Hello to all of you and welcome back to the world of football. After what I hope were very pleasant holidays, FPF Junior games resumed on Saturday. Despite two weeks of feasting on turkey and other holiday goodies, all of the players looked in good shape and ready to compete in this third week of action. Things got started, like they always do, at the Loyola pitch in NDG.

The two first games of this week were both draws. Ties are always an interesting situation for the players. While they aren’t as disappointing as a loss, they don’t come anywhere close to the joy of a win. As a general rule, both teams leave the field thinking they should have won. Hopefully all four teams who drew in these first two games will come out next week wanting a bit more and that will push them over the edge to victory. Despite no wins being handed out in these two games, they were still exciting to watch. Hats off to the parents who braved the very frigid Loyola dome to watch the games and rush over to the sidelines with hats and jackets to keep their players warm.

 

Rule of the Week

Most FPF Junior players are more familiar with the rules of contact football than the particularities of FPF Junior regulations. I will try to review a rule a week that I think could help the players. In this article, my rule of the week concerns running back interceptions on extra point attempts. In FPF Junior, on one or two point converts, if the defending team intercepts the ball, they cannot runback that interception for two points. The play will be whistled dead the moment of the interception.

 

Recaps

• Tigers (20) vs Cowboys (20)

In the first game back from the break, we saw the Tigers take on the Cowboys. On the Tigers’ side of things, the offence was led by their running backs. In so many games, across all divisions in FPF, we see QBs take over the game with their arm and single-handedly dictate the outcome. While the Tiger’s QB Amani Ho Sang still had a nice outing throwing for over 60 yards and two TDs, the offence ran through the running game. Despite the rules in place to limit the amount of rushes, the Tigers committee of backs still managed to rush for 95 yards and a touchdown. That formidable three headed backfield was led by the elusive Ricardo Di Zazzo who, despite only two rushes went off for a staggering 65 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on an electrifying 40-yard rush. On the defensive end of things, limiting their opponents to three scores was a team effort highlighted by Mackenzie Venne. The standout defensive back racked up two tackles and most impressively, 4 defended passes. Stepping up as well on defence was Amani Ho Sang who helped to limit his opponents with two defended passes and a key interception.

On the Cowboys end of things, they went with the conventional passing approach where everything runs through the quarterback. That worked out well for the Cowboys since their quarterback, Kingston Paquet, had another big game. He developed a very productive connection with Phoenix Thomas. Those two connected four times for an impressive total of 62 yards and two majors. It was the Cowboys final TD that was the most impressive however. In the first of the final three plays, Kingston Paquet dropped back, went through his progressions but before he could get the ball off, the rusher was upon him so he spilled to the left, avoided the pressure and lobbed a pass deep down field to connect with Emile Kilbride for the game tying TD. To seal that tie game, Thomas Hemmens came up big for his team. On the second to last play of the game, he made the tackle to limit his opponents gain. After that, on the final play of the game, he came up with a massive defended pass to ensure the tie for his team.

• Buckeyes (12) vs Musketeers (12)

In the second game of the week, the Buckeyes and the Musketeers faced off and played to the second straight tie of the week. In past weeks, the Musketeers were led to victory by the very solid quarterback play of Kaydon Shaw and Elizia Laberge. This week, those two faced a puzzle in the Buckeyes defence that they could not solve. In their place, the electric Brennen Dias-Juliao stepped up in a big way and consistently drove his team down the field. Out of all my years in FPF Junior, I have never seen a player that combines the speed and moves that Brennen Dias-Juliao has. Yes, I have played along some of the leagues best rushers like Kaelan Trepanier but the Musketeer’s #1 possesses a ‘je ne sais quoi’ that very few others boast. On offence, we also saw Alex Paliotti introduce himself in a big way. After being quiet in week one and absent in week two, he was key to his team’s offence in this third week and caught two balls for an impressive 55 yards and two TDs. The other touchdown for the Musketeers came courtesy of Massimo Moufrage who finished the game with two catches for 45 yards. To add to his offensive tally, Massimo Moufrage was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. With his hattrick of tackles and interceptions, you can understand why Massimo Moufrage is generating MVP hype. Fine, I haven’t actually heard the MVP talk but mark my word, if anyone else mentions it, you heard it here first! While the Musketeers did not get the W they wanted, they still kept their undefeated streak going.

After their roller coaster week two, I’m sure that the Buckeyes were hoping for an easy on the nerves win this week. However, watching the Musketeers chew up their 12 point lead was anything but a day at the spa. In the first half, the Buckeyes did not put up the big numbers we have been accustomed to seeing Jahmaal Roach and company rack up. However, this was not due to their offence failing to produce but rather the stellar play of their defence. That defence also did much of the offence’s work. Half of the Buckeyes points came courtesy of Isaiah Roach when he picked off the Musketeers and ran it to the house for the touchdown. On the following defensive series, it was his brother, Jahmaal Roach who picked off a pass in the Musketeers territory. In our post game chat, he admitted that he smelled the end zone on that one and would have loved to score a defensive touchdown like his brother. If he would have stayed in bounds, I’m sure he would have. To round out a big night for the Roach family, Malakai Roach led his team in receptions and receiving yards. His three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown sealed an impressive night for all three brothers on the night. If we look past the three Roach brothers and their impressive numbers, we fall upon the essential contributions of Tahnyus Steer. With a big frame and deceptive speed, Tahnyus Steer is a receiving threat, but that speed also makes him one of the leagues most dangerous rushers.

 

Team of the Week

This is the first time I’m trying this team of the week format so let me know what you think. In this segment, I will compile a roster with all the top performers at each position regardless of the division.

Offensive lineup

QB Riley Element: The Huskers’ passer led Junior ranks in touchdowns this week with 4 and was also among the top in terms of yards through the air with 153 and a completion percentage of 57.1%. Its those kinds of numbers, week in and week out that give the Huskers a chance to win every time they take to the pitch.

RB Brennen Dias-Juliao: I once again had the pleasure of seeing Brennen Dias-Juliao in action and I know it seems like I’m gushing over his talent but it’s hard not to when he makes something happen every touch he gets.

WR Nicholas Di Maulo: The Golden Eagles kept their perfect season going in large part thanks to the stand-out play of receiver Nicholas Di Maulo who racked up a league leading 90 yards and scored 12 points on the way to his team’s win.

WR Ben Arnovitz: Every quarterback needs asure pair of hands, a reliable guy to go to when other routes don’t develop as planned. For the Dusters, that player is Ben Arnovitz. He finished the week with a league leading 5 catches

WR Phoenix Thomas: We don’t always see the freshman division put up the same numbers as their older counterparts. That fact makes Phoenix Thomas’s 62 receiving yards and two touchdowns all the more impressive.

WR Alex Paliotti: After a silent first few weeks, Alex Paliotti came out in a big way. On a team with big names at receiver, he still managed to rack up 55 yards and a touchdown in a tying effort for the Musketeers.

Defence

DB Massimo Moufrage: I knew that Massimo Moufrage was capable of great things offensively but this week he also proved that he is a two way standout. He led all Juniors with a staggering three interceptions and also helped out his team with three tackles and a defended pass.

DB Mackenzie Vennes: In a duel atop the Freshman division, the players knew that if they wanted to preserve their undefeated records, they would all need to step up big and that is exactly what Mackenzie Vennes did. He finished the game with four defended passes and helped his team on the way to a draw.

DB Olivier Gauthier: In a well rounded defensive effort, Olivier Gauthier did his best to limit the explosive Golden Eagles offence. That effort consisted of two interceptions, just as many tackles and a defended pass.

DB Max Arnovitz: After seeing his brother put up impressive offensive stats, some good old sibling rivalry kicked in and Max Arnovitz left his own mark on the game recording a trio of defended passes and a brace of tackles on the way to victory.

DB Mason Fleming: Despite not being the big name Riley Element is, Mason Fleming is a key defender for his team. In week three he turned in a solid, well rounded defensive performance registering a tackle, an interception and a defended pass.

Rusher Brayden Bevan: Good rushing is a very important factor to success in any level of FPF. Even putting pressure on the quarterback is enough to force him to hurry up and make poor decisions. When a rusher can register three sacks like Brayden Bevan did it’s because the opposing QB felt his presence all night long.

 

Crystal Ball and Shenanigans

• Musketeers vs Bulldogs: Coming off a bye after the holiday, I fully expect Bulldogs to be coming out of the gates firing on Saturday regardless of their potential opponents’ previous success. The growth they were able to gain between Week 1 and Week 2 is enormous and I do not see why it wouldn’t continue that way. Everytime Alessandro Frassetti and Nicholas Manolopoulos touch the field, they need to be accounted for, so I fully expect the Musketeers to come in with a gameplan and see shut down coverage players like Lucas Piscopos and Massimo Moufrage spend most of their time covering Bulldogs’ top players.
• Huskers vs Musketeers: In their second game of the day, Musketeers will face off against a gritty Huskers team who enjoyed a very successful last two weeks. In what could end up being one of the best matchups of the week, we’ll see how Musketeers defend the deep ball against a team well stacked to expose just that. If there’s any game where QB Kaydon Shaw will be tasked to have one of his best games, this might be the one. Could we see our first 30+ points on both sides?
• Golden Eagles vs Gators: Coming off a huge upset against the Wildcats last week, Golden Eagles are looking poised to render all their matchups very difficult for their opponents in the upcoming weeks. With players like Kaiden Dewey-Hull, Jaeden Edghill, Jaden Theodore and Malik Sabourin-Danglade really finding their groove, I’d be nervous to play them too. Luckily, the Gators have looked fearless recently as their offence found its rhythm last week and guys like William and Edward Leclerc and Marc-Antoine Ducharme have really emerged as top tier players in this league.
• Fighting Irish vs Wildcats: Fighting Irish turned their season around with a huge win coming out of the break and they’re poised to continue on their winning streak as they face off against the Wildcats this week. Can anyone really stop the tandem of Kaelen Trepanier and Joshua Taylor? It’s crazy to believe we haven’t talked about Noah Smallwood yet; it’s only a matter of time before he emerges with a big game for his team. On the other hand, Wildcats have a deep roster and a lot of talent at multiple skill position and it’s only a matter of time before they set their eyes on a QB for the rest of the way and build up on it. I have a lot of faith in Wildcats; don’t overlook them too quickly.
• Longhorns vs Buckeyes: The transition between tackle and flag is not the easiest to make, but I have a feeling Isak Parenteau is closing in on it and will be ready for his week 4 matchup. Armed with great receivers like Terrence Brown, Taevian Guy and Kymani Morgan, it’s only a matter of time before this offence really hits the ground running. Will they be able to stop the Buckeyes and Jahmaal Roach’s offence? Adam Bateman has really elevated his game recently and looks unstoppable as a receiver; I’m starting to doubt whether anyone in this division can even slow him down.
• Thunder vs Fighting Irish: After a monstruous outing last week in Kirkland, Thunder have a huge bulls eye on their back as they’ll attempt to remain undefeated the rest of the way. In their second game of the day, Fighting Irish will have their work cut up for them, but considering who this team has, I’m not too worried; Kaelen Trepanier might just be better in his second game of the game and there’s too much depth on this roster to simply consider them “tired” after one game. This one will be a must-watch.
• AP Hurricanes vs Dusters: The Dusters haven’t played since 2017, but don’t let that fool you, they’re a very talented group that can take any game by storm in a matter of minutes. AP Hurricanes are looking to bounce back from last week’s game and this might just be my pick for Game of the Week as Marco Gentile will try to force his own into the endzone against the defending champs. Last season, Matthew Eiley was the main cog in the Dusters’ offence, but so far Eden Raffoul seemed to have stolen that from him; will we see a third player emerge this week and really shine to help the Dusters back in a contender status?
• Sunnybrooke Elites vs Ducks: The Ducks took a little bit of time out of the gates, but recent weeks have shown how talented this group actually is and they ARE getting there. Going up against a strong defensive unit with star players like the Vergara brothers (Mateo and Tomas) and Dave Lileka Bolombe, Ducks will need to be on their A game if they want to come out of this one in one piece. This could very well end up being a statement game for both teams and it’s only week 4!
• Tigers vs Red Cougars: Technically still undefeated, the Tigers are THE team to beat in their division, but the way Red Cougars’ defence played last week should worry even the best players on Tigers; three pick-sixs and a total of 7 interceptions in just one game; WOW. Expect a close matchup in which Red Cougars’ defence might emerge and install themselves as the top defence in the division. If they can find a way to contain Ricardo Di Zazzo and Jonah Edghill will determine the winner of this one.
• Cowboys vs Silver Cougars: Technically still undefeated also, Cowboys are slowly creeping up on teams and making a name for themselves. With their recent tie to Tigers, they’re contesting the number one spot in the division and this week might just be THE week for them to do so. Kingston Paquet is enjoying a very good season so far and guys like Emile Kilbride and Phoenix Thomas are really emerging as top tier players, but let’s not overlook the Silver Cougars who have some of the best players in the division. As soon as their offence gets going, they’ll be one of the toughest teams to beat and I have a feeling it might be sooner than later.

 

Week three of FPF Junior action is now in the books. We saw our first two ties of the season at Loyola on Saturday. In Sunday action, we saw the younger Golden Eagles upset the varsity Wildcats on their way to a statement crossover victory.

Most importantly, despite the cold, we all bundled up and headed out for another weekend of entertaining football. For frozen scorekeepers, refs and players everywhere lets hope next weekend warms up a little both inside and outside the domes. Best of luck to all of you for games next week and I hope your return to school isn’t too painful.