Oh, FlagPlus Football, how I’ve missed you.

For those of you who had the pleasure to be with us last Spring, I’m very happy to see you made it back with us for our 2018 Winter edition. For all the new kids and parents out there trying out FPF for the first time, WELCOME!

Every week, I’ll have the pleasure to break down what happened, give my thoughts and put a twist on all things FPF.

For those of you who haven’t met me yet, I am Simon. I’ve been part of the FPF family since 2010 and I’ve been working alongside Robert for FPF Junior since its beginning. Most of you will have a chance to see me on the sidelines at the fields, please, don’t hesitate to come and say hi; I’m the second friendliest person you can approach (Rob can’t be bested). I’ll be around to help you guys in any way I can whether it’s answering questions, distributing the FPF goods or simply to chat while we watch your kids do what they do best!

I’m thrilled to introduce an ex-FPF Jr player who’s grown out of the age restrictions and will be on the sidelines with us every week to make sure everything goes well and give us his insights on things.

As for his introduction, I’ve decided to let him write up a little something for you guys:

Hello to all of you and welcome to the 2018 winter season of FPF Junior!

My name is Alexi Dubois and I will follow you through the ups and downs of the season both as your scorekeeper and most importantly, as your FPF sports writer.

 Last year, I was in your shoes (or should I say cleats) but after two amazing years playing in FPF Junior, I had to move on, grow up, and join the adult leagues. Obviously, I could not totally let go of the junior league because here I am, writing for you guys and girls. Part of the FPF experience is the media coverage. I remember eagerly waiting each week for the article to come out. Now, it is my turn to give back and hopefully you will enjoy reading the articles as much as I have in the past. I look forward to seeing you all play throughout the season and covering your teams in my articles. You can also see me on the sidelines of many games at the Loyola dome so if you want to mention something to me about the articles or just chat about the league, I would love to talk to you.

Good luck to all of you in the upcoming season. Play hard, do your best and most importantly, have fun because that’s what FPF and football is ultimately about.

-Alexi Dubois

Let’s get started

 

Week 1

With a handful of teams opting to play the full hour, we’ve got the chance to see remarkable plays from football veterans and first timers all weekend long. It was great seeing familiar faces all over  the fields on both days and we’re only getting started!

 

Recaps

• Longhorns (0) vs Gators (6)

In the first game of the FPF Junior season, the Longhorns faced off versus the Gators in a defensive showdown. The Gators tried three different quarterbacks during the match and they all showed promise. Notably, Cristopher Coelho stood out completing 5 passes for a total of 36 yards. The deadlock was eventually broken when the Gators tried William Leclerc under center. William Leclerc took his first snap of the game, dropped back, looked downfield and connected with his brother Edward Leclerc for an impressive game winning 25-yard touchdown. Credit must also be given to their defence who held their dangerous looking opponents to 35 yards through the air. That defence also showed off their ball hawking skills with four interceptions. Edward Leclerc led that charge with two, Marc-Antoine Ducharme as well as William Leclerc also intercepted the Longhorns.

On the Longhorns part, despite not putting any points up on the board, their offence showed great potential. Particularly, quarterback Isak Parenteau showed off amazing arm strength. Even during the warm ups, it was clear that this young man could make all the throws in the book. Once he gets on the same wavelength as his receivers, the Longhorns will definitely have a formidable offence. On the defensive end of the ball, they also showed great potential. They had contributions from many players on defence including Taevian Guy with three tackles. If the defence can keep up their strong play and their offence starts to click, the Longhorns will be a force to be reckoned with.

 

• Thunder (31) vs Fighting Irish (14)

The first varsity match-up saw two very talented teams go head to head: the Thunder and the Fighting Irish. The Irish finished the first half up by 6 but the Thunder came back strong in the 2nd scoring 23 unanswered points to take the game 31 to 14. The Thunder’s offence ran through the Noah Lachance/Jayden Frenette connection. Noah Lachance found his dominant receiver four times for a total of 43 yards and two touchdowns. After only one game, this duo looks like one of the most dominant in the league. On the other end of the ball, it was William Denis who stood out. He racked up an impressive 3 tackles and most importantly, ran back an interception to solidify his team’s lead. The Thunder looked dangerous both on offence and defence in their opening game of the season. If they can keep up and improve on their performance from week one, they will be a strong contender in the varsity division.

The Irish came out very strong in the first half led by the strong play of all-star quarterback Kaelen Trepanier. I have personally witnessed just how much of a difference he can make in a game. He has the ability to take over a game with either his arm or his legs and that is exactly what he did on Saturday. He threw for a total of 52 yards and two TDs as well as rushing for 46 yards all in one shortened half of work. Coach Tony Khoury then decided to look at other options under center to find the best fit for the rest of the season. No matter which quarterback was on the receiving end of her fast and precise snaps, the play of snapper Abigail Cockerton remained impressive. In her first game in FPF, she proved to be a reliable pair of hands. She finished the game with a team leading four catches for 23 yards and proved to be an essential part of the Irish’s offence. I have seen teams not take girls seriously and cheat on their coverage, but Abigail Cockerton will force teams to pay close attention because otherwise she’ll make them pay. On the defensive side of the ball, Abigail Cockerton also led the charge with 4 tackles. Kaelen Trepanier was another key defender with 3 tackles. The Irish’s offence looked extremely dangerous on Saturday and if they can tighten things up on the other side of the ball, they should be championship contenders.

 

• Red Cougars (6) vs Silver Cougars (12)

This weekend’s final matchup at the Loyola dome saw a duel of cougars. The Silver Cougars, led by quarterback Jackson Lovig were eventually eked out a narrow 12-6 win over their Red counterparts. Despite this only being their first game of the season, the Silver’s Jackson Lovig and his receiver Jackson Cooper put on a show. Jackson Cooper caught all three of his quarterback’s passes and was electrifying every time he touched the ball. He ran one pass in for an impressive 40-yard TD, a second for 39 yards and capped of that drive with a 1-yard touchdown grab. Jackson Lovig proved to be a two-way stand out for the Silver Cougars in this game as he picked off his opponents three times and contributed to shutting down the Red Cougars offence. Another key component to that Silver defence was Marcus Rafla who batted down three passes and racked up two of his team’s three tackles.

The Red Cougars’ offence had a bit of trouble finding their rhythm in this opening game of the season, but their defence made up for it. Versus a dangerous looking Silver Cougars offence, they only conceded 80 yards and kept all but one of the Red’s receivers off the board. If they could have found the missing piece to cover Jackson Cooper, they would have been able to shut out their opponents. On top of their shutdown performance on defence, the Reds also showed the ability to create turnovers. Their only points game from Ryan Whitehouse’s first half pick-six. If the Red Cougars can get their offence to click, they will be a very hard team to play this season.

• Dusters (24) vs Huskers (6)

When I first saw the cluster or purple jerseys at Brossard, I was not too sure what to expect. Was it an intimidation tactic? Well, it turns out the Dusters are the real deal. They put on one of the most impressive performances of the week versus what looked to be an extremely talented Huskers squad. On offence for the Dusters, it was Adam Malinoff who stood out as he combined with his core receivers 8 times. He had great poise and a deceptively quick and powerful release. Adam Malinoff kept the opposition on their toes by completing all 8 of his passes to 8 different receivers for a total of 81 yards. This distribution of the ball kept the Huskers honest on defence and contributed to the Dusters success. The Dusters backed up their efficient offence with solid defensive play. Ben Tkatch, Lewis Epstein and Russel Beinstock all stood out and finished the game with an interception. This group of 16 purple Dusters looks formidable and will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in their division.

P.S. Congratulations to the Dusters’ assistant coach for remembering the names and spelling of all sixteen of his players

Despite dropping their first game, the Huskers’ season looks very bright. This game was very much a duel of all star quarterbacks. On the Huskers’ end of things, it was QB Riley Element that had the big night. Despite probably not racking up as many yards as he would have liked to, it was still clear that he has great arm strength and undeniable talent. On the night, his leading receiver was Ben Arnovitz with whom he connected twice for a total of 50 yards. However, Riley Element’s work was not limited to the offensive side of things. On defence, he made four tackles and batted down one of his rival’s passes. Following his brother’s strong play on offence, Max Arnovitz stepped up on defence for two tackles. Watching these two strong teams go head to head was a thrill to watch. Both teams are clearly talented and will be strong forces in the sophomore division.

 

• Buckeyes (6) vs Musketeers (28)

The final Saturday game saw the Buckeyes face off against the Musketeers in Brossard. The Buckeyes went toe to toe with their counterparts during the first half but in the second, the Musketeers pulled away to manage a 28-6 win. That winning effort was led by the impressive play of not one but two quarterbacks. Kaydon Shaw started the game under center and connected with his receivers 3 times for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Since that was clearly not enough for the young QB, he made the switch over to receiver where he caught both of Elizia Laberge passes to bring his receiving total to 53 yards and a TD. Another impressive Musketeer was Brennen Dias-Juliao. On offence, the shifty receiver turned a short pass into a 23-yard TD run. I had already noticed his speed as a rusher but that electrifying run combined freakish speed and amazing moves. Defensively, it was the coach’s daughter, Maya Di Fazio who led the charge with four tackles. That was an impressive showing on both ends of the ball on the part of the Musketeers.

Despite not putting up as many points as their opponents, the Buckeyes seem to have understood a very important concept in FPF: the short pass. Many teams will look far too often for the long ball in both the adult and junior leagues. Most of the time, that tendency to go long results in turnovers and interceptions. I have played on teams that loved the long ball and teams that loved hooks at 5. By far, the most successful team was the one that did not force things and took the short throws underneath. If the Buckeyes can keep on looking short and developing rhythm with their receivers, the wins will definitely start coming.

-Alexi Dubois

 

Players of the Week

Every week, we’ll take the time to nominate a handful of players who really stood out by their plays on the field. Here’s how our week 1 version looks like:

• Jackson Lovig: There are weeks where the numbers definitely speak for themselves. In Jackson Lovig’s case, this was one of those weeks. There is nothing that can be said about his remarkable performance other than 80 yards passing, 2 TDs and 3 interceptions.
• Trey Bentley: Trey Bentley was simply electrifying in his team’s 24-12 win over the Hurricanes. He led FPF in receiving yards with a staggering 166. He also completed an impressive 80% of his passes on his way to four touchdowns.

 

Play of the Week:

23-yard TD run by the Musketeers Brennen Dias-Juliao versus the Buckeyes

It was very clear in this play as to why Brennan Dias-Juliao is called speedy by the Musketeers’s coaching staff. He looked absolutely unstoppable as he ducked and dived around opposing defenders on his way to the house for a spectacular 23-yard touchdown run.

-Alexi Dubois

 

Crystal Ball and Shenanigans

With many exciting games coming at us really fast every week, it only seems fit that I try my best to give my thoughts and try to predict how everything will turn out. Of course, I know nothing and I don’t actually own a crystal ball, so take these with a grain of salt.

• Wildcats vs Western Patriots

After enjoying a bye week last week, I’m sure the Wildcats are eager to get started and play their first game of the season against a very talented Western Patriots squad. With many FPF JR veterans, Wildcats will need to adjust quickly and lean on guys like Olivier Gauthier and Xavier Orsat-Parker if they want to be able to stop one of the hottest team in FPF Junior right now led by QB Jesse Morris, William Bradford and defensive stars Dylan Hayes and Zach Raschella. It’ll be an adjustment as the Western Patriots are a Sophomore team and will play a handful of Varsity veterans, but it’s a challenge they’re welcoming with open arms and should be more than able to accomplish. It’ll kick off Week 2 with a bang.

 

• Musketeers vs Gators

Both teams are coming off a win in their opener, but in very different ways. On one side, Musketeers managed to get their offence rolling quickly out of the gates and had a duo of QB in Kaydon Shaw and Elizia Laberge that both found successful distributing the ball really well to their receivers. On the other side, Gators found success with a gritty defence and stellar play from the Leclerc brothers, William and Edward. Both teams are equipped to perform really well this season, but the real question who will step up in their week 2 matchups and help their team to a win before the Christmas break?

 

• AP Hurricanes vs Buckeyes

In the first of their team games on Saturday, the Buckeyes have a tough matchup against the AP Hurricanes who are now FPF Jr veterans and know how to get the job done. The addition of a handful of playmakers like Justin Tasse and Thomas Conde, the AP Hurricanes are looking even better than their former selves, but let’s not overlook the Buckeyes just yet as Jahmaal Roach is only getting warmed up to the idea of leading his own team and guys like Isaiah Roach, Jayden Blitzer and Lawrence Brassard can really break a game open if you give them the slightest opportunity to do so. This should be a great game from start to finish.

 

• Buckeyes vs Bulldogs

In their second game of the afternoon, Buckeyes will need to dig deep and find the energy to play against a good Bulldogs team who is looking for their first win of the season. With an additional week of practice under their belts, there’s no doubt the Bulldogs will come out swinging and try to take advantage of their tired opponents. After seeing both offences last week, there’s a lot of promise for a good offensive game here; Bulldogs WILL score their first touchdown of the season and build up on that as the game progresses.

 

• Ducks vs Red Cougars

The Ducks struggled to get the ball moving through the air last week, but found success with a scrambling QB; I fully expect them to build up on that from last week and have a strong outing this week against a good Red Cougars’ defence. Kevin De Serres-Payne’s ability to run with the ball is unpaired and Markus D’Alessandro’s speed is something that their opponents will have to keep in check if they want to remain in this game, but the Red Cougars showed us a gritty defence last week that adapts well to what their opponents are doing. I’m eager to see how this one unfolds on Sunday!

 

• Huskers vs Longhorns

The Huskers might have suffered a loss last week, but they showed great promise in QB Riley Element and the Arnovitz brothers, Ben and Max. As long as these guys are around and able to perform, the Huskers can win any of their games. Longhorns suffered a minor setback last week as many of players were learning the different aspects of the game, but QB Isak Parenteau is truly talented and he’s got a nice arsenal to throw to in guys like Daniel Taylor, Taevian Guy and Kymani Morgan. I fully expect both offences to get off the ground running this week and perform really well before the long break.

 

• Thunder vs Dusters

Looking like true contenders last week, Dusters are looking to build on their championship pedigree and defend their title in back to back seasons. Adam Malinoff looks more comfortable under center in his second season and the new addition of Eden Raffoul is already paying dividends, but they’ll be up against a strong Thunder team who they’ve faced off a handful of times last Spring season. Having played each other a few months ago, old rivalries might spark up again and we’ll be set for a great Sunday afternoon game. If the Dusters can find a way to contain Jaden Frenette and Max Sabourin early, they might be able to turn this one into a real barnburner.

 

• Cowboys vs Sunnybrooke Elites

Cowboys are coming off a very impressive win last week against the Ducks and are looking to build on that success before the Christmas break, but I’m sure Sunnybrooke Elites have other plans. If they can find a way to contain Thomas Hemens and allow Diego Lileka Bolombe to get the ball in his hands, we’ve got a real shot at an upset this Sunday afternoon. Kingston Paquet was very impressive under center, so it won’t be easiest game for the Sunnybrooke Elites’ defence, but their defensive star Tomas Vergara can certainly turn this game around rather quickly. Should be a great one!

 

• Tigers vs Silver Cougars

Both teams are coming off impressive wins and have some of the best players in the division, but only one team can win on Sunday; who will it be? On one side, we’ve got Jonah Edghill who played really well last week and got himself a pair of touchdowns to elevate his team, but we simply cannot overlook the dominant performance that Jackson Lovig displayed on Saturday afternoon and how problematic he can be for opposing quarterbacks. If the Tigers can contain Jackson Cooper, this could end up being one of the best matchups of the season!

 

That’s it for me this week. Hopefully I’ll still have a job by week 2. Happy, annoyed, frustrated, humbled by my comments? Take a second to send me a quick message either via twiter (@DagenaisFPF) or via email ([email protected]) and I’ll be sure to rectify or simply explain my point of view. I’ll be at the fields all day Saturday; don’t be shy to drop by and talk some football!