Division D1: Award Races at the Midway Point
With a lighter schedule this week featuring just two games, it's the perfect time to take a look at the award races as we approach the midway point of the season. Team reviews will begin next week, but before shifting our focus there, let's recognize the players who have separated themselves through the first half of the campaign.
While flag football is ultimately a team sport, individual awards are a testament to the work and impact a player has throughout the season. With several races already heating up, here are my current contenders for each award heading into Week 7.
Quarterback of the Year
|
Name |
Team |
YDS |
TD |
INT |
COMP % |
QBR |
|
Philippe Gélinas |
Studz |
1387 |
34 |
5 |
57.5 |
110 |
|
Adam Malinoff |
Snowdown Deli Degens |
662 |
18 |
4 |
62.0 |
104 |
|
Fabrice Robillard |
Nighthawks |
1045 |
21 |
1 |
69.6 |
131 |
|
Mathis Coulombe |
Black Vipers |
1129 |
25 |
7 |
69.4 |
111 |
|
Xavier Parent |
Double Dip |
452 |
13 |
2 |
71.2 |
120 |
There's an interesting race developing at the quarterback position. Gélinas currently leads the division in both passing touchdowns and passing yards, while Robillard has been the most efficient quarterback with the highest QBR and the best touchdown-to-interception ratio, having thrown just one interception all season.
Mathis Coulombe is another quarterback firmly in the conversation. Having played against him recently, I can say he's been extremely reliable throughout his young FPF career. Outside of an unusually high-interception game against my team, he's consistently made smart decisions and produced at a high level.
Malinoff has been the engine behind the first-place Snowdon Deli Degens and still has games in hand over the other candidates, giving him an opportunity to climb even higher in the race.
One sleeper to keep an eye on is Parent from Double Dip. His numbers don't immediately stand out because he's only played three games, but he's been remarkably efficient. If he finishes the season strong, he could easily put himself among the division's top quarterbacks by year's end.
Receiver of the Year
|
Name |
Team |
REC |
YDS |
TDs |
YDS/REC |
Convert PTS |
|
Antoine Clément |
Studz |
36 |
465 |
17 |
12.9 |
1 |
|
Scott Binns |
Pacemakers |
30 |
213 |
7 |
7.1 |
0 |
|
Samuel Doyon |
Black Vipers |
26 |
379 |
9 |
14.6 |
3 |
|
Jonah Lazarovitz |
Bend Don’t Break |
26 |
267 |
8 |
10.3 |
2 |
|
Ben McMahon |
Garni Comme Mac |
12 |
320 |
6 |
26.7 |
0 |
Before the season started, I predicted that Clément would finish as an All-Star based on the offensive upside he showed. At the midway point, he's not only lived up to that prediction, but he's also established himself as the clear frontrunner for Receiver of the Year. Half of Gélinas' touchdown passes have gone to Clément, and it's no surprise he leads the division in virtually every major receiving category.
Binns has quietly been one of the most reliable snappers in the division for Pacemakers and quarterback Jason Rossie. His consistency has translated into production, as he currently ranks third in receptions.
Doyon and Lazarovitz have played similar roles for their respective teams, serving as dangerous red-zone targets who consistently find ways to get open near the goal line. Speaking of Doyon, I had the chance to play against him last week. Although my team came away with the win, his speed and vertical ability were impossible to ignore. I hope he's reading this because on the final play of the game, I thought I had an easy interception. Out of nowhere, Doyon climbed over me and ripped the ball away from above my head for what might be one of the best "Moss" plays of the season. It left not only his teammates but my own team stunned. He finished the game with two touchdowns and a team-leading 82 receiving yards.
The most intriguing candidate, however, is Ben McMahon. While he's only played three games, he's averaging an absurd 26.7 yards per reception and is on pace for one of the most explosive receiving seasons in FPF history. If he can maintain anything close to that pace while increasing his touchdown total, voters could be faced with one of the toughest decisions of the year between the consistency of Clément and the game-breaking explosiveness of McMahon.
Defender of the Year
|
Name |
Team |
TKLs |
INT |
PD |
SK |
Def TDs |
|
Kyle Folkerson |
Junior XL Special Ed. |
7 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
|
Geoff Graham |
No Punt Intended |
9 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Eliav Ari |
Nighthawks |
7 |
0 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
|
Luke Moreau |
Bend Don’t Break |
11 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wilguens Desriveaux |
No Flag Zone |
7 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
As a defensive player myself, this is always my favorite award to talk about. The current frontrunner is my teammate, Folkerson, who ironically doesn't even enjoy playing defense. Despite our team having played only three games, he's done more than enough to put himself at the top of the race. He's tied for the division lead in interceptions and is the only defender with two pick-sixes. The biggest factor working in his favor is that we still have games in hand on every other contender, giving him plenty of opportunities to separate himself.
Graham has been one of the few bright spots for a No Punt Intended team that's endured a difficult season. He has four interceptions and a pick-six of his own, keeping him right on Folkerson's heels in the race.
Ari deserves to be mentioned once again. While he's my frontrunner for Rusher of the Year, nine sacks in five games are impossible to ignore. If he continues producing at that pace, he'll have a legitimate chance to take home Defensive Player of the Year as well.
Moreau and Desriveaux have also been instrumental to their teams' defensive success. Desriveaux, in particular, has filled the stat sheet with interceptions, pass deflections, and even a sack, proving he can impact the game in multiple ways.
We're only around the halfway point of the season, but this is easily the closest award race in the division. With several players building strong resumes in completely different ways, the second half of the season should determine who ultimately separates themselves from the pack.
Rusher of the Year
|
Name |
Team |
TKLs |
SK |
PD |
|
Eliav Ari |
Nighthawks |
7 |
9 |
4 |
|
Yoan Doyon |
Black Vipers |
4 |
5 |
1 |
|
Michael Schiller |
Junior Xl Special Ed. |
0 |
3 |
6 |
I mentioned Ari earlier, and he remains the clear frontrunner for Rusher of the Year. He's currently on pace to surpass his own career high of 16 sacks, which he set back in 2018. While the Nighthawks have had a middle-of-the-pack defense this season, it's fair to say things could look much different without Ari consistently disrupting opposing quarterbacks.
Doyon has also emerged as one of the division's biggest surprises. New to rushing, he's quickly climbing the ranks just like his brother. In his first FPF season and through his first five games, he has already recorded five sacks. The only game he failed to register one came against Junior XL Special Ed., but he's been a constant source of pressure every other week and has established himself as a legitimate threat off the edge.
Rounding out my nominees is my own rusher, the 6-foot-7 Schiller. Recording at least one sack in every game, Schiller has consistently delivered when it matters most. Beyond the sacks, his length completely changes how offenses attack the field, which is why he also leads the division with six pass deflections. He's been inches away from hauling in several interceptions off his own tipped passes, and if those begin to fall into his hands while he continues producing sacks, he'll make a very strong push to challenge Ari for the award.
Two-Way Player of the Year
This might be the one award where there really isn't much of a race... at least not yet.
There are certainly players who have put themselves in the conversation, including Justin White, Luke Moreau, Antoine Clément, and Santino Sparagna, but the field remains incredibly wide open at this stage of the season. Two standout performances over the next couple of weeks could completely change the conversation, whether it's one of those names or someone who hasn't entered the race yet.
The Two-Way Player of the Year award is the most prestigious individual honor because it recognizes players who excel on both sides of the ball. Usually, by this point in the season, there's a defender who has established themselves as a game-changer while also making a significant offensive impact or vice versa. So far, no one has truly separated themselves from the pack.
Maybe that changes over the next few weeks. If you're reading this and believe you're one of those players, July is the perfect opportunity to put together the kind of performances that force your name into the conversation for Two-Way Player of the Year.
Closing Remarks
That wraps up this midway look at the award races. With the individual races beginning to take shape, we'll shift our attention to the teams themselves next week as the midseason team reviews get underway.
Before that, the Football Canada Senior Flag Football National Championships take place this weekend, June 26-28, at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard in Montreal. The tournament features some of the best men's, women's, and co-ed teams from across the country competing for national titles, making it one of the premier 5v5 flag football events of the year.
Several familiar FPF faces from this division will be competing throughout the weekend, including Ben McMahon, Yvan Soloman, Stefano De Seta, Xavier Couture, and myself, with many others representing their respective teams from across the league. There may also be players from this division competing as well. If you're looking to watch some of the highest level of 5v5 flag football in Canada, be sure to stop by and support the local flag football community.
Best of luck to everyone competing this weekend, and we'll be back next week with the first edition of the midseason team reviews.