Rehan’s Report (D1) – Playoff Preview (Round 1)

Well this is the week we all had been waiting for since the Division 1 season started, THE PLAYOFFS. I want to start this article by welcoming back the Rainmakers who have decided to return and play this weekend. We all know it wasn’t an easy decision and if they had decided to not return, it would have been supported by everyone. However I can easily say that it shows a lot of courage on their parts and they have my utmost respect. They will play two games this weekend but more on that a bit later. It has been quite an eventful season with great games, great rivalries and of course a tragedy. We must find a way to cherish the great memories of the 2009 Division 1 season as we look forward to the post season. Speaking of which, I will briefly look into the playoffs weekend coming up but first I want to start by looking at last week’s action, followed by a season recap.

 

Week 10 Report

 

Before I start the recap, the Rainmakers vs. Express game was postponed for obvious reasons. This game will be played this Sunday at 7:00 in Laval. The Hurricanes will play either Express or Wolverines that same night pending the result of the game.

 

The Wolverines knew that they had to do their part by winning at least 1 out of their 2 games this past weekend. On Saturday night they took on the Montreal’s Finest which they lost quite easily by a score of 39-14. Anyone surprised? I know I wasn’t. Moe Khan had a great day at the office (Ok I am a little surprised about that). He had 2 sacks and an INT which he almost took back to the house but his 9.66s 40 speed was a factor. Kevin Wyeth threw for 206 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT once again spreading the ball well with 4 receivers having 4 receptions each. The Montreal’s Finest played great all around but you could tell the Wolverines were holding back a little. Not that if it would have made a difference even if the Wolverines played their hearts out because after all the Montreal’s Finest are a talented squad and as such, have finished first overall in standings.

 

So why didn’t the Wolverines give more effort? They did what I had predicted. They played Saturday night to stay warm and try a few things but saving their energy in a more winnable match up, which took place the next night. Moving on to that contest, it was the Wolverines taking on the CLR Forces in a must win situation for Wolverines. Needless to say that I was right, once again, and Wolverines defeated the CLR Forces in a close one, final 21-20. I hate to say it but I predicted it would happen. The game winning TD was caught by Ara Ekmekdjian. The Wolverines defense kept Freddy Dupuis to 50% pass completion and only 2 passing TDs. Guillaume Ward had a receiving TD but more important had 2 picks, one of them being a “pick six” special which was somewhat of a controversy. Raffi Kozanian had a big play with a sack on Freddy Dupuis which counted for a safety. It was tight throughout the game but the Wolverines made the plays when it counted and now hold the last playoff spot. If the Express lose on Sunday, which is quite possible since Patrick Chenard might not be able to play, the Wolverines will clinch a playoff spot.

 

 

The Demons and Hurricanes faced each other with the first round bye at stake, with the Demons winning by a score of 36-30. Carmine Pollice of the Demons and Rick Nincheri of the Hurricanes threw for 5 TDs and 1 INT each. Mike Roy of the Demons caught 6 passes for 125 yards and 2 TDs (also congratulations to him for winning Division 2 receiver of the year) while Robby Robinson caught 10 balls for 100 yards and 3 TDs. The game was pretty much back and forth, as expected, but the Demons had a lead at half time 14-6. From that point forward they never looked back. The Demons defense held Shane Williams out of the endzone. The General, Gino Di Fazio, had 5 tackles, 1 INT and Adi Sharma had 7 tackles, 1 PD on defense. So the Demons will get a bye and the Hurricanes will face either Wolverines or Express on Sunday night.

 

 

And that rounds up this week’s review and it is now time to name the three STARwars of the week.

 

3rd star: Mike Roy (Demons) put up solid numbers, catching 6 balls for 125 yards and 2 TDs, helping his team secure a first round bye.

 

2nd star: Andre Knights (Montreal’s Finest) caught 4 passes for 44 yards and 4 TDs. On defense he had 1 tackle, 1 INT and 2 PDs.

 

1st star: Kevin Wyeth (Montreal’s Finest) went 20-24 for 206 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT.

 

 

 

The winners of the Sarwar’s Spread and STAR-war of the year will be presented in the STAR-AWARDS© which will be announced in the week after the Division 1 finals. The 2009 Division 1 Winter season was a dandy. I would like to congratulate Rick Nincheri, Rochdi Benabdelkader, Karim Binette and Guillaume Ward for winning the individual awards, they were all deserving winners. Back to the season itself, Montreal’s Finest finished the season strong and are looking to not only return to the finals but this time win the coveted Division 1 trophy. The Demons started the season a little iffy but finished 2nd overall with a first round bye. Hurricanes finished 3rd and had an average season by this year’s Division 1 standards however they know what it takes to win when it counts most so they should not be counted out. CLR Forces really started off slow but picked it up fast with the strong play of Freddy Dupuis and Guillaume Ward. They finished the season at .500. Rainmakers knew it would be tough making the jump to Division 1 but they made the most of it, especially defeating the Hurricanes twice and securing a playoff spot. Wolverines and Express had a tough time all year and basically fought against each week in and week out in standings (and a few times on the field) for the last playoff spot which currently belongs to the Wolverines which I had predicted. It was the perfect ending to their season and the division 1 season. Overall it was a bitter sweet season but we must always remember the best moments as we move forward.

 

No season is complete without the naming of the All Stars a la STARWAR.

 

ALL STARWAR SQUAD

 

My squad will be composed of 12 positions: QB, Snapper, 4 Receivers, Rusher, 5 Defensive Backs. It is possible a player can play on both sides of the ball as only the strong will be elected to this unit. There are a lot of great players in Division 1, after all it is the elite division. However picking twelve out of over fifty players is not an easy task so it goes without saying that a lot of great players won’t be picked. So without further ado:

 

Offense

 

QB – Rick Nincheri (Hurricanes), enough said.

 

Snapper – Benny Goodfriend (Demons) is the best snapper in FPF. He can snap the ball harder than many QBs can throw combined with his ability to run great routes and catch the ball.

 

Receiver 1 – Akked Moore (Montreal’s Finest) is the complete package. He possesses great hands, good speed and the ability to catch any ball thrown at him, also can win jump balls because of his height.

 

Receiver 2 – Rochdi Benabdelkader (Demons) is one of the smartest receivers in Division 1. He knows where the holes are and he’ll be there with open arms. Furthermore he runs great routes, has great hands and can make the clutch grabs. There is a reason he won the receiver of the year.

 

Receiver 3 – Michael Chitayat (Rainmakers) has 600 receiving yards in 9 games but more than that is his ability to make the catch when it is needed most. He runs great routes and has a real nose for the ball.

 

Receiver 4 – Shane Williams (Hurricanes) is a veteran of FPF and has two championships, both in which he was integral part. Every time a big play is needed, you go to Mr. Williams who will bring down that ball no matter what it takes. 

 

Defense

 

Rusher: Andrija Zecevic (Express) is the backbone of the Express defense. He makes it very uncomfortable for any opposing QB to make their throws and if you try to run by him, his long arms will de-flag you.

 

Defensive Back 1 – Guillaume Ward (CLR Forces) can definitely play defense, as much as we all thought he was only a great receiver. He attacks passes and plays gritty but more important, he reads the play well.

 

Defensive Back 2 – Kishon Thompson (Montreal’s Finest) is one of the toughest defenders to play against. He is fast, intense and tackles well. He also has the ability to get inside your head and make you lose focus; he is a great asset to any team.

 

Defensive Back 3 – Kyle Smith (Hurricanes) is one of the smartest defenders in Division 1. He lacks height but can cover ground with his speed and makes the big plays when his teams needs him. Also he is a good tackler.

 

Defensive Back 4 – Adi Sharma (Demons) is a solid contributor on defense for many seasons now. You think anybody can be the professor on Chalk Talk? (Well we know Moe Khan is in the segment too but clearly Adi Sharma runs that show)

 

Defensive Back 5 – Shane Williams (Hurricanes) can definitely make a big play on defense anytime his number is called up. He can cover short or deep. This season with the limited time on defense he has 3 picks, 2 of them were “pick six” specials.

 

 

And that gentlemen is the 2009 WINTER DIVISION 1 ALL STARWAR SQUAD.

 

 

PLAYOFFS

 

Round 1

 

CLR Forces vs. Rainmakers

 

The Rainmakers team will play a very emotional game as they look to continue their football lives without their leader. Ryan Kastner will have to come up big against Guillaume Ward and that fierce CLR Forces defense. He will need to control the offense but more important his receivers will need to be gritty and fight for the balls.

 

The Rainmakers defense will have a tough task in slowing down Guillaume Ward, Dominic Lemieux and Freddy Dupuis as they are on fire right now. The game will come down to which QB can control the game better with respect to possession and time.

 

 

Hurricanes vs. Wolverines/Express

 

Let’s be honest, whichever team the Hurricanes face they will defeat them quite easily. They have a top notch QB and better yet many play makers for him to spread the ball around to. Their roster has depth and furthermore, the Hurricanes road to repeat starts Sunday night.

 

 

Next article, I will recap the first found of playoffs and break down round two. I will throw in a fun segment for everyone to read and enjoy. Well that wraps it up for this week’s report. I will sign off and let everyone get back to their work or whatever it is that you guys do to pass time. If you have any comments/suggestions don’t hesitate to message me on Facebook or [email protected] and I’ll catch you next week same STARWAR time, same STARWAR article.