Tier 4: The Final 4

My article last week had 16 teams remaining, fighting to be crowned champion. Now, we are about to have our final 4 teams battle it out with a spot on the finals on the line. Congrats to Super Troopers, Bend Don’t Break, The Peckers and Uncle Rico’s Ryders for changing the landscape of the playoffs. From last second drama to pure domination, these four teams have done it all. Before we break down how we got to these final four teams and how I see them competing against one another, let’s go through my Divisional Round fantasy lineup which will be my final one of the season:

QB:Mathew Yanakoulias (vs Team Ethnik)

➡️ Stats: 18/26 218yds, 5 TDs, 1 rush for 5yds

WR:Dominic Weidner (vs Studz)

➡️ Stats: 6 rec, 57yds, 2 TDs, 1x 1pt convert

WR:Samuel Tejera (vs The Peckers)

➡️ Stats: 7 rec, 56yds, 1 TD

Total: 18.60 pts
Rusher:Rodney Merisier (vs Richter)

➡️ Stats: 1 sack, 2 rec, 41yds, 1 TD

DB:Tyron Jules (vs Dragon Magique)

➡️ Stats: 4 tackles, 2 rec, 49yds, 1 TD

DB:Anthony Moustache (vs Briscoe Hawks)

➡️ Stats: 6 TKLs, 3 rec, 77yds, 1 TD, 1x 1pt convert

Flex:Vincent Malo (vs Not Fast Just Furious)

➡️ Stats: 2 rec, 35yds, 1 TD

Flex:Giovani Antonacci (vs Reborn Prospects)

➡️ Stats: 5 rec, 70yds, 2 TDs

Defence:Dragon Magique (vs Glogang)

➡️ Stats: 1 INT, 2 PDs

❌ Results: Not Fast Just Furious def Nut N’ Run 27-24

The biggest shock early Sunday afternoon with the undefeated Nut N’ Run squad eliminated by Not Fast Just Furious. Each QB would score 4 TDs but the 3 converts made by Not Fast Just Furious turned out to be the difference after a complete game from QB William Seguin who threw 3 TDs and also rushed for a TD. Vincent Demers would be the main guy with 2 receiving TDs along with 9 receptions.

Super Troopers love being the underdogs and proving me wrong as I was wrong once again. They controlled this game the second the game started and had a 21-0 lead at the break, having Reborn Prospects playing as if they didn’t belong in this game. QB Kenny Boutilier had 2 incompletions while throwing 5 TDs which both Giovani Antonacci and Jeremi Chartrand would each score a pair. Martin DeSousa was also causing havoc as a rusher as even though he only finished with one sack, his impact was much more than what the box score said.

QB Luke Moreau would throw 5 TDs in this one, including a clutch last minute TD to Ryan Quesnel on 4th down to take the lead and take down the high powered Studz team. Studz hasn't scored this few points since Week 1 and QB of the Year Philippe Gélinas hasn’t thrown an INT all season since that game. The efficiency of Moreau proved to be on display as Studz weren’t able to score as much as they wanted to and the duo of Quesnel and Dominic Weidner proved to be too much for their opposition as each would score 2 TDs.

This game was close but with a key stop on the first drive of the 2nd half, The Peckers would grow their lead and keep the lead after an unsuccessful onside attempt by Texas Whales. Both starting QBs would not throw an INT with Tyler Cousins throwing 4 TDs in the loss and Noah Lieblein throwing 5 TDs in the win. David Giroux and Ethan Cohen would each score 2 TDs for The Peckers and they would also get a big boost from the 3 sacks from Nathan Twik.

Team Ethnik would rely on the hands of David De Andrade who finished with 10 receptions and 3 TDs but it wasn’t enough to conquer Mathew Yanakoulias’s 5 TD throws in the win. This would be a game where each team would score big plays but the biggest momentum shift would be when Peter Bakopanos would return the convert attempt for 2 pts after a 39yd dart from Benoit Lawlor to Alain Keb. Team Ethnik needed a stop afterwards and wouldn’t get it with the unsuccessful onside attempt. Yanakoulias would show great poise with a balanced attack as every player seemed to make a big play.

The game was near to be over with Dragon Magique needing to wind down the clock after Guillaume Boulanger would get a huge INT in his endzone, preserving the lead for Dragon Magique. With under 20 seconds remaining, Émile Bolullo would throw a questionable pass which would not only be intercepted but returned for a TD. If that was already crazy, Glogang would then make another questionable choice by going for the win in regulation rather than the tie and play with the extra plays you get in overtime in the playoffs. Bolullo would rush like his life depended on it and would force Neil Loisel to make a hard throw which was not completed, giving Dragon Magique the win.

Easily the game of the day as it was back and forth and the final minutes becoming an eternity with all the action and trash talking involved. Ball Hawks would score after Richie Mondesir would find Rayray Franklin for his 2nd TD of the game. Ball Hawks would then go for the onside attempt rather than going for 2 to tie the game and Franklin would just reach the ball just enough to get the first down. Four plays later, Franklin would catch a great ball from Mondesir for his 3rd TD of the game, having the Ball Hawks’ bench and fans erupt. With only enough time for 2 plays, the first play was an incomplete pass by Adam Malinoff for Richter. On the final play, Malinoff would throw a high ball that would reach the endzone and Nicholas Di Maulo would make the crazy grab over several defenders, ripping their heart from their body for the walk-off TD win.

Alex O’Neil would uncharacteristically throw 4 INTs in this game but Briscoe Hawks were always in the game until the final drive. Kyle Folkerson would pick off his former teammate 3 times in the win. Vaughn Vanslet would only need 10 completions but with half of those going to 5 different TD scorers, that’s all he needed. Brandon Kerr would be the main guy for Briscoe Hawks, scoring 2 TDs, including a tip drill type of ball turned into a TD on a 4th down pass. Unfortunately for Briscoe Hawks, an illegal pass on 4th down would be the way their season ended against the players they know very well.

Without William Seguin as QB, Fabrice Tremblay would be the guy but Uncle Rico’s Ryders would have their way on offence as Mathew Yanakoulias would throw 6 TD passes, 4 of them going to Justin Lerner in the win. This game was over by half time as Uncle Rico’s Ryders had a 19-0 lead at the break and wouldn’t look back. Not Fast Just Furious would build momentum by scoring two TDs in the second half but their defence was not able to stop the red hot throws from Yanakoulias who would end their underdog run.

Trailing by 1 at the break, Bend Don’t Break wouldn’t be fazed as they would get 2 INTs in the 2nd half, breaking the hearts of Sophomore XL Exchange Students. Outside of the 2 INTs he threw, Luke Moreau would only throw 3 incompletions, showing that even in crunch time, he can find his open guys in tight windows. Arden Finkelstein would get 2 INTs in this one and the speed of Josh Notte as a rusher and receiver was on full display in this win. Notte would finish with one TD and 2 sacks, being a very key complementary piece alongside Dominic Weidner who would lead his team with 8 receptions.

The Peckers would get 3 fourth down stops and would have firm control of this game after a long TD pass thrown from Noah Lieblein to Nathan Twik. Ethan Cohen and David Giroux have played as a great duo in these playoffs as they have combined for 10 TDs in 3 post-season games. The Peckers would take a 13-7 lead at the break but Dragon Magique would quickly close the game after Charles Beauchemin would make it a one point game. That would be the closest Dragon Magique would get as The Peckers would score 3 more times in the half to pull away.

The difference in this game would be a single point, showing that converts play such a crucial role in playoff games.  Kenny Boutilier would lead his team once again to a victory as he would throw 3 TDs along with a rushing TD, leading the playoffs in rushing yards. Kyle Martel would lead the team with 5 receptions and key TDs would come from Robert White, Giovani Antonacci and Jeremi Chartrand. The defence of Super Troopers would stand tall as they forced Adam Malinoff to throw 2 INTs and also not convert on the conversion to tie the game late in the 2nd half.

When you look at just the seedings, number 18 and number 16 shouldn’t be in this position but when you look at the teams and their playoff runs respectively, there’s no surprise that they are both at this point. Bend Don’t Break has that playoff experience as they were a low seed in Spring 2023 and made a similar run to the finals. The Peckers might be a 16-seed but they ideally would be a top 8 seed without the forfeit losses. These teams can play very similar to one another and pull the switch so fast. Luke Moreau has remained composed in the pocket against all the rushers he has faced but now he will be against Nathan Twik. On the contrary, Noah Lieblein hasn’t thrown an INT and he is facing the fast Josh Notte. Both Qbs have great completion percentages but have quick rushers against them now. Another key matchup is the receivers as Dominic Weidner is the clear number one for Bend Don’t Break as he leads the playoffs in receptions but on the other side, Ethan Cohen leads the playoffs in TDs, showing he can be a such TD merchant in the post-season. When it comes to the defence, it will come down to which rusher can disrupt the opposing QB more and who can get the big takeaway when it matters most. I can see this game being close but a huge momentum swing in the 2nd half might change the tide for things. Bend Don’t Break sent my team packing last week so I know what they are capable of but I will predict the all around team of The Peckers who I believe to have the better team to squeak a close victory.

You have a team who is going into this game with the most confidence in Super Troopers and how can you not if you are a member of this team after their road in these playoffs? They barely clinched a playoff spot and are one game away from making the Tier 4 finals. The definition of heart and playing to the final whistle is what Kenny Boutilier and his team have. Super Troopers have shown that they can win close games but also beat the top teams in dominant fashion, as shown in their Divisional Round victory over Reborn Prospects. Standing in their way is Uncle Rico’s Ryders, a veteran team of friends who have played the exact way you’d expect a top team to play in the playoffs. Mathew Yanakoulias has been playing some of his best ball as of late with such poise with a talented roster all around. From the safety blankets in both Justin Lerner and Daron Migdesyan to the defense of Peter Bakopanos and Victor Lasnier-Davies, this team has talent all around. For these teams, they are facing a team whose style is different from their own. Can Boutilier continue to keep the ball on his side and use his legs against the speed of Lucas Diamantopoulos? Can Yanakoulias avoid playing into the defensive strength of the red hot Super Troopers’ defence and avoid the pressure that comes with rusher Martin DeSousa? For receivers, it will be a great battle between Lerner and Giovani Antonacci. I see both these receivers leaving their mark in this one but who else can step up in the biggest game of the season so far for these teams? This game won’t be a blowout, this game will come down to which QB will make a mistake. I can see if a team scores right before half and they get the ball back in the early second half and score again, will swing momentum. A key fourth down stop might be what separates these teams. Super Troopers will be happy to hear that I’m going against them once again as they love to prove me wrong, building that fuel for when they play as I predict Uncle Rico’s Ryders will end their destined run.

With 3 rounds of playoffs being played in 8 days, the playoffs are rapidly approaching its end. We started not too long ago with 24 teams and now have the top 4. The top 4 seeds all lost in the 2nd round and the teams remaining will prove why they should be in the finals. It doesn’t matter what your regular season story was, all people will remember is the joy of playing in the finals or the hurt after losing when you’re one game away. Good luck to the 4 teams playing on Sunday, you all deserve it and have fun! Next week will be my final article previewing the final. If you have any comments or suggestions, you can always reach out to me on Facebook or on Instagram @keyoncyrus!