Weekday Quarterback (Div D) – Week 5

 

We have hit the midway point of the season and I think we can agree that it has really gone by quickly and it is going by even quicker for those teams that are struggling thus far. With five games now in the books, some teams are beginning to hit the panic button knowing that there is very little room for error from here on in and if they do not find a way to bank some wins they could see themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time. Other teams hit the midway point with a great deal of confidence knowing that they have all but locked up their playoff spot already and it is just a matter of time before they know exactly where they will be seeded. Division A and B had each team get an individual grade on the WEPL for their performance so far this season. Division D did not get that benefit but have no fear because this week’s article will be an individual mid season report for each team in the division. Some of you may not like to hear what I have to say while others will be very happy to have received a passing grade to this point. Without further delay let’s take a look at the teams.

 

Conference A, East Division

Tyrants: The Tyrants have had an excellent season to date considering the tough stretch they had in the winter. Led by Quarterback John Kaliotzakis, this team has really turned it around and leads their division with a 3-2 record after five games. Defensively they are getting a very good team performance but the standout player has been David Lobe who has recorded 14 tackles to go along with his 2 interceptions and 9 passes defended. It has been a good start for this team.

Grade: A

 

Time Bombs: We expected a lot out of the Time Bombs to start this season but it seems as though those expectations were much too high for them. This is clearly a much different roster from the Time Bombs of the winter and right now Chris Rivest, who was expected to lead this team, is not getting it done. The blame cannot be placed solely on him as he is not getting much help from the team around him. Florent Sanchez is having a decent season at receiver with 139 yards and 2 touchdowns but they will need more help on the defensive side of the ball if they want to get back on track.

Grade: F

 

Warhawks: This is a team struggling immensely to start the season but like I have stated in the past, it is a testament to the character of some of the veterans on this team who continue to try and improve each season despite losing many games. Tim O’Hara and Chris Ogg are splitting the QB duties right now and perhaps it is time to choose one and try and roll with him. Defensively, this team needs to get some stops. They put up a great fight this past week versus the highly favored Patriotes team. Can they build on that?

Grade: C-

 

Affreux: Affreux ended the winter season on a high note after losing a great game to the eventual champions of division 5, but they have had trouble finding their rhythm to start this season. It is the second straight spring season where they fail to get into the win column early in the season. That has an effect on a team mentally and right now it seems as if they have no confidence. Mathieu Domon does not have the same swagger that he ended last season with and the defense has only 3 takeaways in 5 games. That will have to change if they want to win some more games. They are the biggest disappointment in my mind.

Grade: F

 

Conference A, West Division

Eagles: Is there a team playing any better than the Eagles right now? It does not seem that way to me. These guys have hit the ground running this season and it is a real pleasure to watch. I was not convinced early in the season but right now I am on the bandwagon. Jonathan Goyette and Danny Bellemare have both been excellent for this season. Bellemare has thrown for 12 touchdowns in 4 games at the QB position and has 428 yards. Defensively they are getting help from everyone especially Gabriel Lapensee who has accumulated a ridiculous 14 sacks in 5 games. Can you say defensive player of the year? Arguably the best team in division D.

Grade: A+

 

Patriotes: I just asked if there was team playing better than the Eagles right now. If there is someone playing better than the Eagles it has to be the Patriotes. Coming into the season many people asked me who from Division 5 in the winter could compete in the spring. There was no doubt in my mind that it was the Patriotes but they are exceeding expectations so far. Undefeated in 5 games and Etienne Chauvin is playing over his head at the QB position. Along with the Pereda’s and Mathieu Belanger at WR and DB, this team is ready to soar to the top of the conference. The question is who will win the big matchup between them and the Eagles. That will ultimately decide who takes the number 1 seed.

Grade: A+

 

Lockdown: I have been extremely tough on Lockdown over the past couple of seasons because of their lack of consistency throughout a full season and even from game to game. Gianfranco Renaudo has shown a lot of improvement even though he does not get a lot of credit and this defense is extremely athletic as they fly to the ball every play. If they can continue to gain momentum from their 3 game win streak, they could do some damage come playoff time. One player who is rarely mentioned is Geoffrey Brown who has already accumulated 8 touchdowns and 159 yards receiving. Can he continue to be the go to receiver or will teams figure him out? Either way this team has shown a lot of improvement and deserves credit for that.

Grade: B+

 

Monstars: The Monstars are a familiar face to those of us who have been around the league for a while. Led by the resilient and outspoken Moh Azab this team continues to show grit and determination every season. I expected a very slow start to the season for a team without its starting QB but they have shown they can compete thanks to their revamped defense. Will Andre Funamoto make this team even better than they have been during the first half of the season? That’s a question that can only be answered in time but if he can just play without making too many mistakes the Monstars can be a force heading into the playoffs. Ryan Aridi is making a case that he is one of the top rushers in the league so far as he has recorded 10 sacks in 5 games. Expect this team to get better in the coming weeks.

Grade: B+

 

Conference B, East Division

Cowboys: We have talked a lot about this veteran team through the first 5 weeks and it is hard not to because of their play. Jon Moodie has been outstanding at QB for the Cowboys. He has thrown for 750 yards and 20 touchdowns. Those are incredible numbers for a QB in division D. They have two threats at the receiver position right now. Vince Mancini has 205 yards and 4 td’s while Scott Broady has 321 yards and 6 td’s. How do you stop this offense? Right now it does not look like you do. On defense we have another team led by its rusher. Kory De Nie has already sacked the QB 16 times. This team may not get a lot of interceptions but they do a good job of locking teams down and getting the ball back on downs. They are the best team in Conference B so far.

Grade: A+

 

Mongoose: Mongoose was the team we all expected to be undefeated to this point but they had a bit of a letdown two weeks ago thanks to the play of Maximum Carnage. A member of Mongoose spoke to me early last week to let me know that it would not happen again and that it was just a bad week. They believe in themselves and I think you have to believe that they can continue to win games because their offense has played extremely well. Alex Gaudet has passed for 14 touchdowns so far this season and is yet to throw an interception. That is very good productivity. Jason Lachapelle has been the go to receiver at this point with 129 yards and 4 touchdowns to go along with his 4 interceptions on defense. He has been an excellent two force for them early on. I expect Mongoose to play even better then they have this season and they will have to if they play on beating out the Cowboys for the top seed in Conference B.

Grade: A

 

Park X Streets: Another team that has come back from the winter season in division 5 and they want to prove that they can compete. They got a bad rap at the end of last season after they lost in the first round of the playoffs when they were heavy favorites. It seems like they have come back with a vengeance but it does not help that they are playing in the toughest division in division D. It has been Quarterback Carousel for this team so far this season as they have already used 4 QB’s after 5 weeks. They need to find a long term solution if they plan on going deep into the playoffs. Niko Zarmalias continues to be the biggest two threat on this team but the word is out on him and he will get plenty of attention as the season goes on. Other people need to step on this team if they want to make the leap to serious contender. I have been big on this team for two seasons but I expect much more from them in the coming weeks.

Grade: B+

 

Golden Eagles: The Golden Eagles got off to a slow 0-2 start but since changing to Kevin Lubin at QB they are 3-0. Lubin is one of the best, if not the best athlete in division D. He can run, he can throw, he can catch, he can play defense and to quote Boobie Miles’ uncle in Friday Night Lights, he can “walk your dog and paint your back porch all at the same time”. This team has lost some games to tough teams over the past two seasons but they are extremely talented and can be a darkhorse if there ever was one. Lubin gives them a chance to win every game and with the help of smart players such as Alex Guertin, they can definitely get even better throughout the season. Guertin has already caught 15 passes for 244 yards and 5 touchdowns. That one two punch of Lubin and Guertin will only get stronger.

Grade; B+

 

Conference B, West Division

X-Men: At 3-2 you would not think that the X-Men are a contender in division D but they have played extremely well, even in a losing cause so far this season. Led by freak of nature Nicholas Abelhauser, this team has shown they can compete with the best. Gautama Swaminadahn has been very reliable at QB and if he can continue to find ways to get Abelhauser the ball, they will continue to win games. They have been getting solid defense from guys like Vivek Swaminadan and Nicholas Banks, who have recorded 18 and 13 tackles respectively. They need someone to emerge as a secondary receiver to Abelhauser if they want to continue to compete with the top notch contenders.

Grade: A

 

Maximum Carnage: Leadership has been a big reason for the fairly smooth entrance into FPF for Maximum Carnage. Michael Mendell has been very good at QB for this team and has received a lot of help from receiver Brian Mongeau. One of the players whose performances have not been mentioned so far is Aymen Saidi who has 11 catches for 252 yards and 6 touchdowns. Saydi has also recorded 4 interceptions and is making a case for two way player of the year. This team has still not played its best football and will need to continue to improve as they move along this season. It is important to keep in mind that they are new to the league and it takes time to make an impact for most teams. They have done good job of that so far this season especially with their upset of Mongoose two weeks ago.

Grade: B

 

Recruits: Another struggling team that needs to find itself before it gets too late. It may already be too late considering they are winless in 5 games but there is always something to play for and I do not see this team rolling over and quitting. Fadi Nasrella was on Breaking the Huddle this week and it seemed to me that his team is ready to take their lumps as they learn the game. They have had a pretty good performance from Alex Lewis at receiver so far as he has recorded 180 yards and 4 touchdowns. Can they make the playoffs at this point? It will be tough but nothing is impossible.

Grade: C-

 

Snookers: It pains me to talk about the Snookers anymore because it seems like we talk about how hard this season has been for them each and every week. I can only imagine how painful it has been for them to play this spring considering how successful they were with the help of Andre John in the winter. This is a team of friends who are trying to get better and I will not say anything bad about them because I applaud their attempt to improve. Micheal Young has been a bright spot at receiver with 110 yards and 3 touchdowns but there is not much more to point out besides that. I hope that this team can find a way to win some games and get back in the race in the following few weeks.

Grade: C-

 

That wraps up the midseason report for Division D but we still have five weeks to go and there are still many battles to be fought this season. Do not count anyone out just yet because we have seen crazier things happen in FPF. I hope to see you all in the coming weeks and I wish all the teams the best of luck.