of 2-12-1.

Conversely, only four teams (sorry Les Montagnards 99 is close, but still not the century mark) have scored 100 or more points this season. Props to The Alpha-T’s, Blue Chips, TOPSZN, and BearSkins for reaching the triple digit plateau.

Speaking of offense, whether it be Khalil Kerr, Jarryd Taylor, or this past week with Justene Edwards, no matter who lines up at Quarterback for TOPSZN, the team just keeps on rolling, as they did on Sunday at Lachine, with a blowout (36-26) victory over Blue Chips, that wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

Edwards, would only complete 7 of 18 passes for 146 yards, but 5 of his throws went for touchdowns, including a 40-yard strike to Wide Receiver Benjamin McMahon, less than five plays into the game.

Clearly, TOPSZN, has options at the game’s most important position. At this time of the year, when people regularly miss games due to travel, moving, and of course injury, that depth will be key.

He may be the oldest Quarterback in Div. C, and in FPF for that matter, but Gino Di Fazio of the Strangers, can still get it done. Don’t let age fool you, the old gun slinger, still has a rocket for an arm, and more importantly, the knowledge to carve opposing defences up.

Through four weeks so far, the 6-time All-Star, and FPF Hall-of-Fame member, leads all Div. C Quarterbacks in yardage, with 619 yards. His 5 touchdown passes this past Wednesday against Broccasion, gave him 705 for his career, but more importantly, gave his team a (33-25) win, which puts the Strangers in a tie for fourth place in Conference B, with Blue Chips, and one game out of a three-way tie for first place, with The Commission, Jagerbomb, and TOPSZN.

A lot of teams who had their backs against the wall, and were facing an (0-3) start to the season, rebounded in a big in a big way this past week.

 

With all the talk about about Johnny Manziel’s return to football (he looked pretty decent last night, especially for a guy who hasn’t played at a level like this since 2015) , and #ComebackSZN this week, it looks like the hype has hit FPF as well.

The Backyard Bullies, used a big offensive explosion, as they scored a season-high 39 points, to knock off Moist, (formerly Da Browns) (39-24) Sunday night in Lachine.

Key to the Bullies win, was their performance in the second half, as they put up 20 points, to extend what was a 1-point halftime lead (19-18), into a two touchdown victory.

Quarterback Rich Humes, did a good job of spreading the ball around to his receivers, and keeping the Moist defense guessing, as he hit them with the short, and deep passing game.

Conversely, after suffering numerous drops in their Week 3 loss to The Commission, the Bullies receivers, stepped up their game on Sunday, as they came up with a number of big catches, that not only put points on the board, but helped extend drives.

The best of the bunch, was Steve Sanner, and Jordan Allard, who combined for 7 catches for 97 yards, and caught 4 of their QB’s 6 TD passes.
Speaking of big second-half performances, Omelette You Finish, needed one to get past Game Changers (26-19), and earn their first victory of the season, Sunday night at Stade de Montreal.

After trailing their opponents (13-12) at the break, Omelette You Finish, dominated on defense, as they held Game Changers to 6 second-half points, while scoring 14 of their own.

Sub Georges Élie-Voyer, had a breakout game, as he led all pass-catchers with seven receptions, to go along with 44 yards and a touchdown on offense, and two tackles, with an interception on defense.

I’ve had a chance to write Élie-Voyer, in lower divisions, where he dominated throughout the years. It’s nice to see his game translate on a higher level.

Another sub who had an impact on the game, and for the Omelette win, was Dylan Taylor. Usually a higher division Quarterback, Taylor played Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, where he had one catch for 10 yards, and a big interception.

For OYF, not only did the win give them two points, but it gave them a little momentum, as they are set to welcome back some members of their regular roster, in Gabriel Wiseman, and Juwan Edghill.

In Wiseman, who was in Europe for the first three weeks of the season, OYF, is getting an extremely smart and athletic player, who can makes plays on both sides of the ball, and has been a difference-maker on just about every team he has played for.

Simply, Juwan Edghill is a beast. With speed, good route running, leaping ability, and hands that just snatch the ball out of the air, the 18 year-old, similar to (and even looks a little like) Odell Beckham Jr.

All of that of course, was before he tore his right ACL last winter. After sitting out the 2018 Winter Season, Edghill is back! He made his FPF Spring Season debut last Sunday, for Supply and Command in Division D1. He finished with 5 catches for 39 yards, and a TD.

It was a solid warmup for the talented receiver. Let’s see what he does going forward.

Lights Out, struck their zero from the win column Sunday night in Lachine, with a huge (18-14) win over Keyport Lock.

The Lights Out defense, did exactly that to the Keyport Lock offense, as they held them to a season-low 14 points, pitched a second-half shutout, and forced opposing Quarterback Jeff Rosenblatt, into a season-high 3 interceptions.

While Lights Out Quarterback Drew Keiller, continues to throw a lot of interceptions, (seven so far), he did a good job of distributing the ball, and getting it out of his hands quickly, as he hit six different receivers with passes.

The loss for Keyport Lock, was definitely a stunner. It also wasted the solid performance of Raoul Baroudi, who had 5 tackles, and an interception on defense, to go along with 4 catches, for a game-high 101 yards, and 2 touchdowns on offense.

 

Of course it is only one win for a number of the teams I just mentioned, but comebacks all have to start somewhere. 

 

 

Matchups

 

 

Juwan Edghill (Omelette You Finish) versus the Braves U defense.

Last week, I wrote about the Braves U defense having the unenviable task of having to deal with BearSkins, and Div. C leading receiver Vinny Gualano. Much to the credit of Gabriel Paré, Jonathan Maheu, Arnaud Cormier Menard, and Mike Pierrecin, along with the rest of the team, they did, as Gualano, was held to a season-low 3 receptions, for 46 yards, and zero touchdowns.

Unfortunately for the Braves U defense, they were shredded by Marco Bertoldi, and Guillaume Bourassa, who combined for 10 catches, for 139 yards, and five TDs. Yikes.

The task gets no easier for Braves U, as they face the aforementioned Juwan Edghill, and Omelette You Finish, this Wednesday in Saint-Laurent.
As mentioned earlier, Edghill got to knock some rust off last Sunday.

As his OYF Quarterback Simon Dagenais, told me earlier today “He might not be 100% yet, but even at 75%, this kid is so talented…”
For his part, Edghill, is confident in his abilities. “I’m not stressing, I know what I got”.

 

 

Rory Semerjian (Junkyard Dogs) versus Alexis Gaumont (The Alpha-T’s)

 

Both players are dynamic receivers, who are capable of taking over a game at the drop of a hat, and they are also able to control things on the other side of the ball as well.

After years of dominating the lower division with the Smokin Axolotls, Semejian, finally made the jump in competition, when he played with the Junkyard Dogs in Div. 3 this past winter. It was successful campaign, as the 3-time All-Star, finished with 450 yards, and 10 touchdowns.

This year through 3 games, Semerjian, picked up where he left off, as he is second on his team in receptions (10), and receiving yards (97), and first in TDs with 4.

Next to Jesse Dupuis, Alexis Gaumont, is the engine that makes The Alpha-T’s work. Last Winter Season, the team went (1-3) without Gaumont, and (4-2) with him, as they went on to win the Div 4A title.

This season, the trend continues, as Gaumont hasn’t missed a game, and the team is currently undefeated.

 

 

AJ Gomes (The Commission) versus Jamal Gittens (Lights Out)

Two of the best Wide Receivers in all of FPF, collide tomorrow night in Lachine. Each player can burn you deep, or take a 2-yard slant to the house.

Both respective teams are coming off of wins that forced them to dig deep to pull them off, and they have Quarterbacks in Drew Keiller (LO), and Jean-Félix Marquis (TC) who while working with brand new teams, appear to be getting better each game.

 

 

Danny D’Amour (Friends in Low Places) versus Frédéric Viens (Les Montagnards)

These two have a chance to go head-to-head nearly all contest, as D’Amour the Safety, will probably see a lot of Viens the Wide Receiver, and Viens the Cornerback, will see at least a few passes come his way from D’Amour the Quarterback.

This has the feeling of a must-win game for both players, and their teams.

This is what this section is all about.

 

 

Elite 8

My apologizes to the Junkyard Dogs. I made a mistake last week in this section, when I listed them in the 7 spot. I had them ranked 5th, and the other bottom four teams in a different order, but I erased it by accident, and didn’t realize the error to after the article was published. Thanks to the main man Rob White, for pointing that out.

1. The Alpha-T’s (Last Week: Same)

2. TOPSZN (Last Week: Same)

3. The Commission (Last Week: Same)

4. Jagerbomb (Last Week: 5th)

5. Junkyard Dogs (Last Week: Same)

6. Blue Chips (Last Week: 4th)

7. Mountain Lions (Last Week: Same)

8. BearSkins (Last Week: Not Ranked)

 

 

Picks

 

Les Montagnards vs Friends in Low Places – Les Montagnards (My pick for Game of the Week #1)

The Commission vs Lights Out – N/A

Vikings vs Backyard Bullies – Backyard Bullies

Jagerbomb vs Keyport Lock – Jagerbomb

Blue Chips vs Moist – Blue Chips

Dirty Dawgs vs Lobster Dinner – Dirty Dawgs

Strangers vs BearSkins – BearSkins

The Alpha-T’s vs Junkyard Dogs – Junkyard Dogs (My pick for Game of the Week #2 and Upset Special)

Game Changers vs Mountain Lions – Mountain Lions

Omelette You Finish vs Braves U – Omelette You Finish (My pick for Game of the Week #3)

Broccasion vs TOPSZN – TOPSZN

 

Last Week: 5-5 Ouch!

Season: 11-9 (kind of embarrassing)

 

That’s it for this week I will be back next time with a Week 4 re-cap, and a Week 5 preview. Good luck to everybody, and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

 

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