Playing For Keeps: Confessions of a lonely Saturday night drinker

It’s Saturday night at last and after a long week of work I’m finally settling into my weekend routine. Soiled dinner pans crowd the kitchen counters, lunch Tupperware from the past several days fill the sink, unread and unopened letters scour the table, the girlfriend has gone to bed early in preparation for her Sunday shift, and I’m left to bunk up on the couch with my canine companion and Netflix in the background. I mute the sound of the TV and stream the latest episode of WEFUNK radio to get in my element. Time to pull out the laptop and get down to some FPF action.

There’s been a lot of commotion in the past week, as we’ve seen our field of competition narrow down from 32 to 8. The challenge? I have three brews to fuel me through the stretch as I attempt to recount the past week that was and predict the weekend that will be. Can I make it? Let’s not beat around the bush speculating, onward and upward we go. Let’s get cracking!

Beer 1: The first sip touches your weary soul

Quarterfinals Recap:

Big Fun Party Mix 8 keep the funk going vs Knights

BFPM8 were coming off what was without a doubt the most surprising result of round 1 vs Buckeyes. Not surprising that they won, since they were predicted to emerge victorious, but definitely surprising in the degree of defensive dominance they exerted over their opponent. After holding Buckeyes to a complete goose egg on the scoreboard, they drew a second round matchup against the darlings of the first round, the 8th seed Knights who shocked the division by knocking off the powerhouse Trinity.

The Knights would have none of the swagger that they displayed in round 1 on this evening however, as “Mr. Pleasure” Zackary Alberts-Gill, and “Magic Man” Evan Ely Nolet continued to lead this well-built team to yet another dominant performance. A game that saw a combined 9 INTs was nowhere near as close on the scoreboard as the turnover distribution would suggest. Without sugar coating it, both QBs were bad in this one, very bad. However, Nolet was able to battle through his rough outing and do what he had to do to seal the victory for his team. Ricky Tulino led the BFPM8 receiving corps for the second time in as many games, and now has 117 yards and 3 TDs through two playoff contests. The towering presence of Mike Franzese was looming large all over the field in this one, as he reeled in 7 catches for 2 TDs on offense, and paired those up with 2 INTs on defense as well! Alberts-Gil penetrated Alex Deslauriers’ personal space at will, rounding up a trio of sacks and forcing many more poor throws from the overmatched first year QB.

On the Knights side the one positive was that their defense induced 4 INTs from Nolet and kept them within a prayer of hope for the entire match. Deslauriers tried his best to repent for his 5 INTs as QB, by picking off 3 INTs on defense. Bradley Matsubara added another INT to help his team, and David Horwood, the hero from round 1 for creating the critical turnover, added 7 tackles in his best effort to stop the bleeding.

In the end, BFPM8 were just too good and too experienced, as they cruised to a 22-7 victory and now look forward to a scintillating semi-finals matchup against the red hot Jean Coutu team. We’ve slept on BFPM8 for the good part of the season and the first two rounds of the playoffs thus far. Something tells me these guys enjoy proving us wrong each week, as they seemingly get stronger the longer they play together. There’s nothing like team unity in the playoffs, where the whole is always greater than the individual parts. We’ll revisit them below, where we’ll see if they have what it takes to surprise us once again vs a scary opponent.

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer for Rednecks as they truck through Takeover

Takeover were one of those rare 8 seeds that no one actually believed to be an 8 seed coming into the playoffs. Like a predator in the wild, trying to pose as a humble bystander, only to reveal itself as an imminent threat at the final second and snatch up its unsuspecting prey. The Mad Bears fell victim to this powerhouse in disguise, as their undefeated regular season was thrown out the window with a 20-39 defeat in round 1.

On the other hand, the Red Necks looked vulnerable in their first round matchup, narrowly edging out a Black Knights team which lacked identity for the most part of the season, and unable to stop a one-dimensional quarterback in any capacity. However, they dug their feet into the earth, rolled up their sleeves, and did what they had to do to see the light of the second round. In doing so they revealed glimpses of the character and grit which would allow them to flourish versus the ultra-confident Takeover squad.

Darick Forgues looked a lot better than his average stat line indicates in this one. He kept working what was given to him by the tough Takeover defense, often working the quick slant combos to set them up before taking a deep shot over the top. His top receiving target in this game, Nicolas-Emmanuel Pierre, worked the quick slants to perfection from the slot, often creating enough separation for Forgues to thread the needle. However, he could have helped his team to an even bigger night than the 65 yards and 1 TD game if it were not for a few inopportune drops in tight coverage.

Still, Forgues kept chipping away by delivering solid strikes to his receivers and gave his defense a chance to win the game outright. They relished this opportunity as they have all season, as showcased by the phenomenal and reckless Frédéric Stumpf laying his body out in passing lanes and coming up with 2 huge INTs. Alessandro Arciero tried his best to carry his team on his back, with 60 yards and 2 TDs on 8 catches, but it wasn’t enough, as Ian Einheiber and William Power couldn’t summon the magic once again which they had demonstrated consistently throughout the season.

Redneck emerged victorious 19-13 despite a tough defensive battle and now move on to face a poised FiLP team in the semifinals.

Jean Coutu rude pharmacists put Jagys on Ice

The Jagys and Chill survived a slugfest with Roadrunners in round 1, in which J-F Daloze looked like a dangerous dual threat QB loading up for an extended playoff run. Similarly, Jean Coutu survived a battle of their own, as they remained resilient against their old foes in Dreamville.

Of course, the major storyline going into this one was how Jean Coutu would continue to adapt to the loss of the heart of their defense, and season MVP, Bruno Lagace.

The answer? It didn’t hinder them in the slightest in this matchup. The suffocating defense of JC, led by Tristan Toussaint and his band of ruthless pilferers shook up Daloze’s confidence early and made it a long night for the FPF veterans. Although Yannick Doston was able to continually exploit the middle of the field from the snapper positon, to the tune of 51 yards and 1 TD, it wasn’t enough to match stride for stride with the pure firepower of JC. Antoine Côté “The First” was fleet of foot in this encounter, as he exchanged his regular cannon arm for a pair of Hermes’ winged boots and rushed for 47 yards on 5 attempts. He also repeatedly used his agility to break the rush in the backfield and give his receivers time to shake free from the tough Jagys D.

Toussant iced game late in the second half with a pick 6 on a Jagys short pass. He was truly disruptive in the flats on this night and looks to be emerging as the defensive star of this team in the absence of Lagacé. JC punched themselves a ticket to face the rising BFPM8 in the semi-finals and give themselves a favorable shot of making the finals in their first true FPF season together.

FiLP and All Hooks find true competition in the mirror

It has often been said throughout the course of the season that Danny D’Amour and Charles-Olivier Lavigne play a similar style of quarterback, and have obtained equal results of dominance up until this point of the year. Such an argument was reinforced significantly on this night, as both QBOY and 2WAY matched each other stride for stride for the most part and their teams nearly replicated each other’s stats across the board.

The game started out with a pair of stops, as both offenses stalled while feeling out their opponent. On his second drive, Lavigne’s silky smooth touch pass found his receiver on a deep corner route for the game’s first score. D’Amour, not to be outdone, got his team on the board on the following possession. From there both teams seemed to find their rhythm and a back-and-forth slugfest pursued.

Brenden Sabloff was monumental on this night, as he worked the deep sidelines like a polished receiving machine. His deep comebacks carried the aerial attack for FiLP, on route to 68 yards and 1 TD on 5 catches. Alternatively, Jeremy White was the man for All Hooks, putting in work all over the field to the tune of 61 yards and 2 TDs on 8 catches. Backup came in the towering form of Kevin Smuda, who reeled in 2 catches for 10 yards and 2 TDs, including a key second half 2 point convert where he boxed out his defender on the goaline and pulled down the D’Amour jumpball with relative ease. On the All Hooks side, Felix-Antoine Lavigne played the complimentary role with 15 yards and 1 TD on 3 catches, helping his brother out on offense wherever he could.

The key play in this game came late in the second half, when All Hooks were pressing to tie the score and Lavigne took the snap just before midfield. Expecting a zone coverage, he ran his signature all hooks play and fired quick pass to his right slot receiver. Waiting patiently in the shadows, ready to pounce, was the Oak Tree himself. A very svelte Justin Occhionero, part time vegan and occasional yogalates adherent, jumped the route as if he had been waiting all night for this very moment to make his mark. He took the ball back to the All Hook’s 10 yard line, as his riled up team cheered him on and sensed their chance to take a commanding lead for the first time of the game. That’s exactly what happened, as D’Amour used his signature spinning, wheeling, dangling running ability to break several tackles and prance gingerly into the endzone for the score.

FiLP couldn’t convert the extra point to ice the game, and left All Hooks down by 8 with few minutes remaining. All Hooks, having thrown everything they had at FiLP in this game, was unable to put together a desperation drive and FiLP moved on to the next round matchup vs an awaiting rednecks team.

Beer 2: The second sip quenches your thirst

KGP Ra disregard endangered species, poach the last of the Longhorns

The Longhorns came into this game on an improbable run, having upset the previously undefeated Diablos TWICE IN A ROW in exhilarating fashion. KGP Ra, for their part, were riding an emotional high after gaining their redemption versus Pandas from week 10. Both teams were feeling exceptionally confident heading into this heavyweight brawl.

It was a tale of two halves, as Longhorns came out swinging in the first, backing KGP against the ropes and wailing away on them for a 10 point lead. Jon Moodie continued to work the reliable 1-2 combo of Adam Rosen and Vince Mancini, with an occasional shot with Chris Rosen for good measure. The Rosens and Mancini have been the steady hands driving this offense throughout course the season and were no exceptions at the biggest moment for their team on the biggest stage.

To KGP’s credit, they never once backed down from the Longhorns assault, chipping away points wherever they could and staying within range for the second half. As testament to the poise this team possess beyond their years, they regrouped at halftime and made some significant alterations to their gameplan that would have a profound impact on the second half of this game. Dylan Garber continued to use his signature short pass game to pepper Ryan Garber, Jonathan Garfinkle and Phil Cutler as KGP mounted a heroic second half comeback. A few unfortunate mistakes from the Longhorns squad ultimately ended up costing them the game, as KGP took advantage of a deflected pass and a poor route combination to pick off Jon Moodie twice in the second half and turn the momentum in their favor. The Longhorns had them on the ropes and let them slip, as KGP showed tremendous heart and determination to battle their way back and move on to the semi-finals versus a red hot LOB team.

Les Verges Folles resurface just in time to quell the striking Affreux

If you were to use the first round as a measuring stick for how this game would play out, LVF looked to be in hot water vs their opponents. Having narrowly escaped the struggling Preachers team by 2 points, they looked primed to be upset and see the emerging Affreux cruise into the semi-finals. On their side, Affreux were coming off a dismantling of the number 1 seed Flagrant Fouls, which nobody had anticipated to be so lopsided. They possessed the experience and talent to turn it on at any moment, and it seemed as though they had done just that heading into the quarter finals vs an apparently vulnerable LVF.

Fortunately for LVF and for us as sports enthusiast, the game doesn’t play out on paper and anything can happen once your cleats hit the turf. LVF continued their impressive offense from the first round (and from the regular season) as they drove on Affreux without remorse and were nearly flawless in execution. Zacharie Quiviger had his second straight 200+ yard 5 TD game, this time without an INT. He spread the ball around equitably to his receiving staff, keeping Les Affreux off balanced and unable to zero down on any individual receiver. Shawn Lafortune, Jocelyn Legault and Nassim Ouadhi each caught 50+ yards for their team as they consistently set their QB up to finish in the redzone.

The Jonathan Lemieux we’ve all know from previous seasons returned just in time for the playoffs, as he had his second consecutive solid game for Les Affreux, and kept them within striking range throughout the entire contest. He finishes his playoffs with a 9-0 TD/INT ratio, and will certainly feel confident heading into the spring season in several weeks. Mathieu Dubois was the big gainer on this night, with 5 catches for 96 yards and 1 TD. Jean-Daniel Joly capped off his strong season with 59 yards and another 2 TDs receiving.

There was nothing wrong with this Affreux team’s effort and they should be acknowledged for an entertaining playoff run, as they gained momentum late in the season and hit their stride in the first two matchups. As for LVF, dare we say the expectations we had for them from preseason are finally coming to fruition? Their offense is a powerhouse in this division and their defense is finally finding a way to do just enough to get the job done. Either way, they now draw the upstart BOR team in the semi-finals, with a chance to earn their spot in the final showdown at Brossard under the big lights and flashing cameras.

Bunch of Rookies usher Dope Boys to a quick exit

Of all the teams that advanced to the second round of the playoffs, none had it easier than Dope Boys, who inherited a pass with a 30-0 forfeit by an undermanned Keyport Lock. Still, you couldn’t blame them for their opponent dropping out prematurely, so it was interesting to see how the new look offense under Ridwan Abdur would look matched up against one of the elite 8 teams in the division.

The result? Pretty much as expected by pundits and div 5 followers alike. Bunch of Rookies continued their dark horse playoff run, fueled once again by a passionate and smothering defensive unit spearheaded by AJ Gomes with 2 INTs and an explosive Jimmy Marneris with 4 sacks. Holding the pair of Dope Boys QBs to a shade over 100 passing yards and 1 TD is simply dominant. The Dope Boys offense was outmatched in this one, and their inspiring late season run comes short of the finals, but should still be seen as a success by a young team demonstrating remarkable progress each year. Robbi Dejean was the bright star in this game for them, with 47 yards and 1 TD on offense and 5 tackles and 1 INT on D.

As for Bunch of Rookies, it was business as usual on offense with Mohammed Nechchad catching 56 yards and 2 TDs, and Anthony Lazzara reeling in 45 yards and 1 TD. They’ll need to score more than 25 points this week to match up with LVF, but the low scoring game was more so a product of being unchallenged vs Dope Boys, rather than a glaring vulnerability. I expect them to bring all their big weapons out to the field on Sunday in what promises to be a slugfest between both teams.

LOB band together to tame the Griffin

Two of the hotter teams in division 5A squared off against each other on the path to the conference finals. LOB came off a trouncing of a very solid TDs and Beer team, while Bruthers had outplayed the QBOY and scrappy GGPC roster for the second time this season. It appeared to be a balanced matchup between two teams with very different styles of play but equal capability. That’s where all comparisons stopped however, as appearances can be deceiving and LOB ran the tables on the flat footed Bruthers.

Morgan Tajfel, the rapidly progressing QB for the Bruthers, felt he needed ratchet up the intensity in this game and summon his next level alter ego the Griffin. This proved to be a mistake, as Grififn couldn’t get anything going against the experienced LOB defense, supported by a pesky rush from Pasquale Gregaroto. LOB forced Griffin to make uncomfortable throws into tight windows, resulting in a trio of interceptions from Kolethras, Hovington, and the other Johnson.

Speaking of the other Johnson; Cory Johnson was absolutely brilliant for the second consecutive game at QB and is quickly making a case to lend that surname tag to his brother Lonnie. He threw 200+ yards and 6 TDs for the second straight game, and was never challenged in this one as he completed an astounding 83% of his passes. Having spoken to some of the LOB guys, it seems like the switch to Cory was made late season due to an overworked Lonnie having thrown for 3 teams in the regular season and Francois Deslauriers being unable to snap due to a finger injury. However, the added advantage of this exchange has now freed up Lonnie to dominant from the snapper position, and a flexed out Francois Deslauriers is wreaking havoc as a possession receiver in the slot. Jason Hovington continues to present a matchup nightmare for everyone in this division, as he reeled in a trio of TDs on offense. LOB look absolutely scary right now as they take their loaded roster into a semifinals matchup vs KGP Ra.

Beer 3: The third sip sets you at ease

Predictions

KGP Ra vs LOB

Previous Matchup: Week 1: 26-25 LOB

As gangster as the young Dylan Garber has been so far this season at the QB position, Cory Johnson has the advantage as a pure passer for his ability to throw the ball with velocity and anticipation. I have two questions going into this game at the QB position. 1) Will Cory Johnson be able to go to a plan B when KGP Ra show him a united and fluid defense like he hasn’t seen yet in his 3 starts so far?

2) How will Dylan Garber react to a defense that just demolished a QB with a similar style of play to him (scrambling in backfield and completing short, athletic passes)?

I think Dylan Garber has the higher floor in this game, while Cory Johsnon has the higher ceiling. It seems unlikely at this point that Dyaln will throw more than 1 INT, while we don’t know if Cory could implode under pressure and post a multi-INT game. Alternatively, Cory has shown the ability to throw 6 TDs with ease so far in these playoffs, while Dylan keeps chipping away with solid, smart and safe efforts.

Both teams possess an array of talented, explosive receivers, capable of making huge plays at any given moment. Jonathan Garfinkle, Phil Cutler and Ryan Garber vs Lonnie Johnson, Francois Deslauriers and Jason Hovington. In such a well-balanced positional matchup I actually look for the veteran GM Kolethras to step up and add that extra firepower to the LOB attack, giving them a 4 man arsenal at receiver that KGP will have trouble accounting for.

On defense I’m looking to Jonathan Garfinkle and his 10 INT season to pull back deep into secondary and make life difficult for Cory “The Gunslinger” Johnson. KGP is effective at game planning and will have to come up with a scheme that takes away Johnson’s first read and forces him to throw into coverage. I cannot believe that a QB that hasn’t played a full season like Cory can continue to breeze through the playoffs as easily as he’s done thus far. KGP will have to summon their pride and make a stand vs the aggressive LOB offense.

On the other side, the LOB defense is smart, crafty, and adaptive. Francois Deslauriers is absolutely disruptive in the flats and can make life difficult for QBs looking to check down to their last read. I can imagine him stepping infront of a pass and making the critical play in this game to allow LOB to take control of the game.

This has all the makings of a back-and-forth, 12 round slugfest between two teams with a lot of heart and who are hungry to make it back to Brossard. I think LOB will come out ahead in the end as they prove to have just a little more firepower than KGP Ra can handle.

Prediction: 32-26 LOB

Les Verges Folles vs Bunch of Rookies

Previous Matchup: Week 3: 46-41 LVF

The previous matchup between these teams was significant for 2 reasons. First, it revealed the concerning trend with LVF which ended up being their major pain point throughout the season, their inability to stop teams consistently on defense. Secondly, it took a young team that no one gave much thought to before the season, and put them in the spotlight as they were able to compete and score on the so-called top dog of the division at the time. The Bunch of Rookies appeared on our radar as a team to watch for the first time in this game.

Fast track to week 13 and here we are again, as both teams are eager to show the other what they’ve learned throughout the season so far. LVF offense is coming into this game hot, averaging 32.5 points scored per game in 2 contests. On the other hand, BOR defense has been stifling, allowing an average of 16 points per game in the playoffs.

Zacharie Quiviger has done an excellent job this year creating opportunity while limited his exposure to risk. He keeps his INTs low and his completion percentage high, as he spreads the ball around to his receivers and attacks the soft spots of the opposing defense. Jonathan Goyette isn’t as polished as his counterpart, but he stepped up to bat for BOR this season when called upon and it’s undebatable that this team wouldn’t have made it this far without his efforts at QB.

Once the dust settles, I think that Goyette will put up points on the LVF defense, but will throw his customary 1-2 INTs in the process. Quiviger may stumble on a drive or two while adapting to the BOR aggressive defense, but he will find his footing a deliver another impressive and INT-free performance on route to a starting spot in the championship game.

Prediction: 33-24 LVF

Rednecks vs Friends in Low Places

No Previous Matchup

It’s an odd development for sure, but the team with the inferior record in this matchup will decide who starts with the ball, as Rednecks get home field advantage. As most teams do, they will likely defer for the second half and see what FiLP can bring to the table on offense. Similar to both these team’s quarterfinals games, I can see this game playing out as more of a defensive battle since they match up so well together in terms of personnel.

Darick Forgues is gifted athletically and will be entrenched and a heated individual battle with FiLP stud rusher Justin Matteo. I believe that it will be in Forgues’ best interest to get the ball out quick in this game and work the short patterns to Nicolas-Emmanuel Pierre and Louis Beauchamp.

On the other side of the ball, it will be interesting to see the matchup between Frédéric Stumpf and Kevin Smuda, as they are both very physical athletes who command a lot of space on the field will surely butt heads early and often in this one. What leads me to believe that FiLP has the advantage in this one is the superior play of late from Brenden Sabloff. Between Sabloff, Justin Santillo and Danny D’Amour’s running ability, the FiLP offense is diversified and can create matchup problems at all levels of the field.

Look for Justin Occhionero and Michael Timmis to break up some of the Rednecks signature slant patterns in the short zone defense, as D’Amour lurks in the background waiting to intercept Forgues’ deep attempt. D’Amour will have to avoid Stumpf is he wants to succeed, but I believe he can do this by spreading the ball around to his wealth of his receivers and busting off runs when needed.

Prediction: 32-20 FiLP

Big Game Party Mix 8 vs Jean Coutu

Previous Matchup: Week 8: 33-20 jean Coutu

Once again, the team with the inferior record comes into the game with home field advantage and controls the coin toss. BFPM8 will look to put their stifling defense on display early and show Jean Coutu that it will be a bloody 60 minute battle for the privilege of being represented at Brossard.

This is an intriguing matchup between a gritty defensive club and a finesse offensive team. Jean Coutu have cruised through a fairly difficult schedule this year, lighting up tough defenses when they are “on” and struggling against the top tier teams when they are “off”. Their inconsistency has been the only blemish on an otherwise very strong campaign, as they truly believe they are head and shoulders above everyone else in the division in terms of pure talent. BFMP8, on the other hand, have battled each week to prove that they belong in elite contention. They took advantage of a slightly weaker season schedule than Jean Coutu, but have answered almost all questions when challenged and deserve to be where they are.

The key question that has been looming for several weeks now will finally come to the fore in this game and required addressing: Can Evan Ely Nolet hang around with one of the premier, high-volume gunslingers in the division if this game becomes a western style shootout? So far, Nolet has been asked by his sturdy defense to just manage the game and avoid critical errors. Jean Coutu will surely break this mold and force BFPM8 to stand round for round with them in this one. If Nolet has one big game left in him this season, a career defining moment if you will, he will need to deliver it now at the most important moment. It seems like a tall task for me to believe at this point, but I truly hope this game plays out as interesting as advertised.

Prediction: 33-20 Jean Coutu

Coffee Interlude

That’s it for this week! The semifinals are already here tonight and we are all eager to see the best teams of division 5 go at each other in the clutch. This is where the truly great players differentiate themselves and elevate their performances. The winners will buy themselves a ticket to Brossard for the Road Show, the most sacred day on the FPF calendar. Remember, if you win, you should send a team representative to Anjou for the press conference this week to hype up your team. Best of luck to all competitors, and may the best teams win and meet each other in the finals.