Division 5v5: Md-Season All-Stars
The first six weeks of the regular season are in the rearview mirror, and the last six kicked off last night. With a full slate of games set for later this week, I decided to reveal my mid-season All-Stars.
The rules are simple. Every team will be represented, and you must have played at least three games to qualify.
The roster will be made up as follows:
Two Quarterbacks, eight Receivers, six Two-Way players, four Defensive Backs, and a pair of Rushers. Twenty-two players in all.
Quarterbacks
Alex Nadeu-Piuze (Flag Moi D'quoi)
This choice was easy. He is second among Quarterbacks in attempts, completions, touchdown passes, and yards with 124, 85, 20, and 1,067 respectively. The veteran passer is also the author of the number two ranked offense in the division with 186 points scored. They have played one game less than the Air Buds who are first with 205.
Before someone tries to make the argument that Nadeau-Piuze is surrounded by elite Receivers in Francois Rocheleau, Anouk Benalil, and his brother Samuel Nadeau-Piuze, let me stop you right there. This is the top Co-Ed 5v5, every team has top level targets to throw the ball to.
Benjamin McMahon (Activated)
This came down to McMahon and Marc-Andre Reeves of Maple Syrup, yes, the latter has the edge in touchdown passes (23-16), but the former has played two less game (5 to 3), and he has yet to throw an interception this year. When you dig a little deeper, you will also see that McMahon has a higher completion percentage (70.5 to 66), yards per completion (12.7 to 11.8), and QB Rating (138 to 115) than his counterpart.
More important than all those numbers is this. When they went head-to-head in Week 3, McMahon outplayed Reeves by a wide margin, as he threw seven TD passes to Reeves’ four in a (46-25) dominant win for Activated.
Receivers
Samuel Nadeau-Piuze (Flag Moi D'quoi)
He leads all players in yards and targets with 370 and 38 and is tied for the lead in catches with the next player on the list with 27. Throughout his time playing with his brother at Quarterback, teams have always known the ball is coming his way early and often, but as is the case this year in Co-Ed 5v5, opposing defenses still can’t stop him.
Emma Townsend-Asselin (Air Buds)
On a team with Jaylan Greaves, Emerson Peterkin, Rachel Shea, Quaysie Gordon-Maule, and Constance Millaire, it is Townsend-Asselin who leads the roster in targets, catches, yards. She is also second in touchdowns with seven.
Whether it was Jeff Rosenblatt or Peterkin at Quarterback, Townsend-Asselin does what she does best, make plays. She is arguably the number one reason the team has the top offense in the division.
Jaylan Greaves (Air Buds)
From jaw-dropping one-handed catches to smooth route running, to a top gear that let’s him run past defenders, Greaves is one of the most electrifying Receivers in FPF. His catch radius is so wide, it seems almost surprising when a ball thrown in his direction ends up not getting caught. His eight touchdowns are tied with the next player on the list for the division lead.
The veteran pass-catcher isn’t afraid to let you know when he makes a play on you, but as the saying goes, it isn’t bragging if you can back it up.
Francois Rocheleau (Flag Moi D’quoi)
He is tied with Greaves for the division lead in touchdowns with eight. Year after year, the Team Canada Receiver continues to show why he is the most reliable pass-catcher in the league. Need a clutch catch over the middle, a deep shot to put a game away, a contested grab to extend a drive? With 23 catches for 332 yards and eight TDs, Rocheleau will deliver no matter the situation.
Ethan Adrian (Activated)
The connection that he has built with Quarterback Ben McMahon when they were teammates this past Winter Season with Nice to Meet You, has crossed over to this year as well. Through just three games, the duo has connected 17 times for 316 yards, and seven touchdowns.
With seven more games left to play, Adrian, who hadn’t put up numbers like this since he played for Royaume Luminaire more than two seasons ago, has more than enough opportunities to add to those totals. it is nice to see him get a legit chance to play another position besides Rusher.
Anouck Benalil (Flag Moi D’Quoi)
She is quietly becoming one of the top Receivers in FPF. Benalil gives her teammate Rocheleau a run for his money as far as best hands on the team are concerned. On the 15 passes that have been thrown in her direction, she has yet to drop a pass. Her 12-yard average per catch tells you that the targets she has received haven’t just been checkdowns or redzone attempts. The only fault in her game is that she hasn’t figured out a way to throw the ball to herself.
Phil Pharand (Touski)
One of the standup people in FPF, Pharand, is simply a winner. He is one of a short list of players who can lineup anywhere on the field and just make plays. With 12 receptions for 188 yards and six touchdowns and an average of 15.7 yards per catch, it is clear that Receiver is where he has made his biggest impact so far.
Geraldine Cabillo-Abante (Maple Syrup)
In her first season playing with Quarterback Marc-Andre Reeves, Cabillo-Abante isn’t putting up the same numbers that she has with Chaos (35 Rec-347yards-8TDs) but she is still making an impact with 13 Recs-132 yards-4TDs. Just as important, her presence is helping open things up for her teammates.
Defensive Backs
Bakari Barrett (Activated)
He leads the division in interceptions with four, and displays the speed, length, and the ability to lineup against the other team’s best Receivers. While some players have great games where they incept more than one pass, Barrett, has one of those games as well when he picked off two passes against Touski, but the veteran defender has also recorded at least one INT in all three games his team has played so far. That type of production gets him on the squad.
Lara Uzoka (Activated)
She has only played in three games, but the lack of contests isn’t her fault. When she has taken the field, Uzoka, has made an impact with eight tackles and two pass breakups. The former All-Star leads her team in both categories.
The schedule for her and her team intensifies soon, as they will be playing four games in 19 days, starting with a crucial back-to-back versus Flag Moi D'quoi beginning this Thursday in Laval.
Jordanson Alexis (The IG Team)
There are few in FPF that can match the speed, athleticism, and length of Alexis. Whether covering Emile Chateauvert to Ahmed Boubacar, Alexis has demonstrated numerous times that he is up to the task. He is the definition of a shutdown Cornerback.
Tamara Boulanger (Touski)
She leads her team in tackles with 10 and is tied for the lead in interceptions as well. She has been one of the top players in FPF over the last few seasons and is showing exactly why she is this season as well.
Two-Way
Serge Pilon Jr. (Maple Syrup)
He leads all players with 24 tackles and is tied for second in both interceptions and pass breakups with two and three respectively. On the other side of the ball, the veteran is in the top three in catches and touchdowns with 26 and five. Clearly, the FPF Hall-of-Famer isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Samuel Omombo (The IG Team)
He has thrown four touchdown passes, caught four of them and picked off two. No matter where he lines up, the man nicknamed Gucci, just makes plays. He uses his speed and height on offense to high-point passes, and the same traits on defense to bat down throws and disrupt plays.
Koralie Leduc (Maple Syrup)
It doesn’t matter if it is with The Merge, Chaos, or here with Maple Syrup, Leduc brings the same physicality and range on the defensive end. Her nine tackles are good for third on her team, and Leduc’s ability to disrupt routes and get into the passing lanes benefit whatever team she plays on.
Her offensive game is getting a chance to shine on this squad, as she does a lot of her work in the short to intermediate part of the field. She is currently second on her team with 15 catches for 158 yards to go along with two touchdowns, showing that being clutch is just another part of her repertoire.
Jeanslee Alexis (IG Team)
The most exciting player in FPF is a human highlight film on both sides of the ball. He has become more innovative with his playcalling, which despite resulting in a few less touches for him, has led to a more explosive offense that gets more players involved through running the football and using two and sometimes three Quarterback options. Still, even with fewer opportunities, Alexis has produced 13 touchdown passes and tackles, two pass deflections, along with a sack and an interception.
Emerson Peterkin (Air Buds)
With 16 touchdown passes and an 81.5 completion percentage in just two games played at the position, If Peterkin played Quarterback the whole year, chances are he would not only be named an All-Star but probably win the QB of the Year award.
When he isn’t lining up behind Snapper, Peterkin has made a mark as a Receiver with 20 grabs for 221 yards and five touchdowns. On defense, while he hasn’t recorded an interception, he does have four pass breakups which leads all players in the division.
Marvin Steingberg (Maple Syrup)
I was going to put him on the Defensive Back side, but then I realized I couldn’t ignore his offensive stats. His 13 tackles has him tied for second place in the division, to go along with an interception and two pass deflections.
With 19 grabs for 274 yards and seven touchdowns, his play on the other side of the ball is why he deserves a spot in this category.
Rushers
Sharlyn Vixamar (The IG Team)
Don’t let her friendly demeanour and lack of height fool you, Vixamar is ferocious on the football field. He non-stop motor, and proximity for selling out on every play has been one of the facets of her game that has stood out so far this season. It is only fitting that she plays on a team built on speed, athleticism, and attacking.
The other facet of her game is speed. She is always in first gear, and she uses her burst to chase down and harass opposing Quarterbacks. While she only has three sacks, which leads the division, her constant pressure has caused QBs to have to get rid of the ball early which has resulted in pass deflections and interceptions for her teammates.
Rachel Shea (Air Buds)
Fast, tough, competitive, and always willing to make a play, Rachel Shea, brings of those attributes to the table. She is currently tied for second in the division for sacks with two. As true football fans know, getting the QB takedown is like the cherry on top of the icing. Forcing them to get rid of the ball early and throwing when they’re not set is the job of the rusher, and Shea has repeatedly done that this season.
Honourable Mention
Marc-Andre Reeves (Maple Syrup)
Rory Semerjian (Activated)
Kayla Gauthier (Flag Moi D’quoi)
Will Trottier (Touski)
Constance Millaire (Air Buds)
Picks
Activated vs Flag Moi D'quoi – Flag Moi D’quoi
The IG Team vs Maple Syrup – Maple Syrup (Upset Special and my pick for Game of the Week)
Last Week: (1-0)
Regular Season: (3-3)
Upset Special: (0-1)
That is it for this week. Good luck to all the teams in their games this week.
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.