Rehan’s Report (D1) – Week 6

Only four weeks remain until the end of the season and the playoff picture has never been foggier. Technically speaking, the Express and Wolverines can win four in a row and fight for first place. OK, we know that is as likely to happen as Carmine Pollice not having a drink during a game, or Moe Khan picking up a girl, or Rostyn Castleton winning the Mother Teresa Humanitarian Award. Teams who are currently on top of the standings will most likely stay there as the season winds down. However, the top two spots in Division 1 are yet to be decided. So every team in contention can still try to be 1st or 2nd, which would give them a first round bye and an automatic birth into semi finals. Therefore, every team still has a lot to play for, which makes for a potentially exciting and intense last four weeks of the season. Also, later in this article I will present my mid-season report of Division 1 teams instead of the usual Sarwar’s Spread, which will return next week. Without further adieu, here’s a recap of last weeks action.

If I remember correctly, didn’t I predict the Express to win over the Wolverines? Not only did they win, they did so quite comfortably with a final score of 33-12. This victory now puts them in the win column, and as a result, they now hold the last playoff spot. Patrick Chenard had 165 yards passing and 5 TDs with 1 INT and rushed 6 times for 81 yards, or in other words had complete control of the game. It is good to see this young man finally taking his team to a level we all knew he could. Even on defense he contributed with 4 tackles and an interception. However, should we discount this win because they beat a team who only had a single win? The real answer will come when the Express take on the Demons in week 7. For now, the Express got the much needed win and did so with everyone on the team working together. Andrija Zecevic had a great game as well, and even though the stats only show 1 sack, his efforts will not go unnoticed in this article. Keep in mind that an effective rusher is not one who amounts a lot of sacks, but rather who is capable of making the opposing QB uncomfortable early and often resulting in the QB making irregular throws. Jerry Charles’ 3 INTs should, in part at least, be attributed to the great rushing ability of Mr. Zecevic. From that point on, the Wolverines went back to a recipe that had worked for them in the past, putting Tony Tabet as QB. Although he made the second half a lot closer, it was too little too late. What do the Wolverines do now? They have to decide quickly because by not having the chance to play the Express again they have to create a separation by defeating other teams, simultaneously hoping the Express will lose some games. It will be a tough road for them, but nothing is over until it is over.

Now let us discuss the top ranked teams in Division 1. Just when I thought the Demons were no longer the superior team in Division 1, they came through with a huge win over Montreal’s Finest by a final score of 38-35 in a very exciting game. In the first half Demons had a safety against them when Benny Goodfriend snapped the ball (from mid-field) over Carmine Pollice’s head and into the Demons end zone. This gave Montreal’s Finest the edge, and at half time they were leading the contest 22-12. The second half belonged to the Demons. They played much better defensively and on offense they put together some great drives to score the much needed points. It came down to the last couple of plays in which Montreal’s Finest were behind 38-35 and were driving to score the game winning TD. However, Kevin Wyeth’s pass was tipped by rusher Jimmy Coupethwaite and intercepted by Carmine Pollice. Consequently the Demons won and are now 2nd overall with a record of 4-2, just behind Montreal’s Finest who are still 1st overall with a record of 5-1. Kevin Wyeth put up great numbers by throwing for 256 yards and 5 TDs, but the last minute interception was enough to spoil Wyeth’s otherwise stellar performance and hand over the win to Demons. Conversely, Carmine Pollice was flawless going 20-24 for 198 yards and 6 TDs with no INTs and 4 rushers for 40 yards. But by far the most crucial play he made was the interception at the end of the game on the tipped ball to solidify the win. Rochdi Benabdelkader had a great game as well with 76 receiving yards and 3 TDs. Karim Binette led all Finest receivers with 73 yards receiving and a few scores as well, meanwhile leading all defensive players with 6 tackles. What does this mean for the top spot? Well, it gives the Demons a chance to catch up to Montreal’s Finest in the standings and get the 1st overall spot considering they play each other again in two weeks (week 8). Providing both teams win in week 7, the Demons can take over the top spot in Division 1 with a win over Montreal’s Finest. We will deal with that when and if the time comes, but for now, the Demons’ locker room is ecstatic with this win. They are also are looking forward to the Express. Meanwhile in  Montreal’s Finest’s locker room, they are focusing on the surging Rainmakers.

And speaking of those Rainmakers, they went head to head against the Hurricanes last weekend. Let us flashback to week 3 when the Rainmakers defeated the Hurricanes by a score of 36-25, thus setting up a great rematch between these two powerhouses of division 1. However, the Rainmakers once again came out on top and in a more convincing fashion this time around, final score being 36-18. Should we be shocked? I don’t think so. Sure the Hurricanes have won the last two division 1 championships, however, we mustn’t forget the Rainmakers are no strangers to the game of football as they are affiliated with McGill Football Program. They definitely have the necessary weapons to go pound for pound against any other division 1 offense. Ryan Kastner put on a clinic in Lachine all night as the Rainmakers dismantled the Hurricanes defense with timely throws. He went 17-29 for 287 yards and 6 TDs with no INTs. The Hurricanes offense wasn’t its stellar self, as demonstrated in its unusual 18 points, the lowest output this season. Rick Nincheri had only 165 yards passing with 3 TDs and 1 INT. If this performance is repeated the Hurricanes will not continue to win. So they definitely need to get it going offensively and shake off their two-game losing streak as they take on the CLR Forces in week 7.

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

3rd star: Ryan Kastner (Rainmakers) showed us that he can play with the best of them in division 1 with his strong numbers: 17-29 for 287 yards and 6 TDs.

2nd star: Patrick Chenard (Express) finally got the Express in the win column and did so by controlling the game quite well: 10-21 for 165 yards, 5TDs and 1 INT while rushing for 81 yards. On defense he had 4 tackles and 1 interception.

1st star:  Carmine Pollice (Demons) had a sound game to bring his team in a position to be possibly first overall. He went 20-24 for 198 yards and 6 TDs while rushing for 40 yards; defensively he caught the only interception of the game to seal the win.

Mid Season Report

This report focuses on each team’s offense and defense followed by a few brief comments about the team in general.

Montreal’s Finest (5-1)

Offense (199 Points For) – Kevin Wyeth is doing a great job utilizing all his weapons, however they have scored 199 points in 6 games which is ranked 4th in division 1 which might not be enough against some of the other powerhouse offenses in division 1.
Grade: A

Defense (135 Points Against) – 1st overall in defense and have done a great job controlling opposing teams’ offense with good rushing and great defensive schemes.
Grade: A

The Finest finally suffered their first loss, but it was in the last minute, therefore they can definitely learn from that and move on to the next game. They definitely have the best defense in division 1, however in their last two contests, against potent offenses, they averaged 36 points against per game. So they have to work on that if they intend to go all the way.

Demons (4-2)

Offense (233 Points For) – Carmine Pollice is doing a great job putting the points on the board and the Demons have the number one ranked offense in division 1. However there is still an issue with consistency as most weeks there has been dropped balls and interceptions.
Grade: A-

Defense (198 Points Against) – Demons have the 2nd to last ranked defense which is horrible for division 1 standards. On several occasions they have been beat very easily on deep balls and their rushing hasn’t been exceptional which is due to a lack of communication and missed assignments.
Grade: B

Demons had their best game of the season against Montreal’s Finest last week, however can they do it consistently in the remaining 4 games? Especially since they face the Montreal’s Finest again in a few weeks and the Hurricanes last game of the season.

Rainmakers (4-3)

Offense (215 Points For) – Ryan Kastner is doing a great job with this offense and their chemistry is probably one of the best in division 1. It’s to a point where they can score on will.
Grade: A+

Defense (181 Points Against) – Rainmakers’ defense took hits all season, however, overall they have done a good job led by Adriano Tassone. If they can just improve it a little more, they have a chance (especially with the way their offense is going) to go far in playoffs.
Grade: B+

Rainmakers only have three games left and thus need to use them to build momentum heading into playoffs. The key is to make the defense more stifling while keeping their offense as potent as Viagra.

Hurricanes (3-3)

Offense (220 Points For) – The Hurricanes’ offense has struggled at times, but still has managed to put up 220 points. It is worth mentioning however, that most of those points came from within the first two weeks of the season against weaker opponents. Rick Nincheri seems a little rattled at times, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed, especially now with the addition of Robby Robinson at his disposal.
Grade: A-

Defense (180 Points Against) – This is a mystery to everyone in Division 1 because the Hurricanes’ defense is still good, but not as great as it was in previous seasons. Something has to be done fast, heading into playoffs their defense needs to top notch.
Grade: B+

There is no reason for anyone to panic on the Hurricanes. If anything, they can look at the losses as a blessing in disguise because it gives them a chance to identify and work on their weaknesses. Better lose now than in playoffs right? They have enough character and leadership on the team to turn it around.

CLR Forces (3-2)

Offense (134 Points For) – Frederic Dupuis has revived the CLR Forces’ offense in the last two games and averaging 33 points. This offense has the potential to be extremely high octane.
Grade: B+

Defense (146 Points Against) – Just like the offense, the defense has done an excellent job in the past few contests. They are ranked 2nd overall in division 1.
Grade: B+

CLR Forces started off the season slow with a 0-2 start but since then have won three in a row. They are doing a great job on offense and defense; thus they are a well balanced team. They don’t make a lot of mistakes and thrive on enthusiasm and agility to overcome their opponents. To be successful down the road, they must score early and often.

Express (1-5)

Offense (126 Points For) – Patrick Chenard finally got the offense going last week. If this 2nd to last ranked offense has any chance of doing damage, Mr. Chenard has to take control of the game and dictate the tone.
Grade: B-

Defense (167 Points Against) – Led by rusher Andrija Zecevic, the Express defense is their biggest strength by far. They need to get excellent performances from Mr. Zecevic every game. They do a great job breaking to the ball and tackling. This is a defense that has the ability to surprise a few down the road.
Grade: A-

Wolverines (1-5)

Offense (95 Points For) – The Wolverines offense has struggled all season as they haven’t even reached the 100 point mark after 6 games. Rookie QB Jerry Charles started off well, but has not been consistent. The team might have to resort to old tricks a la Tony Tabet.
Grade: C+

Defense (215 Points Against) – They have allowed the most points which is quite strange because the bread and butter of the Wolverines was always their defense. None of the players know the reason behind such dismal results.
Grade: C

Wolverines might be in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time ever in Division 1. Their plus/minus is a shocking -120 and they have really tough opponents in their last four games so they need to do something drastic (perhaps say a few prayers) if they hope on having any chance to win a few games, let alone secure the last playoff spot.

And that was my mid-season report.

There will be no Sarwar’s Spread this week because I need a week off from having a losing record. Also, instead my mid-season report gives everyone a chance to see where they are at this point in season. Only four weeks left so now is the time for most teams to work on the glitches they feel they have and get ready for the post-season. 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 the 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.