Division C: Semi-Finals Preview

Welcome to the Semi-Finals round of the FlagPlus Football Spring Season.

We are now down to the final four of teams left, vying for the right to become Division C champion.

In Conference A, we have the number one seed in Keyport Lock, and the sixth place team, in KGP.

In Conference B, we have the number one and two seeds, in the Mercenaries, and Simon Says, respectively.

Three of the teams remaining, are among the best in Division C, while the fourth, is a scrappy underdog, that has knocked off two heavy favorites, in GloGang, and a championship contender, in Easy-Jake-Oven.

 

Conference A

 

(2) Keyport Lock versus (6) KGP

Previous Meeting: Keyport Lock (28-12) Week 3

Led by replacement Quarterback extraordinaire Lonnie Johnson, Keyport Lock, cruised to an easy two touchdown victory, as their offense was efficient as always, with Johnson, connecting on touchdown passes to Raoul Baroudi, Kevin Boustany, Daniel Farag, and David Miron.

The Keyport Lock defense was just as lethal, as they smothered the KGP offense, holding QB Phil Cutler to a season worst 9 completions on 18 attempts, for 125 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

A lot of the credit for their impressive defensive outing, was the play of David Miron. Not only was he on the receiving end of the aforementioned touchdown as a Receiver, but as a Rusher, the ninth-year player produced a game-high 3 sacks of the mobile Cutler, which was no easy feat.

Just like Miron, Lonnie Johnson, made an impact on the other side of the ball too, as he recorded an interception.

Also coming up big for Keyport Lock, was Jad Aridi, as the newly minted Hall-of-Famer, registered an INT of his own.

Looking at how both teams got to this rematch, KGP, as I said earlier, has played the role of giant slayer.

After knocking off GloGang, in the Divisional Round, Phil Cutler and his team, knocked off their biggest challenge to date, with a back and forth, thrilling (32-31) win over the top seed in Conference A, in Easy-Jake-Oven.

In the contest, QB Phil Cutler, continued his playoffs MVP campaign, as he threw 5 touchdown passes, and helped his team jump out to a (25-12) lead at halftime, over an Easy-Jake-Oven squad, that looked like a deer in the headlights, at least on defense, to start the game.

Cutler, was remarkable in the first half, as the former All-Star, threw touchdown passes to Jonathan Garfinkle, Joseph Hopmeyer, Gabe D’Amico-Mazza, and Julien Paiement.

Things weren’t any easier on offense, for the number one seed, as a stifling KGP defense, as well as some self-inflicted wounds, really hurt Easy-Jake-Oven.

“We really grinded just to get a first down. Add that into taking some penalties that really set us back, and our struggle to get converts the entire game (they were 1 for 5) and you can see what it was a tight game.”

 

Said EJO Quarterback Jake Applebaum, who was quick to point out, that he was not taking anything away from his opponents, who he thought played a really good, and smart game.

 

To their credit, after scoring only two first half touchdowns courtesy of Marty Freedman, and Kevin Smuda, Easy-Jake-Oven, exploded offensively in the second half for 19 points, led by Applebaum, as the future All-Star QB (how has that not happened yet?) threw TDs to Noah Groper, Adam Rockman, and a second one to Smuda.

The team’s defense followed suit, as after letting up 19 points, they tightened up, and held KGP to one second half touchdown.

Both teams would trade touchdowns, and before you could blink, the game was tied at 25 apiece.

The tie wouldn’t last long, as Jonathan Garfinkle, gave his team a (32-25) lead, with his second TD of evening, and the 1-point conversion reception as well.

With under a minute to five plays remaining, it was do or die time for Easy-Jake-Oven. Applebaum, was able to move the chains, and eat up chunks of yards in the process, as he drove his team into the redzone.

After not getting it across the goal line on the first three tries, Easy-Jake-Oven, faced 4th down with two plays left, and their season on the line.

Applebaum, rolled to his right, and found a crossing Adam Rockman, who was running to the same side, on a lob pass to the back of the endzone, on what looked like a broken play. They aren’t always pretty, but they all count.

The score was now (32-31) KGP. Instead of going for the win, Easy-Jake-Oven, elected to go for the tie, and barring complete disaster over the final two plays of the game, elected to send the game to overtime. Given that they now had all the momentum clearly on their side, the idea actually made sense.

All eyes were on Easy-Jake-Oven big man Kevin Smuda, and rightfully so, as the near 6 foot 3 target, is the team’s best Receiver.

Instead of opting to put their tallest defender in Cutler on Smuda, the KGP defense, elected to go with go with the much smaller Garfinkle.

The move paid off, as Garfinkle, perfectly timed a jump ball thrown to Smuda by Applebaum, as the Defensive Back, batted the ball out of the hands of the Receiver, as Smuda was coming down with it. Garfinkle, who already recorded two interceptions in the game, saved his best play for last.

Final score (32-31) KGP.

The loss was a heartbreaker for a solid Easy-Jake-Oven squad, that many including yours truly, would represent Conference A in the Finals.

 

Football is a game of inches, the proof is right there.

 

For KGP, the win represented another upset notch in their belt. Up next, is Keyport Lock.
Keyport Lock, punched their ticket to the Finals, with a dominant (38-26) victory over the Dream Breakers.

The game had all the looks of a tight shootout, as both teams scored on their first possession.

The Dream Breakers, who scored an upset (32-31) overtime victory over the Game Changers in the opening round of the playoffs, used aggressive defense, came up with a number of big plays, included two interceptions to advance.

Against Keyport Lock, the game plan didn’t pay off, as Quarterback Jeff Rosenblatt, sliced and diced the Dream Breakers defense, to the tune of 23 of 31 passing, for 265 yards and 6 touchdowns.

His biggest target on the evening, was slot Receiver Jeremy Anderson, who led all Division C players with 10 catches for 152 yards, and 2 TDs.

Rosenblatt, was in a giving mood, as he threw TDs to Raoul Baroudi, and Boris Balourd, as well as pair to Snapper Jonathan Lyristis.

The Keyport Lock defense helped out their offense, by giving them the extra possessions, via interceptions by Baroudi, Lyristis, and Kevin Boustany, off of Dream Breakers QB Sébastien Dallaire.

Pierre-Alexandre Taché of the Dream Breakers, was kept in check for a second consecutive week, as he had a quiet, especially by his standards, 3 receptions for 28 yards.

 

Unlike last week, where his teammates picked up the offensive slack, only Snapper Jasmin Prince, and Wide Receiver François Dessureault, were able to make a meaningful impact, as the duo combined for 97 yards, and 3 touchdowns.

Unfortunately for the Dream Breakers, they weren’t able to overcome the three turnovers that their offense committed.

As for Sunday’s rematch, I expect this to be a shootout between two high-scoring teams.

For Keyport Lock to win, they will need continue the offensive onslaught, as they have scored more points than any other team in Conference A this past Monday night.

To do so, Rosenblatt, will a collective solid effort from all of his Receivers, as the KGP defense, is too good to let Jeremy Anderson, or any other Keyport Lock offense to go off for 150 plus yards.

On defense, Keyport Lock, will need to take away the short and intermediate routes from Phil Cutler, and force the pivot to rely solely on the deep ball to make big plays.

Easy-Jake-Oven Rusher AJ Rashkovan, who recorded a sack in his team’s loss to KGP, but he helped prevent Cutler, from running all over the EJO defense, by limiting him to just one carry for 7 yards.

Naturally, the flip side of that argument, is that Cutler has proven that he doesn’t need to be a dual threat QB to win.

That theory will be put to the test however, if Keyport Lock, decides to rush Cutler, with Jonathan Lyristis. The 2-time All-Star finished the regular season with 9 sacks, and while he has yet to bring down a QB in the post-season, the 3-time champion has the speed to make opposing Quarterbacks feel uncomfortable, and get rid of the ball quicker than they would like.

 

Needless to say, it will be key for Cutler, to negate the impact of the speedy Lyristis.

Offensively, KGP, will also want to score more than two touchdowns, if they want to have any chance of winning. To do that, the team’s star Receivers in Joseph Hopmeyer, Julien Paiement, and Jonathan Garfinkle, will once again have to exploit the speed advantage they have on their opponents.

On defense, KGP, must harass Jeff Rosenblatt, throw off the timing of his offense, and force him to hold on to the ball longer than he would like. That task will fall to Gabe D’Amico-Mazza, who finished the regular season with 11 sacks, and added one last week versus the Dream Breakers.

I think this will be a tight one. Keyport Lock, is definitely the better team on paper, but last time they two subs in Lonnie Johnson, and David Miron, who directly impacted the outcome. This time, they won’t have that benefit, although Rosenblatt, and Jeremy Anderson, who was also absent in Week 3, aren’t downgrades by any stretch.

KGP, on the other hand, was without Jonathan Garfinkle in the first meeting, and as I eluded to earlier, Phil Cutler, had his worse game of the season. Unless sometimes drastic occurs, Garfinkle, will be there on Sunday, and I don’t see Cutler playing anywhere near as bad as he did in Week 3.

More importantly, KGP, has all the confidence in the world, and they have proven that the bright lights of the playoffs, aren’t too big for them.

Regardless of all that however, Easy-Jake-Oven, basically no-showed the first half, and literally came within a play of forcing overtime Monday night at Stade de Montreal. For as much as they didn’t show up in the opening 22 minutes of their game, KGP, essentially did the same thing in the second stanza, save for the aforementioned touchdown and pass deflection made by Garfinkle.

I have been really impressed with what KGP, has done in the post-season, and I am tempted to call for the upset here, but I am giving Keyport Lock the slight edge, because they have the deeper team, nd because of what I just mentioned above.

Prediction: Keyport Lock (35-28).

 

 

Conference B

 

(1) Mercenaries versus (2) Simon Says

Previous Meeting: Mercenaries (33-29) Week 9.

The first meeting was a good contest between two really good teams, but there should be an asterisks placed beside it, as Simon Says was without Snapper Vadim Chernyak, Defensive Back Jean-Daniel Joly, and All-Star AJ Gomes, missed the entire first half of the contest.

On the Mercenaries side, they were without David De Andrade, and had to get lower division players in Etienne Brisson, and Édouard Leroux, to fill in. In retrospect, that might have been the best thing to happen to Gino Di Fazio’s team, but more on that later.

The four point win by Simon Says, is a little misleading as well, given that they scored a garbage time TD with five plays remaining, to chop the Mercenaries’ lead down to four.

To get to this point, Simon Says, blowout Pineapple Express (49-30), Monday night at Stade de Montreal, in a game that could’ve been even more lopsided, had the officials not called it, due to the 18 point lead with less than five minutes remaining, to stop the bleeding.

The key for Simon Says, in their massacre of Pineapple Express, was exploiting the one on one matchups. When PE, tried to go to a man defense, the speed of the Simon Says offense was too much to handle, as QB Simon Dagenais, would send AJ Gomes, Justin Blanchard, and Justin Lerner, on deep routes, knowing that the defense couldn’t keep up.

When Pineapple Express, tried to play a two deep zone, Simon Dagenais and his receivers, killed the defense with short and intermediate crossing routes, where if the Simon Says Receivers like Alessandro Barazzoni, or Vadim Chernyak, were able to break the first tackle, they were all but guaranteed at least a first down via yards after the catch yardage.

When they were on defense Simon Says, used their aforementioned speed, along with their length, intelligence, to trick Pineapple Express Quarterback Chris Olson, into throwing three second half interceptions, including one in the endzone, that was virtually an exact replay of the pass Olson, while with The Commission, threw last Winter Season, in a quicker hitter, into the waiting hands of AJ Gomes, who was playing for The Cougars.

The interception happened with less then a minute to five plays remaining, effectively eliminating TC from the playoffs.

If it wasn’t for some big time catches made by Joel Malkin,  and the ability of Pineapple Express big man Kevin Loiselle, to use his height and athleticism to make a couple of nice acrobatic catches in the back of the endzone, the PE offense would’ve been nearly invisible.

Reverse psychology at its finest. Simon Says (49-30) final.

The Mercenaries, reached tonight’s rematch, by beating Jagerbomb, (30-28), in what arguably could be considered the best game of the post-season.

After the first half action, it looked Jagerbomb, was going to stroll to an easy victory, as they were ahead (22-6), as their offense looked like the unstoppable juggernaut it had the week before against The Commission, and the Mercenaries, who besides getting a first touchdown by Kendal Mayers, had the look of a unit that was unprepared, as countless dropped balls, bad passes, and a general lack chemistry, defined them.

FPF’s own Moe Khan, in his one-man crusade against Gino Di Fazio, was beaming at the halftime score.

Naturally, when Moe cheers for a team (Oakland Raiders, Florida Gators, Florida Marlins, Toronto Argonauts, Chicago Bulls, and Detroit Red Wings) it doesn’t go to well, and their opponents, if they ever are trailing that pile of hot garbage teams, almost always come roaring back.

That’s exactly what Di Fazio, and the Mercenaries did, as their QB, hit Receiver Pablo Chausse-Cossie, for a TD to kickoff the second half, to narrow the lead to (22-12).

After the Mercenaries defense forced a turnover via an interception via Justin Weir, the team offense capitalized a few plays later, as Di Fazio, hit Wide Receiver Jordan Allard, for a 20-yard TD, shrinking the Jagerbomb lead to (22-18).

Needing to answer back, or at the very least produce a drive that would eat up the clock, and cool off the Mercenaries’ offense, Jagerbomb, couldn’t deliver, as their next three plays resulted in an incomplete pass, run for 6 yards, and a sack by Allard, which led to a 4th down punt.

Right back on came the Mercenaries offense, and they picked up where they left off, as slot Receiver Etienne Brisson, scored a TD, on a beautiful in and out move just past the goalline.

The TD by the second-year Receiver, gave the Mercenaries, their first lead of the game (24-22).

As expected, Jagerbomb, being the veteran team that they are, finally woke up in the second half, as Simon Duchesne, worked the sidelines to march up the field, before finding Jean-Félix Daloze, in the back of the endzone, for his first touchdown of the game.

With the Daloze TD, Jagerbomb, had retaken the lead (28-24), with three minutes remaining in regulation.

Assuming the Mercenaries would try to eat the clock, and methodically March the field before attempting to score, the Jagerbomb defense, was playing tight on the Mercenaries receivers.

 

The decision backfired, as Etienne Brisson, got wide open deep, and Di Fazio found him for a 39-yard bomb, on the very first play of the drive, smartly taking a page out of the Jagerbomb play book.

With it being first down goal and looking to score, Di Fazio, threw a pass to Kendal Mayers, but the Wide Receiver who uncharacteristically had a number of drops on the evening, added another one to the list.

Right after the play, Jagerbomb, called a timeout.

On the very next play, Di Fazio, rewarded the Receiver who put them in this position, with a touchdown, as he hit Etienne Brisson for the go-ahead TD, making the score (30-28) with five plays left in the game.

Duchesne, started it off the final drive nicely, with an 18-yard pass to François Hogue.

On second down, looking to pick up another big chunk, Duchesne, threw a bullet to Gabriel Moreau-Paquette, on the left sideline, but he dropped it as Mercenaries Defensive Back Dariusz Golebiowski, was closing in, trying to bat down the ball.

On third down, Hogue, burnt by his defender, on a streak to the right corner of the endzone, as he hugged the sideline, but the throw by Duchesne, was just a little off target, as the pass brought the Wide Receiver just over out of bounds line, and into the curtain that divides the fields.

Now facing a do or die fourth down, Duchesne, dropped back, and rolled to his right to buy time for his receivers to get open. Looking ready to throw the ball, he pulled his arm back, was prepared to launch, only to look down at his waist, only to see that he had been sacked by the long and outstretched arms of Mercenaries Rusher Isiah Allard, at midfield.

Game over. Mercenaries win.

You couldn’t help but feel bad for Jagerbomb, when seeing the look of dejection on many of their players faces, but it is a valuable lesson, in how important it is to play a full game, and not just a half.

The smiles, cheering, and high-fives on the Mercenaries side of the field, was understandable. They showed a lot of fight, but they were lucky, in that they made same mistake their opponents did, by only showing up for 22 minutes. Clearly, they must have had the football Gods on their side, or gone against Moe Khan, which is a sure recipe for success.

On to tonight…

Like I said earlier, there isn’t much we can take for the regular season meeting between the Mercenaries and Simon Says, so let’s look at where we are now.

Two veteran teams, with a ton of speed, playmakers difference makers, and loss of talent.

Simply put, this game will come down to matchups.

Who will cover AJ Gomes? Kendal Mayers definitely has the length, but does he have the speed and stamina to do it all game long?

Interestingly enough, Isiah Allard, might be the best option, but moving him to Defensive Back, would take away arguably the best Rusher in Division C.

If Mayers goes with Gomes, who then takes Justin Blanchard? Will it fall to Dariusz Golebiowski, or perhaps Édouard Leroux, Aleandre Blais, or Etienne Brisson? The Mercenaries, will need to figure it out, as the 3-time All-Star, torched them for 5 catches 78 yards, and 2 touchdowns in the first meeting.

Will David De Andrade, who is the Mercenaries best, and leading tackler, be able to keep up with the speed of Alessandro Barazzoni, Nicholas Groppini, or Vadim Chernyak the entire game?

The potential Justin Lerner versus Justin Weir matchup intrigues me. One guy is built for the flag game, and has a ton of speed, and is long, while the other is fast in his own right, not the tallest guy in the world, but plays like a bulldog on defense. Both players have dominated at various points this season, I think the winner of this matchup, will have a huge impact on the game.

Flipping sides, while the Simon Says defense is great at stopping the long ball, it is easier said than done in defending Isiah Allard, as his length and reach is unmatched, even by that of Blanchard and Gomes.

More importantly, how will Simon Says, consistently stop the underneath damage that Blais, Brisson, Golebiowski, and Matthew Peacock, have unleashed on defenses this season?

To win, the Mercenaries, will have to play near perfect on both sides of the ball.

Gino Di Fazio, will need to take advantage of the aggressiveness of the Simon Says defense, and spread the ball around efficiently to multiple receivers, like he did in the first meeting.

 

In essence, he must take a page out of the Simon Says playbook, where they make you pick your poison.

On defense, the Mercenaries, must take away the deep game from their opponents.

 

Rusher Isiah Allard, who had 3 sacks and 2 pass deflections in their first meeting, must use his speed and size to repeatedly get after Simon Dagenais again, and prevent the QB, from getting comfortable and finding his rhythm, and turn him into a check down artist, while the team’s Defensive Backs, stay glued to the Simon Days Receivers.

Most important of all, the Mercenaries will need to be ready to play from the opening whistle, instead of the one who looked sloppy following their first round bye.

For Simon Says to win, they will need to use their length on some other the smaller Mercenaries Defensive Backs, as well as mix in the short and long passing game as they did so beautifully against Pineapple Express.

On defense, Simon Says, must use their length to get into the passing lane, and knock down passes. They must find that balance however, between standing strong, and being too aggressive.

I think this game will be close the second time around as well. For as good as the Mercenaries looked in their inspiring second half comeback versus Jagerbomb, Simon Says, is way too good of a team to do that against. I am not saying they will, but just in case.

While I am tempted to go upset here, I honestly feel that Simon Says, is the best team remaining, and if Simon Dagenais, is ever going to win a championship, it will happen this year.

Prediction: Simon Says (32-22)

 

Picks

 

Keyport Lock vs KGP – Keyport Lock (My pick for Game of the Week)

Simon Says vs Mercenaries – Simon Says

Last Week: (1-3)

Playoffs: (1-6)

 

That’s it for this week. We are down to the final four.

Just a reminder that the rod to the Finals starts tonight, with the roadshow kicking things off later this week. More details to come.

Good luck to everybody in their games tonight!

I will be back next week with our Division C Finals preview.

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

Cheers!