FPF Junior Regular Season Draws to a Close

After my stressful bus ride out to Kirkland last week, I felt like an experienced veteran this week as I managed the three different buses. There was much less stress and no periodic checking to make sure I was on time. Just like my expertise with the buses of the West Island, FPF Juniors have also improved leaps and bounds since week 1. The biggest improvements are always seen in the Freshmen division. It is fascinating to watch them develop. For many in Freshmen, this is their first contact with football. Watching them evolve from confused rookies to proficient football players is one of the most rewarding parts of this job.

This eighth week of action was the final week of the regular season. That means that the playoffs are now on our doorstep. The seeding has finally been decided and the first round of playoff match-ups are set. This year, FPF Junior is trying something new with the entirety of the playoffs taking place on a single day. This condensed playoff action allows the season to wrap up sooner and everyone’s summer vacation to get started even earlier. Before we get to that much awaited day of playoff action, here are your week 8 recaps.

Week 8 Recaps

Mustangs (26) vs Lions (25)

A thought on the Mustangs (Inspired largely by a submission from their coach Steven White):

In 2017, the Mustangs joined the League and shocked most by finishing in 3rd place and beating the older, more experienced and unbeaten Lions in the finals. Going into Spring 2018, the Mustangs lost their top wide receiver Dylan Hacker to the Buckeyes and a top defensive player in Andrew Titleman to injury. Despite those two considerable setbacks, the Mustangs and have not missed a beat posting a perfect 8-0 record.  Newcomers Jared Boidman and Josh Jacobson have picked up the slack left by those two significant departures.  The core of this team has gelled and played exceptionally well especially on defense allowing only 78 (PA) points against, compared to the next best Spartans at 117.  Evan Stern, the team’s new defensive captain has stepped up in a big way always taking the opponents #1 WR and shutting them down.  Aidan Bienstock, as a rusher, has no equal in the league and he understands his role and has mastered the art of containment and rushing.

 

On offense the Mustangs are led by quarterback and master scrambler Coby White.  His ability to keep the plays alive while allowing his receivers to come open is exceptional. While he does have a tendency to hold onto the ball a second too long, his cannon of an arm allows him to compensate.  Favorite targets Ethan Brinberg, Max Kadanoff and snapper Oren Arbel-Wood are all having great seasons due to the unselfish mentality of this team.

 

Back to the Game:

As they have been all season long, the Mustangs were led by the stellar play of Coby White. More precisely, by the stellar play of Coby White’s legs. While he threw for less yards, less completions and more interceptions than his opponents on Sunday, he made up for all of that by rushing for thirty three yards in five attempts as well as by extending plays with his legs. Those extra few yards and extra few seconds he bought himself in pocket are what ultimately what made the difference in this game. Another element of the Mustang’s game that I hadn’t picked up on in past weeks was their blistering pace. The Lions were rarely able to set an edge and force the Mustangs back inside. The Mustangs consistently got to the sidelines before their opponents could force them back inside and that is ultimately what allowed them to accumulate the yards they needed to win. As its been all season long, the Mustangs’ defence was a team effort. Six different players managed to get on the stat sheet. The most impressive of those six was Ryan Rotholz who posted four tackles to go along with a key interception. In terms of tackles, it was Ethan Brinberg and Even Stern who led the charge with six tackles each. Until the very last play, it didn’t look like Aidan Bienstock was going to find his way onto the scorecard. However, on that last play, he filled in as rusher and surprised opposing QB Kaelen Trepanier and got the sack to win the game for his team.

When you look at the numbers that the Lions put up, it’s very hard to pinpoint what they did wrong. In fact, the only blemish on their offensive record was the one interception they threw. Even with one interception, their 188 passing yards, 20 rushing yards and 208 yards of net offence should have been enough to win them the game. The one area where the Lions did struggle was on their convert attempts. Despite scoring four times, they only converted on one extra point. Their opponents also scored four TDs but managed two points from their convert attempts. That one point more that the Mustangs scored is ultimately what cost the Lions the game. Luckily, with a QB like Kaelen Trepanier, scoring more often on extra point attempts should not be too difficult. If the Lions decide to go for two, Kaelen Trepanier has the option of using his legs or his arm to get the extra points. So often, those extra point attempts are what decide a game. If the Lions hope to win it all, they will need to more efficient in this facet of their game.

While the Lions offence was firing on all cylinders, their defence had a harder time stopping their opponents. As I already said, the Mustangs’ pace made it very difficult for the Lions to set an edge. However, it is not only the Mustangs with speedy players. The Lions have speedsters like Ashton Moustache but even with players like that, they struggled to force their opponents back towards the inside of the field. Maybe a slight tactical adjustment would be in order. If their corner were to press a bit more, they would be in a better position to force the Mustangs towards the center of the field to be tackled. One player who has been an unsung hero for this Lions defence all season long is Ryan Wiwcharyk. While names like Bradly Parent and Kaelen Trepanier may steal all the headlines for the Lions, you cannot talk about their defence without mentioning the contributions of Ryan Wiwcharyk. All season long, he has been making key plays for his team and giving them the best chance to win. In week 8, Ryan Wiwcharyk came up big with five tackles as well as an all-important interception.

Bruins (27) vs Thundering Herd (18)

In a preview of next week’s playoff matchup, the Bruins took on the Thundering Herd. The Bruins offence ran through the electrifying duo of Darius Paiement and Zacharie Gadbois. It was a pleasure to see those two do their thing on the field. Zacharie Gadbois, with his unrivalled speed tallied an impressive total of four catches for nearly 50 yards and a touchdown. While Zacharie Gadbois may not be a deep threat, his ability to create yards after the catch is unmatched. It’s that ability to make players that encouraged his coaches to also use him as a running back where he rushed for 21 yards in two attempts. Every good offence needs a pair of reliable hands to catch those short passes and get the QB out of trouble with easy completions. For the Bruins, that player is Adam Perks. The nimble receiver caught six passes for 25 yards and most importantly, two touchdowns.

The Bruins biggest accomplishment on defence was limiting the insanely talented Jaeden Edghill. Leading that defence was Emile Gagnon who helped his team on their way to victory with three tackles and a crucial interception. Another player who came up big at the perfect time for the Bruins was Nathan Bernier. The young man’s first career interception could not have come at a better time. His solid defensive play and key pick went a long way to his team’s victory.

The Thundering Herd tried something new at quarterback with Zachary Levy. There were ups and downs for him as he adapted to this new position. He put up very solid numbers in terms of passing yards with over 150. In terms of touchdowns, he also got the job done with three. However, where it was more complicated, was when it came to protecting the ball but throwing interceptions is all part of the growing and learning process. From what I saw, Zachary Levy has the fundamental skills to make it as a passer in this league. Maybe he could make the jump to QB next season. As usual, it was Jaeden Edghill who tallied up the yards as receiver. He only caught two passes but he made the best of those two receptions by scoring once and putting up a total of 61 receiving yards. In the playoffs, Jaeden Edghill might see himself get locked down by a top DB. In that case, the Thundering Herd will need to look to other receivers to move the chains. Luckily, they have the likes of Quentin Handy and Ryan Black who can pick up the slack. On Sunday, they each caught two passes, one of which for a score.

What impressed me about the Thundering Herd’s defence was just how many players got involved. A total of 11 players all got their name on the scorecard and proved that they can get the job done. Having that many players that can make plays on defence is a great trick to have up your sleeve as the playoffs approach. As a coach, it gives you the ability to switch up schemes and personnel to keep the opposing QB guessing. In week 8, it was the likes of Jayden Blitzer with two tackles and Max Arnovitz with a tackle and PD who stood out. However, with 11 talented players, its impossible to know who’s going to wind up making the difference in the playoffs.

Dark Horse Playoff Contenders

We all know the teams that are favoured to win in the playoffs, but here is a look at the dark horse teams that have a very realistic chance of winning it all.

Freshmen AP Hurricanes:

If any team has a chance of upsetting the undefeated X-Men, it has to be the Hurricanes. With Markus D’Alessandro as quarterback, their offence is in a great situation. When you give him receivers like Nicolas Vanden-Abeele, that offence only becomes more lethal. On the other side of the ball, they are led by sack-master Cedrick Leroux and all-star safety Anthony Solomon-Payne. With the likes of those four, I would not bet against the AP Hurricanes going all the way.

Sophomore B:

Thundering Herd: Very simply, Jaeden Edghill is as close as it comes to being uncoverable. He is one of the most athletic players in the division and his height combined with exceptional vertical give him the edge over just about any defender. If the Herd can manage to exploit the mismatch between Jaeden Edghill and almost any defender, they have a great shot at the championship.

Sophomore A:

NS Hurricanes: In week 7, the Hurricanes proved they can compete with the very best when they handed the Dusters their second loss of the season. Nicholas Masella leads all juniors in passing yards and with FPF Juniors best tackler on defence in Ashtin Philistin, this team could very well beat the Dusters in the semis and have a chance at winning it all in the finals.

Varsity:

Spartans: Despite being ranked in the bottom half of the standings, the Spartans remain one of this division’s very best teams. They will face off versus the Lions in the first round and after having beaten those same Lions in week 7, you have to presume the Spartans are once again favorites. I could see them riding the momentum from that early win all the way to the championship.

Week 8 Team of the Week

Offence:

QB Garner Ross (Tar Heels): 209 passing yards, 5 TDs

RB Noah Swaminadhan (X-Men): 84 rushing yards

WR Bradly Parent (Lions): 9 receptions, 53 receiving yards, 3 TDs

WR Jacob Soles (Lions): 7 receptions, 87 receiving yards, 1 TD

WR Gavin Doan (AP Hurricanes): 6 receptions, 71 receiving yards, 4 TDs

Jake Newman (Wolverines): 7 receptions, 103 receiving yards, 3 TDs

Defence:

Rusher Louis Vincent (Sun Devils): 4 sacks

DB Anthony Solomon-Payne (AP Hurrincanes): 1 tackle, 2 PDs, 3 INTs

DB Evan Stern (Mustangs): 6 tackles

DB Dylan Joly (Musketeers): 3 tackles, 1INT

DB Mathis Foczeny (Thunder): 1 tackle, 2 PDs, 1 INT

DB Eric Lazarovitz (Tar Heels): 4 tackles, 1 INT

 

With that, the Spring 2018 regular season of FPF Junior draws to a close. While the regular season may have ended, the real season begins: playoffs. With so much on the line and only one day to choose four champions, it is sure to be an action-packed Sunday at Stade de Montreal. Make sure you are all well rested and in tip top shape for this final and decisive weekend of action.