FPF Junior on the Cusp of the Playoffs

I would like to start off by thanking all of you for your patience with the stats and slow website this week. We have been working through some technical issues with our website and the scorekeeping equipment but all that should be resolved now. I also had to wait for all the stats to be up before I could write this article so that is why it is coming to you slightly later than usual. If there are any issues remaining with the stats, please get in touch with us and we will be glad to sort it out.

Week 7 is already done and week 8 is on our doorsteps. These upcoming games will be the final ones of the regular season. While many playoff races have already been determined, the final week of the regular season is always interesting because teams are fighting for a higher spot in the standings. This week, in addition to a game recap or two, I will look at the playoff race in each division but before I get to those, there are a few performances from week 7 that I just have to mention. In Midget, Noah Bloom had yet another outstanding performance with 10 catches for an impressive 100 yards and a score. From the same division Mathis Pilon of the Nittany Lions established himself as a defensive force with three interceptions. From Pee-Wee, it was another three pick performance that caught my eye. Patrick McNab helped lead his White Cougars to an impressive 33-13 victory with his three picks. In Mosquito, Trevon Belgrave made a name for himself in week 7 with a remarkable performance as a receiver. He made six catches for a phenomenal total of 103 yards and 1 score. Three interceptions seemed to be a trend in week 7 since Damian Moustache-Cumberbatch of the Hurricanes also impressed with three picks of his own.

Game Recaps:

Islanders (18) vs North Shore (26)

North Shore: North Shore’s quarterbacks combined for just over 100 passing yards but that’s all they needed to get the job done. They didn’t need to pass for more than that because it was their defence that did most of the work. While I could talk about Ryan Wiwcharyk and his two catches for 30 yards and a score or Ashton Moustache for his two catches, 10 yards and a score,  it would be much more relevant if I focused on the team’s defence. That defence did a superb job with six interceptions. You definitely make life easy on your quarterbacks when give them six extra possessions. Two of those interceptions came courtesy of the very talented Ashton Moustache and he ran one of those picks back for a score. Not to be outdone, Christian D’Alessandro also ran an interception back for six. I could go one naming the individuals who picked off the Islanders but that list is quite long. I will simply say that North Shore’s defence is the best or second best in the division. The Patriots brought the saying “defence wins championships” back to the forefront with their Superbowl performance. If North Shore are to win a championship, it will be from the stellar play of their defence.

Islanders: Saturday was not very kind to the Islanders’ quarterbacks who combined for six picks and only three scores. Despite those unflattering stats, there is still some positive to pull out of this game for the Islanders and their QBs. Late in the game, their offence started to establish a certain rhythm. They stayed away from the long balls that were getting picked off earlier in the game and they returned to basics. They threw the quick slants and the short hooks. Dominik DiFillipo definitely benefited from this short play. Most of his 7 catches for 52 yard and two scores came later in the game. His sure hands coupled with his tall frame permitted him to catch balls over the heads of other defenders and slowly but surely, move the chains. On defence, Philip Martin Chang was a bright spot for the Islanders. He led the team with four tackles and he also managed the Islanders’ only interception.

IB Vikings (12) vs McCaig Gladiators (7)

IB Vikings: This was a massive win for the Vikings. If I understand the tiebreaking rules correctly, it assures the Vikings finish above the Gladiators in the standings. Both of the Vikings’ touchdowns came courtesy of their long-time QB Kevyn De Serres-Payne. To go along with those two scores, he completed 14 passes for nearly 100 yards. The only blemish on his passing record was the interception he threw. Both of those touchdown passes were thrown to the very talented Diego Leone who finished the game with seven catches for 52 yards. However, Diego Leone did more than just catch passes. He also tried his hand at quarterback where he completed 4 passes for a total of 41 yards. Despite not catching any touchdown passes, the speedy Jeremy St-Vil also made his presence felt with five catches for an impressive total of 38 yards. While the Vikings’ offence got the job done, it was their defence that clinched this win for them. They made the Gladiators’ extremely talented QB, Kingston Paquet, look no better than average and they held one of the highest scoring offences in the division to only 7 points. It was a mixture of good tackling and defended passes that allowed the Vikings’ defence to limit their opponents. Kevyn De Serres-Payne led the charge with five tackles as well as a defended pass. Theo Tremblay’s rushing and constant pressure was rewarded with a sack.

McCaig Gladiators: There is no gentle way to put it; it was a rough outing for Kingston Paquet. We have become used to seeing him be one of the most dangerous players in the division. He seemed to have the ability to complete passes at will and rack up the touchdowns. This week however, Kingston Paquet was faced with quite the reality check. While I am sure he can get back to his winning ways this week, he will need to get back to basics. Instead of looking deep each play, he needs to read the opposing defence and exploit the 5-15-yard range. The one touchdown pass that he did throw on Saturday was a 40 yarder to the speedy Luca Fonsato. While their offence struggled, the Gladiators’ defence did their job. They limited their opponents to just 12 points. That effort was led by Noah Swaminadham with 4 tackles and most importantly, 2 defended passes. Not to be outdone, Luca Swaminadham managed an interception that kept his team in the game for just that much longer.

A look at the Playoff Races:

Atom: In Atom, first place has been clinched by the high flying Flight School 5 for some time now. They have cruised through the season with a 7-0 record. The Bears are currently sitting in 2nd place and the 3rd place Silver Cougars are within striking distance. However, the Bears are playing the lower ranked Jaguars while the Silver Cougars are scheduled to face the daunting Flight School 5. Unless they find a way to hand Flight School their first loss of the season, I see the four Atom teams entering the playoffs the same as they are currently ranked.

Mosquito: Flight School 3 and Hurricanes are in a tightly fought battle for first place. That race will be decided this Sunday in Kirkland when these two teams face off against each other in what I’m sure is going to feel like a playoff game. The winner of that game will clinch the first seed for the playoffs. Two other teams that appear within striking distance of one another are the IB Vikings and the McCaig Gladiators. Currently, the IB Vikings hold that third spot but the McCaig Gladiators are only one win behind them. Sadly for the Gladiators, there is no way for them to pass the Vikings since the first tie-breaker is head-to-head dealer and the Vikings won the one game between the two.

Pee-Wee: There isn’t much to say about the playoff race in Pee-wee. There is no possible changes in the standings this weekend. I hope the teams have fun, because that’s all they’re playing for.

Bantam: Yet again, it is a Flight School team that sits atop the standings. In Bantam, Flight School 1 are in first place with a perfect 7-0 record. The only team that could catch them in this final week of the season is North Shore. Luckily for our viewing pleasure, Flight School 1 and North Shore are facing off in Kirkland with the division title on the line. Other than top spot, all the other seeds are locked in.

Midget: While the playoff picture may be relatively clear in the other divisions, that is not the case in Midget. First place is in play. If the Nittany Lions loose to the Crimson Tide and the Tigers win their game, then the Tigers will find themselves in first place. However, ever since the Tide recruited Kaelen Trepanier to play quarterback, they have been a new team. If the Tide manage to beat the top seeded Lions and the Titans lose both their games, then the Tide would find themselves in third place despite their rough start to the season.        Even the Raiders have a chance to climb out of bottom place this weekend if they beat the Titans and the Tide lose. In short, the final standings depend mostly on the outcome of the Tide vs Lions game. Luckily for me, that game will be played at Loyola this weekend!

The last weekend of the regular season is about to kick off and after that, it is the most important season that begins: the playoffs. Each year in FPF Junior, it seems as if one regular season heavyweight falls early while a lesser known team makes a deep playoff push. For all those teams who aren’t atop the standings, don’t lose hope. And for all you undefeated teams, don’t presume things will be easy in the postseason!