Categories: DivisionDivision 4ADivision 4BMen'sWinter

Week 6: Mid-Season report

And they were 3

At the midway point of the season (for most), out of 48 teams, only 3 remain undefeated. Ghosts have the easiest schedule of the three teams remaining, but I don’t see them, Game Changers or The Infantry faltering from here on out. Will we really have 3 teams shooting for that big 14-0 record this season?

Let’s get started

 

Week 6

Are 69ers finally back on track? Jagerbomb looked dangerous with Ryan Kharouf, Keyport Lock’s addition of Anthony Brisebois might break D4A, The Infantry is the real deal, Mad Bears ran all over All Hooks, Air Force 1 isn’t there yet and there’s a solid chance Les Blues Branleurs get a rematch in a few weeks!

 

Thoughts of the Week

  • Is being good at prediction an actual thing?
  • I get that Poker has a certain skill behind it, but at the end of the day, if you aren’t lucky, you won’t win. It’s not all skills.
  • If Peeze has time to get to the endzone on a hail mary, you know the play lasted way too long.
  • There’s weeks where 69ers look flat. Week 6 wasn’t one of those.
  • I can’t wait for Les hommes de l’Ouest’ offence to unlock. So much potential; trust me, it’ll happen sooner rather than later.
  • I’m still on the fence about Soft Serve. Now this tie? I really can’t say how I feel about them and I have to write a mid-season report? Smh.
  • Sebastien Thibault is a bad man.
  • The Infantry is no joke. That defence is, hands down, the best in 4B.
  • Looking closely at Pub Epoxy’s roster, it’s unbelievable how many players have stats on that team.
  • Don’t Mess With Texas might have the most brutal final 5 games in 4A.
  • I don’t think I’ve ever released an article this late. My boy Mark Provost would not be proud!
  • Man this article is wayyyyy too long
  • *Last minute edits: Sorry for the lateness of this article. Also, all these picks were done on Thursday; no cheating was involved!*

 

Recaps

  • Keyport Lock vs SMYTDs: Jeff Rosenblatt had a new weapon on Wednesday night in Anthony Brisebois and he used it ALOT. Jeff’s face would light up everytime his new receiver caught the ball and be amazed how easy it is to connect and get the ball down the field. Keyport Lock looked good for the most part, but Mike Addona really struggled when Keyport Lock switched to an aggressive man defence and panic started to crawl up in that SMYTDs huddle. He forced way too many throws, pissed away an handful of good opportunities to put his team back in the game (Keyport Lock was far from perfect offensively and gave SMYTDs way too many chances to win that game). Boris Balourd tormented Mike Addona in the second half forcing him to move out of the pocket and took bad sacks tilting the favor on his side and Keyport Lock walked away victorious after what is now known as the longest play in FPF history.

 

  • Les Montagnards vs Lonzo Ballers: Raphael Dagenais and Qwyntin Rice are tearing it up for Lonnie Johnson and Les Montagnards simply could not keep up with this ridiculous offence; even without Quaid Johnson in the mix. After one too many weeks of Marc-Antoine Viens struggling under center, Les Montagnards reverted to Julien Fiset-Cyr under center who got the job done in the past for them and the offence scored it’s season-high 26 points on the night. It wasn’t all pretty, but having MAV as a receiver definitely helps elevate Les Montagnards and I’m curious to see how they’ll fare in the upcoming weeks.

 

 

Players of the Week

  • Rico Tulino (69ers): After a bad slew of games, he really stepped it up for his team with 2 interceptions both for six.
  • Brian Eudoxie (Game Changers): 29 offensive yard and a TD + 1 tackle, 4 sacks and a PD against a very mobile QB is quite the impressive feat.
  • Raphael Ducas-Lapalme (Don’t Mess With Texas): 2 offensive touchdowns and 3 sacks. I guess he doesn’t run out of juice huh!
  • Carmine Pollice (SWAT): 8 receptions for 146 yards and 4 TDs. I guess age isn’t a factor for Carmine after all!
  • Alexandre Noel (The Sheriff): 6 receptions, 102 yards, 3 TD, a pick on defence and a couple of PDs. Quite the night.
  • Rory Semerjian (The Infantry): 56 offensive yards, 2 TD and a defensive hat trick (3 interceptions). There’s a reason he’s one of the best player in Division 4…!

 

Power Rankings

Division 4A

  1. Game Changers (5-0): The best team in 4A after 6 weeks.
  2. Greendale Human Beings (4-1): The best offence in 4A. And we know Offence wins games in FPF.
  3. The Stoics (4-1): Their only loss came to a team ranked higher in this Power Rankings; not too shabby.
  4. The Tide (3-1): Don’t sleep on The Tide. They’ll continue to be low-key due to one less game played, but it’s a legit contender this season.
  5. Half-A-Stars (4-2): These last three games haven’t been quite up to the standards of the first 3. I won’t overreact, but
  6. EBROS (3-2): An ugly loss sets EBROS back a bit. Their roster needs more consistency as well.
  7. 69ers (3-2): WITH Dean Demetriou, they’re a very strong 4A team. Hopefully he won’t miss too many games moving forward.
  8. Don’t Mess With Texas (3-2-1): With a very difficult last 4 games, they’ll need to step it up quite a bit. I’m still on the fence about these guys.
  9. Jagerbomb (3-3): This Jagerbomb with Ryan Kharouf looks nasty.
  10. Keyport Lock (3-3): If Anthony Brisebois is a permanent addition, Keyport Lock just got real scary real fast.

 

Division 4B

  1. The Infantry (5-0): After last week’s game, they are the new top dogs.
  2. Ghosts (5-0): “Dropped” a spot simply due to how impressive the current #1 looked. Don’t think this is a jab at Ghosts in any way.
  3. MTL Originals (4-1): An ugly loss this early could help them find the way on the long run, right?
  4. The Sheriff (5-1): Huge showdown this week after yet another impressive win.
  5. A-Squad (4-1): How is A-Squad fifth in my Power Rankings? I don’t know, but these guys are the real deal man.
  6. Les Blues Branleurs (3-2): Losing a close game to one of the division’s powerhouse isn’t something I’m too worried about
  7. Les Verges Folles (3-1): A week behind everyone, LVF is a truly talented roster looking for their opportunity to make noise.
  8. SWAT (3-2): After a slow’ish start, SWAT has been an absolute force as of late. I don’t see them slowing down anytime soon either.
  9. Lonzo Ballers (3-2): Even with Quaid Johnson suspended, Lonzo Ballers are scary good.
  10. Mad Bears (3-2): With an healthy Sebastien Thibault running all over defences, Mad Bears have a unique opportunity to make many teams regret playing them.

 

Mid-Season Report

**Please note, my grading system isn’t based on your current success, but on my expectation of you this season. Getting a C means you’ve performed as expected, whereas A means blow my expectations away and F, well, you know.

The grade isn’t based on your current record, but where I envisioned you to be after 5 weeks**

 

Division 4A

 

  • The Stoics (4-1)

 

Analysis: Preseason, when I looked at the Stoics and the stacked roster of FPF Veterans, I thought they’d be a good team for 4A and allow Chris Rivest to run his offence smoothly, but I never anticipated them to be this dominant so quickly. Their week 1 loss was no surprise to me, but the way they’ve bounced back, adapted and currently compete is impressive. They might not be the fastest guys on the field anymore, but they sure can hang with the best of them and outsmart any opponents on their schedule.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Chris Rivest, Vinny Gualano, Francois Deslauriers

Predicted record: 9-1

 

  • Half-A-Stars (4-2)

 

Analysis: Built around a dominant defence, Half-A-Stars are slowly turning into an offensive juggernaut as Jordan Prizant is currently leading the division in yards and sitting amongst the best in points scored. They’ve managed to form a star studded roster and find a way for everyone to do what they do best and elevate their game to make this team the contender it is today. There’s no way these guys aren’t reaching the final stages in late March.

Midseason Grade: B+

Key players: Jordan Prizant, Andrew Langburt, Zach Aaron

Predicted record: 8-2

 

  • Greendale Human Beings (4-1)

 

Analysis: Built around a successful system and an offence that is somewhat unstoppable; Greendale Human Beings understands that you won’t lose games in FPF if you score 45+ points each and every week. Danny Aylward found a formula that works, applied it perfectly and reaps the benefits. With just the right balance of speed, route running and precision, GHB is one of the toughest teams to play against in Division 4.

Midseason Grade: B+

Key players: Danny Aylward, Brandon Aylward, Alex Joltopuf

Predicted record: 8-2

 

  • Past Our Prime (3-3)

 

Analysis: After a pretty difficult first two games (missing their starting QB definitely didn’t help), Past Our Prime is back on track and exploiting defences. They aren’t the fastest guys, but they’re smart enough to know what to do, when and how to react to pretty much every situation. Unless someone can find a way to make Craig O’Brien uncomfortable in the pocket, he’ll continue to dice up defences and POP will continue to soar.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Craig O’Brien, Angelo Kalaidopoulos, Cullen Burrell

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • 69ers (3-2)

 

Analysis: Coming into this season, I fully expected 69ers to be the frontrunner from week 1 and onwards, but they’ve struggled with roster consistency and it has hurt the team in key situations. I’m not too worried about their playoff chances (although the seeding will be lower than I’ve originally expected) and we’ve seen postseason success from this crew before, but if they want to make this season memorable, they’ll need all their guys performing at the top of their game when March comes rolling in to avoid recent heartbreaks.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Dean Demetriou, Rico Tulino, Shea Harbour

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • EBROS (3-2)

 

Analysis: Starting off real hot with dominant victories, EBROS sort of fell off in recent weeks with a few bad losses. Too many guys have missed games and it impacts the way this team operates, but there’s too much talent to go around for EBROS not to have a more successful season when it’s all said and done. Many will overlook some of these guys, but Chris Cione, Trevor Ruffner, Corey Oliver are all guys who’ll win 1 on 1s on a regular basis and make opposing QB look dumb when the play is over.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Corey Oliver, Trevor Ruffner, Chris Cione

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • Sphinx (3-3)

 

Analysis: I’ve had my doubts about Sphinx over the last few years, I won’t lie, but every season they come back and impress with their ability to adapt on the fly and run a very methodical offence that few people seem able to slow down. Philippe Cloutier is having yet another stud season and Sphinx will surprise anyone who underestimates their ability time and time again. At this rate, they’ll be a very difficult outing in the playoffs and 44 minutes might just be enough for Sphinx to control the pace of the game and make you regret that one or two costly mistakes.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Philippe Cloutier, Mathieu Fafard, Etienne Cloutier

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • Jagerbomb (3-3)

 

Analysis: This new-look Jagerbomb isn’t exactly what we’ve grown to anticipate when we read the team name in Division 4. With Simon Duchesne moving from QB to WR and the addition of Jon Brown as the full-time QB, Jagerbomb has struggled to adapt, but are getting there now. This group of guys are too resilient to give up on a season and will find ways to magically win games late in the season for a nice playoff push.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Jean-Felix Daloze, Gabriel Moreau-Paquette, Simon Duchesne

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • Savage Squad (2-3)

 

Analysis: Derek Daoust’s first attempt at QB is quite successful. Savage Squad have had roster issues here and there, but the core of the team is too competitive to let that get in their way. Everyone knows these guys are a very tough outing every single week and Savage Squad knows just how to get under people’s skin to get them off their game. If a few big plays go their way early, any opponent is in for a very long night. With a few tweaks defensively, this could turn into a pretty interesting season for this core of guys when it’s all said and done.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Derek Daoust, Dilan Daoust, Ashton Thibeault

Predicted record: 4-6

 

  • Wolverines (0-5)

 

Analysis: It’s good to see Wolverines again in FPF and I felt like they could’ve performed well in Division 4, but the new switch at QB isn’t exactly working out for them lately. With Tony Tabet illegible to throw in Division 4, Shane Paquette took over and haven’t found his rhythm just yet. The season is far from over and we’ve seen crazier comebacks; this group is talented enough to turn things around, shock a few teams and make a run for it, but they’ll need to find something to patch their offence ASAP.

Midseason Grade: F

Key players: Raffi Bastadjian, Kristian Alexandre, Mike Carfagnini

Predicted record: 1-9

 

  • Pub Epoxy/Sports Campus (0-6)

 

Analysis: Pub Epoxy/Sports Campus is one of those teams I can’t seem to quite figure out this season. We’ve seen these guys do damage before and the roster isn’t lacklusting, but the inconsistency is definitely problematic; over 14 players with catches this season and 17 with defensive stats. Unless they can solidify a starting 6 on both sides of the ball, they might continue to spiral.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Gabriel Cote, Manuel Cayer-Dubois, Laurent Foucault

Predicted record: 1-9

 

  • Game Changers (5-0)

 

Analysis: After multiple up and down seasons and struggling to field a consistent and competitive roster, Game Changers finally got all their pieces aligned and have put together the best roster Anton Sakiz had the pleasure of playing with. Everyone plays to their strengths and fills a role both on offence and defence that suits themselves and the team. Could this be another perfect 14-0 season for Anton Sakiz? Crazy, right?

Midseason Grade: A+

Key players: Anton Sakiz, Jordan Panetta, Brian Eudoxie

Predicted record: 10-0

 

  • Don’t Mess With Texas (3-2-1)

 

Analysis: Unlike other media members, I still believe in Don’t Mess With Texas. We’re grown to know them as very talented football players who are a tad too unidimensional offensively and it’s costing them games against defences that see it coming. There’s too much talent and knowledge on this team to let that frazzle them and keep them back. I fully expect them to bounce back from the two bad losses and make a nice playoff push as they have something special that most people can’t seem to stop on a regular basis.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Raphael Ducas-Lapalme, Laurent Ladouceur, Fred Mallette

Predicted record: 4-5-1

 

  • BD Bandits (3-3)

 

Analysis: Call me a believer. Mark Belvedere can win games in Division 4A and can lead this team far into the playoffs. They’ve got all the right weapons to make the system work and their defence will keep them in every single game. Jordan Allard’s offensive production has been freakishly low, but if they can find a way to get him more involved and spread the ball a tad more offensively, we’ll see crazy numbers from these guys in the final 4 games.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Steve Sanner, Corey Wawalski, Mark Belvedere

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • Keyport Lock (3-3)

 

Analysis: We’ve talked about how brutal their schedule is this season, but they’re slowly turning things around and finding ways to win. Boris Balourd is emerging as an absolute stud rusher, we all know what Jad Aridi can do, Cliff Gerville is an underrated star and it’s only a matter of time before Thierry Gerville makes a bigger impact on defence. Currently sitting at 3-3 with this schedule is impressive.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Jad Aridi, Boris Balourd, Thierry Gerville

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • Fun Boys (3-3)

 

Analysis: Their biggest deficit this season was by 7 points. Probably the most competitive .500 team in all of FPF at the moment. Fun Boys have grinded every single game and found ways to win in tough situations. Kyle Smith and Vince Nardone is a very good 1-2 punch, but this offence needs a third offensive weapon to really elevate their status and Scott Mironowicz’ legs can’t be that third weapon; it’s a different kind of weapon.

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Scott Mironowicz, Vince Nardone, Kyle Smith

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • The Tide (3-1)

 

Analysis: A game behind most, The Tide is flying under the radar at 3-1 right now. Low key one of the best team in the division, their offence knows how to score and exploit a defence and their defence is as nasty as it gets. Bend but don’t break mentally fits this defence to the T and they’re only finding their footing. With tough games in the second half of the season, The Tide will have to, once again, step it up but they’ve got all the right pieces in all the right places to do so.

Midseason Grade: B+

Key players: Doug McKernan, Chris Pinsonneault, Sami Beg

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • SMYTDs (3-3)

 

Analysis: With such a star-studded roster, you’d expect SMYTDs to be walking away with the division by now. After quick a few bad outings and an offence that looks nothing like what we’ve grown used to from Mike Addona in recent years, SMYTDs is all over the place. If they can find a way to regroup, stick to the game plan, avoid panic and simply execute what we all know they’re very capable of doing, SMYTDs has one of the nastiest defence in the division and will be within a play of winning every single game this season.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Justin Blanchard, Anthony Addona, Felix Faubert-Lussier

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • Baby Kangaroos (3-2)

 

Analysis: We’ve grown to know Baby Kangaroos as a strong offensive team that find ways to win even in the toughest games. Eric Maiorino has developed a famous system and made it his own in a way most people wouldn’t be able to use. They aren’t without their flaws, but this team is only getting better with each passing week and if their defence can gel well together, they’ll be a force by season’s end.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Zach Zwirn, Joey Taylor, Angelo Mourelatos

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • Soft Serve (2-2-1)

 

Analysis: Simply looking at this roster, I felt like this would be one of the most dominant team in the division. They’ve got the speed, the height and the football IQ to make every team cringe when seeing their name on their schedule. Their defence has been good, but hasn’t been without flaws. Their offence, led by Joe Kano, has been good, but struggled to put games away at time and score those big 40+ numbers we’ve seen from him recently. Maybe all they needed was a bit more time together to really bond? We’ll know soon enough!

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Sasha Papich, Tim Horner, Nikola Papich

Predicted record: 4-5-1

  • The You (2-3)

Analysis: 2-3 record with a +/- of 2 describes their season well. The You have been very competitive throughout the first 5 weeks and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The roster inconsistency has hurt them over the first half of the season, but having their guys for the final 5 games will turn things over for them. Dustin White has been good protecting the football, but his efficiency dips a bit when he’s throwing to new receivers; something that time will fix. Expect better offensive outings from these guys moving forward.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Dustin White, Josh White, Zack Goldstein

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • Les Hommes de l’Ouest (0-6)

 

Analysis: Coming into this season, I wasn’t too sure what to expect from Les hommes de l’Ouest. They’ve got a lot of football IQ and talent, but that doesn’t always translate well into FPF. They’ve tried multiple different things at QB and haven’t found “The Guy” just yet, but there’s too much talent on this roster on both sides of the ball to not foresee some kind of comeback and offensive emergence in the upcoming weeks.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Alexandre Rioux-Poulin, Etienne Hortikius Goulet, Adam Marapin

Predicted record: 1-9

 

Division 4B

 

  • Ghosts (5-0)

 

Analysis: Moving up a division, changing QBs and adding a few star players only made Ghosts a more dangerous team from their previous “versions”. This might just be the best team Francois Martin has had the pleasure of playing with and the most suited receiving corp for his style of play. He’s been putting up monster numbers, feeding his guys and keeping the INT count real low. Quite the season and it’s far from over!

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Alexis Gaumont, Charles Verreault, Francois Martin

Predicted record: 10-0

 

  • Lonzo Ballers (4-2)

 

Analysis: The best way to describe Lonzo Ballers is a team put together to let Lonnie Johnson enjoy a fresh, young core of receivers who can make crazy thing happen when thrown the ball to properly. They’ve got some of the best receivers in the division playing for a QB that can make guys look REAL good and they’ll be a very difficult team to stop once all their pieces get to play together. With a few more weeks of “practice” ahead of them, their defence is only poised to become harder and harder to play against.

Midseason Grade: B+

Key players: Lonnie Johnson, Qwyntin Rice, Raphael Dagenais

Predicted record: 8-2

 

  • Les Verges Folles (3-1)

 

Analysis: With one less game played, people seem to take Les Verges Folles lightly, but they’ll quickly realise these guys are the real deal this season. Packed with a ton of football experience, speed and smart playcalling, they’ll make you regret the smallest of mistakes. With interesting matchups coming up, we’ll be able to say whether Les Verges Folles will finally have a deep playoff push and postseason success this season!

Midseason Grade: B

Key players: Vincent Morrissette, Shawn Lafortune, Zacharie Quiviger

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • SWAT (3-2)

 

Analysis: I’ll be the first to admit I had my doubts about SWAT preseason (and after the first two weeks), but they managed to turn things around, solidify their roster and have quite the dominant offence over the last few weeks. The nice mix of route running, height and speed allows Gino Di Fazio to excel offensively and no one can deny the ridiculous numbers Carmine Pollice has been putting up week-in and week-out for this team. With their defence playing the way it has recently, SWAT may just be the best darkhorse team in 4B.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Carmine Pollice, Isiah Allard, Gino Di Fazio

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • Les Blues Branleurs (3-2)

 

Analysis: One of the most stacked roster in Division 4; Les Blues Branleurs have guys who will win one on ones pretty much in every position. Olivier Pilotto is a lot more secure with the football than he was in previous seasons which puts his team in great positions to maintain leads and they’ll eventually create turnovers as this defence might just be one of the toughest to face. If they can keep building up on what they have and improving together, this is going to be one nasty team in late March.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Olivier Laberge, Phil Angers, Arthur Vie

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • Mean Machine (3-2)

 

Analysis: By now, we all know Daniel Goloff is one of the hardest ball slingers in the lower divisions and he finds ways to make the tightest of windows work. There is no doubt this offence can work wonders and put up monster numbers, but Mean Machine’s biggest flaw as always been on the defensive side of the ball. If their defence can gel together nicely and adjust a tad better in the second half of games, it’ll allow Daniel Goloff to play with a lead and turn some of those Ls into Ws

Midseason Grade: C+

Key players: Daniel Goloff, Jake Titleman, Benji Ziegler

Predicted record: 6-4

 

  • Ballers (2-3)

 

Analysis: New FPF teams rarely find success in their first ever season, but Ballers is no ordinary team. Antoine Roger is a very talented passer that surrounded himself with quite the players. Their offence keeps them in games as they’re learning the ins and outs of the game. Defence takes time in FPF, but we can see net improvement every week. With a tough slew of games coming up, we’ll see if Ballers are up for the challenge of Division 4B and if they can hang on to earn their first playoff berth.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Antoine Roger, Danick Coulombe, Jérémy Robidoux

Predicted record: 3-7

 

  • Check Out My TDs (2-3)

 

Analysis: A team made of a few FPF veterans alongside a core moving up divisions after a solid season, Check Out My TDs is built around a gritty defence that keeps them in games, but their offensive woes this season has kept them out of the W column for the most part. They’ve managed to challenge some good teams and be competitive, but the lack of offensive output is really hurting them. With this amount of talent on the team, it’s only a matter of time before they find their recipe for success.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Richard Rafter, Alexandre Delisle, Erik Brousseau

Predicted record: 3-7

 

  • Small Giants (1-4)

 

Analysis: Small Giants were cursed with a very difficult first half schedule, but their offence managed to impress even the most skeptical. Justin Lerner finds ways to get the ball into his playmakers’ hands and their offensive output is quite impressive, but allowing 40+ points on average defensively won’t win you many games in Division 4. With an easier back end, I fully expect Small Giants to take the division by storm, surprise more than one team and find a way to clinch a playoff spot.

Midseason Grade: C-

Key players: Justin Lerner, John Madimenos, Daron Migdesyan

Predicted record: 4-6

 

  • Believe the Hype (1-4)

 

Analysis: New teams usually struggle in their first FPF season in an higher division and Believe the Hype is sadly no different. A lot of young talent moving up from FPF Jr into FPF, but they haven’t quite found their starting QB to make everything gel together and have struggled offensively because of it. There’s enough talent on this team to remain competitive the entire way, but until they can find one stable QB to control the offence and spread the ball well, they’ll continue to struggle to put up points.

Midseason Grade: C

Key players: Aryan Jamanti, Carter Condon, George Zergiotis

Predicted record: 1-9

 

  • Canes (0-5)

 

Analysis: Another case of a brand new FPF team playing in an higher division. Canes have good players, a good defence and playmakers, but the QB play has struggled over the last 5 weeks. They found ways here and there to score, but the lack of consistency makes it very difficult for them to be competitive in a deep Division 4. Canes would find more success in a lower division; maybe an idea for the Spring season?

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Francis Lanctot, Ludovic Blain, Charles Vinette

Predicted record: 0-10

 

  • The Infantry (5-0)

 

Analysis: It took some time for The Infantry to have the opportunity to showcase just how good they really were (week 1 forfeit really sucks), but they wasted no time doing so. They’ve won every game by at least 2 scores and now that they’ve dispatched MTL Originals, I don’t see anyone slowing these guys down on the way to a deep playoff push. The team is super well built, talented and physical enough to be the toughest team to face in 4B.

Midseason Grade: A+

Key players: Rory Semerjian, Jordan Edwards, Sean Semerjian

Predicted record: 10-0

 

  • The Sheriff (5-1)

 

Analysis: I’ve voiced my skepticism about The Sheriff in the preseason and early weeks. Considering their only loss came to GloGang and they’re sitting amongst the top of the division, I have to bow and say I was wrong. The Sheriff is a well built team that allow certain guys to really shine. Luis Begin has a new favorite weapon in Alexandre Noel and he’s having a MONSTER year so far; to keep guys like Dany Ostiguy in the shadow, he’s gotta be something right.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Alexandre Noel, Luis Begin, Kevin Marcil

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • MTL Originals (4-1)

 

Analysis: MTL Originals were my favorite after a few weeks coming out of nowhere to take the division by storm. Sure, this week’s loss to The Infantry hurt their stock, but there’s too much talent on this roster to let that get to them. Their defence is phenomenal and their offence produces more than enough to allow them to win games convincingly. With a few other big matchups coming up (this week and next), MTL Originals will be battled tested heading into the playoffs this season.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Phillip Enchill, Vincent Benjamin, Marc-André Paradis

Predicted record: 8-2

 

  • A-Squad (4-1)

 

Analysis: At the end of the day, I don’t care what others say, A-Squad is a top contender in Division 4B this season. They might not put up the most points every week, but their gritty style will keep them in every game, they’ve got that clutch gene and the playmakers to turn every chance they get in their favor. They’ve got the hardest man to cover in Junior Luke and way too much speed to see their offence restrained. They’ll remain at the top as long as they keep doing what they’ve been doing for a few Winters now.

Midseason Grade: B+

Key players: Riley Pincombe, Junior Luke, Adil Ijaz

Predicted record: 8-2

 

  • Mad Bears (3-2)

 

Analysis: Built around speed and knowledge of the game, Mad Bears is at its best with Sebastien Thibault healthy and at the helm. His uncanny ability to beat the rusher and run for huge gain is something very difficult to play against and it also requires you to pay attention to a bunch of receivers who can beat you in a blink of an eye. If their defence continues to perform this well, their clock management game can really turn tides for them and make them a very difficult outing in the playoffs.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Sebastien Thibault, Antoine Brisson, Jeremi Durand-Tremblay

Predicted record: 7-3

 

  • Dream Breakers (2-3)

 

Analysis: Moving up a few divisions isn’t always easy, but Dream Breakers is a very talented squad and are right there with the rest of the division. Without being a powerhouse this season, they kept all their games close (the ones they’ve lost anyways) and are improving at a ridiculous rate. With Sebastien Dallaire improving every week, Dream Breakers may just be one of the toughest lower seed in this season’s playoffs to face.

Midseason Grade: A

Key players: Francois Dessureault, Ramez Popal-Hamidi, Pierre-Alexandre Taché

Predicted record: 4-6

 

  • All Hooks (2-3)

 

Analysis: Coming into the season, I had high hopes for All Hooks, but they’ve lost a few close games and failed to perform at the level we’ve grown to expect of them. I’m not too sure what changed for these guys, but something is a tad different from the dominant squad we’ve grown to love. Their offensive output hasn’t been quite the same and with their second half of the season only getting more difficult, it’ll be one of those “make or break” moment for their Winter 2019 season.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Jeremy White, Thomas Coutu, Charles-Olivier Lavigne

Predicted record: 4-6

 

  • GloGang (2-3)

 

Analysis: Taking a huge leap from D6 to D4 was courageous. GloGang is definitely talented enough to play in this division, but they’ve got to take games a tad more seriously if they plan on piling up Ws instead of Ls. With a very winnable second half of the season, if GloGang decides to start winning games and shutting down receivers, we may just see them take the division by storm and make us all look bad for thinking they won’t make it.

Midseason Grade: C-

Key players: Malick Meiga, Ludovic Stremler, Olivier Suri

Predicted record: 5-5

 

  • Air Force 1 (2-4)

 

Analysis: Another team moving up from D6 into D4 this Winter. Air Force 1 was an absolute force last Winter and the leap is definitely understandable. The difference between D4 and D6 is big and that’s something AF1 learnt the hard way this season. They belong and will be competitive once they adjust, but the adjustment period may take a little longer than predicted. With 4 winnable games left, they aren’t out of the race just yet; things can still turn around for them.

Midseason Grade: C-

Key players: Edouard Arsenault, Nicolas Dumitru, David Van Oordt

Predicted record: 3-7

 

  • Les Montagnards (0-5)

 

Analysis: Les Montagnards had glimpses in recent seasons that made us believe they could make it moving forward, but the first 4 weeks were really rough offensively and they’ve had to revert to Julien Fiset-Cyr at QB. With the weapons he has at receivers, Les Montagnards should be able to be competitive moving forward and keep games close, but the games left on their schedule won’t make for a pretty ending.

Midseason Grade: F

Key players: Julien Fiset-Cyr, Antoine Gagnon-Griffin, Marc-Antoine Viens

Predicted record: 1-9

 

  • Team Y.S. (0-5)

 

Analysis: Team Y.S. was a good offence last Winter in a lower division, but it hasn’t translated well this season in a higher division and they’ve struggled. Offensively, they aren’t getting it done and their defence is leaking left and right. If they can find a way to redeem themselves and start putting up good numbers again, everything will click and we’ll see a resurgence, but I fear it’s too little too late at this point.

Midseason Grade: D

Key players: Nykolas Pierre-Masse, Carlo Costa, Gerry Vincent

Predicted record: 0-10

 

Predictions

Game of the Week in 4A: BD Bandits vs Don’t Mess With Texas

Game of the Week in 4B: The Infantry vs The Sheriff

**Please note, these are purely subjective and have nothing to do with FPF’s official GOTW filmed product**

 

Savage Squad vs Half-A-Stars: Half-A-Stars

Pub Epoxy/Sports Campus vs The Stoic: The Stoics

Past Our Prime vs Greendale Human Beings: Greendale Human Beings

Les hommes de l’Ouest vs EBROS: EBROS

Fun Boys vs Baby Kangaroos: Fun Boys

Wolverines vs Jagerbomb: Jagerbomb

SMYTDs vs Soft Serve: Soft Serve

Game Changers vs The Tide: Game Changers

Keyport Lock vs The You: Keyport Lock

BD Bandits vs Don’t Mess With Texas: Don’t Mess With Texas

Sphinx vs 69ers: 69ers

 

Les Verges Folles vs Check Out My TDs: Les Verges Folles

Ghosts vs Ballers: Ghosts

Les Blues Branleurs vs Mean Machine: Les Blues Branleurs

SWAT vs Believe the Hype: SWAT

Team YS vs Dream Breakers: Dream Breakers

Lonzo Ballers vs Canes: Lonzo Ballers

A-Squad vs MTL Originals: MTL Originals

The Infantry vs The Sheriff: The Infantry

Les Montagnards vs Mad Bears: Mad Bears

Small Giants vs GloGang: Small Giants

All Hooks vs Air Force 1: All Hooks

 

That’s it for me this week. Hopefully this will trigger you just enough to drop me a message either via email ([email protected]), twitter (@DagenaisFPF) or in person. Remember, I didn’t do this to you, YOU did this to you. Until next time…! I still don’t know what’s worse; List Radio or Math Radio. But they’re both pretty horrible.