Division 4A: The Standards Are Set Before Week 2

What’s up everyone — for those who don’t know me, my name is Keyon Cyrus and I’ll be covering Division 4a this season. While I’m not playing in this division this season, I’m familiar with a lot of the teams and players competing here, whether from watching games, crossing paths in other divisions, or seeing them around the league over multiple seasons. 

Division 4a sits right in the middle of the competitive ladder and features 16 teams this year. Many of the players here already have plenty of flag football experience with some clearly too strong for Division 5, while others may not have the roster depth typically found in Division 3. The result is a division that’s balanced, competitive, and hard to predict from week to week.

A big reason for that is the amount of crossover talent. Several players in 4a also compete in higher divisions, bringing pace, structure, and a higher level of execution to every matchup. Even in a shorter Week 1 with only four games on the schedule, there’s already plenty to take away as teams start to settle in.

I reached out to each captain to ask about expectations for the season and which player on their roster deserves more recognition. For teams that didn’t get back to me in time, I added my own thoughts heading into the opening week. Let’s go through each team below with them all answering the following questions:

1. What do you think separates your team from the rest of the division?

2. Which player on your roster does the little things that often go unnoticed but make a real difference in games?

3. What’s one thing your team wants to establish early in the season?

Division 4A Teams:

Rick and Marty

Per Marty Freedman, “I don’t think we’re separated from the rest of the division—there are a lot of strong teams in Div 4A. What defines us is having each other’s backs and showing resilience in big moments. Our rusher Michael Schiller doesn’t always put up crazy stats, but he’s a menace on defense and shouldn’t be slept on offensively. He’s tall, athletic, never quits on a play, and constantly disrupts offenses. Trying to throw over the middle with a 6’7 wingspan isn’t easy either. On top of that, he always brings positive energy. Early on, we want a consistent roster and to establish our defense, trusting that the offense will click once the rust comes off.”

Black Vipers

A returning team from both Winter and Fall 2025, Black Vipers are led by QB Mathis Coulombe. This team has the individual talent but haven’t found too much experience in the playoffs as a group. Black Vipers have the ability to score points and if they do so efficiently, they are tough to beat.  A player to watch who might not get his recognition is Vincent Richard. A two-way physical player who can use his body to make contested catches both as a receiver and DB.  The key for this team early is for their offence to start how their Fall 2025 started and not how it ended with Coulombe throwing 21 INTs.

Nighthawks

Per Yvan Solomon, “Our chemistry separates us—we’ve been playing together for two years now. Everyone knows what they bring, and if we want to be successful this season, it has to be a full team effort. Vlad (Eliav Ari) and Eddy (Eddison Gbeve) really stand out. They communicate constantly, say what needs to be said even when it’s harsh, and they’re both willing to take on the rusher role, which isn’t easy, for the good of the team. At this point, the regular season doesn’t matter much to us. We just need to make the playoffs, because that’s when the real season starts. This year, the goal is at least making the finals.”

The Last Chance

Per Mathieu Boucher, “What separates us is our football knowledge. We all played at a high level when we were younger, and now it’s about making sure our bodies can keep up with that same intensity. Our quarterback has a big role managing a lot of hot heads at receiver—guys who all want the ball and want to make a difference—so staying calm, controlling the game, and making the right reads will be important. Early on, we need to establish our defense. We’re a new team and haven’t all played together before, so on-field communication is going to be key.”

Trapstars

Per David Giroux, “We’re the same core group that’s been playing together since 2019, so there’s a lot of shared experience there. Cooper Young stands out— even with the gaudy stats, he does all the dirty work on both sides of the ball. For us, it comes down to defense. We’ve always been able to score, but when our defense is clicking, we can beat any team.”

Mofos

Per Julian Nelson, “What separates us is our resilience. We’ve dealt with a lot of roster changes over the years and always found a way to adapt and keep moving forward. Win or lose, we stay focused on the next game and getting better each week. Everyone brings value, but a few contributions go unnoticed. Our rusher, Samuel Côté, sets the tone with his mentality and intensity, and it spreads through the team. Xavier Morin is another key piece making his return—quiet, reliable, and always in the right spot when it matters. And while our QB Tiemoko Sanogo is known for his athleticism, his ability to trust whoever’s on the field and bring the best out of them is a big part of our success. At the end of the day, we’re here to compete. With returning MOFOS players and some new additions, we believe this group can really shake the league and we want to make that clear early on.”

Ducks

Being bumped to Division 4A, Ducks will need to use their spread offence early and effectively in order to make another jump towards being the best in this division. Even though they are a team who jumped into this division, they will need to have the mentality of when they went 10-0 in 5b to compete with a higher quality of opponents. A player to look for that can be more impactful than the stats say is Marven Fabre who has the ability to make plays on defence but with an increased amount of offensive snaps, can carve a serviceable role on the offence with a solid attack lineup.

Bible Study

Per Evan Vavinis, “I have teammates who’ve been in this league for a while and understand how flag football works, along with strong overall football knowledge that helps in any situation. Everyone contributes in ways that may go unnoticed, especially with new players added, so that’s something we’ll see develop as the season goes on. Early on, our focus is simple: score points and get stops on defense. Last season was my first year at quarterback and we missed the playoffs, but this year I’ve improved, I have the right pieces around me, and I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by us.”

Nut N’ Run

Per Nicolas Kateleros, “I think experience is what separates us. We went winless in our first two seasons and worked our way up to becoming one of the top teams in whatever division we’re in. Sticking through the ups and downs has taught us a lot about the game and what it takes to succeed. We have plenty of flashy players who make big plays, but our defensive pillars deserve more credit—guys like Julien Gravel and Maxime Bastien. They have great instincts, relentless motors, and always seem to come up big in close games. This season, we want to establish dominance early. After finishing last year perfect and then losing in the first playoff round, we want to get back to our identity: aggressive, all gas no brakes football—risky but calculated—starting January 17th.”

Ball Hawks

Per Richie Mondesir, “What separates us from the rest of the division is our ability to flip a game quickly and score consistently on both sides of the ball. The players who often go unnoticed but make a big difference are Jean Gardy and Rodney Merisier. This season, we want to establish ourselves as a high-scoring team.”

Dak To The Future

Per Justin Gauthier, “What separates us is the diversity of our football backgrounds. We have athletes who’ve played at different levels, and the challenge now is translating that experience to flag football, especially with many of us still new to this version of the game. It’s early, but Roberto Frascione stands out as someone we’re excited about. Coming from a rugby background, he’s a high-level athlete with speed, good hands, and strong instincts. Early this season, our focus is building team chemistry and setting a solid foundation with this new roster, which will put us in a strong position to compete later on.”

The Penetrators

Per Justin Goodman, “What separates us is the chemistry within our core group. While the roster changes from season to season, we’ve had four or five guys who’ve been around for years, and we genuinely enjoy playing together—that chemistry shows on the field. A big difference-maker for us is Joshua Ginsberg, a.k.a. the Hebrew Hammer. He wasn’t confirmed on the roster at first because of his work schedule, but he’ll be there Week 1, with the rest of the season still TBD. He’s a great locker room presence and brings valuable insight on both offense and defense, whether he’s on the field or not. We really missed him last season when he only played one game. Early this year, the focus is getting him back into rhythm and producing at the elite level we know he can reach.”

Snowdon Deli Degens

Per Adam Malinoff, “I think our veteran presence and how long we’ve been in FPF is a big advantage. We’ve been playing with the same guys for a long time, we know our go-to plays, and that familiarity really helps. Matthew Fixman is the guy who does everything for us. He came into the league as our QB about 10 years ago and has been our snapper since I took over, but he’ll rush, drop back, and play wherever the team needs him. As for what to expect this season—no secrets. Come watch and find out 😉.”

Are You Not Entertained

Per Nathanael Dinku, “I think what separates us is our chemistry—there’s no finger pointing or blaming, and we have multiple guys who can step up and lead in different situations. A big shoutout to Dave Juste, who really gets the work done. On defense, he doesn’t always get the praise, but the results speak for themselves. Another person who often goes unnoticed is our team manager/coach, Channy Mich. She handles everything from jerseys and schedules to the roster, and honestly, I’m not sure this team would still be alive without her. This season, we want to focus on our defense—being locked in, limiting mistakes early, and setting the tone for the rest of the year.”

Ambush

Per Dante Gerardi, “I’m taking the season off from quarterback, with Gabriel-Charles Dabe Champagne stepping in to throw and dominate on defense. We’re also without Felix Clairmont and Hunter Beriault this season, which hurts, but we’re still super confident we can do some damage with also Philip Roberts returning. What separates us is experience—every guy on this team has made deep playoff runs, and almost everyone has won a championship. Matteo Gerardi is a silent killer; his stats at receiver last season speak for themselves. While he had great chemistry with me, we’re confident he and Gab will connect just as well. Our identity this season is an overwhelming defense—tight coverage and no easy points.”

Team Ethnik

Per David De Andrade, “What separates us is our age—we’re an old group of greybeards with aching joints, honestly. But jokes aside, a lot of us have been playing flag football together since 2004. Our core has stayed the same for decades, and that experience and chemistry really show. There are times I come back to the huddle ready to suggest a play because I saw something on the defense, and before I can even say it, our QB calls the exact play I had in mind. That’s just chemistry and experience. Everyone contributes, but if I had to single someone out, it’s Henry Dam. We’ve been playing together since day one. He’s a defensive mastermind, always suggesting adjustments when needed, and he can shut down multiple receivers underneath. Offensively, everything starts with the snapper, and he has one of the best snaps around, plus great route running and hands. He’s always been a pillar of this team. Early this season, we just want to get some wins, build momentum, and have fun doing it.”

Closing Remarks:

This is my first article covering this division this season, and I want to thank every captain who took the time to respond and share insight on their teams. Hearing directly from the players really helps set the tone for what this division is about. We’re heading into Week 2, and things are just getting started. Early-season momentum, chemistry, and adjustments will already begin to matter. If you didn’t get a chance to respond or want to be included in future pieces, feel free to reach out. As always, you can find me on Instagram or Facebook @keyoncyrus.