Categories: DivisionDivision 3Men'sWinter

Bandits on the come up

Division 3
Joseph Czikk
Czikk’s Cover 3

 

When I did my undergrad at the University of Guelph I covered the football Gryphons for our student newspaper and then for the school’s website. 

 

In 2007 we beat Western at home to hand the Mustangs their third consecutive loss. It was a massive win for Guelph because Western was a perennial OUA threat, and a 1-3 start for any team in an eight-game season could be lethal. 

 

Guelph, on the other hand, was average to bad most years. But that year the season was going great and we would ultimately make it to the Yates Cup championship. 

 

What ended up happening with Western, you ask? QB Michael Faulds led them to four straight wins to end the year at 5-3. They squeaked into the playoffs, made it to the Yates Cup and beat us on our own field. The Mustangs partied on our grass after they were on the brink of total, sweet disaster just a month earlier. 

 

B.D. Bandits win third straight game after winless start

 

And so we have a potentially similar scenario in Division 3: the B.D. Bandits have now won three in a row after starting the year a deflating 0-4. The Bandits (3-4) took out a decent Show Me Your TDs (3-4) team 37-22 after building an eight-point lead at halftime. 

 

QB Mark Belvedere had another six-TD, no pick game, throwing scores to Zack Brzezinski (2), Nyle Anderson, Casey Cook, Evan Cook and Steve Sanner. Apologies to Casey for spelling his last name wrong last week. 

 

Sanner picked off TDs QB Mike Addona twice, who served up four interceptions on the day. 

 

Coyotes survive a scare

 

Likely the biggest news is that the “four kings” remain undefeated after seven games. The Brotherhood, Two and a Half Dans, Coyotes and Dad Bod Squad all won their games. 

 

For the Coyotes (7-0) it wasn’t easy. Trailing by four heading into the second half, the Coyotes pulled out a narrow 26-24 win over the reeling Jonesers (3-4), who have now lost four in a row. Sammy Feder did not play for Coyotes, and in his place Zach Stachowski went 14 of 23 for 155 yards, four TDs and a pick. Much to my personal chagrin, two of those TDs went to AJ Rashkovan, who finished the day with five catches for 52 yards. 

 

I strongly urge Coyotes to consider releasing Rashkovan and signing myself in his place. 

 

On the other side, Ryan Lelinowski threw for 223 yards and four TDs to four different receivers. On defense Cal Pienaar sacked Stachowski three times. 

 

Around the league

 

The Brotherhood (7-0) crushed another team, this time 34-6 over the winless Les Messieurs Chats (0-7). It was the third time in four weeks that The Brotherhood held an opponent to just six points. Theo Ojeaha threw four TDs but also threw a rare interception, this one to Mathieu Thuot. Kevin Kaya hauled in six balls for 38 yards and two scores along with a pick on defense.

 

Two and a Half Dans (7-0) continued its torrid pace by inflicting more senseless violence on opponents (and by violence I mean points). This time they beat Wolfpack (4-3) 46-12, the biggest defeat suffered by Wolfpack all season. 

 

The Dans got a seven-TD passing day out of QB Joey Taylor. He threw strikes to Danny McFee (3), Adam Bailey (3) and Matthew Rupcic. 

 

Wolfpack’s Eric Deschambault was a multi-dimensional threat, passing for 15 yards, rushing for 25 and catching a pass for 11 yards. 

 

Dad Bod Squad also improved to 7-0. The Dads severely outmuscled a good F.O.E (4-3) team 45-12. Sean Avraam completed 20 passes for 194 yards and five TDs, throwing scores to Alex Moreau (2), Jordan Allard, Rich Humes and Ryan Aridi. Aridi notched two sacks on defense. 

 

After dropping its first game of the season, 6+R (6-1) has stormed back to win its sixth straight game. If the four unbeatens are the finest in the league, we should say 6+R has forced itself into that discussion now. This time they beat a good team in Top Sauce (5-3), 33-12, picking off Vince Nardone twice and holding the signal-caller to just 12 completions. 

 

6+R QB Frédéric Viens tossed five scores and a pick, chipping in 33 yards on the ground. Marc-Antoine Viens and Jad Aridi both caught a pair of touchdowns from Veins. On defense, Marc-Antoine Viens forced both of Nardone’s two interceptions. 

 

G.M. Kolethras registered three tackles in the loss. He told me that his team kept it to just a one-point deficit by halftime. After that it didn’t go well. 

 

“We weren’t able to keep pace and we fell apart when we fell behind. Justin McLean (5 rec, 72 yards) was kept out of the end zone and Nardone threw two inopportune picks. We were just were outmatched, and it showed in our body language. Justin Blanchard also knew exactly how to defend against us,” he said.

 

“Plus, 6+R are just a well-oiled machine,” added Kolethras. 

 

Brocassion (5-2) won its second straight game by blowing out The Heismans (0-7) 34-0. Kyle Lebofsky hauled in three of QB Kristian Cerantola’s five TDs. On defense, Kyle Britton picked off two passes. Mark Provost, Dylan Taylor and Lebofsky also forced interceptions. 

 

It was quite a miserable evening for The Heismans, whose season is headed on a dangerous skid. 

 

Mongoose (4-3) won its second straight, beating Les Buddays (0-7) 29-20 in an exciting game. The Mongoose defense held Buddays QB Leon Holder to just seven completions on 28 attempts. 

 

Still, Holder tossed scores to Alexandre Doucet, Guillaume Doucet and Jason Charbonneau. For the Mongoose, Antoine Vaillancourt caught two of Alexandre Gaudet’s four touchdown passes on the night. Vaillancourt also sacked Holder twice. 

 

8 Boys 1 Cup (3-4) got a big win this week by snapping Darksiders’ (4-3) three-game winning streak. The Boys won in a shoot-out 42-36. QB Jesse Dupuis went 12 for 19 for 183 yards, five TDs and a pick. Both Mike Pierrecin and Marc-André Lapointe caught two TDs. 

 

Pierrecin picked off Darksiders QB Frédéric Morissette, who tossed six scores on the day. Two of Jamil Springer’s three receptions went to the promised land. 

 

There are several teams who may need to look in the mirror as the weeks dwindle towards the end of the season. FOE (4-3) has now lost three of its last four games after starting a perfect 3-0. They lost to Dad Bod Squad 45-12 this week. 

 

Lightweight (4-4) has now dropped two in a row after losing to Laval’s Finest (5-2). Laval QB Justin Lavallee threw for 175 yards, three scores and a pick, with two of his TDs going to Rod Mashtoub (6 rec, 76 yards). Mashtoub (2), Jordan McLaren and Theo Bekelis all picked off Lightweight QB François Raymond.

 

Finally, Red Raiders (2-5) have now lost five of their last six. This time they lost 33-12 to Gros Chefs Bandits (2-5). Raiders QB Mike Roy completed just 20 of 44 pass attempts and was picked off twice. His big-game receiver Kenton Lowe didn’t play. 

 

For the Gros Chefs Bandits, touchdown receptions went to Francis Plouffe (2), Maxime De Falcis, Nicolas Desjardins and Nicolas Easterbrook. Desjardins got both of the interceptions. 

 

Power Rankings

 

  1. The Brotherhood (7-0): Another week, another blowout for The Brotherhood. Theo Ojeaha finally threw a pick this week, just his second all season. But he’s picked off nine passes himself. Kevin Kaya and Khalil Kerr have both caught 10 TDs.

 

  1. Two and a Half Dans (7-0): The Dans have slowly forced their way into the second spot by putting up its second 40-burger in three weeks. They’ve allowed the second-least points in the league next to The Brotherhood. 

 

  1. Coyotes (7-0): Coyotes survived a scare this week while leader Sammy Feder was absent. Their receiving core still clicked well. Coyotes play a decent team in Lightweight this week. 

 

  1. Dad Bod Squad (7-0): Don’t take much stock in how the Dads dropped to four this week. They’re still an undefeated team. They’ve scored at least 30 points in each of the last five games.

 

  1. 6+R (6-1): 6+R have actually scored the second-most points in the league, next to The Brotherhood, despite having lost a game in a league with four unbeatens. These guys are good. Frédéric Viens has passed for the second-most TDs in the league. Marc-Antoine Viens is second among all receivers in receptions (48).

 

  1. Laval’s Finest (5-2): Laval bounced back from a tough loss to F.O.E last week to beat Lightweight in convincing fashion. Justin Lavallee spreads the ball around well, with four receivers having at least 20 receptions this season. They’ve also allowed the second-fewest points in ‘Conference A’.  

 

  1. Brocassion (5-2): Brocassion is a tough nut to crack. They now have two straight wins after losing an upset loss to Red Raiders. They can score (227 points) and allow points (163). QB Kristian Certantola has completed just 48 per cent of his passes but has only thrown two picks, tied for the fewest in the league. 

 

  1. BearSkins (5-2): QB Neil Etinson and the ‘Skins bounced back after a tough loss last week, beating OTF 42-24. Sasha Papich (14 TDs), Marco Bertoldi (10 TDs) and Connor O’Brien (3 TDs) are all capable receivers. They play a hungry Red Raiders team this week. 

 

  1. Top Sauce (5-3): Top Sauce dropped its third game of the season to a very good 6+R team, but don’t count them out. QB Vince Nardone (35 TDs), WR Justin McLean (13 TDs) and the guys will be ready this week against F.O.E. 

 

  1. Mongoose (4-3): Mongoose jumped back into the Top 10 after two straight wins to bring them to a winning record. They’re getting some nice play from Cédric Nuckle (30 rec, 6 TD) and Antoine Vaillancourt (2 sacks, 2 INTs, 4 PD)

 

Five games to watch

 

1. Brocassion (5-2) vs. Show Me Your TDs (3-4), March 4 at 8:00 PM

 

2. 6+R (6-1) vs. Wolfpack (4-3), March 5 at 6:00 PM

 

3. Coyotes (7-0) vs. Lightweight (4-4), March 5 at 7:00 PM

 

4. F.O.E (4-3) vs. Top Sauce (5-3), March 5 at 8:00 PM

 

5. 8 boys 1 Cup (3-4) vs. The Brotherhood (7-0), March 5 at 10:00 PM