Division 6: Contenders, Pretenders, and We’re Not Sure Yet (Part 2)

Last week I gave you Part1 of my annual Contenders, Pretenders and We’re Not Sure Yet list, where we looked at 15 Division 6 teams and where I placed them based on which category I thought they belonged in. If you missed it, you can check it out here: https://www.flagplusfootball.com/en/article/division-6-contenders-pretenders-and-were-not-sure-yet-part-1/

Now here is Part 2. The categories are self-explanatory, and they are based on what teams have done so far, and if applicable, what I think they can do in the playoffs. Don’t worry, I won’t put a team on twice like I did last week with the Texas Chooches. I originally had them in the Pretender category, but after thinking about it, I changed my mind, and I moved them to We’re Not Sure Yet section. I do edit my articles, however problems and mistakes sometimes happen when you’re staring at a computer screen for five hours, but I digress.

As I said last week, if you don’t like where your team is on the list, please feel free to prove me wrong.

Here we go…

Contenders

Salt’s n a Pepper (6-3)

They have a few signature wins as they knocked off Show Me Dem TDies and Tex4s Chooches. They almost made it three in a role, as they fell to SKOL (14-12). Those are the main reasons they made the contender category.

Another reason is the fact that this team showed some resiliency during the second half of the season as they came off the midway point on a two-game losing streak with loses to both WYD Step Bro’s? and Le Speakeasy. They were able to rebound however by winning their next pair of games with blowout victories over The Mortadel’s and ALLBALL.

Salt’s n a Pepper have a chance to match their season high three-game winning streak as they finish the non-playoff part of their schedule tomorrow night in Laval by taking on a Texas Whales squad who is coming off an upset (30-8) win over The Mortadel’s. Let’s see what happens.

Le Speakeasy (5-3)

I had a chance to watch them play two weeks ago in Laval against the Winded Warriors. Beating a winless team is one thing, but the demolition job that they dished out caught my attention as they displayed some aggression, speed, and tenacity all game long. At first glance you might say that was just a strong team beating up on arguably the worst team in Division 6, but they also showed a level of skill that not all teams have.

I think their Quarterback Felix Richard is talented, as he has a decent arm, is accurate, and can throw with anticipation. He should continue to get better as he builds off his first season playing the position, after lining up at Receiver, Defensive Back, and Rusher his previous eight years in the league. While his 10 interceptions are a bit worrisome, it is a part of his game that he can straighten out with more reps.

This team is one of the many that came close to beating SKOL, as they lost (25-24) in Week 10. If they see each other down the road in the post-season, I might pick Le Speakeasy to win that contest.

 Fire & Blood (6-2)

Has there been a hotter team in Division 6 than them as of late? Winners of four straight, Fire & Blood have been smothering teams with their defense, as they have given up a grand total of 56 points over their last four games, including holding the division’s top offense in Free Agent Squad, to three touchdowns two weeks ago.

The team’s offense hasn’t exactly been stuck in mud either, as they averaged 30 points over that span including dropping a season-high 46 on the Flag Dealers back in Week 8.

Fire & Blood finish the regular season with back-to-back games against the Royals tonight, and then the Chomedey Chodes Sunday evening. I expect both games to be challenging, but I would be surprised if Fire & Blood lost either.

Going into the post-season on a four-game winning streak, and playing stellar defense means that these guys are that team that no one wants to face come playoff time.  

Meat Fiddlers (8-1)

They are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their nine games overall. The only mistake they made was a lackluster second half performance against Les Super Turbo Navets, that saw the Meat Fiddlers punt and turn the ball over on downs before finally scoring a touchdown, but it was too little too late in the (30-18) loss.

Looking at their signature wins, this team had one in Week 2 when they beat the Pigeons (25-19). They also secured another with their (31-6) blowout victory over Mutation two weeks later, and they earned a third with their (30-12) demolishing over the Tex4s Chooches in Week 7.

When it comes to winning, one of the things that matters is how do it. To their credit, the Meat Fiddlers have taken advantage of lesser opponents, as in addition to their one-sided win against Mutation, they have slaughtered teams like Les Flags Daddies, Nard Dogs, and Jurassic Park Rangers.

The Meat Fiddlers don’t lack playmakers, as potential Quarterback of the Year Manny Bizogias, is second in touchdown passes with 36, and is one of only five QBs in the top 20 in the division to have a completion percentage of more than 60%.

Catching those passes is a receiving unit led by Leo Diakoumakos, who leads his team with 31 catches for 352 yards and eight touchdowns. He is joined by a fearsome foursome in Jack Tessari, Dario Brown, Jo Santucci, and Kevin Scalia who have combined for 20 TDs.

The team finishes their regular season this coming Thursday against the McGill Swim Team, so a (9-1) finish is attenable. Come playoff time, this is a team not to be taken lightly, and one that has the talent to go all the way.  

Les Super Turbo Navets (7-2)

Back in February, I was ready to call this team a championship contender. They started off the year by pitching two straight shutouts over the Nard Dogs and ALLBALL. At the midway point of the season, they sat at (4-1), and had some impressive blowout wins, mixed in with a signature (30-18) victory over the Meat Fiddlers. The only loss they suffered was at the hands of the Pigeons, but it looked like it was probably a one-off, as Quarterback Raphaël Caron, had a surprising abysmal performance completing 11 of 27 passes for 77 yards one touchdown and a season-high four interceptions.

The second half of the season started off with a hard-fought (13-7) win over No Fly Zone, but then they followed that up with a shocking (18-8) loss to the Jurassic Park Rangers. Over the next two weeks they smoked Les Flags Daddies (58-0), but then barely managed to squeeze by the McGill Swim Team (14-12). The team has a chance for another statement win if they can get past Mutation this afternoon at Concordia.

When you look at this roster, they have talent. It starts with Rusher Vincent Bolullo, who is second in Div. 6 sacks with 15, and has a chance to add to his total. He also has two interceptions. The fifth-year veteran is also an impact player on the other side, as he has 39 catches for 25 yards and two touchdowns. He trails teammate Filipe Barros, who leads the team in receptions, yardage, and TDs with 43, 580, and 12 respectively. The offense also has playmakers in Charles Beauchemin, Mathieu Fortin, and Charles Grenier.

The team’s defense intrigues me, as in addition to Bolullo, the unit has 16 interceptions, and a Division 6-leading 40 pass deflections. Fortin, leads the way with an impressive 10.

The team has good record, and it will look even better if they can knock off Mutation, which I think they will do. That doesn’t make them a contender, but a defense that has allowed just one opponent to reach the 20-point plateau against them does.

Pretenders

WYD Step Bro’s? (6-3)

Their (18-13) win over Salt’s n a Pepper back in Week 8 was huge, as it gives them sole possession of second place in Group A, even though both teams are tied with 12 points apiece, and they each have one game remaining.

The path for securing that spot won’t be easy as WYD Step Bro’s take on Le Speakeasy this coming Wednesday night at Stade Hebert in a must-watch game. WYD Step Bro’s also walks into that game coming off a (31-0) butt-kicking at the hands of a championship contender in SKOL.

This team has a solid Quarterback in Pranav Sharma, and two legit Receivers in Noah Smallwood and two-way threat Natan Nettel. But I can’t ignore the fact that besides their aforementioned win over Salt’s n a Pepper, they haven’t beat anyone of consequence all season long, and conversely losses to SKOL, Tex4s Chooches, and Show Me Dem TDies hold way more weight. 

Royals (4-4)

Their record looks respectable, but when you dig a little deeper, you will see that they haven’t beat a winning team all year, as their victories have come against QUEENS Cavaliers du Rohan, DG Shootas, and Flag Dealers, who have a combined record of (9-28). On the positive side, all those wins were blowouts, so at least they can defeat the teams they are supposed to.

Conversely, the team got a taste of their own medicine as three out of their four losses were one-sided affairs, as they got smacked around by Cheat Squad, Chomedey Chodes, and Pigeons. To their credit, the Royals only lost by six to Free Agent Squad (18-12), but close only counts in horseshoes.

The strength of this team is their defense, as they are led by Rusher Massimo Rosati, who leads all players with 16 sacks. His presence along with a ball-hawking secondary anchored by Braylen Ramsay and Cordell Ramsay, are great at creating turnovers and giving their offense extra possessions.

For this team to have any success in the playoffs, they will need that unit to continue to step up as the offense has been unable to carry their weight, as the unit has only topped 30 points once this year. That is why they are in the pretender category.  

McGill Swim Team (3-5)

At the midway point of the season, I thought to myself that the McGill Swim Team would finish with one win as they beat the Nard Dogs (27-6) in Week 4. Fast forward a few weeks, and the team was able to add two more victories to their record with win a forfeit over Mutation, and a blowout victory over Les Flag Daddies. They almost made it a fourth, but they fell by two points to Les Super Turbo Navets (14-12) two weeks ago.

What once seemed like a dream is now a reality, as the McGill Swim Team currently sits at the edge of the Division 6D playoffs. Punching their ticket to the dance will be as simple as winning their final two games, as they take on the Texas Whales tonight, followed by the Meat Fiddlers this coming Thursday.

The team’s defense which has been the biggest key to their turnaround, has been solid the last two weeks as the unit has allowed 14 total points. They will need that type of effort if they want to pull off both upsets.

The McGill Swim Team isn’t a threat to win a championship, but the second half improvement from a team that looked dead in the water just a few weeks ago, should be applauded.

No Fly Zone (6-3)

This team has been quietly one of the best in the entire division the second half of the season, as they have won three in a row and four out of their last five games. Those wins came over the McGill Swim Team, Nard Dogs, ALLBALL, and the Jurassic Park Rangers. The team’s only loss during that stretch was a tight one, as they fell (13-7) to Les Super Turbo Navets in Week 8.

With the playoffs just around the corner, this team seems to be peaking at the right time, and they have a chance to extend their win streak to four as they take on the last place Winded Warriors to close out the regular season Monday night at Stade Hebert.

I have seen this team more than a few times this year. I like what they have at Receiver in Lucas Gonzalez, and Ali Alvi who looks and plays exactly like a prototypical Tight End. The team also has speed and play-making ability with Finn Nachshen, Skyler Fortier and Can Celik.

Quarterback Adam Ouici has a big arm, and he likes to show it off. The only problem is that he sometimes lacks accuracy on the intermediate routes, becomes too reliant on the deep ball, and can be turnover prone, as evidenced by his 12 interceptions, eight of which have come in his last four games.

There is something about this team. They remind me of this year’s Cleveland Browns. Their defense has been solid the entire year, as they have only given up an average of 15 points per game. If they can get decent to good play from the Quarterback position going forward, they could make some noise in the playoffs. Can Ouici turn on some Joe Flacco magic?  

Chomedey Chodes (5-4)

It’s hard to get an accurate read ion this team. They started off the season (1-3) before winning four out of their last five games, including a huge (25-24) upset win over Free Agent Squad last Saturday night in Brossard.  

The Chomedey Chodes have a chance to make it five wins in their last six games as they close out the regular season with a showdown Sunday night at the Stinger Dome against Fire & Blood. Will we see an upset for the second week in a row?

This team is not only playing their best football of the season, but they are peaking at the right time. Despite that, I am still not sure what to make of this squad. They have a signature win with their victory over Free Agent Squad, but they have some questionable losses as they couldn’t get past the Nard Dogs and Cavaliers du Rohan. They also fell to Cheat Squad (25-19) in Week 4.

 Five wins will get you knocking on the playoff door, but they are also a loss away from finishing with a .500 record. This isn’t the NFC South, and while a (6-4) record should good enough to get you in the Division 6D dance, it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that they can stay long at the party.

Texas Whales (2-6)

I have score kept a few of their games this year, and every time I see them, I feel like they are a better team than what they show on the field. I say that because they have talent. Quarterback Tyler Cousins is long, fast, athletic, and has a strong arm. His minuses however are accuracy and consistency. He puts together drives that make you think he can eventually grow into being a higher division QB down the road, but then he will follow that up with puzzling decisions, bad throws, and not taking what the defense give him.

The team’s offense struggles (they average 15 PPG) are maddening because they have some skilled Receivers in George Spano, Elio Cariglia, Samuel Tejera and the big man as well as class act Chazz Pisanelli.  

On defense, the team is led by Pisanelli and Cousins. The dual uses their length to get their hands on balls. The pair have combined for eight interceptions and pass deflections. The unit as a group came up big in their (30-8) upset win over The Mortadel’s, as they forced six turnovers.

The 6D playoffs are unreachable, but the Texas Whales have a chance to close out their season with some momentum as they have back-to-back games in Laval, first against the McGill Swim Team tonight, then tomorrow versus Salt’s n a Pepper. Let’s see what happens.

QUEENS (3-7)

They finished the season by winning two out of their last three games, as they knocked off the DG Shootas and Les Flags Daddies. Those wins came a little too late unfortunately, as they lost six out of their previous seven before that.

Going forward, this team will need to build around their best players in Mathias Cofsky, Justin Durocher. Simon Frappier, and Jayson Arseneault. To do that, the team should look into finding an upgrade at Quarterback as both Cofsky and Arseneault were too erratic to be looked at as serious long-term options. The duo made an impact as Receivers and Defensive backs, so allowing to them focus on what they do best, would be wise. If they elect to run it back with Cofsky, who is electric as a scrambler, he will need to work on his accuracy and ball placement.

On defense, Frappier led the way with four interceptions and three touchdowns. He was joined by the duo of Nicolas Forget and Maxime Beland-Laflamme, who combined for 28 tackles and four INTs. Rusher Arnaud Charlier showed a lot of promise, as the rookie recorded seven sacks, two INTs, and five pass deflections.

This team has a solid combination of size and speed, so it isn’t like the cupboard is bare. But they must fix an offense that scored one touchdown or less, five times this year if they want to compete.

Winded Warriors (0-9)

It has been a rough year for this squad. To their credit, there doesn’t appear to be any quit in them despite the weekly struggle that has been their season.

I have said it here, on the podcast, at various fields, and just about everywhere else, when you build a football team no matter if it is flag or not, you need to find a Quarterback. Rookie John Emmanouelides is trying his hardest, as have fill-in passers John Shah, and Samuel Aerts, but as a whole, the Winded Warriors have six touchdowns passes this season. No, I am not making that number up. The answer is clearly not on the roster.

At Receiver, even though none of their pass-catchers have surpassed the 100-yard total, this team does have talent, as Waqar Shah, Adamo Albanese, as well as both Emmanouelides and Aerts have shown that they can make plays with the ball in their hands.

Defensively, this team only has seven interceptions. Part of the reason for the low total is because they don’t have a legit Rusher, as Daneeshan Srithar and Anthony Ciccone have combined for two sacks. That also explains the unit’s penchant for giving up big passing plays.

The season will come to an end when they take on No Fly Zone, this Monday at Stade Hebert at 8PM. As soon as the game is over, the team will need to start the process of finding a Quarterback and Rusher. I would suggest using the FPF Facebook page or simply just reaching out to players. This year should be a learning experience for this good group of guys, that they will hopefully use as motivation in the future.

We’re Not Sure Yet

Cheat Squad (5-3)

They have signature wins against the Chomedey Chodes and Le Speakeasy. Most of their losses have been close as well, as they lost to both the Demons and Free Agent Squad and Fire & Blood by a combined eight points.

The team’s most recent defeat was a little bigger however, as they lost to Fire & Blood (24-7). The silver lining in that one is that they trailed by only five points at halftime (12-7), and their Quarterback in William Gillespie, had his worst outing of the season with three interceptions, and only completed 12 of 24 passes for 106 yards. The question that needs to be answered, is will the third-year player who is playing the position for the first time, have a repeat performance under the bright lights of playoffs?

After alternating wins and losses the last two weeks, Cheat Squad has a chance to end the regular season winners of three out of their last four contest, as they take on the DG Shootas at 7PM, and then the Cavaliers du Rohan at 9PM tonight in Laval. Going into the playoffs with momentum is always a good thing, but will it be enough to take them as a legitimate threat to win the championship, it just might.

Mutation (5-4)

Their record is deceiving, as they should really be sitting at (7-2) but forfeit losses to both No Fly Zone and McGill Swim Team, has put them in the middle of the pack. Hopefully they learned the always important but often overlooked lesson, of always make sure to check the roster cap before every game.

After their forfeit to the McGill Swim Team, Mutation has been playing their best ball of the season over the team’s last three contests. They have an upset win over Free Agent Squad, a (38-0) harpooning of the Jurassic Park Rangers, and sandwiched in between those two games, was a tough (20-19) last possession loss to the Pigeons, where Mutation couldn’t get the ball into the endzone despite ending the game with an 11-play drive. 

This team has some solid pieces, in Rusher Dave Jean-Baptiste who has 13 sacks. They have some difference-makers in their secondary as Ricard Lubin, Kristian Alexandre, Cédrik Gingras-Dubé, and Johnny Gue all have at least two interceptions each.

On offense, they are led by a trio of Receivers in Cédrik Gingras-Dubé, Rodney Alcime, and the speedy and crafty Émile Skaf. Quarterback Simon Girard has only 13 touchdown passes in five games, but he makes up for it with his scrambling ability, as he has 21 carries for 284 yards and four TDs, for an average of 13.5 yards per carry. 

Mutation wraps up their regular season today against Les Super Turbo Navets at Loyola. The win for the former would be huge, as it would help their cause as they try to sneak into the Division 6 playoffs. Those forfeits have really come back to bite them.

If this team is relegated to the 6D playoffs, I like their chances of making a deep run. If they squeeze into Div. 6, I don’t see them getting past the second round.

Picks

Mutation vs Les Super Turbo Navets – Les Super Turbo Navets

Fire & Blood vs Royals – Fire & Blood

Texas Whales vs McGill Swim Team – Texas Whales (Upset Special #1)

DG Shootas vs Cheat Squad – DG Shootas (Upset Special #2)

Cavaliers du Rohan vs Cheat Squad – Cheat Squad

Towers FT vs Show Me Dem TDies – Show Me Dem TDies

Texas Whales vs Salt’s n a Pepper – Salt’s n a Pepper

Chomedey Chodes vs Fire & Blood – Fire & Blood (My Pick for Game of the Week)

SKOL vs Tex4s Chooches – SKOL

No Fly Zone vs Winded Warriors – No Fly Zone

Royals vs Demons – Demons

WYD Step Bro’s? vs Le Speakeasy – Le Speakeasy

Les Flags Daddies v Jurassic Park Rangers – Jurassic Park Rangers

Pigeons vs Nard Dogs – Pigeons

McGill Swim Team vs Meat Fiddlers – Meat Fiddlers

Last Week: (1-1)

Regular Season: (59-29-1)

That is it for this week. The Contenders, Pretenders, and We’re Not Sure list is DONE!!!! I have been writing this for years, but I am always surprised at how long it takes me to finish it. As I said at the top as well as last week, if you disagree with where I placed your team, please feel free to prove me wrong.

Good luck to everyone in their games this today, tonight, tomorrow, and this week. To all the wrestling fans reading this, enjoy WrestleMania, I know I will.

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.