FPF Junior Season at Half-Way Mark

It’s hard to believe, but we already have as many games in front of us as behind. In just a few weeks, the playoffs will already be upon us but before that happens, each team still has four games left to play and a lot has yet to be decided in the standings.

I took in this week’s action from 1-8pm at the Kirkland dome where all the games were played this weekend. I saw some great matches such as the one between the NS Lions and the Falcons. These two Varsity heavyweights fought it out and the match ended with the Falcons being handed their first loss of the season. Things did not go as smoothly for the Lions sophomore affiliates who suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the undefeated Dusters. This was a very significant match because it could very well be these two teams who confront each other in the finals when the playoffs roll around. If we look at the Freshman division, the Reapers got their first win this week, and in convincing fashion with a 26-8 win.

Week Four Recaps:

Thundering Herd (26) vs Musketeers (12)

The Herd improved their record to .500 with a win this week over the Musketeers. After losing to two teams that have now been moved up to the Sophomore A division, the Thundering Herd got their first win of the 2018 campaign last week and now their second this week. The Herd have definitely benefited from Sophomore being separated into the two divisions.

The Thundering Herd started the game off with Zachary Levy under center. He completed four of his eleven attempted passes for a total of nearly 50 yards and a touchdown. His number one target was the talented Jaeden Edghill. On their first offensive score, all that Zachary Levy had to do was heave the ball high into the air and Jaeden Edghill leaped over all those trying to cover him to haul in the long bomb for six. He completed another similar catch to finish the game with three receptions for 43 yards and two scores. At the half, the Herd turned the reigns of their offence over to Zack Mackey. It was not only their first names that are similar but also their stats. Zack Mackey passed for a total of 51 yards and one score. After a while, the Musketeers clued in to the fact that Jaeden Edghill was a big time threat that needed to be covered. Once that option was taken away, the Herd looked towards the likes of Quentin Handy who had a strong game with two catches for 27 yards and Victor Cadotte who tallied 12 yards and two catches. Defensively, it was once again the unstoppable Jaeden Edghill who led the charge for the Thundering Herd. He managed his teams only two interceptions of the game. Not only did he pick off the Musketeers twice but he also ran back both of those for scores. If you combine his two defensive scores with his two receiving TDs, you realise that every single one of the Herd’s points came courtesy of Jaeden Edghill. Even though Jaeden Edghill was brilliant on the night, we cannot overlook the contributions of Aidan Ross with two tackles or Ryan Black with his defended pass.

If we turn our attention to the Musketeers, we realise that quarterback Kaydon Shaw was making things work offensively. He completed more passes than his opponents (16 vs 10), passed for more yards (116 vs 99) and scored just as many offensive touchdowns. If you just look at those numbers, you would have expected the Musketeers to emerge victorious because their QB did a great job at moving the ball downfield. However the one stat that I did not mention was interceptions. Unfortunately, the Musketeers threw two picks on Sunday and both were returned for touchdowns. They lost by two scores. On the bright side, this is not a hard problem to fix. The Musketeers had a tendency to force the ball downfield. If they content themselves with taking the short pass to the open receiver, they will move down the field slowly but surely all while protecting the ball. One receiver who was consistently open short was Lucas Piscopos who caught a very impressive six passes for a total of 45 yards. When it came to scoring, that job fell in the hands of Massimo Moufrage who caught three passes, two of which were TD grabs for a total of 36 yards. If we turn our attention to defence, Max Mitelman got the job done with his two defended passes to go along with his tackle.  Leading the team in tackles was Matthew Ouellet with three along with Devon Wallis who had a PD to go along with his three tackles.

Sun Devils (43) vs Buffaloes (21)

There is no denying the fact that the Sun Devils have a loaded roster. They are a combination of new players and returning players from last winter’s Thunder. Yes, that same Thunder team that went undefeated on their way to the Varsity championship last season. Now, they have Noah Lachance coaching to go along with the likes of Louis Vincent on the field to make for a nearly unstoppable team. Last season, Louis Vincent made his name as FPF Junior’s best rusher. This year, he is making just as much of an impact as a rusher while also taking over games as a receiver. The blistering speed that makes him such a devastating rusher also makes him a formidable receiver. He accumulated 63 receiving yards and a touchdown in only two receptions. Getting the ball to him was quarterback Danny Stamiris who completed a total of 11 passes for an impressive 167 yards as well as three scores. While Louis Vincent may have been the leading receiver in terms of yards, the sure handed William Bradford caught a team high seven catches and accumulated 59 yards and two TDs in the process. Also contributing to their offence was William Denis who, with two catches, tallied 43 yards and a score. While the Devils did a great job generating points, their defence not only stopped their opponents but also put points up on the board. Leading that scoring defence was the talented Joshua Almaleh who had three tackles and also picked off the Buffaloes twice and returned both for scores. Zachary Cyrenne also contributed to that strong defensive core with an interception returned for a TD to go along with and his three tackles. Finally, leading the team in tackles, was Danny Stamiris with four. With this victory, the Sun Devils showed why many consider them title favorites. They can do it all; score on offence, score on defence and shut down their opponents.

After a rough start to the game, the Buffaloes decided to turn to the strong-armed Jordy Melnik under center. That was clearly a smart choice because he completed 13 passes for an impressive total of 105 yards as well as three touchdowns. After a first few weeks in the shadows, Dean Fleming emerged in week 4 as a top-level receiver. He made a series of impressive catches to finish with a total of six receptions for 61 yards and two scores. What made those numbers even more impressive was the fact that the players who were defending him were much bigger. Somehow, Dean Fleming still found a way to go up and haul in the ball against players who were more than a few inches taller than him. He also made the most of his opponents’ mistakes. When the Devils undercut the ball and missed the pick, he was always waiting to scoop up the ball for the big gain. Zachary Nelson has found himself a niche as a short receiver for the Buffaloes. His sure hands and after the catch ability make this short role perfect for him. On Sunday, he caught four balls for a total of 14 yards. The Buffaloes final TD reception came courtesy of the other Fleming, Mason Fleming who reeled in a seven yard catch for a score. On the defensive side of the ball, it was Cody Burah who made the biggest impact with his two tackles and most importantly, an interception. That interception came at a key moment in the match when the Buffaloes were still in the game. This interception kept the Devils on their heels and kept his team in this affair for one more drive. Noah Wani also had a solid night with his two tackles. 

While the score-line in this match may have indicated a blowout, it was anything but that. Before this game, the Buffaloes’ coach knew his team was in for a very tough affair. The message he had for his players was to go out and try their best. Even if you looked at these two teams, one was a well oiled machine while on the other hand, the Buffaloes are still developing their chemistry. Despite these disadvantages, the Buffaloes started the game well and took it to their opponents. Throughout the first half, they were putting the pressure on and making plays. Dean Fleming made some key catches for them and Cory Burah made an interception to keep their hopes alive. Despite facing off against an uber talented team, the Buffaloes did not look out of place. Sadly, they were not able to keep up that same level of play in the 2nd half and wound up losing. Despite that, the fact that they went toe to toe versus one of the best teams sophomore has ever seen speaks to the potential of the Buffaloes.

Three Predictions at the Half-Season Mark

The Mustangs won’t go undefeated: The Mustangs got off to an impressive start with four wins but I don’t think they will be able to maintain that pace. Yes, they are riding high on those four consecutive wins, but they haven’t yet faced off versus the best FPF Junior has to offer. I’m not sure they will have enough momentum to overcome the likes of the Falcons or NS Lions. With that being said, I hope they do prove me wrong and cruise to the perfect season.

Issac Insaidoo and Tristan Pelletier are the best WR/QB combo FPF Junior has ever seen: I have played alongside my fair share of all-star duos. In my first season, I had a fist class seat to witness Avery Lalla and Reace Woods strut their stuff and a few seasons later, I saw Avery develop a similar partnership with Kaylem Ferdinand. Despite those being epic combinations, the pure skill that Issac Insaidoo and Tristan Pelletier possess as well as the chemistry they have between them makes them unrivaled not only this season but in all of FPF Junior history. The only question left is if Tristan Pelletier will beat Sam Mashtoub’s current record of 613 receiving yards in one season. Good luck to any defense trying to stop him from reaching that landmark.

Simon Boudreault will lead FPF Junior in rushing yards: Throughout the course of FPF Junior history, the rushing title has never been won by a player from the Varsity division. Typically, it goes to a Sophomore player because there are more missed tackles in that division. However, Simon Boudreault with his unique blend of speed and elusiveness looks set to change all that. He also has the chance to set a record if he can surpass the 407 rushing yards by William Leclerc that is currently the record.

Week Four Team of the Week:

Offence:

QB Issac Insaidoo (Falcons): 184 passing yards, 2TDs

RB Nicholas Di Maulo (Spartans): 111 rushing yards

WR Trsitan Pelletier (Falcons): 7 receptions, 61 receiving yards, 1TDs

WR Carter Soles (NS Lions): 4 receptions, 110 receiving yards, 3TDs

WR Charles Presser (Tar Heels) 3 receptions, 65 receiving yards, 2TDs

WR Noam Cytrynbaum (Reapers): 4 receptions, 80 receiving yards, 2TDs

Defence:

Rusher Oz Golsse (Wolverines): 3 sacks

DB Jaeden Edghill (Thundering Herd): 6 tackles, 2INTs, 2 defensive TDs

DB Joshua Almaleh (Sun Devils): 3 tackles, 2INTs, 2 defensive TDs

DB Kingston Paquet (Sooners): 2 tackles, 3PDs

DB Oren Arbel-Wood (Mustangs): 5 tackles, 1INT

DB Zack Arbel-Wood (Dusters): 8 tackles

DB Dylan Hacker (Buckeyes): 2INTs, 2 defensive TDs

With that, another week of the FPF season is on the books. It

seems like the spring season started only a few days ago but we are already at the half way mark and the playoff race is becoming more and more clear. I look forward to seeing, over the next few weeks, which teams will be able to clinch that elusive #1 seed in each conference. In past seasons, we have often seen one team go undefeated. Who will that team be this season? Will it be the Duster, the Mustangs or the X-Men? Stay tuned over the next for weeks to see which team, if any, will go undefeated.