Division D1 Midseason Review

Short and sweet – here’s the division D1 midseason report!

Conference A

 

All Hooks (5-0-1)

Grade: A

This team has been impressive from the very start this season, putting up a crazy amount of points each week and looks to be the favorite come playoff time. Regardless of who has been at QB, Charles-Olivier Lavigne or Nicolas Schaefer, they have put up an average of just under 40 points per game and do not have any obvious weaknesses. I may or may not have found a few soft spots in their defense but I’ll keep those to myself. Their matchup against the Homosapiens will help us see which Conference is stronger and give us an idea of what to expect in the playoffs. With Schaefer, Coutu and the Lavigne brothers, it’s safe to say that these guys are one of the favorites going into the playoffs.

Predicted Record: 9-0-1

Most Intriguing Player: Charles-Olivier Lavigne

 

B.D. Bandits (5-0-1)

Grade: B+

Difficult to do this for my own team, but let’s give you guys some self-reflection. Overall, hard to over analyze because of the undefeated record, but there are many times so far that I could have been better and I have thrown way too many interceptions. Our defence has bailed me out many times, each guy responsible for a big play at a different time. Josh Hey has been a great addition for his first season in FPF and Meissa N’Garane has been a lockdown corner all season and has been reliable on offense as well. Zack, Mark Belvedere, Stephen Galetti have shown their chemistry on defense and Adam Browman has taken on the role of center for the first time in his FPF career. I’m blessed with a ton of weapons and a lot of skill on both sides of the ball. If we can play as a team and have each other’s back, I think we have a chance for a special season.

Predicted Record: 9-0-1

Most Intriguing Player: Zack Brzezinski

 

Super Saiyans (5-1)

Grade: A

When you lose the first game of the season and go 5-0 since against some solid competition, I think you almost get a pass. At least that’s how I feel about the Super Saiyans. They have looked very strong all year, including the tough loss against Takeover and the combination of Allard at QB, Humes at wideout and Gianni Johnston rushing, they can beat you in many different ways. None of their wins have come against teams that you would say are weak and I’m disappointed that I will miss our game against them in Week 7. The fact that Allard has been able to spread the ball around and not focus on Humes has been instrumental as well and their defense has been solid all year with Derrick Fontana and Jonathan McQueen leading the way. They can compete and beat up on anybody in the Division and they are definitely a team to watch moving forward.

Predicted Record: 8-2

Most Intriguing Player: Jared Gallant

 

Half-A-Stars (4-2)

Grade: B+

Fresh off an exciting win against Moss City, this team has proved that they can hang around with the Big Boys. One of their losses comes without Andrew Langburt and they have had issues fielding their full roster all season and a little birdy told me that this might continue. They only have two players who have played all 6 games, and only 4 who have played in at least 5. They have the roster to compete and hopefully avoid another early exit in the playoffs, but they will need to try and find some consistency. AJ Rashkovan and Derek Sigler have been the go to players offensively and Langburt has been a two-way beast. It’s hard to evaluate these guys as they have rarely been a full squad, but at full strength, they are easily a top 8 team in the Division.

Predicted Record: 6-4

Most Intriguing Player: Eli Saleh

 

The Brotherhood (4-2)

Grade: B

Since losing two in a row, they have gone 3-0 and have averaged 36 points on offense. It looks like Jamal Gittens is finding his rhythm at QB and he has created a great relationship with Ryan Dobbs-Garnett. The combination of Dobbs-Garnett and Omar Jackson has been lethal, but the knock on this team is that is there anybody else out there? If you have that strong of a trio it can work during the regular season, but playoff teams are good at forcing you to go outside your playbook a little bit and it would be interesting to see how Gittens reacts to that. I recommend he try plays that aren’t really his bread and butter in preparation for those times. Solid group with boom or bust potential, but I’m betting on the former.

Predicted Record: 7-3

Most Intriguing Player: Omar Jackson

 

Fun Boys (3-3)

Grade:

Definitely one of the more intriguing teams so far this season, they have beaten teams that I would have said are stronger than them, and then lost or kept it close against teams that I would argue are weaker than them. Scott Mironowicz struggled heavily against the Super Saiyan defense and the win they got against Renegades with Maxime Chateauneuf at QB will eventually play a big role I think. It may be the difference of making the playoffs or not as there are a lot of strong teams sitting at 2-4 who are eager to take their place. Overall, after a few conversations with Scott, I think he is consciously trying to become a better pocket passer so that he can still win tough games when the opposing team tries to take away his running abilities. He shouldn’t give up on the run all together and continue to utilize Saleh and Wade Taylor to bring success to the Fun Boys. A few more turnovers on defense wouldn’t hurt either.

Predicted Record:

Most Intriguing Player:

 

Moss City (2-4)

Grade: D

I didn’t realize at the time because I had never met Andrew Farrier, but he wasn’t the guy behind center when we played against them. It makes me a little relieved that we still came away with the win, but also makes me worried at how strong they can be with their starting QB. They have lost both games that he has missed which skews their record somewhat, but I believe this team is one that can line up and beat anybody in the division. They have proven to be able to stay neck and neck with All Hooks and will rely a lot on their defense who has gotten a total of 16 interceptions in 6 games. You’re welcome, Moss City.   

Predicted Record: 5-5

Most Intriguing Player: Benjamin De Tilly

 

Takeover (2-4)

Grade: D-

First things first, I gotta point out the late picture re-take to show off the new jerseys. Probably one of the few things going right for these guys so far in the first half of the season. As Peeze mentioned on the podcast, it’s difficult to imagine a 2-4 record when they have the receiving corps they do, consisting of William Power, Vincent Benjamin, Nyle Anderson and Julien Wilson. For whatever, things this season in Division D are not clicking and they will need to turn things around before they have to face Gotham Knights, The Sheriff, Ice Up and Half-A-Stars. Not an easy schedule by a long shot.

Predicted Record: 3-7

Most Intriguing Player: Nyle Anderson

 

The Sheriff (2-4)

Grade: C-

Whoever is managing The Sheriff is quick to be making mid-season moves according to my sources. From what I have heard, Jean-Felix Daloze will be joining them and the timing couldn’t be better as they are about to face Moss City and then a string of tough teams to close out the season. They are a team of big strong receivers and an extremely talented dual threat QB and they seem to always get themselves into close games. As it stands right now, they are on the outside looking in and will need to get an upset or two to be able to squeeze into the playoffs. I will say that I am a huge fan of their jerseys and share a love for Peyton Manning with Luis Begin, so I will be rooting for them.

Predicted Record: 4-6

Most Intriguing Player: Jean-Felix Daloze

 

Smokin Axolotls (2-4)

Grade: C

After losing by a total of 4 points in their first 3 games, they have worked hard to try and salvage a few games and give themselves a fighting chance. I’ve been impressed with their wins against The Sheriff and Half-A-Stars and while they got outmatched against Brotherhood, they have a fighting chance against each of their last 4 opponents. This team can surprise people and I would never count the Rossie’s out. They need to continue to use Chris Brockwell, Nim Jenikovsky and Alexandre Noel and I am curious as to why they don’t use Blake Butler a little bit more. The chemistry should be there, they’ll just need to iron out the wrinkles.

Predicted Record: 5-5

Most Intriguing Player: Alexandre Noel

 

MTL Freshmans (1-5)

Grade: C-

While they have one win, many people around the division have told me that they are much better than their record. This team may get better in future seasons, but I think it may be a little bit too little too late at this point as they still have Ice Up and Gotham Knights on their schedule. Emile Plante has been good but not great and has a good crop of weapons including Jimmy Marneris, Darryl Dorcely and Valery Shelder. Their weakness is probably on the defensive side as they have only forced 2 turnovers in 6 games which doesn’t give the offense any help. As I mentioned, with experience they should improve and we’ll keep them in mind in future seasons. For now, they are trying to play spoiler.

Predicted Record: 2-8

Most Intriguing Player: Darryl Dorcely

 

Renegades (0-6)

Grade: D-

A team with only two viable weapons as no other player has more than 7 catches besides Isiah Allard and Alexandre Provencher-Rivest, it makes their lives very difficult if the defense only has to cover two players, regardless of the skill level of that defense. Kevin Gauthier has been under utilized and has been a bigger presence on defense than offense and overall the team has not shown that they can compete with teams in this division. It’s too bad because they are a good group of guys and the effort has been there, but I think it can be difficult to be driven when things haven’t been going too well in the first 6 games.

Predicted Record: 0-10

Most Intriguing Player: Isiah Allard

 

Conference B

 

Ice Up (5-1)

Grade: A-

Cocky? Confident? Both? Does it matter? This team has been dominant all season and are primarily led by Jordan Mcinnis’ 5 passing touchdowns… wait no that’s not right… 16 receiving touchdowns! It’s too bad that Jack Zergiotis missed a game and while Jordan did well at QB, it’s crazy to think about him potentially have 18-20 touchdowns only 6 games into the season. The combination of Mcinnis and Mickey Marini has been the best tandem in the Division this season and are the equivalent of Edelman and Gronk out there for Ice Up. Maybe they might prefer a Steve Smith and Greg Olsen comparison? Either way, they are the cream of the crop in Conference B and should be a favorite heading into the playoffs.

Predicted Record: 9-1

Most Intriguing Player: Jordan Mcinnis

 

Homosapiens (5-1)

Grade: A+

My only A+ grade in Division D1 is primarily due to the fact that Francois Deslauriers has 30 touchdowns and exactly zero interceptions so far this year. Their loss came in a game against Gotham Knights who just had an extra possession really and I am not concerned moving forward. The true test lies ahead as they will play All Hooks and B.D. Bandits back to back, before coasting into the playoffs. That stretch of two games will determine where they finish in the standings and give us a sense of how they might do in the playoffs against top competition. The no interception streak is just as exciting to watch as Jordan Mcinnis’ touchdown streak.

Predicted Record: 8-2

Most Intriguing Player: Francois Deslauriers

 

Gotham Knights (4-2)

Grade:

I’m not sure how their recent forfeit happened, but it’s too bad they didn’t bring the correct roster against Texas BareManz because they had a shot to beat them. Either way, they sit at 4-2 with 3 other teams and should lock up a mid-level playoff spot. Chris Rivest has been a solid dual threat and Jonathan Chevalier and Alexandre Gaudet have been one of the better tandems in the division. While Gaudet has been excellent on both sides of the ball, he’ll need other players to step up on defense to help get this team over the hump. They have been much better on offense than on defence and I’ll save you the cliché. They are the only team to beat the Homosapiens and if they can play at that level consistently, they should not be overlooked.

Predicted Record:

Most Intriguing Player:

 

Comeback SZN (4-2)

Grade:

There are some days when Khalil Kerr and Hasani Worrell look like the best in the league, and others where they can disappoint. They are coming off a disappointing loss against Homosapiens that I am sure they want back, they have a relatively easy schedule to finish the season. The date I would circle is July 3rd where they have a matchup with Ice Up which should tell them where they are at as a team. It’s difficult to imagine a team led by Khalil Kerr on offense and an Andel Thomas-Gordon run defense would struggle, but it can happen. It will just take a solid team to take advantage of one of those times in the playoffs for them to get upset, so they will need to tighten up ship to have some success.

Predicted Record: 7-3

Most Intriguing Player: Hasani Worrell

 

Show Me Your TDs (4-2)

Grade: B

Between Mike Addona, Anthony Addona and Alex David, this team has been playing together for a long time and chemistry like that goes a long way in FPF. Danio Addona and Shawn Fontaine provide excellent support and besides losses to Ice Up and Homosapiens they have looked like one of the better teams in the division. Does that make them the 3rd best team in the Conference? We’ll probably have to wait a few more weeks to find out. They have exciting matchups against All Hooks and yours truly back to back which should equate to the perfect test before playoffs. In my opinion, it’s always best to get a few practice tests before the dance rather than easy sail into the extra season as it can find you playing at your best.

It’s hard to pick apart the teams

Predicted Record: 6-4

Most Intriguing Player: Alex David

 

Texas BareManz (4-2)

Grade: B-

It says something when you only have 5 guys in your team photo – I’m not sure what, but it definitely says SOMETHING. I think it kind of gives you a sense as to how the season has gone for Jaylan Grandison and co. as they have had to fill holes for most games and that’s probably what explains the two losses. It looks like Jaylan will have to be their QB for the playoffs and while he looks like their best option, I think this team is better with a decent QB and him at WR. Regardless of where he plays, he always creates quite the dynamic duo with Kieran Ranger and you definitely can’t take them lightly. Dariusz Czeczuk and Tequan John have been staples on defense for this team and I believe that if they can fill out their roster and get enough players to qualify, they can surprise people in the playoffs. All of that said, they have won by forfeit twice in a row now. Crazy.

Predicted Record: 7-3

Most Intriguing Player: Kieran Ranger

 

Diablos (3-3)

Grade: C

Francois Martin is enjoying one of his better seasons in FPF and my colleague has put together a solid squad for the division. After a rough start, only winning 1 out of 4 games and by forfeit at that, they have rebounded well and they seem to be clicking. They have a much easier schedule down the stretch and have my choice to be somewhere between the 6 and 8 seeds. Their lowest output offensively has been 20 points, however the weakness of the group is definitely on the defensive side of the ball. If they can begin frustrating teams and mixing it up, maybe cause a few more turnovers, they can give Francois a chance to win more games. The key to stopping them is to take Georges Elie-Voyer out of the game and keep an eye on Alexis Gaumont near the goal line. Hopefully they can find ways to be more creative.

Predicted Record: 5-5

Most Intriguing Player: Georges Elie-Voyer

 

For The Show (3-3)

Grade: C

Their record should show, 3 wins, 1 loss, 2 forfeits. I get that it’s the summer season, but every game counts – for their own record and just for the other teams in the league as well. It can really skew the standings to hand out free wins and takes away from the competition factor when you aren’t fielding a legitimate team. Besides all of that, when their guys do show up, it’s usually a group of talented players led by their captain and two way stud Eddy Lee. He may not shut up on the field, but his play often backs it up especially in Division D. Edem Nyamadi has had a respectable first season at QB and can really lead this team to do some damage. We’ll see how many they qualify.

Predicted Record: 6-4

Most Intriguing Player: Chris Milard

 

Supply and Command (2-4)

Grade: D-

I was really looking forward to seeing Peeze play QB for the entire season and see what he could do with this roster, but alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, we have a team with a solid core, led by Justin Blanchard, who have struggled to find an identity. Jonathan Lyristis has been their QB lately and has had mixed results, and sure enough we find this team at a crossroads. With the schedule they have remaining, they may just miss the playoffs. Somebody needs to find Justin Blanchard a better team, stat.

Predicted Record: 3-7

Most Intriguing Player: Juwan Edghill

 

Blazin’ Bayou (1-5)

Grade: D-

Embarassing revelation time – Up until about a week ago, I thought their team name was purely in relation to Lousianna, the swamp, or anything gator related. I just realized that you can also pronounce it blazing by-you. There ya go folks, hopefully I have enlightened somebody else as well. Don’t feel stupid, I’ve been there. On the field, this team has had the most difficult schedule in the entire division, having to play Homosapiens, Ice Up, Gotham Knights and For the Show who are a combined 17-7. Dilan Daoust has thrown too many interceptions and has had trouble finding another receiver besides Devin Daoust to throw to. They have had Rory Semerjian and Jordan Moses featured a few times, but not a complete roster that would scare anybody else. With only 1 win and 4 games left, it will be difficult for them to get into the playoffs.

Predicted Record: 3-7

Most Intriguing Player: Devin Daoust

 

Green Hornets (1-5)

Grade: D

Just saw this movie for the first time the other day and have to say, it wasn’t the best. Just like the movie, this team had a few good moments but overall it didn’t have enough to keep my attention for long or hold up against other movies of its genre. Comedy? Action? Super Hero? Hard to say, and that’s how I feel about this team. Ali Ndao has underperformed and besides Maxime Marsan, nobody on the team has really stood out. Marsan, aka Kato, has literally had to do all of the work to give this team a chance and there comes a point where he can’t do it all. Hopefully future seasons go better than this one for this team.

Predicted Record: 1-9

Most Intriguing Player: Maxime Marsan

 

Beer View Mirrors (0-6)

Grade: F

It feels like the team that actually showed up to their game in week 1 was an entire new group of players from those who actually registered. They have over 6 guys on the roster who have yet to play a game and about a thousand others who have which is never a recipe for success. Scrolling down the list you’ll see a few names that stick out and who can do well in this division, but overall, nothing really came together. Just looking at their QB stats shows 5 different QBs. It’s safe to say that this season has been a wash for most of these players and I can only hope that most play on another team as well. My only F grade and while it’s nothing personal, I don’t think anybody on the team would disagree.

Predicted Record: 0-10

Most Intriguing Player: Literally anybody