Division by Division recaps for FPF Junior

We have reached the halfway mark of this FPF Junior season and with this milestone, I think some mid-season division by division reports are due.

Midseason Reports

Atom: While some things have evolved as the season progressed, the dominance of Flight School 5 in the Atom division has remained constant. The team boasts a perfect 4-0 record. Even more impressive is the fact that the team’s defence has only conceded 18 points in four games. Yes, that’s less than 5 points allowed per game! To go along with that strong defence, Flight School’s offence also leads the division with 109 points. However, the Bears are emerging as a threat to Flight School’s dominance over the division. The Bears boast a 3-1 record and have won their last two games. They were even able to shutout the Silver Cougars last week. With that recent run this is the perfect time for them to face off against Flight School. Luckily for the Bears, they are scheduled to play the high-flying Flight School this weekend in Brossard. This week will also feature a matchup between the Jaguars and the Silver Cougars. While both of these teams have had a slightly rockier start to their season, this is the perfect opportunity for them to launch a playoff push. Both of these teams have scored 18 points so far this season and have conceded a similar amount of points so I expect a closely fought and low scoring affair.

Mosquito: In the Mosquito division, it is yet another Flight School team that is perched atop the standings. Flight School 3, much like their Atom affiliate, also boast a perfect 4-0 record. While this may sound repetitive, Flight School 3 have also conceded only 18 points all season. However, this team puts up even more points. They have 134 points for an outstanding differential of +116. There are two serious contenders to Flight School 3’s domination of the division. The McCaig Gladiators and the Hurricanes are both only one win behind Flight School. While Flight School 3 managed a narrow win over the Gladiators in week one, both teams have played a lot of football since then. and their game this weekend will tell us which team has improved the most. I’m thrilled that I will be at Stinger Dome to see this game, I can’t wait to see which team wins. While the top three teams in Mosquito are all chasing the top spot, there is also a closely fought battle going on for fourth place between the IB Vikings and Flight School 4. In their one matchup this season, it was the Vikings who were victorious. Both teams have three games remaining and two of those games are against top three teams. If either the Vikings or Flight School 4 can manage a win against a top three team, that team will win the battle for fourth spot.

Pee-Wee: Guess which team sits atop the Pee-Wee standings with a perfect 3-0 record? Just like in Atom and Mosquito, it’s a Flight School team that leads the division with three wins and no losses. Flight School 2 are a well-oiled football machine. They lead the division with 122 points scored, they also boast a division low 24 points against. If there is a team that poses a threat to Flight School’s supremacy it is definitely the Musketeers. Luckily for us, these two teams are set to face off this weekend. While Flight School 2 might be the heavy favorites, I definitely think the Musketeers have a fighting chance in this game. They have the division’s most experienced coach to go along with one of the most experienced rosters. While Flight School might be better football players, the Musketeers are better flag football players. The Musketeers know the FPF game and how to win. It is that experience which will give them an edge in this game. In the middle of this five-team division are the White Cougars. While you may dismiss the Cougars because of their 2-2 record, it is important to realise that their only losses were at the hands of the very talented Flight School 2. The Cougars even managed an impressive win against the Musketeers back in week three. If there is a team in Pee-Wee that could surprise the Musketeers and make a deep playoff run it is definitely the Cougars.

Bantam: I’m really starting to sound like a broken record here. Take a guess, who do you think leads Bantam? Once again, it’s a Flight School team. If you’ve read the three previous recaps you have realised that Flight School has an undefeated team leading every single one of the four youngest divisions. In Bantam it’s Flight School 1 that is atop the table with four wins and +67 point differential. However, I think this is the Flight School team that won’t finish the season with a perfect record. There is too much competition in this division for Flight School 1 to manage to escape without a loss. Before this weekend, it looked like the Rebels were going to be the main threat to Flight School’s supremacy. However, the Rebels faced a major setback in their double header this weekend. They lost both of their games in Kirkland and saw their perfect 3-0 record quickly become a 3-2 that is only good for 4th place in this division. It was quite a rapid fall from grace for a team that many once considered to be title favorites. However, there is still time for the Rebels to bounce back from these two losses. Next week they will face off against the Cyclones who they beat in week 1. The week after that is the match we are all waiting for: the Rebels are scheduled to go up against Flight School 1. If the Rebels can find a way to win that game, their name will once again be mentioned in conversations about title favorites. Flight School 1 bested another title contender this week in the Dusters. While the score was very close (14-12), Flight School were quick to point out that they managed that victory without their all-start quarterback. The final threat to Flight School’s supremacy is North Shore. This season, North Shore has fielded the perfect mix of talented FPF veterans and new players. The result is an extremely talented and cohesive team that has been getting better from week to week. North Shore suffered an opening week loss at the hands of the Dusters but they have a chance at redemption this week. If they manage to beat the Dusters this week it will prove just how much they have improved over the past three weeks. Personally, I see North Shore cruising through the next few weeks until they finish off the regular season with a colossal clash against Flight School 1.

Midget: For once, it is not a Flight School team that leads the division. That might be because there are no Flight School teams in Midget. Rather, it is the Nittany Lions who lead the division with a perfect 3-0 record. While the Lions have extremely talented players on offence, it is not their ability to score points that is leading them to victory. It is their superb defence that leads this team to victory week after week. They have conceded only 44 points all season. When you consider the elite offences that the Lions have faced so far, the fact they average less than 15 points against a game is terrific. FPF is generally a league that centers around offence. It is the best offences that win championships. However, that does not seem to be the case in Midget this year. In fact, the teams with the best offences in the division, the Raiders and the Crimson Tide are the two bottom place teams. The Raiders offence is a terrifying force. Riley Element has already passed for 700 yards and he has two receivers who already have more than 200 receiving yards. The Raiders’ offence is always a threat. However, an elite offence is not enough to win in Midget this year. You also need a solid defence. Sadly, the Raiders defence is still a work in progress. If you look at teams like the 2nd place Tigers, they have found the winning formula. They score just enough points and then their defence finishes the job by shutting down the other team’s offence. One of the feature matchups in this upcoming week of action is the Lions vs the Tide. While you rarely describe a match between the best and worst team as a feature match, this game is the exception. This game will feature the league’s best defence against the league’s best offence. If the Lions can find a way to limit the free-scoring Tide they have to be considered title favorites. On the other hand, if the Tide manage to find a way through the Lions seemingly impenetrable defence the Tide could very well be set for a playoff push.

With that, FPF Junior has officially reached the halfway mark of the season and the playoff picture is becoming clearer and clearer. Title favorites are emerging, however, FPF Junior has a rich history of upsets. So for all the teams that have had a rough start to the season, it is not too late. These final four weeks are your time to shine!

I tried switching things up this week. I decided to talk about each division rather than individual teams. I hope you enjoyed this format and like always if you have any feedback, let me know!