Co-Ed 5v5: The Heart of a Champion
After a long 53-year wait, the New York Knicks finally won their third NBA title, by knocking off the San Antonio Spurs (98-94) this past Saturday to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. One day later, the Carolina Hurricanes won their second Stanley Cup in 20 years, after beating the Las Vegas Golden Knights (3-0) down in Sin City.
Championships. They mean everything in sports. The games, practices, dedication, blood, sweat and tears, are just part of the commitment it takes to win one. I have won two so far, and I am hoping for a third before it is all said and done. For as special as the two are for me, I still remember losing my first opportunity to win one, and that was over a decade ago. If I am being honest, it still bugs me to this day, and I hate losing it more than I enjoyed winning the next two if that makes any sense.
If you have seen or listened to any episode of the FlagPlus Football 1st & Goal podcast, you would know that I am a die-hard Knicks fan. Saturday night was a lifelong dream for me.
Teams will make you cheer, lose your mind, break your heart, and jump for joy. That’s the nature of sports. FPF gives us the opportunity to tailor our own stories. While luck plays a small part, it is the players who play the biggest role in the outcome.
Since we are at the quarter point mark of the season, I wanted to look at each team’s chances of winning the championship. Let’s start with the top of the standings and work our way down.
1. Flag Moi D'quoi (2-2)
They have scored more points than any other team with 155, so clearly their offense is ready to light u the scoreboard. Just like Touski, Flag Moi D'quoi is led by a veteran squad consisting of long-time teammates and All-Stars, with the likes of Quarterback Alex Nadeau-Puize and Receivers Samuel Nadeau-Puize, Francois Rocheleau and J.P St-Pierre of Flag Moi L’Sac fame.
When looking at the female side of the roster, it honestly doesn’t get much better than the duo of Kayla Gauthier and Anouk Benalil. Both players have big-game experience and have continually been difference-makers on whatever teams they have played on. Just as important, they know what it takes to win in this league. Adding rookie Mylene Lariviere, who has not looked out of place is a solid addition for this talented group.
Their offensive exploits are impressive, but don’t sleep on their defense. They lead all teams in interceptions and touchdowns with six and two respectively.
They have a heart-breaking loss to Touski and Air Buds by a combined five points. On the other side of the coin, they have a four-point win over Maple Syrup, and a blowout victory over the very same Air Buds.
Up next is showdown with The IG Team, followed by a meeting with Activated. Getting the sweep would keep this team to the top spot in the division.
Championship Chances: 75%
2. Touski (2-1)
Up until last night, Touski was the only undefeated team in the division. A (55-24) beatdown at the hands of Air Buds however, ensured that every squad will finish the regular season with at least one loss. In fairness to Touski, they were missing their starting Quarterback in Will Trottier, who has been one of the top QBs in the division, along with his top duo of Receivers in Phil Pharand and J.D Chevalier.
When they have a full roster, this squad can beat anyone. Their core has Finals experience and position versatility that let’s them make an impact on both sides of the ball.
Speaking of Trottier, why isn’t he a starter in Division B or Co-Ed1? His touchdowns (12) yards (533), and completion percentage (72.9%), are up there with the best in the division. His connection with Braves teammates Phil Pharand and J.D Chevalier is superb as the trio has combined for 20 catches and nine TDs.
As every good should do, Trottier also makes sure that his female Receivers in Mathilde Renaud, Tamara Boulanger, Sarah Cormier and Anne-Frédérique Tardif are also key parts of the passing attack as they have combined for 21 receptions 334 yards and six touchdowns.
So far this year, the offense has had to help carry a defense that hasn’t performed up to expectations. One loss won’t derail the train that this team could become, but it does give you cause for pause and make you wonder can they fix themselves defensively before we get too deep into the year? Winning it all will probably come down to that question.
Championship Chance:75%
3. Air Buds (2-2)
Will the real Air Buds please stand up? Going into the week, I had written that this team along with Maple Syrup were the two most disappointing teams in the division. I had to change what I wrote after last night’s dominant (55-24) win by the former over previously undefeated Touski.
Is this the Air Buds we all expected to see when the regular season began? While they did notch their first win of the year when they knocked off Flag Moi D'quoi (31-30) last Monday, that came after getting demolished by the very same squad (46-25) in their opening game of the year. The other loss they suffered also came via a blowout, as they got manhandled even worse, losing (43-12) to The IG Team. Ouch.
Is this team as bad as the blowouts as the suggest, or were the loses just early season struggles?
With players like Emma Townsend-Asselin, Quaysie Gordon-Maule, Constance Millaire, Isiah Allard, Rachel Shea and Jaylan Greaves, team Captain and Quarterback Jeff Rosenblatt has put together a roster that shouldn’t be getting blown out by anyone. The games need to be played on the field, and up until last night this squad has mostly not been up to the task.
Was last night just a mirage? Games against Activated as well as back-to-back showdowns with last place Maple Syrup over the next three weeks will give us our answer.
Championship Chances: 50%
4. The IG Team (1-1)
The team with the most experience in Co-Ed. They have been on both sides of a blowout so far, as they were dismantled (46-19) by Maple Syrup, and then did the same in a (43-12) victory over Air Buds. I would say the true talent and capabilities of this squad lies somewhere in the middle. It should be noted however, that they were without the services of Quarterback Jeanslee Alexis in their loss.
Talent wins, and so does experience. The IG Team has both in spades. While they need to include their females more offensively, the fact that no one can match the athleticism of the Alexis brothers, Samuel Omombo, and Fritz Cenatus, make this team hard to beat when they are at full strength. Still, I think this team needs to find more balance on that side of the ball.
The next five days has The IG Team taking on both Flag Moi D'quoi and Touski. A win over one or both would put this team in the driver’s seat for the division lead at the midway point of the season.
Championship Chances: 45%
5. Activated (1-1)
The sample size is small for this team as well, but the talent and results are undeniable. For the latter, they lost close one versus Touski (36-33) to start the season but then rebounded with a (46-25) statement win over Maple Syrup.
When looking at the former, names like Ben McMahon, Lara Uzoka, Rory Semerjian, Eloise Lefebvre, Bakari Barrett, Abigaelle Perreault, and Ethan Adrian makes this the fastest team in the division. They have a ton of skill and big game experience to go along with all that speed. Will that be enough to lead them to a championship? I think it might be, but of course, only time will tell.
While we wait, a game against Air Buds next Tuesday, then back-to-back contests versus Flag Moi D'quoi the next three weeks will shed a little more light on how good this team really is, and how far they can go.
Championship Chances: 50%
6. Maple Syrup (1-2)
This is officially the most disappointing team in Co-Ed 5v5. They have championship pedigree, former All-Stars, speed, and length. Despite all of those attributes, Maple Syrup still only has one win.
This team is led on offense by multiple-time All-Star Quarterback Marc-Andre Reeves, and a plethora of playmakers at Receiver in Koralie Leduc, Geraldine Cabillo-Abante, Marvin Steinberg, Gabrielle Mongrain and Serge Pilon Jr.
Those names look great on paper, but in reality, they have not lived up to the hype, as the unit has yet to crack the 30-point plateau.
On defense, while they only have two interceptions, the unit is good tackling in the open-field and limiting yards after the catch. Look no further then their game against Flag Moi D'quoi, where they held them to a season-low 28 points. They did the same thing when they beat The IG Team (46-19) in Week 3.
Until their offense catches up, Maple Syrup will have to rely on their defense to carry the load. We will find out shortly if they can do just that as they are getting set to take on Air Buds and Touski who sit second and third in points scored respectively.
Immediately after that they go up against an always explosive The IG Team. If they fail to get enough stops, the losses could continue to pile up. Let’s see how they do.
Championship Chances: 40%
Picks
The IG Team vs Flag Moi D'quoi - Flag Moi D'quoi
Air Buds vs Maple Syrup – Maple Syrup (Upset Special)
The IG Team vs Touski – The IG Team (My pick for Game of the Week)
Last Week: (1-0)
Regular Season: (1-1)
That is it for this week. Good luck to all the teams in their games this weekend and next week. Happy Fathers Day!
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.