Division D2: Midseason Check-In feat. Adam Malinoff & Joe Morgese
A very quiet next few weeks as most teams will have a 2 week bye heading into early July. Perfect time for me to go through some teams in this stacked division and give my mid-season reviews. No need to ramble, let’s get right into it.
Richter BFO (6-1, 32.6pts for, 24.1pts allowed)
Overall Grade: A-
MVP: Jason Rudie
Outside of a blowout loss to the undefeated Texas Whales early in the season, Richter BFO has been cruising. Sitting at 6-1, most teams would be thrilled with that type of start, but after speaking with Adam Malinoff, it doesn't even sound like Richter feels they have hit their best level yet.
"Damn 6-1? Doesn't even feel like we're playing our best ball even. Dropped a tough one early in the season but honestly don't feel like we've been playing up to our standards."
That mentality is probably what makes this team dangerous. They have already built one of the best records in the division, but internally, they still believe there is another level to reach.
A huge factor for Richter's success has been roster consistency. Summer is always a difficult season for availability, but Malinoff mentioned how important it has been to have the core of the roster present week after week.
"I think the biggest thing helping us is those core guys that consistently show up and show out. They say availability is the best ability and when we have our core guys going there's no stopping this team."
When it comes to improving, Malinoff wasn't about to reveal any secrets, but he did emphasize that the team knows exactly what needs to be cleaned up before the playoffs.
"In terms of improving, no telling secrets. Our guys know what we gotta do to get better and get hot. All that matters is getting hot at the right time so we're gonna take the last 3 games just to get things straight and just perfect those little small imperfections."
On offence, it's easy to look at Nicolas Di Maulo and Scott Binns as the engines of the team. Malinoff certainly thinks so.
"Hard to single out one guy on this team but 2 guys come to mind. Nico Di Maulo and Scott Binns are 2 of those core consistent showers who whenever their number is called, they answer. Offence runs through the 2 of them."
Both players rank near the top of the division in touchdowns and continue to be reliable playmakers every week. My MVP pick, however, would be Jason Rudie. Malinoff described him as another important piece of the puzzle and it's easy to see why.
"And just another piece of the puzzle is Jason Rudie who provides consistent pressure on the defensive side, giving us a chance out there every defensive series."
Rudie currently leads the division with 10 sacks and is a major reason why Richter BFO owns one of the top defences in D2. If Richter can clean up the small details over the final three games and continue building momentum, they'll be one of the teams nobody wants to face come playoff time.
Team Ethnik (3-3, 30.2pts for, 30.2pts allowed)
Overall Grade: B
MVP: David De Andrade
The veteran group started the season 0-3 but has battled all the way back to .500. Even more impressive, they have posted a +44 point differential over their last three games, showing just how much momentum they have built since their slow start. Despite the turnaround, Team Ethnik currently sits in the 6th seed and with only eight teams making the playoffs, every remaining game will carry extra importance.
The chemistry between Benoit Lawlor and David De Andrade continues to be one of the team's biggest strengths and has played a major role in the recent success. On the defensive side, shoutout to Denzel Eadie-Lowe, who leads the team with 3 interceptions so far this season. If there's one thing I know about Team Ethnik from past seasons, it's that when the defence starts clicking, this team becomes much more dangerous. The offence has proven it can score points; if the defence continues to tighten up, Team Ethnik has a great chance of securing a playoff berth and potentially becoming a tough matchup once they get there.
New Kids 2.0 (2-4, 13.8pts for, 27pts allowed)
Overall Grade: C-
MVP: Jonathan Shea
A 2-0 start for New Kids 2.0 looked promising, but things have fallen apart since then with a four-game losing streak. Speaking with Joe Morgese, he was quick to take accountability for the offensive struggles and didn't hide behind excuses. As someone who is currently going through the challenge of learning quarterback myself, I could relate to what he was saying. Morgese has spent most of his FPF career making plays as a receiver but has transitioned into a much bigger quarterback role this season. While some players might point to injuries, bad luck or the schedule, Morgese put the spotlight directly on himself.
"The struggles are mostly coming from me. It’s my second year QB in FPF and let me tell you I feel bad for all the times when I would play WR and go back in the huddle and tell my QB I was always opened 😂."
That honesty stood out to me. Quarterback is a completely different challenge and it becomes even harder when you're trying to build chemistry with teammates you've barely played with before.
"Only me, Tristian and Jonathan have played together before. The rest of the team, it's the first time. Everybody on the team is very talented but since I’ve never played with them before it’s difficult for me since I don’t know how they all run their routes and more."
The good news for New Kids 2.0 is that they aren't panicking. Morgese mentioned that the team plans to hold a couple of practices during the break in hopes of building chemistry and learning each other's tendencies. For him, the focus is simple.
"The focus for when we come back is really to play like a team and for me to be careful with the turnovers. Take it one game at a time and try finishing the season 4-0. The more we start to practice and play together the better we will get."
The challenge, of course, is that Division D isn't an easy place to learn on the fly.
"And like you mentioned this division is stacked. With a QB cap of 78 for division 5 some of the teams in the division are very good but the main thing is most of the top teams have been playing together for a long time."
With the jump to Division D comes more established teams, experienced quarterbacks and groups that have been building chemistry for years. Playoff chances may be slim, but I respect Morgese's mindset of taking things one game at a time. A 4-0 finish sounds ambitious, but if the practices pay off and the offence starts clicking, this team has enough talent to make things interesting down the stretch.
When discussing the team's MVP, Morgese actually struggled to settle on one player because he felt everyone had stepped up at different moments throughout the season.
"Lenny got us a pick 6 winning TD on the last play of the game during the first week. Jerry is one of the most unselfish players I’ve played with and has played multiple positions for us this year. Jonathan is a guy who commands the field when he’s on it, makes sure everyone is in the right place on D and when I’m struggling he knows how to calm me down. Tristan is an amazing player in FPF and someone who I can say: F it he’s down there somewhere and knows he’ll come down with the ball."
Personally, if I had to highlight one player, I'd go with Jonathan Shea. He leads the team as a receiver and if there's one connection I'd expect to benefit the most from those upcoming practices, it's the one between Shea and Morgese. As much as the offence has struggled at times, I'm actually a little more surprised by the lack of takeaways on defence. For a roster with this much athleticism and talent, only four interceptions through six games feels low. The sack numbers have been there, but turning pressure into turnovers could be the difference if New Kids 2.0 wants to make a late-season push.
"I really think the practices we will have will go a long way for us since it’s going to help with our chemistry and help us all trust each other and make a big push!"
PSTM (2-4, 20pts for, 29.8pts allowed)
Overall Grade: C
MVP: Antonio Venturino
The season isn't over for PSTM, but at 2-4, their margin for error is getting smaller with every passing week. Jesse Kotlarczyk is having the type of season he's accustomed to statistically, but the division-high 17 sacks allowed have made life difficult for the offence. Those lost yards and stalled drives make it much tougher to sustain momentum and consistently move the ball downfield. Looking at their schedule so far, they've faced several of the stronger teams in the division and the gap in competition has shown at times.
With two wins, PSTM is far from eliminated from playoff contention, but they'll need to capitalize on the games remaining against teams around them in the standings to give themselves a chance. Ryan McNally continues to be the leader of this group on both sides of the ball and his impact remains evident every week. If Antonio Venturino can continue his recent surge and the offence finds a way to protect Kotlarczyk a little better, there's still enough talent on this roster to put together a stronger second half and keep themselves in the playoff race.
Stealzz (1-5, 24pts for, 33.5pts allowed)
Overall Grade: C-
MVP: Jeremy Martinet
Stealzz are back in the division where they made their debut last spring, but unfortunately the results have been fairly similar. I do wonder if this team would have benefited from competing in Division E, as they're currently in a division filled with established teams and players who have been competing together for several seasons. The biggest addition to the roster since last summer has been Jeremy Martinet and, despite the tough start, he's doing everything he can to keep this team competitive. Whether it's at quarterback, receiver or on defence, Martinet continues to fill up the stat sheet and currently leads the division with 5 interceptions.
The biggest challenge for Stealzz hasn't been their offence as much as it has been their defence. While several teams in D2 are struggling to consistently score points, Stealzz currently allows the second-most points per game in the division. That's despite the impact Martinet has made on the defensive side of the ball. The good news is that they have a more manageable stretch of games coming up and should have opportunities to add a few more wins to their record. Unfortunately, looking at the standings and the teams ahead of them, I think they may have dug themselves too deep of a hole to realistically make a playoff push this season. That said, if the core of this team stays together, the experience gained this year could pay dividends in future seasons.
Closing Remarks
As we head into the break, I'd like to thank Adam Malinoff and Joe Morgese for taking the time to answer my questions and provide some insight into their teams. Whether you're sitting near the top of the standings like Richter BFO or trying to turn things around like New Kids 2.0, it's always interesting to hear how players view their own seasons compared to what we see on the stat sheet and in the standings.
The timing of the break comes at a good point for many teams. Some groups will use it to rest and recover while others, like New Kids 2.0, will use the opportunity to practice and build chemistry before the final stretch of the season. With only a handful of games remaining, every point and every win becomes more important as teams jockey for playoff positioning and try to secure one of the eight postseason spots.
With no FPF games scheduled this weekend, it's also a great opportunity to check out the 2026 Senior Flag Football National Championships, taking place from June 26-28 at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard in Montreal. The tournament brings together some of the best flag football talent from across Canada in Men's Pro, Women's Pro and Competitive divisions. While it's a 5v5 format, the level of play is incredibly high and it's a great chance to watch some of the country's top athletes compete.
I'll be there competing throughout the weekend, so if you're in town and looking for some football to watch, I'd definitely recommend stopping by. The atmosphere is always excellent and there are plenty of familiar FPF faces representing their provinces. Enjoy the break, and next week we'll continue the mid-season reviews and take a closer look at more teams as the playoff race starts to heat up.