Division 2: Divisional Round Preview

After 14 weeks of action, the regular season came to an end last night. Now the real season begins. Welcome to the FlagPlus Football 2025 Winter Season playoffs.

Before we begin, I would like to say thanks to KGP, #NR, and Mangoose for coming out to play this year. Better luck next season.

Congrats to the Dirty Birds, EZW, The Infantry, and Dime & Bougie on being the top four teams in Division 2, thereby earning a first round bye.

(5) OneStop versus (12) Party Ballers

Previous Meeting: OneStop (40-12) Week 3

In the first matchup, OneStop simply dominated the Party Ballers on both sides of the ball, outscoring their opponents (20-6) in both the first and second half.

In the rematch, the Party Ballers will need to manufacture more than two touchdowns. To do that, they will need to take advantage of a OneStop defense that has been shaky to say the least on the backend. Over the last two weeks versus both Shake &Bake and the Silent Ticklers, OneStop has surrendered a combined 93 points.  

On defense the Party Ballers will need to play that aggressive and smothering style that carried them the first half of the season. The same aggressiveness has been there in the second half, but it has led to some mistakes that have gone for touchdowns. The unit must hold things down and give time for Rusher Extraordinaire Francois Hogue, to get after Quarterback Michael Caparelli.  

For OneStop to complete the sweep, they will need to limit their opponent’s big plays. As I mentioned earlier, the team has had trouble doing that the last few weeks. Part of the reason is due to the absence of Defensive leader Ryan McNally, who has missed two out of the last four games. He leads the team with tackles (25) and is tied for second in pass deflections with five.  

On offense, One Stop will have to be sharp. I score kept their game versus the Silent Ticklers, and the team had several drops, and missed passes. They scored 36 points in the loss, but something was off, as their timing and energy wasn’t at their usual levels.

This game will see a bunch of familiar battles, as El Andre Abbey and Hassane Dosso of Concordia and U of M respectively, will be taking on the foursome of McGill Redbirds in Ryan McNally, Jahnai Lewis, Mathis Pilon, and Philippe Trudel. The one matchup that could decide this game is the one that will be between Party Ballers Quarterback Ezechiel Tieide and OneStop Rusher Luca Leccese. The B.C Lions Wide Receiver turned FPF QB, stands at 6 ft 2, and has the reach of someone who stands 6 ft 5. The dual-threat pivot has a decided height advantage over Luccese who comes in at around 5 ft 7. Can the speedy pass rusher cause Tieide to throw the football before he sets his feet, and not establish a rhythm? If he can, his team’s chances of winning go up exponentially.    

I expect this to be a good game. Both teams are separated by two points in the standings, but in their lone regular season matchup, the game was decided by 28. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, and I think the rematch will as well.

Prediction: OneStop (36-26)

(6) Shake & Bake versus (11) Vultures

Previous Meeting: N/A

These teams are similar in so many ways. They both have Quarterbacks in the Vultures’ Ben McMahon and Shake & Bake’s Marc-Andre Reeves who aren’t the tallest passers, but they have absolutely killed opponents with their legs, arms, and decision-making. Both are also not afraid to air the ball out.

Both teams are also deep and have rosters that are loaded with playmakers, each one capable of stepping up and helping decide a game with a clutch play.

Coming into tomorrow, each team has gone (2-2) over their last four games. The Vultures’ wins came by a combined eight points, while Shake & Bake’s were by two.       

The only difference between these two squads is height, as Shake & Bake has the clear advantage in that department with players like Hugo Stensland, Alex Torres, and Mikael Arseneau.

The Vultures were one of the favourites to win the division before the year started. The season didn’t go as planned, with this talented squad finishing .500, and claiming the second to last playoff spot. The team has a chance to rewrite their story Sunday night. To get the chance to do that, the Vultures must find a way to keep scoring. The second-ranked offense in Division 2 averages 42 points a game. McMahon’s unit has exceeded that total in three of their last four games. The Shake & Bake defense gives up 33 points a contest. They have allowed more than that in three of their last four. Whose stat line will hold up Sunday night?

For the Shake & Bake offense, they must continue to spread the wealth, as all their eligible playoff Receivers have at least one touchdown. Reeves is at his best when he is scrambling around extending plays and buying time for his teammates to get open.

Shake & Bake are the favourites in this matchup. The only reason I am picking against them is because of their (2-4) record in one-score games this year. The Vultures are an almost equally unimpressive (1-2) in those contests. The numbers and the talent suggest this game will fall into that category. I think the later pull it out.

Prediction: Vultures (38-32)

(7) Kush & Korinthians 13 versus (10) FINS UP

Previous Meeting: N/A

This has the potential to be the most entertaining game of the opening round of the playoffs, as it features two teams that are explosive offensively, built on speed, are not afraid to throw deep early and often.

Before their regular season ending loss to the Party Ballers, Kush & Korinthians 13, had won four games in a row. The key to their success was in their ability to win one-score contests, as they went (3-1) in those scenarios.

Kush & Korinthians 13 also showed the ability to play up to the level of their opponents, as they did in wins over Shake & Bake, Idaho Udapimps, and KGP. This team will need that ability to make a clutch play in crunch time if they want to get past FINS UP.

On the podcast this week, I talked about FINS UP and their recent slide over the last few weeks, that has seen the team lose three out of their last four games, with their only win being a (30-26) victory over winless Mangose. That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence as we enter this win or go home scenario.

To change their fortunes and advance to the second round of the post-season, FINS UP will have to find a way to slow down the Kush & Korinthans 13 offense. Forcing Quarterback Simon Dagenais to have to hold on to the ball, switch reads, and force passes will be key, as the veteran QB is not a runner.

To counter that, Kush & Korinthans 13 will have to use their speed to find openings in their opponent’s defense and create separation early in their routes so that Dagenais can get the ball out quickly.  

On offense, FINS UP Quarterback Will Power, will need to do what he is best at, mixing in both the short and deep ball to keep the opposing defense guessing, while also using his legs to keep plays alive. Whether he decides to dink and dunk his way downfield until the defenders start to cheat up and then go deep like his friend, Division 1 teammate, and fellow QB Stephen Harripersaud does, or he elects to use his ability to escape the rush and buy time for his Receivers to get open deep, if Power is able to execute his game plan while protecting the ball (he averages more than one interception a game) he will help lead his team to victory.   

The Kush & Korinthans 13 defense will have to make things difficult for Power and company. Although they lack a legit Rusher, the unit has ballhawks in Owen Bujarsky, Jaylan Greaves, Justin Blanchard, and Juwan Edghill. It will be the responsibility of the backend to maintain their sticky coverage and close the passing windows for Power.

We all know DonnDre Borden and Joey Notaro are Power’s top two Receivers, as the duo combined for 130 catches and 37 touchdowns. Maximilien Sadori is the team’s short yardage and redzone threat. You can’t take that trio out the game, but the Kush & Korinthans 13 defense will need to limit their damage, if they want to have any shot at winning.  

As I said at the top, this has the potential to be the most exciting game of the Divisional Round. With players like Jaylan Greaves, Carl Achy, Hinsley Adams, Emyl Gregoire, Simon Duchesne, James Langshaw, Laurent Foucault, along with the others mentioned earlier. I expect some fireworks and scoring early in this one.

When you have close games like this, I tend to side with the team with the better Quarterback. That is Power in this case, but I also can’t ignore how both teams have been playing the last month. Kush & Korinthans 13 holds the advantage there, so I am going with them.

Prediction: Kush & Korinthans 13 (38-36)

(8) Silent Ticklers versus (9) Idaho Udapimps

Previous Meeting: Idaho Udapimps (42-38) Wek 13

In the first showdown, Idaho Udapimps was able to pull out the victory as they got a 40-yard touchdown run from Quarterback Brady Ohanessian, during the pro clock. The Silent Ticklers would answer with a long score of their own on a 31-yard TD pass from Jordan Panetta to Daniel Mancini. Down by four points the team would need to convert on an onside attempt to extend the game, but they would fall short ending the contest.

To complete the two-game sweep, Idaho Udapimps will need to bring the same offense they did in the first meeting. Besides his long TD run, Ohanessian, was able to push the ball down the field. Of the 12 passes he completed, eight of them went for eight yards or more. Out of the five touchdown passes he threw, only one was under 25 yards. While some of that can be attributed to missed tackles, a lot of it centers around the QB’s love of the deep ball.

It goes without saying, that the Silent Ticklers defense will need to eliminate both problems this time around. That task will predominantly fall on the shoulders of Tanner Burrell, Adam Rosen, Tysen Otis Copeland, and both Panetta and Mancini. They have the length advantage over the Idaho Udapimps Receivers. They will need to use it to get into passing lanes and take away their speed.

Offensively for the Silent Ticklers, there aren’t many teams that can match their chemistry and timing as the team has been together for several seasons. When he is on his game, there is no QB more lethal in Div. 2 than Panetta. His connection with his Receivers in Rosen, Mancini, along with Brandon Vickers, Jack Antaki, and Marty Freedman, is uncanny. He knows how to hit his targets right out of their break, and when to put the ball up and give them a chance to make a play. Idaho Udapimps defenders in Marvin Steinberg, Jerome Hovington, Jeremy Rooney, Danick Coulombe, and Ohanessian, will have their work cut out for them tomorrow night, as they try to get Panetta off rhythm and force turnovers.

Idaho Udapimps went (2-2) over their last four regular season games. The one big win for obviously came against the Silent Ticklers. The Silent Ticklers went (3-1) over that span, with the lone defeat coming against their opponents tomorrow night.

In last week’s article, I said that if the Silent Ticklers beat OneStop, I would reconsider the fact that I placed them in the pretenders category. They not only got the win, but they did so convincingly, despite missing their Snapper in Freedman, and Rusher in Vickers. They proved me wrong and showed Division 2 that the are a legit contender. I am excited to be scorekeeping this game, as it has the potential to steal the show in the opening round and had all the looks of a pick’em contest. Could we see overtime?

Prediction: Silent Ticklers (42-40)

Picks

 OneStop vs Party Ballers – OneStop

Shake & Bake vs Vultures – Vultures (Upset Special)

Silent Ticklers vs Idaho Udapimps – Silent Ticklers

Kush & Korinthans 13 vs FINS UP – Kush & Korinthans 13 (My pick for Game of the Week)

Last Week: (1-2)

Regular Season: (16-8)

Upset Special: (4-3)

That is it for this week. I will be back next week with a Quarter-Finals preview.

Good luck to everyone tomorrow and on Monday!

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.