Regular Season Finale

After 11 weeks of football, we are down to Week 12, the final week of the regular season. The post-season is set to start next weekend, but before we get to all the fun, we have three games remaining before the playoffs begin. One tonight, and two more on Sunday.

Let’s look at all three matchups:

I score kept the first meeting nearly three weeks ago. It was a shootout that saw each side air it out early and often. If you were a defensive enthusiast, you probably wanted to cover your eyes, as both teams took turns missing tackles, and having blown coverages that resulted in touchdowns. 

Flag Slayer Corp would end up taking the game (51-48). The final score would’ve been even larger if both teams hadn’t suffered so many drops in the contest. 

Despite all the talk about offense, the game would be decided by defense. After a touchdown pass from Idaho Udapimps Quarterback Brady O’Hanessian to Receiver Donndre Borden, with two plays left in the game, it would set up an onside attempt to see whether the game would be extended by one play.

O’Hannessian rolled out to buy some time before firing a bullet to the middle of the field on a pass intended for Receiver Danick Coulombe. Reading the Quarterback’s eyes was Safety/QB Ryan Kharouf drove on the ball and deflected the pass just as Coulombe went up to make a play and in the process collided with the Receiver. It was a bang-bang play, as both players arrived at the ball at the same time. The officials conversed, but decided not to throw a flag, effectively ending the game.   

The win for Flag Slayer Corp would be their second in a row, as they were coming off a (30-0) forfeit victory over Hard 8. Unfortunately, their run wouldn’t last long, as they lost (38-31) to Les Verges Folles five days later. For Idaho Udapimps who have not played since, the defeat halted a three-game wining streak. 

The rematch should be entertaining. I expect Flag Slayer Corp to try and pick up where they left off last time and try to attack once again the intermediate and deep third of the Idaho Udapimps defense. It will be a successful tactic if IU proves incapable of rushing Kharouf and throwing off his timing, which was a big problem the first time around.

I don’t expect the same mistakes on offense that plagued Idaho Udapimps, as both Borden and Coulombe dropped would-be touchdown passes. Flag Salyer Corp also benefitted from the presence of subs in Nirosh Suresh and Rhami Aboud. The duo combined for 13 catches for 122 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. If one or both aren’t available, I don’t see FSC, pulling off the upset for a second time. If they are there, I still think IU sneaks out a win.

No rest for the wicked, as Flag Slayer Corp is back at it 24 hours later. In a seven-team division, this is the rare instance where both teams have yet to square off this season. 

The outcome of the game will be dependant on one thing. That is, who will show up for either side. I already talked about some of the subs that Flag Slayer Corp used in their win over Idaho Udapimps. The same thing applies for Mangoose, as they employed three subs in their (31-30) upset victory over second place Camping Boutin, this past Monday night at St. Laurent Field.

Suiting up for Mangoose was a brand new QB in Rocco Christiano, and two-way players in Robert White, McRodly JeanMarie, and Alex Szalipszki. Each player made huge plays on both sides of the ball, and contributed towards what can best be described as a team win. Christiano, did a great job of spreading the ball around, as he made sure that every member of the team caught at least one pass. 

Not everything went perfect for Mangoose, as they saw a (19-12) halftime lead nearly slip away as they were outscored (18-12) after the break and turned the ball over on downs twice late in the second half. When they needed it most however, they managed to get a stop on defense with an interception by JeanMarie to win the game. 

As I stood and watched the game, I couldn’t help but think what would the team’s record look like if this was Mangoose’s regular lineup this season?

One of the big storylines to watch in this game will be Mack Dessources taking on Flag Slayer Corp. Formerly known as Never Overtime, Dessources was a key member of the team captained by Kharouf. Those two along with Sacha Saint-Amand, Karim Madji, Olivier Sabourin, and the duo of Suresh and Aboud, had been together since the 2023 Winter Season.

Perhaps Dessources was looking for an upgrade this off-season when he joined a Mangoose squad who made it all the way to the Division B Finals this past Summer Season. Clearly the move didn’t work out for him, but no one can doubt that the loss of a player who made All-Star with them last season with Never Overtime, has put a ceiling on how far Flag Slayer Corp can go.

Tomorrow’s game could be a barnburner. Two teams that like to throw deep early and often. While they are each ranked as the bottom two offenses in points scored, both have the athletes to make splash plays and change the momentum of this contest in one play. 

If Mangoose comes out with the same lineup it did on Monday night, I am going with them. If not, I think Flag Slayer Corp finds a way to get the win. Either way, I expect this game to be close. 

    

Idaho Udapimps won the first encounter (32-29) Week 7 in Laval. The game looked like it was going to light up the scoreboard, as Idaho Udapimps had a (26-20) halftime lead. Both offenses couldn’t keep up the pace however, as they combined to score 15 points after the break. 

The game would come down to an exciting last possession. After Idaho Udapimps got a late go-ahead touchdown from Receiver Jeremy White, IU had to come up with one last stop to win the contest. After a four-play drive that saw them pass midfield, the fifth snap would end in disaster as Quarterback Jules Regimbald would be picked off by Defensive Back James Nguyen, effectively ending the affair. 

Coming into Sunday, Les Verges Folles haven’t suffered a loss since falling to Idaho Udapimps, going (3-0-1) in that span. They tied KGP Origins (30-30) last Sunday in Chateauguay. Before their aforementioned loss to Flag Slayer Corp, Idaho Udapimps had won three in a row. Clearly, both teams are playing at a high level as they prepare to enter the post-season. 

This game is important for Les Verges Folles. A win would see them leapfrog Hard 8 for third place in the division, giving LVF a first round matchup with Flag Slayer Corp, who are currently in sixth place. That could change however, depending on what happens in their games against IU and Mangoose. If FSC losses both, they are locked into the six seed. 

For Idaho Udapimps, the result doesn’t matter, as even though they are tied for points with second place Camping Boutin, IU beat them (42-40) back in Week 5, owning the head-to-head tiebreaker. Winning one or both games, would just make the team’s final record look a little better, while also giving them some good momentum as they enter the playoffs.

This is the final game of the regular season. I think it will start off close as both teams will trade scores as they did in the first meeting. While I believe Regimbald will do a better job protecting the ball in the rematch, I still see Idaho Udapimps making more plays than their opponents in crunch time to seal the victory. 

Flag Slayer Corp vs Idaho Udapimps – Idaho Udapimps (My pick for Game of the Week)

Flag Slayer Corp vs Mangoose – Mangoose (Upset Special)

Les Verges Folles vs Idaho Udapimps – Idaho Udapimps

That is it for this week. I will be back Sunday with my picks for this season’s awards. Good luck to everyone tonight and tomorrow. 

If you liked the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], or on the FPF Facebook page.