Inside the Red Zone (Div 3) – Week 10

Welcome to the first-round playoff edition of Inside The Redzone. That’s right folks, the season is officially over and the madness is about to begin. I would like to congratulate the sixteen teams who have made it to the post-season. You played hard all season and have earned a chance to continue your journey to the top of Division 3.

 

As for the remaining fourteen teams who didn’t qualify, I know it’s never easy to be on the outside looking in, however you also did your best and came up short. In next week’s article, I will take a brief look at these fourteen teams (plus the additional eight who will be eliminated this week) by analyzing their season and listing what I think they will need to do next season for a different outcome. Many times, it’s the adjustments that make all the difference; case in point is GPK who made the switch at the quarterback position after a disastrous first week; they switched to Erik Lagarde in week two and it translated into instant success. So don’t forget to check that out in next week’s column.

 

Also, I want to congratulate the following individual award winners for the 2013 Winter Division 3 season: Rochdi Benabdelkader (DK), Liam Mahoney (Afternoon Delight), Steve Sanner (B.D. Bandits) and Louis Lafreniere-Dupont (Sandlot Saints). It was a close race and in the end I know certain teams/players felt they might have been cheated or snubbed. To them I say the most prestigious award (aside from STAR-AWARDS which will be presented in two weeks) is Division 3 championship trophy, which is still up for grabs. So it’s time to focus on the most important prize of them all.

 

Before I get to the playoff match ups, I would like to look at my overall record for this season’s predictions. Last week I finished 8-3 and I finished with an overall record of 88-33. Now as you all know, every week I predicted fourteen games instead of fifteen (omitting my own Division 3 team) whereas my counterpart, Simon, predicted all matchups on a weekly basis. Therefore it would be logical to look at the percentage. I finished with a total of 88/121 = 72.72%. Simon Dagenais’ final record is 95-40 which lands him at 70.37%. So I guess I win the award for best handicapper, however hats off to Simon Dagenais who did a great job covering Division 3 and finishing only 2% behind me in predictions, well done!

 

2013 Winter Division 3 Playoffs: SWEET SIXTEEN

Conference A

It really came down to the wire. KGP Champs blew a golden opportunity to make the playoffs by losing to Lazy But Talented in a close game. That opened the door for Pap N’ Co who crushed Le Loft and clinch a post-season berth in style. PWW also won their game against Picksquad and jumped from seventh to fourth seed. Here are the matchups in Conference A:

 

(1) Dirty Birds vs. (8) Pap N’ Co

Head-to-Head: Dirty Birds won 27-26

 

Dirty Birds – There isn’t much to say about the Dirty Birds that hasn’t been already said or written. They’re coming off a perfect regular season and are ready to make a deep run into the post season rather than losing in the first round like they did in Winter 2012 playoffs. Anything less than a championship will be render their Winter 2013 season a disappointment. They certainly have all the tools to win the big one, led by their pivot Daniele Gentile who has distributed the ball quite evenly. Their defense can also make the big plays when it is most needed. They’re as balanced as it gets.

 

Pap N’ Co – They had a big win in the last week of regular season to clinch the playoffs as the eighth seed. Matt Connell made a successful comeback to FPF after an absence of nine seasons. Of course it never hurts to have a receiver like Jacques Void who had 674 yards and 18 TDs (and also won Division 1 receiver of the year). Matt Adonna and Chris Connell have also contributed to this team’s success. They are also featured in this week’s edition of Meet The Competition.

 

Analysis:  If there is one team who can take out the Dirty Birds in the first round, it’s Pap N’ Co. In week 2, Pap N’ Co lost to them by one point and intercepted Daniele Gentile three times (most INTs he has thrown in any game this season). They’ll need a similar effort if they have any chance in this game. I would love to go out on a limb and predict an upset but this Dirty Birds’ squad is deeper than that of last winter. Winner: Dirty Birds

 

(2) D-Boys (10-0) vs. (7) Dirty Dawgers

Head-to-Head: None

 

D-Boys – They were the only other team with a perfect regular season.  When I take a look at their roster, they have no weaknesses. They stifle their opponents by allowing 15.9 per game. Their team defense has the following stat line: 25 INTs, 24 Sacks and 39 PDs. On offense, Marco Masciotra is a gun slinger and has delivered 51 strikes into the end zone. They’re a well-oiled machine and that was never more evident when they comfortably defeated DK.

 

Dirty Dawgers – They haven’t won in the last four weeks (0-3-1) and have had a mediocre season to say the very least. At the beginning of the season their roster showed a lot of promise (core of BIG TDs) however there was a lot of inconsistency at the pivot position. As a result, they barely made the playoffs (finished seventh). They have the weapons to play against any team in Division 3 with players like the Cesaris , Mike Smith and Paul Lapierre.

 

Analysis: Dirty Dawgers will need a perfect game to even have a chance. One suggestion would be to start David Cesari at QB. Why? In the 2011 Division B Spring season, he led his team to a great playoff run (stepped in because Jamil Springer was suspended) and lost to the eventual champions in the semi finals. Moving forward, according to reliable sources, Marco Masciotra is currently suffering from a back injury. Even if he is not able to go, the D-Boys are too talented and deep to lose this game. Winner: D-Boys

 

 

(3) DK vs. (6) Le Loft

Head-to-Head:  DK won 57-18

 

DK – They had an incredible season and the only blemish on their record was a loss to the D-Boys. Rochdi Benabdelkader, winner of Division 3 QB of the year, has this team firing on all cylinders. They averaged 40.8 points scored (including a forfeit win which only gave them 30 points for) and 20 points allowed per game. The roster is full of talent from top to bottom. They had key acquisitions including Treldon James and the Pilon brothers who took this team to new levels.

 

Le Loft – They will go as far as Rapha Beladjat and Godfrey Abu can take them. Rapha Beladjat had a poor outing last week against Pap N’ Co. Even though Le Loft is in the playoffs, you have to wonder if they’re ready to battle DK, especially since they lost to them by a score of 57-18 week 6. They will need other players to step up because DK is a smart and talented enough to isolate Godfrey Abu.

 

Analysis: Rapha Beladjat will need to keep his offense on the field as much as possible by managing the game clock and limiting the turnovers. If Rochdi Benabdelkader gets the ball often, it will be a long night for Le Loft’s defense who just cannot afford another 50+ points scored against them. DK has too much firepower and though the result won’t be as lopsided like it was in week 6, DK will win by two to three scores. Winnner: DK

 

(4) Prestige World Wide vs. (5) Les Eudistes

Head-to-Head: None

 

Prestige World Wide – They had an average season and played below expectations. Alex Lever put up above average numbers (1905 yards, 46 TDs) while only averaging 1.3 INTs per game. Anthony Comeau, Sameul Drapeau and Kevin Tousginant played well all season and will need to take it to the next level in the playoffs. Their weakness is their defense who allow on average 32.1 points per game. They know they can play better but now it’s time to actually do it.

 

Les Eudistes – Even though they finished with 5 losses, four out of the five losses were against Dirty Birds, Sandlot Saints, B.D. Bandits and DK. In each of these losses, it went down to the wire. Hugo Henderson (QB) played well enough to give his team a chance to win. Their top two playmakers are Louis-Christophe Lafontaine and Benoit Gagnon-Brousseau along with many other great role players. As a unit, they play well together and make plays at the right moments.

 

Analysis:  Les Eudistes will need a big game from Louis-Christophe Lafontaine who plays well on both sides of the ball (456 yards and 10 TDs, 22 Tackles and 5 INTs). If their pass rush can do a good job on Alex Lever, they’ll take away the PWW’s potent pass attack. Prestige World Wide will need to keep an eye on Louis-Christophe Lafontaine who can sneak behind defense with is great route running. Prestige World Wide is an all around team with players who can break games open and if Alex Lever can play mistake free football, they will win. Winner: Prestige World Wide

 

**Before diving into Conference B action, let’s quickly take a look at this week’s edition of MTC**

 

Meet the Competition: Pap N’ Co

By: Justin Blanchard

 

They didn’t think they’d make it. They weren’t supposed to.

 

Not after starting the season 1-4. Not after needing losses from two teams ahead of them in the standings in the last week of the regular season.

 

And yet, somehow, the 4-6 Pap N’ Co are going to the playoffs as Conference A’s eighth and final seed.

 

“We said, ‘you know, chances are one of these teams are going to win, let’s just have a good game and end the season the right way,’” said team captain Filip Papich. “I asked Rob to email me after the other two games just to let me know, and I’m sitting there in the kitchen with my son and a couple other players having a beer and the email comes across: ‘You’re in.’ And I just thought, ‘unbelievable,’ you know? Who would’ve thought?”

 

Unbelievable and Pap N’ Co seem to go hand in hand, however, with the team having been formed last year by the 52-year-old Papich and his sons. 

 

You read that correctly: 52.

 

“I’ve always played touch football and I have three sons, so my dream has always been to play with my kids in a competitive setting,” said Papich, who feels he can still be an asset despite his age.

 

“I’m doing a lot of rushing, and occasionally I’ll play a little bit of offense and a little bit of defense, but they never let me play like deep safety because they know we’d get killed,” he laughed.  

 

But whatever skills Papich lacks are made up for with a roster that features former record-setting McGill University quarterback Matt Connell and FPF Division 1 receiver Jacques Void, along with numerous other players with CIS experience.

 

All it took to get them all was some good networking.

 

“Most of us went to Selwyn House [School]—we have 11 guys on our team and nine have a Selwyn House connection,” said Papich.

 

But even a roster with as much talent as Pap N’ Co’s doesn’t mean much if the payers don’t actually show up to play.

 

“All season long, the most players we’ve had at a game is eight; it was between five and eight at each game,” said Papich, adding that only at the season finale did all 11 players show up. “It’s lack of manpower that’s been our biggest nemesis—we can be competitive with pretty much any team on a given day but we need everybody to be there.”

 

The team has proven as much, having lost by just six points each to Conference B’s fourth-seeded Trojans and sixth-seeded Served With Ice, and by one point to Conference A’s top-seeded Dirty Birds. 

 

Incidentally, those are the same Dirty Birds Pap N’ Co will be facing in the opening round of the playoffs this weekend. 

 

It’s a matchup Papich admits will be challenge.

 

“They’re clearly a better team than us regardless of the fact we had shortages of players,” he said.

 

Nonetheless, Papich remains optimistic about his team’s chances—all it’ll take is just one more night of turning the unbelievable into reality.

 

“The beautiful thing about football is that you’re playing one game—so if a bunch of things go right for you and you have an amazing game, and they have an off game, you just never know,” he said. “Let’s hope this is a Cinderella story.

 

 

Conference B

 

VPC won their game against the B.D. Bandits, which secured a playoff for VPC and ruined a shot at a perfect season for the B.D. Bandits. Afternoon Delight won a close one against GPK that elevated them from tenth to seventh spot; it also dropped GPK from fifth to eighth. Last, Served With Ice won in a blow out against Ball So Hard University to finish as the seventh seed. Here are the matchups in Conference B:

 

(1) Sandlot Saints vs. (8) GPK

Season Series: None

 

Sandlot Saints – They have flown under the radar the entire season. How can a team that finished first overall in conference B with a 9-1 record be under the radar? It’s mainly because all everyone talks about are the D-Boys, Dirty Birds, B.D. Bandits, Trojans, etc… The Sandlot Saints are just as strong and are led by Dallon Kaprowski  (passed for 1973 yards and 51 TDs), Two-way player of the year Louis Lafreniere-Dupont (695 receiving yards and 22 TDS, 6 INTs on defense) and Tim Kraemer (613 receiving yards and 14 TDs). Mike Bird has done a great job running this team and they are deep enough to make a far run in the post-season.

 

 

GPK – Ryan Phillips should receive GM of the year for his transformation of GPK. He has also played well himself on the field by making big defensive plays. He also appointed Erik Lagarde as the franchise QB in week 2 and GPK has had success ever since which is proven by his record of 5-1-1. He also acquired Tam Vilaydeth and Corey Greenway who have paid dividends for this roster. It’s an athletic roster with many playmakers who can beat you deep or short.

 

Analysis: Captain and GM Ryan Phillips will not be available to play for majority of the playoffs. This is a huge loss for GPK because not only is he a solid defender but more important, he is a great leader for his team. His absence was felt in week 10 when GPK lost to Afternoon Delight. The Sandlot Saints will be fired up and ready to make a statement. I foresee Dallon Kaprowski having a big game on offense and the Saints defense will get the key stops. Winner: Sandlot Saints

 

(2) B.D. Bandits vs. (7) Afternoon Delight

Head-to-Head: None

 

B.D. Bandits – They had a solid regular season that didn’t end as perfect as they had hoped. Scott Kelly put up “elite QB” type numbers but what matters is what he’ll do in the playoffs. The B.D. Bandits had six receivers with at least 6 TDs each, which makes it tough for the defenders to key in on any one receiver. Their team defense had 27 INTs, 9 sacks and 50 PDs. The core is made up of players from the All Blacks, who were always known for aggressive defensive playmaking but never had a QB after the parting of Myles Gibbon. Now it looks like they have found their man in Scott Kelly and anything less than a semi finals appearance would be a disappointment for the B.D. Bandits.

 

Afternoon Delight – They are another team who underachieved given all the talented players on their roster. Terrance Morsink passed for 1853 yards and 41 TDs through 9 games and majority of his TDs went to Liam Mahoney (2013 Division 3 Receiver Of The Year) and Vince Nardone. I find it very tough to believe that their team defense put up pedestrian numbers (9 INTs, 7 Sacks and 18 PDs) despite having top notch defensive players such as Kyle Smith, Vince Nardone, Scott Mironowicz and Liam Mahoney. They ended the season on a high note by defeating GPK.

 

Analysis: The B.D. Bandits defense suffered a setback in week ten but they’ll take that in the regular season any day. I expect them to bounce back and make it very tough for Afternoon Delight to get things going offensively. Both QBs will do their thing and shine in the spotlight however one team will make enough defensive plays to pull out the victory. Winner: B.D. Bandits

 

 

(3) Rude Bwoys vs. (6) Served With Ice

Head-to-Head: Served With Ice won 34-20

 

Rude Bwoys – Domenic Tosi has led this team to a seven-win season. When you think of the top tier QBs, you’ll hear many names except Domenic Tosi and that’s absurd. He passed for 52 TDs and rushed for 356 yards, which makes him a lethal threat to any defense. He spreads the ball and the proof is three receivers who caught at least 10 TD passes (Doug Gelevan, Brian Eudoxie and Bryan Joseph). On the defensive side, Brian Eudoxie is a fearless pass rusher (10 sacks) and they have great defenders led by FPF veteran Eugene McLaren. They’re a well balanced who won’t be easy to beat

 

Served With Ice – Jordan Panetta might not have hit the 50 TD mark (fell short by 4 TDs) however his most impressive statistic is the mere 4 INTs he has thrown all season. Served With Ice’s offense has three receivers with at least 10 TDs (Jean-Daniel Chevalier, Pascal Tshilambo and Karl Lavallee). On the defensive side, they haven’t forced many turnovers but they play a quick and aggressive style defense that does work in their favor in some games.

 

Analysis: Served With Ice had the right formula in their last meeting against the Rude Bwoys but it’s tough to imagine that Domenic Tosi will have two bad games in a row against the same team. It will be a tight game and the team who blinks first will lose. Brian Eudoxie will need to do a great job on Jordan Panetta and the rest should take care of itself. Winner: Rude Bwoys

 

(4) Trojans vs. (5) VPC

Head-to-Head:  VPC won 43-25

 

Trojans – They had a great season and their two losses were against good teams (B.D. Bandits and VPC). Nathan Thompson played well all season long (1927 passing yards and 49 TDs) and had a great supporting cast in Carmine Pollice, Jonathan Lyristis, Mitch Chiba and Sean Avraam. They have an All-Star roster and can score points on will but I have never been sold on their defense (allowed 30.3 points per game). It’s a risky philosophy to always rely on your offense but a eight win season isn’t too shabby.

 

VPC – They haven’t played well all season and for a while, it seemed like they were not going to return to the Division 3 playoffs, but their strong finish to the season (beating the Trojans and B.D. Bandits) has them as an early favorite to go to the finals for a second straight Winter season. Louis Richard seems to be getting better every season and is an X-Factor for VPC. They’ve added Zan Symonds, who has provided much needed depth to their roster. VPC knows they are more than capable of returning to the finals and will start their journey this weekend.

 

Analysis: In their regular season meeting, the difference (besides the absence of Nathan Thompson) was Robbie Robinson’s running game. Hence, the Trojans will need to devise a good defensive scheme to contain Robbie. One suggestion would be to use Jonathan Lyristis as their pass rusher. VPC would love to defeat Nathan Thompson especially since they lost to him (then the QB of SWAT)in the 2012 Winter Division 3 finals. Similarly, Nathan Thompson will need to revive some of his magic that led his team to the championship last winter and him winning the playoffs MPV. As I mentioned earlier that VPC has added depth to their roster (something they were missing last year) and I believe they will make it two in a row against the Trojans. Winner: VPC

 

 

So that’s it for the playoff edition of Inside The Redzone. Good luck to all sixteen teams and hope you guys leave it all on the field except your personal belonging and sweaty football gear. The first round of playoffs will showcase some great games so don’t miss out! DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW OUR TWITTER SECTION ON THE HOMEPAGE! If you liked what I wrote or completely hated it, please share your feedback by sending me your thoughts/comments/suggestions. You can contact me at [email protected] or on Facebook, twitter or in person. I wish everyone good luck in their upcoming games. Till next time, stay classy Division 3!