Are You Ready For Some Football

Welcome to the 2019 FlagPlus Football Spring Season.

For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Brent Bodkin, and I will be your Division C writer this season.

For those of you that are familiar with me and my articles, welcome back!

It’s been about five weeks since the Winter Season ended. For teams that didn’t make the playoffs, nearly two months how gone by since meaningful football has been played.

This week represents a chance to shake off the rust, and get back to business. More importantly, it gives everybody a chance to have some fun.

With a new season comes opportunities, and at the same time, a different set of challenges.

While there is no guarantee they would have won back-to-back titles, last year’s champs, and powerhouse The Alpha-T’s, have moved up to Division B, meaning that there will definitely be new Div. C champions.

Looking to take over, are new teams, in the Stoics, Pineapple Express, and Gym Class Heroes, in addition to others like All Hooks, GloGang, Past Our Prime (P.O.P), Dream Breakers, and A-Squad, who have moved up from lower divisions.

Not everything is new however, as some familiar teams are back for another crack at it, most notably last year’s Finals runners up, in Jagerbomb.

As is the case every year, Division C, is divided into two halves, Conference A and Conference B. This time around, both sides hold ten teams, with the top eight in each making the playoffs.

Whether it’s the NFL, CFL, NCAA, USPORTS, and here in FPF, some teams look great on paper, while others look unimpressive, or even weak. As we all know however, the games aren’t played on paper, they are played on the field, and that is where everybody will have a chance to show what they got.

Unfortunately, until tomorrow night, all we have right now is paper, so we are just left to make somewhat educated guesses.

With that being said, here are my pre-season predictions:

 

Conference A

 

Backyard Bullies (8-2)

The veteran squad returns for another run, and they are better than last year’s edition, after bringing back Vinny Gualano, and the addition of the underrated Kevin Marcil.

Despite having a tough schedule, this time has the experience, and know-how to not only weather the storm, but make a deep, and perhaps even a championship run.

 

Easy-Jake-Oven (7-3)

A new season, and another name for Jake Applebaum’s team, arguably their best yet.

Names aside, this team is a threat to win it all, as they have speed, chemistry, and redzone monster Kevin Smuda on offense.

The only question is how they will do on the other side of the ball. While they have Safety Adam Rockman, who is seemingly always around the ball, and had a great post-season in Div 3, the team lacks consistent playmakers on that side of the ball, however the addition of Yoni Loeub, formerly of Keyport Lock, might help them in that department.

 

Junkyard Dogs (7-3)

Another veteran team, looking for their first championship, the Junkyard Dogs, have fallen short just before the finish line the last couple of seasons.

To get over the hump and help out the offense that ran dry in the playoffs, the team made two key additions, in Martin Steinberg from the Nighthawks, and four-time All-Star Shawn Haney.

Let’s see is JYD, and their Quarterback Jason Rossie, can silence the doubters, and finally capture a title.

 

Keyport Lock (7-3)

In four games last year with Broccasion in Division C, Wide Receiver Jeremy Anderson, had sixteen catches, nine of which went touchdowns.

This year, on a much better Keyport Lock squad, surrounded by strong supporting pass in Raoul Baroudi, Jonathan Lyristis, Kevin Boustany, Daniel Farag, Loïc Robidoux, and an upgrade at Quarterback in Jeff Rosenblatt, Anderson, should put up even better numbers. More importantly, he will make an already potent offense, that much better.

 

Game Changers (6-4)

This team went (10-0) this past winter in Div 4A, only to lose in the second round of the playoffs to the B.D Bandits.

Quarterback Anton Sakiz, put up phenomenal numbers as well, with a jaw-dropping 49 touchdowns, and only 3 interceptions.

The team also returns its top four receivers in Jordan Panetta, Ludwik Jananji, Alvy Mizelle, and Louis-Philippe Paquette the offense that put up 330 points, has a chance to at least eclipse the 300 point figure here.

As good as the Game Changers offense was, their defense was even better, as they gave up a Div. 4 low 169 points.

The unit was led by Brian Eudoxie, who put up 18 sacks. If the three-time All-Star can come close to duplicating that type of production, the defense might have a chance to approach those numbers again.

 

GloGang (5-5)

Led by one of biggest up and coming Quarterbacks in all of FPF in Arno Desjardins, GloGang has the potential to light up the scoreboard early and often.

The only thing that might hinder them is the loss of the team’s number one Receiver in Malick Meiga, who caught eleven of Desjardins’ thirty-three TD passes this past winter, when the team played in Division 4A.

Fortunately for GloGang, and their QB, the team will still have weapons in Sifax Kaced, Ludovic Stremler, and Francisco Perez, who combined for 74 catches, and 17 TDs.

On defense, the team will be led by ball-hawk Oliver Suri, along with Timothé Pichet, and Youcef Kaced. The trio will be tested, as the unit was only able to hold three Div. 4A opponents to twenty-five points or less this winter.

 

A-Squad (5-5)

After playing the last couple of seasons in both Division 4A and 4B, the A-Squad, finally move up into the higher echelon.

Led by Yacoub Telemaque, this team has speed, athleticism, and playmaking ability.

The other thing this team has, is the inability to get out of the first round of the playoffs, as they haven’t been able to do it since the 2016 Winter Season.

Besides playoff wins, this team is also lacking elite players, as no one on the roster has a rating higher than 74, and they lost their best Wide Receiver, in Junior Luke, who had 13 touchdowns for them last winter.

On the other side of the ball however, one player to look out for, is Riley Pincombe, as the fourth-year player has recorded fourteen interceptions this past winter, and is coming off of his first All-Star nod.

 

Dream Breakers (3-7)

The team went (4-5-1) in Div. 4A. They were led by the four-headed monster of Quarterback Sebastien Dallaire, who threw 41 touchdowns, and receivers Francois Dessureault, Ramez Popal-Hamidi, and Pierre-Alexandre Taché, who combined to catch 33 of those TDs.

The team’s defense was led by the duo of Dallaire, and Taché, who recorded a combined nine interceptions. After that however, it is anybody’s guess as to who else will generate turnover, as no one on the team had more than one.

 

The Huffmen (2-8)

With tons of weapons at receiver, and on defense, on paper, this team looks like a sure-fire threat to compete for a championship.

If you notice I didn’t mention Quarterback, there’s good reason for that, as the team has a huge question mark at the position, as they are going with Terry Tam.

While the veteran is one of the best Snappers in league history, throughout his decade plus tenure in FPF, Tam, has put up mixed results at best at the position, with 109 TD passes, and 85 INTs.

His last full season playing the position, was in the 2017 Winter Season, where he threw 13 TDs, 17 INT, and was sacked 15 times.

In his defense, in his most recent action as a QB, he did throw 4 TDs, and 1INT, in his lone outing while playing for the Fun Boys in Division 4A (they lost to The YOU 27-26).

Luckily for Tam, and the offense in general, they will have veteran QB Alex Holowach on the roster. Not only is the a solid receiver that will provide Tam with a reliable option, more importantly, he can help his QB with the underrated mental game that comes with the position.

 

KGP (1-9)

They have a solid Quarterback in Phil Cutler, but after losing the likes of Jeff Rosenblatt, Jeremy Anderson, Jonathan Garfinkle, and Matt Kirouac from their winter team, the cupboard is looking a little bare, as they currently only have six players on their roster.

While they will probably ad another player or two, the current roster lacks consistent playmakers, other than Olivier Saleh, and Gabe D’Amico-Mazza.

Let’s see what the team does.

 

 

Conference B

 

 

Simon Says (8-2)

Is there a more appropriate name than this for Simon Dagenais’ team? The only question I have, is since Simon is francophone, shouldn’t he have named the them

Still in pursuit of his first ever FPF championship, Dagenais, gave his chances of ending the drought, a huge shot in the arm, with the addition of two-way All-Star AJ Gomes.

Having him, along with the always reliable Justin Blanchard, gives Dagenais, two of the fastest Wide Receivers in all of FPF.

Looking at the big picture, this year’s team (last season they were Omelette You Finish), is lacking a lot of depth. While they still have Justin Lerner, and Jean-Daniel Joly, along with two other additions in the underrated duo of All-Stars Nicholas Groppini, and Vadim Chernyak, the squad is a lot smaller, as they have lost Jaime Ojeaha, Georges Élie-Voyer, Alexandre Jubinville, Gabriel Wiseman, Shawn Bant, and the main man Peeze.

Needless to say Dagenais, will probably try to add another piece or two, but until he does, Simon Says, is thin, and predominantly top-heavy.

 

Jagerbomb (8-2)

Led by Quarterback Simon Duchesne, this team went all the way to the Finals, before losing to The Alpha-T’s.
Duchesne, is back, as is the duo of Wide Receiver Felix Fontaine-Larouche, and Rusher Jeremie Lavoie-Patry.

Unfortunately, for Jagerbomb, the team lost two huge weapons in playmakers Cédric Nuckle, and Jean-Felix Daloze. The absence of the duo can6be overstated, as they accounted for a whopping twenty-four touchdowns, and sixteen interceptions. Yeah.

While replacing that type of production might prove next to impossible, Jagerbomb, will try to do it, with the additions of Sebastien Dorsonnes, Francois Hogue, Guillaume Miraval, and Jonathan Cloutier.

Despite the tall task, this is still a good team, that should be in contention come playoff time.

 

The Commission (7-3)

Another year, another Quarterback for The Commission. Just like in the Winter Season, TC, decided to go back to its past, as the team reunited with Jean-Félix Marquis.

On paper, the reunion makes sense, as the team came within one play of making the Division C Finals last year (they lost 37-33 to Jagerbomb in the Semi-Finals), and Marquis, who with 46 TDs, and only 9 INTs, posted the best numbers of his career.

In addition to Marquis, the team added Marquis’ Trinity teammates, in Alexandre Jubenville, Marc-André Lapointe, and 3-time All-Star Nicolas Gendron-Vallée, along with Hasani Worrell, and Kevin Donnet, formerly of TOPSZN.

The last time TC, went back to the future so to speak for a QB, was last winter, and it ended in disaster, as the offense couldn’t score in the clutch, the defense was unable to get key stops when they were needed, and the team missed the playoffs.

 

Sweat & Beers (7-3)

One of the hottest teams in all of Division 3, Sweat & Beers, won 5 of their final 6 games in the regular season, before falling to The Alpha-T’s in the post-season.

Out go Shawn Bant, Mike Zenobi, James Donald, Sydney Gage, and Justin Cerantola, in comes Andrew Carruthers, and that’s it. Yes, the math doesn’t make sense on paper, but for a team that had twelve players take meaningful snaps for them in the Winter Season, this could be a case of less is more, especially for the other 7 players on the roster.

 

For things to go in the opposite direction this time around, and for Marquis to pick up where he left off, the QB, will have to get in rhythm with a predominantly new group of pass-catchers, and don’t over complicate things.

On the other side of the ball, the defense, which will rely on the experience of Mike Young, and Kenny Boutilier, will need to gell fast with the new additions.

 

Pineapple Express (6-4)

Led by the Ryan Fitzpatrick of FPF Quarterbacks, Pineapple Express, will only go as far as Chris Olson takes them.

At one game he looks like a borderline All-Star, at the next, he looks like he should throwing in a lower division. Just like FitzMagic, you’re never exactly sure which Olson will show up.

When the good one does make an appearance, he has some solid targets to throw to, in Joel Malkin, Jean-Jacques Janvier, and Eddy “I am too good for Division C” Lee.

Let’s see what happens.

 

All Hooks (6-4)

After scoring 399 regular points in Div. 4A last summer which led all teams, All Hooks, had two All-Stars, in Jeremy White, and Thomas Coutu, with the former winning Wide Receiver of the Year.

The team’s QB, Charles-Olivier Lavigne, wasn’t too shabby either, as he threw 35 touchdowns, and just 4 interceptions.

The question of course, with any team making the jump up to a higher Division, is can they duplicate their previous success.

For All Hooks, it will need their big three, to pick up where they left off, but just as important, the squad will require other players like Jean-Christophe Ferland, Charles Fontaine, Samuel Emilio Pelchat, and Felix-Antoine Lavigne, along with rookies Alexis Cartier, and Gabriel Drapeau, to make an impact early and often.

 

P.O.P (5-5)

All old jokes aside, this team has playmakers, and some championship experience.

They also have a Quarterback in Craig “owy” O’Brien, who is coming off a Winter Season, in which he threw 39 TDs and 6 INTs. With returning weapons in Angelo Kalaidopoulos, Cullen Burrell, Tnner Burrell Tyrel Hoas, and the addition of FPF Hall-of-Famer Matt Kirouac, expect O’Brien, to put up even better numbers.

The big question mark surrounding this team is on defense, as they held opponents to 32 points or less, just four times last year in Division 4A.

Past their prime or not, this team will need to remedy that quickly, if they want to make the playoffs.

 

Mercenaries (4-6)

If there’s anything that’s for certain about a Gino Di Fazio led team, it’s that they will be scrappy, and the roster will fluctuate anywhere between 8 to 16 players, and maybe more. Right now, they stand at 10.

All kidding aside, this team does have some playmakers, in Dariusz Golebiowski, Isiah Allard, Kendal Mayers, Matthew Peacock, and Justin Weir.

Last year, as the Strangers, Di Fazio and his team finished a disappointing (555). This time around, with a lot more talent, let’s see if they can finish .500 or better, and make the post-season.

Stoics (3-7)

Last winter, Quarterback Chris Rivest, had a career-year, with 48 touchdown passes, and he was voted an All-Star for the first time. So as you can imagine, it was more than a little surprising, when he was still looking for a team, as little as three weeks ago.

Thankfully, the QB, and overall good guy, landed on his feet, by deciding to take his team up to Div. C.
With the jump however, gone are teammates Vinny Gualano, François Deslauriers, Alex Holowach, and G.M. Kolethras, to name a few.

Replacing them, are Sahar Cohen, Will Power, Justin Cerantola, Michael Timmis, and Meïssa N’Garane among others.

Credit to Rivest, for putting the team together in about 3 weeks. Although he has past experience playing with Cerantola, Jean-Benoit Bourassa, and Jonathan Chevalier on Gotham, the short time period, also means that chemistry and timing will probably be an issue through the first few weeks of the season with the rest of the roster.

 

Gym Class Heroes (2-8)

This has some really good weapons on both sides of the ball, in Mario Porreca, Matthew Da Silva, James Donald, and Daniel Mancini.

Just like The Huffmen, Gym Class Heroes, has a big question mark at Quarterback. While the aforementioned Terry Tamm, is throwing for The Huffmen, as of press time, we here at FPF, have no clue who will playing QB for GCH.

I reached out to Mike Zenobi yesterday, but got no reply.

 

Conference A Final 

 

Backyard Bullies vs Keyport Lock

 

Conference B Final

 

The Commission vs Jagerbomb

 

Finals

 

The Commission vs Backyard Bullies

 

Division C Champions

 

The Commission

 

Picks

Simon Says vs Pineapple Express – Simon Says

Jagerbomb vs P.O.P – Jagerbomb

Mercenaries vs Sweat & Beers – Sweat & Beers

Stoics vs The Commission – N/A

Game Changers vs The Huffmen – Game Changers

All Hooks vs Gym Class Heroes – All Hooks

GloGang vs Dream Breakers – GloGang

KGP vs Keyport Lock – Keyport Lock

Backyard Bullies vs Easy-Jake-Oven – Backyard Bullies (My pick for Game of the Week)

A-Squad vs Junkyard Dogs – Junkyard Dogs

Record: N/A

 

If you’re not happy with my predictions, (they definitely could be wrong, but if I didn’t believe them at least a little bit, I wouldn’t have wrote them) feel free to prove me wrong.

That’s it for this week. Good luck to everybody in their games. I’ll be back next time with a Week 1 re-cap, and a Week 2 preview.

Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow, to all the moms out there!

If you loved the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or on Twitter@BADNEWSB51

Cheers!