Division D Semi-FInal Previews

Division D Semi Finals Preview

D-1

 

2 Super Saiyans vs. 5 B.D. Bandits

Previous Matchup: Super Saiyans 25 – 19

First things first – Congrats to All Hooks on an outstanding season. We knew we had to be close to perfect to beat them last week and they gave us an excellent fight in both games we played this season. We wouldn’t wait for the rematch and it was an exciting game the entire time.

Now, you may or may not know, but this game against the Super Saiyans has a lot of history. Steve and I played with Rich, Fontana and Jon McQueen on more than one team and a bunch of us even went to High School together. To say this is a rivalry game is putting it lightly and it’s extremely disappointing that Rich is unable to play. Both teams know a lot about the other and everything both our squads have done up until this point can be thrown out because everything rides on this one game.

I would have loved to have been there when we played the Saiyans earlier in the year, but losing by a score with Steve at QB is a good sign. Oh wait, I said that didn’t matter, right? Ultimately, this game will come down to us being able to not let Jordan Allard beat us with his feet, forcing him to make difficult throws and finding holes in their outstanding defense. It may sound crazy, but I think the loss of Rich Humes forces Jordan to rise up and be better. I’ll explain. With Rich, he obviously tries to get him to ball, anybody would. But it can be tough to force the ball to one player when you know the defense is zooming in on him. Without that in his head, Jordan looks more calm and can more easily distribute the ball to whoever is open, read the defense properly and execute. Obviously Humes is a weapon, but not having him in the lineup has been excellent for Allards’ growth as a QB – I’ve witnessed it first hand.

As a team, we know not to take them lightly and to not underestimate Allard because of what I have just mentioned. I know that they’ll have a game plan to slow me down as well and I’m looking forward to yet another challenge in my way. I have a championship under my belt, but none as a QB and I’m hungry.

Keys to victory:

Super Saiyans

• No turnovers for Jordan Allard
• Utilize multiple receivers and not focus on any one player.
• Try to contain Steve Sanner
• Fill the gap left by Rich on both sides of the ball

B.D. Bandits

• Spread the ball around
• Mix up the deep ball and shorter routes to keep the defense guessing
• Let our playmakers make plays on both sides of the ball
• Convert on our extra points

Lance, if you’re reading, you won’t want to miss this one. Winner plays in Brossard next week in the finals and both teams will come out strong. Who can win the chess match, we’ll have to see.

Prediction: N/A

 

1 Ice Up vs. 5 Diablos

Previous Matchup: N/A

It’s great to see another 5 seed in the Semi-Finals, but this game will not be without its obstacles for both teams. I’ve heard word that Jack Zergiotis won’t be at the game because he’s travelling and most of the Diablos team will be playing football all weekend in Indianapolis for a tournament and only coming back on Monday after a 16 hour drive. If you we’re on the outside looking in, which situation would you rather? I agree, it’s tough to decide.

I should remind everybody that while Jack will be missing, Jordan Mcinnis had an outstanding week 1 when he played QB for Ice Up, going 10/17 for 213 yards and 5 TDs. The other option would be to use Mike Ambrosino in order to keep Jordan at receiver, and Mike went 3/3 for 36 yards and 2 touchdowns, one to Mcinnis. That sums up the season somewhat for Mcinnis who managed to score a receiving TD on a night that saw him start at QB. This leads to my concern, though, which I am sure is shared with a few others. If Jordan plays QB, they won’t lose out on anything at that position but they will lose him at Wide Receiver and that is where the Diablos would have to step up and take advantage. Their lead receivers become Darius Simmons and Mickey Marini and their efforts should be turned towards stopping that duo. The amount of fire-power Ice Up has is pretty outstanding and there is a reason why they are the favorites in this game even without their starting QB.

For the Diablos, the secret isn’t really that much of a secret. Hopefully they can get enough rest tonight and that Francois Martin’s arm isn’t sore heading into Monday night. They’ll have to manage to cover Simmons and Marini, however they have done a great job so far against the leading receiver in these playoffs, holding the combination of Alexandre Gaudet, Anthony Addona and Alex David to a combined 12 catches for 70 yards and 2 TDs between them. If you average it out, its only 4 catches for 23 yards and less than 1 TD each. Can they hold Simmons and Marini to these kind of numbers? If they can, I think they have a shot. Also, if they can turn the tournament in Indy into a learning experience and get better from it, they can hopefully implement some new plays and coverages to shake things up for their opponent.

Keys to Victory:

Ice Up

• Find some instant chemistry between Mcinnis, Simmons and Marini
• Slow down Georges Elie-Voyer and force other guys to beat you
• Force Francois Martin into throwing deep as much as possible, test that arm out after the long weekend.
• Use your atheleticism as much as possible, Diablos should be tired.

Diablos

• Find some left over adrenaline to get to the top of your game just one more time and then you have a week to recover.
• Spread the ball around as much as possible.
• Try to get a few turnovers on defense – every extra possession will be important.
• No fatigue mistakes. Red Bull, Coffee or anything else. FPF doesn’t drug test.

This will definitely be a good game and I think not having Jack hurts Ice Up just enough to keep the Diablos season going. Give me the underdog. Hear that Francois, I’m actually going to pick you guys.

Prediction: Diablos 26 – 21

 

D-2

 

1 CheatCode vs. 6 Voodoo

Previous Matchup: CheatCode 27 – 18

This is probably the matchup that closest resembles to David vs. Goliath and that’s a good thing for Voodoo. I’ve said a bunch of times that Voodoo is just out here having fun and riding the train as far as they can take it and that adds a lot of pressure to CheatCode. It can never be good to hold any kind of expectations and the biggest mistake that CheatCode can make entering this game would be to be scared of failure. Voodoo played them tight the first time around and without Frank’s interception the game could have gone a different way. It’s also a huge positive that none of CheatCode’s trio of receivers went off and all were kept mostly in check. Looking forward to round 2.

For Voodoo to succeed as the underdog, they’ll need to force Joe Kano to make mistakes. He has the kind of offence where he just needs to get the ball into his receiver’s hands and let them do the damage. Kevin Marcil was able to pick off Kano twice and if Patrick St-Armand can get one or two as well, this game may not end very well for CheatCode. Obviously, St-Armand and Marcil will have to perform on both sides of the ball and I can see Voodoo moving them around in this game to try and get favorable matchups. Voodoo are experienced and will throw the book at CheatCode this game to try and find any advantage they can. Somebody else besides the two I’ve mentioned will have to step up and cover Patrice Lindor and Tim Horner, assuming most of the attention is on Papich and Felima.

For CheatCode, as I mentioned last game, stick to the game plan. You have had a ton of success all year and have been an extremely high powered offense, so it’ll be important to score a lot of points and find holes in the Voodoo defense. Pro tip: stay away from the two guys who almost burned you the first time around. They have everybody’s attention and most saw a final that featured them and Baby Kangaroos, but now they’ll have to execute on the field which is most important.

Keys to Victory:

CheatCode

• Pick your poison – Felima, Papich, Lindor
• No mental mistakes for Kano
• Stay away from St-Armand and Marcil
• Slow both down on offense as well, force Frank Kaye to look elsewhere.

Voodoo

• Have fun, play lose. There is literally no pressure.
• Take away CheatCode’s top targets, force Kano into 3rd or 4th read
• Turnovers and sacks, big game for Michel Ladouceur
• Sound game from Frank Kaye

It’s really tough to pick against CheatCode in this one. While Voodoo has a ton of experience, CheatCode brought in Patrice Lindor who’s been here before, many times, and he should help them avoid anything stupid that may cost them the game. I’m not saying I don’t believe in the Voodoo magic this season, but playing it safe.

Prediction: CheatCode 31 – 25

 

1 Baby Kangaroos vs. 2 Green Lantern Corps

Previous Matchup: Baby Kangaroos 32 – 27

Everytime I bump into Hai Minh Luong I am forced to bow my head with a little bit of shame, shake his hand with a smile and congratulate him on proving me wrong. Well, this time, I won’t let that happen. This time, Joey Taylor and Zach Zwirn will have my back. Kidding, I mean they probably would, however I’m a believer in this upset. After watching Green Lantern Corps march slow out of the gate against Wrecking Crew and then come back to win, I think that if they can play a full game the way in which they played the second half they have a good chance against the Baby Kangaroos. After all, when they played the first time around, GLC only lost by 5.

No secret to how to stop the Baby Kangaroos, contain Joey Taylor and Zach Zwirn which is a tough task. In their first meeting, the duo combined for 18 catches for 121 yards and 4 TDs. More than double the production of the rest of the team combined. The Baby Kangaroos like to move their personnel around so GLC will have to adapt their game plan as such. Will they chose to assign specific defenders to the top threats or stay in a zone? Tough to say. Offensively, I think that Riccard Desrosiers will need to have a monster game for GLC to have a chance. He’s their best weapon against the athleticism of the Baby Kangaroos and he will have to be the leader offensively for this team to have a chance. It also looks like Mendy Cardichon was not around the first time these two teams played and that will be a huge boost for GLC. He, along with the shirt he borrowed from Zeke Elliott will hope to spark the upset.

The Baby Kangaroos will be in for a close game either way in this one. They’ll have to lean heavily on their two studs and Eric Maiarino will just have to play the role of Mike Winchell and just get the ball to his own equivalent of Boobie Miles. Lucky enough, he has two of them and just like in the first game, I expect both of them to get the ball early and often. GLC will have to do a better job at either forcing incompletions, getting sacks or forcing a turnover or two to have a chance. Last time around Maiorino completed 93% of his passes, a number that while unsustainable, was the key to victory last time around. I don’t think Zwirn will throw an interception in this game like the last time either.

Keys to Victory:

Baby Kangaroos

• Zwirn and Taylor will have to carry the load
• Maiorino shouldn’t try to throw over the size of GLC, continue what worked last time. Shorter, quicker throws.
• Keep Hai Minh Luong in the pocket, a sack or two never hurt anybody
• Find an answer for Desrosiers

Green Lantern Corps

• Use your size and skill to your advantage
• Hai Minh Luong has to play a perfect game.
• Force Baby Kangaroos into 2nd and long and 3rd and long.
• Reduce the impact of Zwirn and Taylor as much as possible.

As I said at the beginning, my days of doubting Hai Minh Luong are done. He may have an uphill battle in this game, but everybody loves an underdog story.

Prediction: Green Lantern Corps 27 – 25