Food For Thought (D4) – Week 5

 

While the first half of the season provided fans and players with many highlights and surprises, the best is yet to come. As teams will start to focus on their playoff chances, games will become more intense and the best players will step up and show why they are considered as the top of the crop. However, as with any other year, key plays will be made by role players, who are not usually recognized for their on-field heroics, thus transforming them, for some brief moments, into super-stars. I hope you all experience those instants of glory, and couple them with collective victory.

 

This week, I have decided to take an in-depth look at all 32 teams: what they have accomplished so far, and what we can expect for the rest of the season.

 

Young Money (0-5): It has been a harsh first half of the season for these new faces. Struggling to find a quarterback, they have yet to score more than 18 points in any single game. For a rookie team, their roster is far too thin with only 7 players. This among other things would explain their poor showing on defence, where they’ve given up the most points in Division 4. The lone star on the team right now has to be Philippe Martinez, who boasts his team’s best receiving, quarterbacking and defensive numbers. But this guy can’t do it all alone. Their future lies in recruiting new players, starting with an experienced quarterback, to improve their chances of winning.

 

Marauders (0-5): One of the last Winter’s greatest stories, the Marauders had managed to reach the quarer-finals and give the different super-powers of Division 4 a run for their money along the way. With the loss of the heart and soul of their team, brothers Roger and Denis Beauregard, as well as their most productive receiver, Henri Chelhot (12 TDs), they have definitely fallen from grace. At the quarterback position, François David has been impressive, but he’s only showed up to 2 games. Simon Keeley, who amassed 491 yards in 2010, is on pace for less than 300 yards receiving this season. On the bright side of things, Maxime Laflamme, who boasts upper-division experience, has a 46.4 receiving yards-per-game average (17th in the Division) as well as 24 receptions (1st in Division 4). I hope, for their sake, that the promising François David officially steps in at quarterback for the rest of the season. If not, they will have to start recruiting new talent very soon.

 

Eudistes (0-3-2): These kids are young, strong, quick and agile but they just can’t seem to win close games. They managed to get away with 2 ties and are a combined -18 in their 3 losses. This goes to show just how close all of their games have been. They even managed to score 23 points on the Division’s best team, the Family, a feat only the strong Patriotes have achieved this season. Standing out, in his rookie season, is receiver Louis-Christophe Lafontaine, who is one of only 3 players to appear in the top ten of all 3 receiving categories. Playing with one of the best defensive players in all of high school football (Thomas Sauvé-Lafrance) as well as the MVP of the Quebec Ligue de football scolaire AAA, quarterback Hugo Henderson, these promising athletes are sure to have better days in front of them. All they need is just a little more flag-football experience.

 

Taylor Gang (1-4): With their only win of the season being partly attributed to the opposing team’s lateness, Taylor Gang doesn’t have much to show for their efforts yet. Being, for the most part, new to the league and having the quick but inexperienced QB Alex Donia, their record was quite predictable. Accuracy seems to be the missing part of the puzzle for their offense with Donia completing only 40% of his pass attempts. Vadim Chernyak is a solid two-way player and Mikey Candussi has shown some glimpses of talent but in the end, this team needs to improve their all-around game.

 

Trapstars (1-4): The Trapstars have always been somewhat of a mystery. Soft-spoken and relatively anonymous, this group has yet to bloom. After two seasons with records below .500, most thought that their experience would have helped QB Pedro Pana and the rest of his offense finally click. Sadly, this has not been the case. His percentage is still below 50% and his interceptions are surpassing his touchdowns. A clear sign of the Trapstars’ failing offense has to be the presence of only one receiver with 100 yards. At least, there is a clear will to spread the ball around with 6 different players registering a score. Their defense, although unable to limit points, has still been able to intercept the opposing team 9 times, which is a definite plus in these circumstances.

 

Turf Toe Inc. (1-4): Their legendary name dates back to the first season of FlagPlus. However, the ever-changing roster, making it endure, lacks the continuity to enable it to prosper. Loïc Guillard is still trying to master the quarterback position and his numbers show it. He did not have a bad game in week 4 against Park-X Streets, but his receivers and his defense couldn’t get it done. Their win against the Rams provides some hope however, and Bruno Lajoie is an efficient two-way player. If this team is going to win in the long run, they will need to make some major roster additions.

 

Chaos (1-4): The major problem Chaos has had this season is to create a new identity for themselves. In 2011, they decided to take the offense’s reigns out of Eugene McLaren’s hands and give them to Jean-François Trudeau. After this did not work, they acquired the slow but strong-armed Andy Meikle. But with no clear identity yet, they keep playing into their opponents’ game plans instead of laying down their own rules. This explains why they lost 45-44, against the run-and-gun style of Barbarianz Squad, before falling 18-12, the following week, to the defensive-minded Mongoose. With players like the speedy rusher Brian Eudoxie, the experienced McLaren and the polyvalent Trudeau, this team should eventually settle down and muster some inspired performances.

 

Rams (1-4): With offensive and defensive stats neither putting them in the top or the bottom of the Division, the Rams are a decent team that has been underachieving. With 2 top 20 receivers in Justin Hétu and Gino Conforti, the Rams offense simply needs a bit more consistency from quarterback Erminio Iadeluca. If he can increase the disparity between his total TDs and his interceptions, then they might start winning those close games that have been slipping away lately. If they can make those clutch plays down the road, then their playoff chances might improve.

 

Eagles (1-4): Of all the under-achievers, the Eagles have to be the biggest disappointment. After a very strong Spring season, many predicted they would challenge for the lead in the South division of Conference A. Unexpectedly, their defense has not been as dominant, just like their game-breaker Gabriel Lapensée who only has 4 sacks. Turnovers are also piling high (11 interceptions) with not many offensive touchdowns to counter-balance them. The addition of star receiver Alexandre Giroux might spark up their offense, but without a dominant defensive game, the Eagles will not fare very well this season.

 

Run’n’ Wild (2-3): While this team seems to be all about Kenton Lowe, they seem to have turned its fate around with some key personnel moves, including the addition of quarterback James Floreani, who led his team to a superb win over Taylor Gang. While much work still needs to be done, especially on the defensive side of the ball (the injury to Mark Guerriero has hurt this team on both sides of the ball) Run’n’ Wild seems to be going in the right direction.

 

Those Guys (2-3): After a surprising playoff run in the spring and a promising start to their season, Those Guys have fallen flat lately. The loss of Hugh Isaacs, Keenan Alleyne and Dexter Tanner seem to have considerably slowed down this gritty team. They recently brought back the infamous Ryan Perry to help them get out of their funk, but they will need a collective effort if they are to get back into playoff contention.

 

The Commission (2-3): With a possible playoff berth dangling in front of them, The Commission are doing all they can to reach the promised land. With Alex Russell’s stellar play on both sides of the ball and Bryan Nguyen making a case for himself as one of the elite rushers in the league, The Commission simply needs some consistency. While definitely able to be competitive on defense, they still have not shown that they can put up points on a regular basis.

 

Kludgies (2-3): More and more, this is becoming the breakout season for Nick Guarna and the Kludgies’ offense. Along with Jeff Brown, Guarna is helping QB Mike Bagnato reach the end-zone with consistency. Their defense has been an issue, allowing a staggering 140 points, although everyone seems to be chipping in; 4 different players have 2 interceptions. The Kludgies are probably a defensive X-factor away of ascending to the top tier in Division 4.

 

Sharks (2-3): Handing over the quarterback position reigns to Nicolas Ostiguy might have been the best move the Sharks made all season, as Ostiguy, a former D3 All-Star, is etching his name all over offensive categories. One of only 7 QB’s to appear in all 4 statistical Top 10’s (Refer to Week 3 Article for QB statistics), he is en route to becoming an elite pivot in Division 4. Their win over the formerly undefeated Longhorns, marked the beginning of their advance in the standings. If they can figure out a way to reinforce their defense, a playoff spot should be accessible to them.

 

Gorilla Juiceheads (2-3): Capable of the best as well as the worst, no one will deny the potency of the Juiceheads’ offense. While everyone knows the havoc Scott Mironowicz and Terrance Morsink can create, Alex Halarides has shown he can be a valuable player on the defensive side of the ball. Ranked 7th in tackles and sporting the 9th best Defensive Rating (refer to the Week 4 article), Halarides might be as important as his CIS friends to the Juiceheads’ cause.

 

Barbarianz Squad (2-2-1): Guns blazing, teeth bared, the Squad is known to rely on the athleticism of its members to pile up points on the board. Defense? Never heard of it. When you have the 6th best offense in the Division, you just run up the field and pray the opposing QB will throw a pick into your hands. In this context, the defensive showing of Maïko Zepeda is definitely noteworthy. Leading his team in all defensive categories, Maïko provides the edge his team needs to get ahead and win those high scoring matchups.

 

Lobster Dinner (2-2-1): The crustacean lovers are stout defenders (7th in the Division) and rely on their experience and craftiness to outduel more athletic opponents. With players such as elite rusher Henri Chelhot and pass-defended-machine Matt Young (4th best defensive rating), Lobster Dinner gives their QB Jon Brown a chance to win every game. If he can keep it together and limit turnovers, then the game is in the bag. However, as we all know, this is easier said than done.

 

Razorbacks (3-2): The underdog of underdogs, no one could have predicted they would be playing above .500 halfway through the season. With 2 top receivers in François Deslauriers (1st in yards per game) and Paul Goyens (3rd in yards per game), their offense is in good hands. All they need to be is opportunistic on defense and invest in long scoring drives, killing down the clock. Their motto: slowly but surely.

 

Jets (3-2): Great one week, then mediocre the next, the Jets are still lacking consistency. They have what it takes to ascend to a higher ranking, all they need to do is focus on a clear game-plan and some crisp execution. Mo Zerbo, Simon Bhatty, Carl Dugas and Patrice Blouin know that this year, they cannot finish 9th. This year, they need to make that big step and finally get into the playoffs!

 

Monstars (3-2): Arguably the most defensive minded team in all of FlagPlus, the Monstars don’t care about scoring many points– just as long as their opponent scores even less. A large part of their success is due to their star rusher Ryan Aridi. Intelligent, quick, agile and often spectacular, Ryan is the pest no QB ever wants to face. Add the dominant Akeem Hoyte-Charles to the mix (2nd best defensive rating and only player with 2 pick-sixes) and you half the man-power to shut down almost any offense.

 

X-Men (3-2): On a team which consists mostly of small players, Nicolas Abelhauser seems like an extra-terrestrial. Towering above most of his teammates and opponents, Abelhauser is perhaps the greatest red-zone threat of Division 4. However, it is defensively that the X-Men still need to be sharper. Their game against the Kludgies exposed some of their weaknesses and they will need to work on them if they want to last long the very competitive playoffs that keep looming in closer.

 

Primetime (3-2): After starting the year firing on all cylinders, Primetime have been very quiet in their last 2 losses, scoring a combined 12 points in 2 games, after averaging over 35 points a game in their previous 3 matchups. Unpredictable and often times unfocused, Primetime players need to get back to their early-season ways because defensive-minded games simply don’t seem to favor them. There is still much time ahead to correct last few weeks’ mistakes, but a 3rd loss in a row could prove dangerous for their playoff chances.

 

 

And now, the top 10 teams which constitute my Power Rankings:

 

1. The Family (5-0): They have the receiver with the most yards (Maxime Couture), the defender with the most interceptions (Samuel Bibeault) and the best QB in Division 4 (Maxime Forget). What more could they ask for?

2. Gators (5-0): They have the best defense in Division 4, largely due to the stellar play of Brian Phaneuf (5th defensive rating) and Jeff Chabot (10th defensive rating). Their offense isn’t too bad also, with Kevin Marlowe showing up in all the QB statistical top tens.

3. Sphinx (4-1): Perhaps the meanest offense in the Division, Étienne Cloutier’s squad has a flair for the end-zone. They score a touchdown on every 4.3 offensive plays, 1 whole play faster than anyone else. Olivier Ouellet is also doing a tremendous job on defense with the 3rd best rusher rating.

4. Top Guns (4-1): A very balanced team, the Top Guns have relied on many different players to stay consistent on a weekly basis. The best rusher in the Division, Maurice Kaddis is stalwart on defense, just like Patrick Boivin, who is 3rd in interceptions. On offense, Jerry Charles and David Caron have been a deadly combination.

5. Hard Knocks (4-1): Perhaps the true revelation this season, Philippe Podtetenev is proving that rookie quarterbacks can have an immediate impact in Division 4. With Nathan Groves and Kris Bastien, he is on his way to lead the first year Hard Knocks deep into the playoffs.

6. Maximum Carnage (4-1): Coming off a tough loss, with their QB out with a suspension, Maximum Carnage has lost a bit of their luster. However, as soon as Mike Mendell gets back, I have a feeling Thomas Zorko and Jeff Moscato will get back on track on their respective sides on the ball.

7. Longhorns (4-1): It seems the Sharks figured out the Longhorns weakness: a running quarterback! Once again, it seems running wears this team down and pure athleticism proves to be the key to defeating them. Their offensive game is still one of the best in Division 4.

8. Mongoose: (4-1): Great defensive play and opportunistic scoring, such is the way of the Mongoose. The players they added this season are really making this team a contender, especially Alex Peelz who is one of the biggest rushers around.

9. Park-X Streets (4-1): I have to admit, I did not think the Streets had it in them to perform so masterfully on defense. Boasting the 4th best points against, they are definitely making a case for themselves. Let’s see what their offense can do in future games and if opponents will find a way to stop their ever-changing patterns and play-actions.

10. Patriotes (3-2): The good old Pats are back in the rankings thanks to the solid play of their dynamic duo Étienne Chauvin and Mathieu Bélanger. Also, we can’t forget about the inspired play of the Pereda brothers, especially Sébastien, who is 6th is defensive ratings.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this in-depth foray into Division 4! Next week, I will take a look at the early favorites to win the different individual awards.

If you have any suggestions, comments or wish to make a more direct contribution to this article, please contact me at [email protected]