Division D1: Nighthawks Send a Message in Week 9

Field Notes • Division D1 • Week 9

Week 9 brought plenty of drama to Division D1. The week opened with a high-scoring affair as Bend Don’t Break defeated Garni Comme Mac. We then saw the division’s final unbeaten team fall, with Nighthawks putting everyone on notice by defeating Junior XL Special Ed.

To close the week, Garni Comme Mac pulled off an upset over Snowdon Deli Degens in a game featuring several absences and two unusual-looking rosters, with Phil Roberts leading the way at quarterback.

Nighthawks Beat the Unbeaten

Before Sunday, my Junior XL Special Ed. team was the only undefeated team remaining in the division. By 5:55 p.m., that was no longer true.

The biggest difference was relatively simple: Nighthawks scored consistently, while we struggled to generate offence. Fabrice Robillard threw two interceptions to me, but outside of those mistakes, he was efficient and led his offence to points on every other possession.

We were nowhere near as efficient. Passes were inaccurate even when receivers were open, we were not aggressive enough defensively and we were shut out in the second half. It was one of those games where very little went according to plan.

I spent some time speaking with several Nighthawks players afterward, longtime FPF veteran Gerry Vincent. He emphasized that the defence set the tone from the beginning.

“For this game in particular, our defence really set the tone. Going up against an experienced team like Junior XL, you know their playmakers are going to find ways to make plays, but overall, we executed our play calls really well.”

Junior XL Special Ed. is accustomed to playing with a lead, but Nighthawks never allowed us to settle into that position. Their early defensive success gave the offence an additional boost of confidence, and that momentum was reflected in the final score.

“Our rusher, Vlad, consistently applied pressure, and our defensive play-calling and execution gave us the momentum early. Playing with a lead gave our offence a confidence boost, and we were able to build off the energy our defence created.”

The defensive play-calling from Yvan Solomon and the pressure generated by Eliav “Vlad” Ari were two major factors in the victory.

For my team, we know it was not our best performance. At the end of the day, the better team won, but we did not necessarily view the loss as a wake-up call. It is important to evaluate what went wrong, but everyone on the team understood that this was not representative of the football we normally play.

It was simply an off day. Missed throws, drops and missed tackles were all part of the performance, and we still felt there were opportunities to make plays.

My Junior XL teams have gone undefeated during each of the past two spring seasons in Division E, so regular-season success has become familiar. This loss proved that we are beatable, but we took it on the chin and will now focus on bouncing back and making a statement in the playoffs.

Nighthawks were unable to carry that momentum into the following night, suffering a close loss to Judith. It was an uncharacteristic weekend for Robillard, who threw four interceptions across the two games, including two in the loss.

After beginning the season in excellent form, the veteran quarterback has recently trended in the wrong direction, throwing seven interceptions over his past three games.

According to Vincent, the solution is finding consistency on both sides of the ball.

“I think it comes down to consistency. We’ve shown throughout the season that when we’re executing, we can compete with anyone in the division.”

Earlier in the season, Robillard was playing clinical football while the defence struggled to get stops. Over the past few weeks, that dynamic appears to have flipped. The defence has improved, but the offence has been been generating more INTs as of late.

“The challenge now is putting together complete games and executing on both sides of the ball every drive. If we can do that over these final two games, we’ll give ourselves a chance to build some momentum heading into the playoffs.”

With only two games remaining, Nighthawks understand that the time to find that balance is running out.

They have shown that they can compete with the best teams in the division, but they have also had a tendency to play down to their competition. That inconsistency has followed them over the past few seasons.

Their record may be uneven, but their ceiling remains high. Robillard and the weapons around him give the offence the ability to score on almost any drive. Defensively, Nighthawks have done a much better job of limiting opposing offences in recent weeks.

“Our record reflects an up-and-down season, but I think our best performances have shown that we can compete with anyone in the division when we’re executing. With Fab at quarterback and the weapons we have around him, our offence has the ability to score on every drive on any given day.”

The victory over Junior XL Special Ed. showed exactly what Nighthawks can look like when both sides of the ball are working together. Their defence created pressure and game-changing plays, while the offence took advantage of the opportunities it received.

“When our defence is clicking as well, we’re capable of making the game-changing plays that can swing a matchup. If we can put it all together and play our best when our best is needed, we’ll be a tough out for any team.”

Currently sitting in the sixth seed, Nighthawks do not have much room for error. Every remaining game matters, but their best performances have already demonstrated that they belong in the playoff conversation.

The rest of Division D1 is now fully aware of what Nighthawks can do. If they can finally combine their offensive potential with their improving defence on the same night, any team in the division could have serious trouble against them.

Garni Comme Mac Pulls Off the Upset

I had the chance to watch this game up close and personal as the final matchup of the night Tuesday in Brossard. What unfolded was certainly not on my bingo card.

The surprises started before the opening whistle. Dante Gerardi was not in the lineup for Garni Comme Mac, which meant Phil Roberts would take over at quarterback. The team was also shorthanded, forcing it to bring in Liam Pham and Quaysie Gordon-Maule.

The addition of Gordon-Maule was especially notable. When he is fully engaged, he is one of the premier defenders in FPF’s top divisions, so seeing him appear in a Division D matchup immediately changed the outlook of the game.

Snowdon Deli Degens were also missing several regulars, although Adam Malinoff and Evan Shiveck were still in the lineup. Perhaps as a response to Gordon-Maule’s presence, Malinoff brought in Sanders Armand.

Seeing Armand and Gordon-Maule line up against each other in a Division D game was pretty wild. I would be curious to know the last time the two faced each other in a division below C.

With both rosters looking completely different from usual, the game felt wide open.

Roberts showed no signs of quarterback rust. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 215 yards and six touchdowns, delivering an incredibly efficient performance in Gerardi’s absence.

Ben McMahon, Felix Clairmont and Gordon-Maule each caught two touchdown passes, giving Roberts three reliable options throughout the night.

Malinoff was not quite as efficient on the other side, but he still kept Snowdon Deli Degens in the game by responding with five touchdown passes of his own.

The matchup continued to go back and forth until Pham completely changed the game. He sacked Malinoff on consecutive plays, leaving Snowdon Deli Degens facing fourth-and-28. They were unable to convert, giving Garni Comme Mac possession with a chance to take control.

McMahon scored on the ensuing drive, producing what ultimately became the game-winning touchdown. Shiveck answered with another score for Snowdon Deli Degens, but the following onside attempt was unsuccessful.

Neither team was at full strength, but this was still a massive victory for Garni Comme Mac. They are now within striking distance of a playoff spot and remain one of the more intriguing teams in the division.

Talent has never been the issue for this group. Consistency has been the problem.

They have three games remaining, and if they can win out, there is a realistic path for them to finish as the eighth seed. If that happens, they may be the most dangerous eighth seed imaginable.

For Snowdon Deli Degens, the concern continues to grow. They have now lost three of their past four games and are trending in the wrong direction at an important point in the season.

They will have an opportunity to respond tomorrow afternoon, but it will not be easy against the Black Vipers.

Week 10 Questions

Can Pacemakers End the Week as a Top Seed?

Pacemakers came out of the gates flying, playing their first seven games before the calendar even turned to July. Since then, they have been off for nearly a month and will finally return to action in Week 10.

There will not be much time to shake off the rust.

With three games on the schedule, Pacemakers have one of the biggest opportunities of any team in the division. Sitting on eight points, they have a chance to finish the week with 14 and potentially climb into first place.

Their schedule features No Punt Intended, Bend Don’t Break and Ball Hawks. On paper, all three games are winnable, but Bend Don’t Break and Ball Hawks are battling for their playoff lives, making them especially dangerous opponents.

If Pacemakers can win two or all three games, they will put themselves in an excellent position heading into the final stretch of the regular season. However, if they manage only one win or none at all, the standings could tighten quickly, leaving what once looked like a comfortable season suddenly in jeopardy.

Can Garni Comme Mac Keep Winning?

Garni Comme Mac picked up arguably its biggest win of the season by defeating Snowdon Deli Degens, and the timing could not have been better.

Their next matchup comes against the winless No Punt Intended. A victory would move GMC one step closer to the playoff picture, and if Bend Don’t Break and Ball Hawks also stumble this week, Garni Comme Mac could find itself tied with both teams in the win column.

Considering they were sitting at 1-5 just a week ago, that would be a remarkable turnaround.

Momentum is finally building for GMC, and another win would make the final weeks of the regular season even more interesting.

Which Defensive Player Will Have a Big Performance?

The Defensive Player of the Year race is becoming one of the most intriguing storylines in Division D1.

Seven different players currently share the division lead with four interceptions, and remarkably, three of them play for the same team. Kyle Folkerson is the only player among the group with two pick-sixes this season, giving him an early edge in the conversation.

Meanwhile, Eliav Ari continues to make his case in a different way. His division-leading 12 sacks have kept him firmly in the award discussion, proving that turnovers are not the only path to Defensive Player of the Year.

Every one of those contenders will be in action this weekend, giving someone the opportunity to separate from the pack. One interception returned for a touchdown, a multi-interception game or another dominant pass-rushing performance could completely change the conversation.

With only a handful of regular-season games remaining, every defensive possession matters in what is shaping up to be one of the closest award races in the division.

Closing Remarks

A big thank you to Gerry Vincent for taking the time to answer my questions this week and share his thoughts on Nighthawks’ season. Best of luck to Gerry and the team over the final weeks of the regular season.

With only a few games remaining, every result becomes more important in the race for playoff positioning. Week 10 should give us a much clearer picture of where each team stands heading into the postseason.

As always, thanks for reading! If you’d like to be featured in a future article or talk about your team’s season, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram: @keyoncyrus.