Division C: Contenders, Pretenders, and We’re Not Sure Yet

With two weeks left in the regular season, there are several teams who are trying to solidify their playoff spot, some who are clinging by a string to theirs, while those who clinched earlier on are just waiting for the fun to begin.

Every year I write a Contenders, Pretenders, and We’re Not Sure Yet column. The labels are self-explanatory, as they describe each team as it relates to their ability to win the championship. With the playoffs just around the corner, I fully invite teams to prove me wrong, or in some cases right.

Contenders

Idaho Udapimps (6-1-1)

It’s been a rough two weeks for Idaho Udapimps. They tied versus West Island Boys, and then yesterday they suffered their first loss of the season in blowout fashion, as they fell (46-24) to the Big Fat Bats.

I spoke to two-way player Danick Coulombe after the game, and he attributed the defeat to blown opportunities and mistakes made by his team.

The schedule for Idaho Udapimps doesn’t get any easier, as they still must face Air Laval, and Fins Up to close out the regular season.

For most of the season, Idaho Udapimps have been the top squad in Division C. The loss yesterday might not fully knock them off that perch, but at the very least, they are sharing the spot with the next team on the contenders list. Just as important, their spot in the Finals doesn’t seem as secure as it once did.

Big Fat Bats (7-1-1)

They made a huge statement with their one-sided win over Idaho Udapimps yesterday at Concordia. Adding that up with a victory over Win Diesel, puts them in the conversation for best team in Division C.

What makes this team so good is that they have multiple players who deliver in big spots, and the team has shown they can win in a variety of ways, and they do not lack confidence.

Their season finale against a steadily improving Team Ruthless, should serve as a warmup for the playoffs a week later. When they get there, the rest of Div. C will have to figure out a way to stop the Big Fat Bats.

Fins Up (6-2)

They have won three in a row and five of their last six games overall, so it’s safe to say momentum is on their side. They close out the regular season with meetings against WAREHOUSE, and a potential game of the year candidate versus Idaho Udapimps. Winning both contests might give Fins Up the title of best team in Division C.

Looking at what they’ve done the entire season, they have blowout wins over Air Laval, and Win Diesel, and found a way to get Backfield Penetration (41-40) in Week 5. The two losses on their record came in a one-sided loss to Les Renard Vifs, and a close one (43-40) to Big Fat Bats in Week 2.

Regardless of what happens over the next two weeks, this team has the talent to go all the way. The only question left to answer is will they?

Jagerbomb (8-1)

Their only blemish on the season so far was their loss to Les Petites Carottes. That was nearly two weeks ago, and this team must be chomping at the bit to get back on the field and get the sour taste out of their mouths. 

If you ignore the loss, this team has played great on both sides of the ball. Offensively they are led by the combo of Simon Duchesne and Jean-Felix Daloze who are likely to win Quarterback of the Year, and Receiver of the Year respectively. On defense they are a ball-hawking unit that has four players with two or more interceptions. 

The only pause I have with Jagerbomb is that their schedule hasn’t exactly been the toughest. It isn’t their fault, but except for their win over Friends with Danny, their other big victories have come against Backfield Penetration and Pacemakers, two teams that are hovering around the .500 mark.

This team has veteran and championship experience, so I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt. 

Friends with Danny (6-2)

Credit this veteran squad for amassing six wins. If they can knock off Backfield Penetration and Team Ethnik, they will finish with eight victories, and put themselves in a top five seed.

Not all wins are equal however, and neither are losses. The latter of those came against Win Diesel and Jagerbomb, while their six victories have come versus one team with a winning record, in Air Laval, who currently sit at (4-3).

Friends with Danny have experience and top-level playmakers in Edouard Guimas, Jeremy Laplante, and Danny D’Amour, but their lack of quality wins, has me doubting this team can make a championship run.

Les Petites Carottes (8-1)

Their record is nearly flawless, although it doesn’t take away from the fact that their sole defeat was an ugly one as they got outclassed by Backfield Penetration (42-8) in Week 6.

This team is talented without a doubt. They have speed, size, playmaking, and championship game experience at their disposal. They also have some tackle football players who have made a seamless transition to flag.

While Les Petites Carrottes have tight victories against lesser teams in the Killer Rays, Nighthawks, and Team Ethnik, I also can’t ignore their wins over Jagerbomb and the West Island Boys.

To me, this suggests that LPC, play both up and down to their competition. In the playoffs that can be dangerous, but useful if they end up as an underdog.

Win Diesel (7-2)

This team has speed, length, and the underrated attribute of having random players who will step up and make a big play in crucial moments to help turn a loss into a win. I experienced this first-hand when Defensive Back Stephen Roumeliotis picked off a horrible pass by Quarterback Justin Weir, when my team simply needed to run out the clock with five plays remaining. Two plays later, Receiver Felix Sebag caught his only pass of the game, and broke a tackle attempt and ran 34 yards down the sideline to setup the game-winning touchdown on the very next play. 

We’re Not Sure Yet

Never Overtime (4-4)

Every time I work their games, this team seems to not only put on a performance, but they also appear to gain more confidence. Last night in Brossard was the latest example, as they laid a (44-18) beatdown on WAREHOUSE.

In previous articles I have talked about the team’s dynamic dual of Rhami Aboud and Mack Dessources. That combo, along with the emergence of big-play threat Jeremy Martinet, the underrated Karim Madji, the relentless effort and swagger of Laurent Charles, and the improved play of Quarterback Ryan Kharouf, have helped turned this into a dangerous team that has won three straight and four out of their last five.

I don’t want to call them a contender just yet, but I also can’t label them as pretenders. I think this is the perfect spot for them.

Backfield Penetration (5-4)

I put them in this category because even though they lost both games, they pushed Fins Up and Jagerbomb to their limits, earned a hard-fought victory over Les Renards Vifs, and destroyed Les Petites Carottes (42-8) in Week 6.

The deepest team in Division C has three wins in their past four games, their offense is legit as they are averaging 36.4 points per game, and have the division’s passing yards leader in Alessandro Barazzoni, who has 1,815.

Defensively, this team is led by Rusher Raffaele Morelli, who leads all players in sacks with 18. His presence allows the team’s Defensive Backs to be more aggressive and take more chances, as they lead Div. C with 19 interceptions.

One of the few teams to have played nine games already, Backfield Penetration wraps up their regular season tonight versus Friends with Danny. Going into the post-season winners of four of their last five games could give them all the confidence they need to go all the way.

Les Renard Vifs (5-3)

The next two days will prove to everyone whether Les Renard Vifs belong here, or in the contender category as they take on the West Island Boys and Trinity over the next two days. A clean sweep would give them a win over two ascending teams to go along with their victory over Fins Up. It would also give LRV six wins in their last seven games.

Regardless of what happens, this team is the epitome of intriguing, as they have speed, swagger, and big game experience. They are peaking at the right time and are clearly a team no one wants to face come playoff time.

West Island Boys (4-3-1)

They almost knocked off Idaho Udapimps, but the (34-34) tie was misleading, as the West Island Boys could only muster two touchdowns versus Win Diesel last night in Laval.

The West Island Boys face another tough team tonight in Les Renard Vifs, before closing off the regular season with a showdown against Bleue Dry.

The West Island Boys aren’t the deepest roster, but they have a tight unit, that has chemistry and big game experience. Those two intangibles are important when the bright lights of the playoffs get turned on. Just as important, since the team switched to Nicholas Di Maulo at Quarterback, he and the offense have gotten better each week. Credit goes to former starter Zack Stacey, who elected to give the job to Di Maulo, as the former is expected to depart after the season.  

With just four wins and their only solid ones coming against both the Rico Ryders and Never Overtime back in May, (they also fell to Les Petites Carottes) I can’t put the West Island Boys in the contender category.

Air Laval (4-3)

I said a few weeks ago that this team beats the teams that they should. They also have some blowout wins under their belt, as they lit up the scoreboard versus both Backfield Penetration and Bleue Dry.

Their five-point loss to Les Renard Vifs last Tuesday, surely left a bitter taste in their mouths. They have a chance to rinse it out tomorrow with a big matchup against Idaho Udapimps. A win will give me no choice but to label Air Laval as contenders, while a loss will solidify my current placement for them.

Pretenders

Mengoose (4-4)

This is another team who is playing their best football at the exact right time. After sitting at (1-4) at the midway point of the season, Mengoose have won three in a row, and have a chance to make it five as they take on Team Ruthless and The Commission to close out the regular season.

One key to their success has been the play on offense. In the first half of the season, they averaged 19 points a game and failed to reach the 30-point plateau. Since then, the unit has put up 36 PPG, and has topped 35 points in two out of three contests. They have a plethora of playmakers at Receiver. As long as they don’t turn over the ball, they have shown they can keep pace with anyone offensively.

I don’t think Mengoose qualify as contender but isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that they can continue their hot play and knock off some teams in the post-season.

Rico Ryders (4-4)

This team has chemistry, talent, experience, and playmakers, but they haven’t beaten anyone good, and they have repeatedly fallen short in their attempts to knock off those types of teams in West Island Boys, Win Diesel, and Les Petites Carottes.

Their last chance to change that narrative before the playoffs begin will take place in two weeks when they take on Jagerbomb to close out the regular season. If the Rico Ryders can pull off the upset, maybe they can convince the rest of Div. C that they truly are contenders. 

Trinity (4-5)

They ended the first half of the season with a 9-point loss to Idaho Udapimps. That defeat seems to have given Trinity some motivation as they have won three of their ensuing four games. One of those wins came yesterday morning versus The Commission, which essentially punched Trinity’s ticket to the post-season.

This is a squad that is playing their best of the year at the absolute perfect time. They have championship experience, an explosive offense, and playmakers littered throughout their lineup. The only problem spot I see is their reliance on man-to-man defense, as it might be their Achillies heel when they play teams with strong offenses.

Trinity is certainly capable of pulling off an upset or two, but I don’t think they have what it takes to go all the way.

Pacemakers (4-5)

They went from potentially having a first round bye and finishing in the top 10, to most likely now having to play in the Divisional Round and having a much tougher road to travel. All this is curtesy of their (34-22) loss to the previously winless Killer Rays last night in Laval.

Looking at the Pacemaker’s work so far, they have one quality win back in Week 3 versus Les Renards Vifs, but losses against Les Petites Carottes, Air Laval, Jagerbomb, and Friends with Danny. A team led by Jason Rossie is always a tough out, but that alone isn’t enough to call them a contender.

The Penetrators (3-4-1)

Currently sitting in seventeenth place, a win over Never Overtime tonight, or Air Laval next Monday, The Penetrators can secure their playoff spot. If they fail to get a victory in either, they run the risk of being passed by Bleue Dry, The Commission, or Team Ethnik. Even if that happens, this team will still most likely squeak into the post-season, unless the Killer Rays win out.

Once they get there, their lack of quality wins (WAREHOUSE, Trapstars, and Team Ethnik), and average of two touchdowns per game against teams with a winning record, won’t scare anyone into thinking they can win it all.

Bleue Dry (3-6)

After a (3-1) start to the season, Bleue Dry is currently riding a five-game losing streak. The losses, along with a defense that has given up 43 points a game has me convinced that they are pretenders.

Currently sitting in eighteenth place, one point ahead of The Commission, and two up points up on both the Trapstars (who beat Bleue Dry in Week 3) and Team Ethnik, Blue Dry can lock down a post-season spot if they can beat the West Island Boys next Tuesday in Brossard. Good luck.

The Commission (2-6-1)

Another week, another slew of roster changes for this veteran squad. Fresh off a much-needed win versus WAREHOUSE, The Commission, followed it up with a dud versus Trinity, as their usual recipe of too many interceptions, little to no chemistry, and a lack of execution made the hole for TC much bigger to climb out of.

If they had their full roster for even half the season, they would probably have more than the two wins that they do have, but that can’t be changed. Who TC has at their disposal this Sunday in their regular season finale versus Mengoose will be anyone’s guess, including mine. A win would secure their spot in the post-season while a loss will put their playoff chances in the hands of Trapstars, Team Ethnik, Killer Rays, and Nighthawks.

The Commission have tons of experience, playmakers, and players with a lot of heart, but almost never having them on the field at the same time, makes this team anything but a contender.

Team Ethnik (2-5)

Their last legit win was against the Nighthawks in Week 1. They have a (60-0) victory over Trapstars, in Week 6, but that was by forfeit.

Team Ethnik has a chance to remedy the situation as they take on Air Laval, Killer Rays, and Friends with Danny over the next seven days. What a great schedule!

Currently sitting in the last playoff spot, this veteran squad who is tied for points with Trapstars but has the edge due to the aforementioned forfeit, can all but guarantee a spot to the dance if they can get just one victory, and the Nighthawks don’t win all of their three remaining games.

If Team Ethnik can hold on to spot, can see you see them knocking off some favorites and going on a March Madness type Cinderella run? I can’t either.

Trapstars (2-7)

This is another veteran squad that hasn’t been able to find their footing this year. Despite that, they sit just one point out of the final playoff spot. They had a chance to leapfrog The Commission and Team Ethnik last night, but they got hammered (26-6) in a game of backup Quarterbacks last night versus Jagerbomb.

Their last chance to qualify will be next Sunday night in Brossard where they must emerge victorious against Win Diesel in the Will Sebag Bowl, and then hope that both Team Ethnik and The Commission lose.

This is yet another veteran squad with championship experience, but that won’t be enough to make me call them a contender, let alone guarantee a playoff spot.   

Killer Rays (1-6-1)

They finally earned their first win of the season, as they pulled off a massive upset by knocking off the heavily favoured Pacemakers (34-22) last night in Laval. Congrats gentlemen. The victory along with a Week 3 tie versus The Penetrators, have the Killer Rays currently sitting just one point behind Trapstars and Team Ethnik for the division’s final playoff spot.  

In one of the rare instances this season where the schedule actually worked out perfectly, the Killer Rays will take on Team Ethnik this Sunday, and then finish with the Nighthawks who trail them by one point three days later.

The Killer Rays aren’t a threat to win it all, but the ability to make some noise, play spoiler, and perhaps sneak into the playoffs themselves, should serve as motivation going forward.

Nighthawks (1-6)

They currently sit on the outside of the dance looking in, but they have three games remaining on their schedule with which to push themselves through the playoff door. Their opponents will be the Rico Ryders, Pacemakers, and Killer Rays.

The Nighthawks have been playing better ball recently, as they earned their first win of the year two weeks ago against Team Ruthless, and almost beat Mengoose, but unless they can win at least two out of their next three games, their efforts will only serve as motivation for next season.

WAREHOUSE (1-8)

The talent is there in Sanders Armand, Ahmed Boubacar, Neil Loisel, and arguably their best tackler in Raphaelle Gauthier, but interceptions, an ever-changing game roster, mistakes at critical times, and a lack of execution (I know the feeling) have ruined what looked to be a promising season for this team. With their loss last night to Never Overtime, the playoffs are no longer a possibility.

Their lone win, versus Team Ruthless in Week 1, seems like a lifetime ago. Chances for a second victory seem slim, as they take on Fins Up tomorrow night in WAREHOUSE’s regular season finale.  

Team Ruthless (0-8)

After failing to score 20 points in four out of their first five games, the Team Ruthless offense has surpassed that total in three straight games and even reached the 30-point plateau last Sunday versus Fins Up.

I have seen this team play a few times this year, and despite their record, they are having fun, cheering each other on, and learning along the way. As I said in the Mid-Season Report, this year is a chance to learn and grow for this team. They have speed, athleticism, and length. All they need is experience and a bit more execution.

Picks

The Penetrators vs Never Overtime – Never Overtime (My pick for Game of the Week)

West Island Boys vs Les Renards Vifs – Les Renards Vifs (Upset Special #1)

Backfield Penetration vs Friends with Danny – Friends with Danny (Upset Special #2)

Rico Ryders vs Nighthawks – Rico Ryders

Fins Up vs Warehouse – Fins Up

Air Laval vs Idaho Udapimps – Idaho Udapimps

Les Renards Vifs vs Trinity – Les Renards Vifs

Team Ruthless vs Mengoose – Mengoose

Team Ethnik vs Air Laval – Air Laval

Last Week: (5-3)

Regular Season: (55-26-2)

Upset Special: (6-9)

That is it for this week. Good luck to everyone in their games this week. Two more weeks to go. Is it just me, or has this season gone by like a blur?

My apologies for getting this out later than usual. I had a family event Saturday, then playing and scorekeeping yesterday morning and night. I started writing this on Friday. In all honesty, I had Big Fat Bats as my first upset special, and I also picked Never Overtime, Jagerbomb (thank-you guys), Pacemakers, and West Island Boys.

Last week I mentioned I would be sharing my interview with new FPF Owner Jeff Rosenblatt. I know a lot of you have listened to it already, but if you haven’t, or you want to give it another listen, here it is.

Check out Episode 37: FlagPlus Football’s (FPF) new starting Quarterback from The 514 Show on Amazon Music. https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/ed0dbb11-d9e3-4181-bd64-b4a53e0a268d/episodes/730af7a7-a063-4550-94e0-7af4f1fd7cce/the-514-show-episode-37-flagplus-football‘s-fpf-new-starting-quarterback?ref=dm_sh_syt7gmWU7VYyokEDy2kk0YBYF

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.