Playing for Keeps: The Closers

No one remembers those who can’t close.

More precise words about the finals have never been said.

You can trudge through the grind of the regular season, tap dance your way through the first rounds of the playoffs even…but if you can’t seal the finals then it’s all for naught.

History only remembers the winners. It may be cold but it’s a fact.

So here we are this weekend, too old to be prodigies, but too young to be the greatest ever.

We all dip in and out of FPF throughout our daily lives, searching for a good run to let the beast out. But this weekend is for the winners. Those seeking glory. The ones willing to lay it all on the line for a sweet moment success. The culmination of weeks, months and years of dedication to a game that we all love.

So while we celebrate all of FPF in the conclusion of the winter 2019 season, here’s to our 4 finalists: may they forever chase their ambitions with a childish zeal, and always stay loyal to the game.

Let’s blow the top off Brossard this weekend.

 

 

Prologue

Recaps Div 1 semi Finals

D-Boys flush out the Braves

The D-Boys roster concerns heading into the semi-final tilt with Braves proved to be unfounded, as they comfortably slid Travis Moses into Jordan McLaren’s spot and had a strong 6 man lineup. The Braves, for their part, rolled out a nearly complete lineup, save for the versatile Antoine Boulard who was absent.

With the roster sheet settled, it was time for both contenders to place their wagers, with a trip to the championship on the line. The D-Boys got first dibs, and quickly but calmly manoeuvered their way into the opponent’s red zone. On second and five the Braves speed demon – Julien Paiement – burst out of his four point stance and tracked down Marco Masciotra for a 5 yard loss. On third and 10, Masciotra tried to thread a needle over the middle on the front goal line. Jason Courchesne didn’t budge, throwing his weight in front of the cutting receiver and knocking the pass down. Finally on fourth down, with his receivers unable to shake free in the back of the end zone, Masciotra took another big sack from Paiement, turning over the ball to Braves with great field position.

Jonathan Maheu quickly took advantage of the opportunity, getting the normally foolproof Matt Kirouac in the air on a pump fake, and scampering off for a large gain. He punched in the next pass to JD Chevalier on a short post for the score. The 2-point convert was unsuccessful and Braves had the early lead and the turnover.

The Braves were playing a lot of cover 2 early, with Courchesne guarding the deep inside while yielding an opening down the right wing. Never one to shy away from even a small opening, Marco quickly spotted it and put it to work. He peppered a fastball slightly above a streaking Theo. The freakishly talented star leaped up at full speed, contorted his body mid air to secure the catch, and tapped his feet inbounds while throttling the sidelines. With the adrenaline still pumping, Marco rifled a laser towards his number 1 guy on a goal line dig. This time the pass was a bit low, but again Theo made the spectacular seem ordinary, by snagging it millimeters above the turf and corralling it against his leg while spinning into the catch. A perfectly placed corner to a sneaking Travis Moses on the two-point convert gave the Boys an 8-6 lead and put some momentum back in their court.

Maheu started the next drive by calmly completing a pair of hooks for a first down. It seemed like he had just too much speed at receiver for the D-Boys defense to account for. All he had to do was not mess up…Just then, he ran a fly-post combo down the left side for his two top targets. The D-Boys were in zone, and Theo did a marvelous job taking away the streak down the left sideline, which Maheu was eyeing the entire time. At the last second he shifted target and threw a soft post over the middle to Chevalier. Maheu never saw Quaid Johnson backpedaling into coverage. The seasoned free safety was quick and ruthless, going up and boxing out everything around him, while coming down with the interception. D-Boys got their turnover back. This was a fresh game.

You could tell that the underdog role brings out the best in D-Boys, as they were playing fierce and focused, with a chip on their shoulder. The Marco to Theo connection started cooking, as Marco’s ball was whistling around the field. A pat down by Maheu put D-Boys in a fourth and 5 situation at their opponent’s 15 yard line. With halftime nearing, the tension on the sidelines was palpable as D-Boys could ill afford another miss. Calm as ice, Marco stepped up and fired a dart to his trusted snapper Kirouac on an out.  And 1 with the defender draped over him, as Kirouac reeled in the pass and got the foul, pushing his team to the 1 yard line. A couple of plays later Marco slipped a pass through a pair of defenders right into Theo’s window, who stuck the catch for the 14-6 lead.

With just over a minute left in the half, Braves got back to work with a methodical approach. A pat down by Kirouac on second and goal had the D-Boys hungry for another stop, but it wouldn’t come yet, as Maheu led Chevalier on a cross for the score. Another failed 2-point convert by the Braves sent them into the half trailing 14-12.

Braves started with the ball out of the break and tried something new. A wrap around to Chevalier had him clear the edge and make a few guys miss in space for a healthy gain. At 7 yards out, Maheu hit Mike Pierrecin on a slant that allowed the agile snapper to accelerate into the end zone. A pat down by Quaid following a pitch back to JD kept the score at 18-14 Braves.

The Braves missed 2-point converts were starting to hurt.

Where the D-Boys were carried offensively by Theo in the first half, the Justin McLean show was just about to begin. Up to that point the reserved star receiver for D-Boys was having a nondescript night on offense, even though he was completely shutting down the normally destructive George Gariepy on defense. Still, everyone knows that the fire is always smouldering within Justin, and it doesn’t take much to get him blazing. After a pair of incomplete deep attempts to commence the drive, D-Boys were staring down a third and 10 from their starting line. Marco threw caution to the wind and heaved a bomb at least 50 yards downfield, to the very back of the end zone. Justin had left Gariepy trailing off the line, and was head on full speed barreling towards the tight sideline and the ominous wooden bench awaiting mere feet outside the back goal line. Somehow, he was able to totally kill his momentum by dropping to the floor like a rag doll, while at the same time reeling in the over the shoulder catch and dragging his knees in bounds for the score. He expertly maneuvered the death trap and put the Boys back up 20-18.

A whiff of the championship gets everyone excited, and the thirst was strong in Kirouac at rusher on this night. On the following defensive sequence, he once again bit on the pump fake, allowing Maheu to take off on the run, make 3 tacklers miss, and get the lead right back for his squad.

The thrill was short lived for Braves, as Justin whipped Gariepy again on the inside post, reeling in Marco’s perfect touch pass for the 26-24 lead. The D-Boys missed yet another convert. At this point in the game both teams were 1 for 8 combined for extras, with the original D-Boys 2-pointer as the lone distinguisher.

It felt at this point like both teams would simply exchange scores the rest of the way and let converts decide the winner, as the offenses were humming. Just then, as is often the case in such big games, the smallest of errors ended up blowing the game open. Maheu went to his trusty snapper Mike on a slant as he had done several times throughout the game and dozens of times throughout the season. This time, for whatever reason, nerves, moisture, miscommunication, etc. the pass was an extra foot out in front of him. Time seemed to slow as everyone recognized what was happening. The ball sailed past Mike’s outstretched hands and right into the lap of a well-placed McLean. Justin took a split second to secure the pass, and probably to assure himself that this was indeed happening, and took off towards the Braves end zone. He was tackled just short but the damage was done, as Marco quickly stretched out his lead with the hook and backpedal from Kirouac. The missed convert now made it 32-24 Boys, leaving Braves in a desperate position with just a few minutes remaining.

A quick touchdown by Braves but a failed 2-point convert made it 32-30 D-Boys. Braves desperately needed the ball back. With under a minute remaining, they left Theo open on a streak down the right wing, conceding the touchdown so they could get back the ball. At 38-30 a simple convert would ice it. Theo on the deep in made sure there would be no miracle comeback.

 D-Boys secured the 39-30 victory and head to the finals yet again despite the trails and tribulations experienced along their odyssey this winter. Call it a character win from a character team.

 

FMS outlast Finest in historic offensive showpiece

The first game was a treat, but the main show was just warming up on field 3 at Lachine on Saturday night, as ANP’s Flag Moi L’Sac were looking to dethrone Kevin Wyeth’s Finest. There was a feeling of giddy anticipation surrounding these two teams as they eagerly hovered over the sidelines, peering out at the game before them. Neither team looked stressed, as both seemed genuinely happy to be competing in a game of importance. We had some stone cold ballers at the field loosening up. Such loose spirits but razor sharp focus should have been the hint suggesting the offensive master piece we were about to witness.

Wyeth’s Finest started with the ball. He came out carving, on a direct path with tunnel vision towards the end zone. The heat emanating from his slants to snapper Karim Binette were warming up my beer on the sidelines. This was not a good thing. He completed the perfect drive with a TD to Akked Moore on the goal line out. 5 for 5. 6-0 Finest. No extra.

ANP trudged onto the field, surely in a bit of awe at what he just saw. Wyeth busted some groove to kick off this dance off, and he now cha-cha-chaed the spotlight over to his younger adversary. ANP stumbled on his first move, missing the first two passes and setting his team up in a third and 10 situation. As if that wasn’t bad enough, receiver Guillaume Robert caught an OC for overly contesting sideline contact. So it was 3rd and 20 on FMS’ first drive, and I half whispered over to Terry Tam: “this is it.”

Wyeth, who was standing 4 feet beside us on the sidelines, was heard shouting to his defense: “give them the middle, watch the comebacks.” This proved to be wise counsel, although unheeded, as ANP wound up and fired a 17 yard come back to the elastic Anthony Vendrame down the right sideline. At fourth and three, ANP pumped short left, had the entire defense shoot in that direction, and casually flipped a touchdown to SNP drifting alone to the right corner. All tied up at 6.

The tempo of the game began picking up and they had my head spinning from the turbulent tailwind of the back and forth offensive bonanza.

Wyeth hit Pat Jerome on a short post, who weaved through the middle of the defense on route a 40 yard TD. A corner to Jerome on the convert put Finest up 13-6.

ANP went back to Vendrame, who was ripping off chunks of field on each catch. The Finest defense couldn’t hold him in space. He was weaving in and out between slot and wide, making it impossible for his opponent to adapt to him. ANP found the vacancy in the end zone, sending it over the top to his man. 13-12 Finest on the failed convert.

Wyeth continued his mission, storming downfield and making it hail on the beleagured FMS defense. He went back to the post to Jerome, this time from midfield. With a defender just in front of his man, Wyeth tucked the ball beautifully just over the threatening reach, nestled softly into Jerome’s hands for the score. A back end zone curl to Kishon on the extra made it 20-12 Finest. They were starting to build a cushion on the extras.

Despite the gaudy stats, ANP was not perfect in this game. Especially early on, as he missed a few plays and had to maneuver some sticky situations. However, if he wasn’t perfect in execution, he was extra smart. Once again in third and 10, he loaded up and went to vendrame in the slot for 20 yards. On the next ply he looked left, pumped hard and threw a no-look, stop-and-go to Robert on a rope down the right sideline. Pat Jerome seemed impressed by the play, as he started goading ANP with calls to try that again. A few choice words were exchanged between the goliaths of flag. FMS went for two. ANP drew the defense to the back of the end zone, and fired a strike to Vendrame at the front. Vendrame took a hit. The ball was knocked loose. There was a lot of contact, but no call. 20-18 Finest.

It didn’t take the Finest long to get back on the scoreboard. Kevin sprung Akked loose on a slant. The big man erupted up field all the way to 5 yard line before getting tackled. The Finest had registered their opponent’s looks on defense. FMS had nothing in the tank. Wyeth slung a slant out to Binette for the score. Akked going up top on the extra point gave the Finest a 27-18 lead, approaching the half.

A quick reply by ANP on a corner to Felix Prevost cut the gap. FMS went for two. This time ANP fired a comeback to Prevost on the tip of the end zone and finally got it. 27-26.

Finest had 5 plays left, and they would be significant, as FMS was getting the ball after the break. Wyeth used 4 plays to get his team in position from 10 yard out. He ran a smash concept to the right, sending a perfect pass to JCMP up top at the back of the end zone. The league’s new star receiver timed his jump perfectly, but the ball bounced off his hands as he tried to secure the catch. The Finest missed a chance, and in a game this tight those can sometimes be the difference. They took only a 1 point lead into the half.

Back at right wide to start the second half, Vendrame caught a hook and burst through the defense for a score. A failed convert made it 32-27 for FMS.

It was the Akked show in response. As the safety valve took two catches with major YAC and brought Finest to the 8 yard line. Wyeth faked a slant to Binette and dropped a soft touch pass to Kishon along the back-IN for the score. At 33-32, the Finest signalled their intention to go for 1. Wyeth pump faked, tried to avoid the rusher by backpedalling and immediately hit the ground, clutching his ankle and wincing in pain.

His teammates helped him over to the sideline, where he tried to will his body back into shape enough to play on. The game continued, but all eyes were on number 14.

The Vendrame show continued, as he carried his offense to the 5 yard line. Now Vendrame and Jerome were getting into it, with the Finest’s bench chirping the sizzling superstar. Vendrame had something in store for them in his bag of tricks. A stutter step, delayed out on the goal line from the left slot put his team back on top 38-33. A +2 was successful to SNP once again on the comeback, and FMS finally went up by a full score, 40-33.

Wyeth walked back out on the field, masking the pain he was unquestionably battling through. As if to make the statement that he wasn’t going anywhere, on his first pass he heaved Thor’s hammer 50 yards downfield, just missing a streaking JCMP. At fourth and 1 at midfield a few plays later, Wyeth ripped a slant to Jerome. FMS’s defensive anchor, Jonathan Beaulieu-Richard, just grazed the pass, watching it slip away as Jerome tuned up field and carried in the score. Down 40-39 the Finest elected to go for 1 and the tie. Jerome’s trash talk, now flared up after the touchdown, crossed the boundary of cool and eared his team a 5 yard penalty with his OC. The Finest instead now opted to go for 2 points from 15 yards out. It didn’t work out.

A quick TD to Beaulieu down the left sideline quickly dispelled Finest’s hopes of getting the clutch stop. 46-39 FMS. They went for two to potentially go up by two scores. Who else but Vendrame on this night would seal the catch. 48-39 FMS with just a few minutes left.

The Finest scored as fast as they could, with Wyeth leading JCMP on a fade. They were down 48-45, with under two minutes to go, and Kishon elected to cancel the convert. The decision seemed dubious to the offense as soon as they returned to the sidelines and understood what that meant. If the entire game leading up to that moment had been any indication, FMS were likely going to score again. The Finest’s only chance would have been to convert the extra. Stop FMS from getting their extra on the next possession. And then score on the final play of the game and convert a 2 pointer to go to overtime. Kishon, the fierce competitor he is, must have seen no other possibility besides his championship team rising to the challenge as they’ve done countless times prior, and coming up with the vital stop. It wasn’t to be this time. ANP broke the rusher, turned the right corner and was off to the races for a 40 yard running touchdown.  

With 5 play left Kevin kept swinging until the end. He stepped up on 1st down and drilled a 40 yard touchdown right into JCMP’s mitts. FMS called the game and booked a date with the D-Boys for FPF’s ultimate prize.

 

 

The Meat

Division 2 Finals Breakdown

By Daniel Lazzara

Braves 2.0 vs YCSWU

The battle between the division two heavy weights will be one for the ages. Maheu and his high powered offence vs Holowach’s blend of FPF star studded vets. Look no further than the Div 2 Finals for some of the best quality flag players this league has to offer going head to head. 

Both teams are coming off huge wins in their respected Semi Finals matchups. The Braves were able to cruise through Terror Squad by 12 points. Maheu had a stellar game at the pivot position as he found Guillaume Ranger for 3 scores, and Mike Pierrecin for 2 TDs. JD chevalier didn’t have the greatest stat line on offence however his defensive skills are what made the difference in this one. He was able to get his hands on one of the two interceptions the Braves defence was able to muster up. This Braves 2.0 team is as potent as they come, & you better believe they’ll be willing to take their shots all night with the talent they have on the offensive side of the ball. 

On the flip side, YCSWU is coming off a shootout vs Khantraversy as they were able to secure the victory by a score of 41-38. Holowach had a performance many of his teammates were used to seeing as he threw for 245 yards and 6 touchdowns. However, the most impressive stat of the night would come from having each touchdown thrown to a different receiver, making the offence as unpredictable as they come. Justin Mclean led the pact by hauling in 10 receptions for 69 yards and a TD, as well as capturing the game’s only turnover on the last play from scrimmage. YCSWU carry an amusing, effective and deadly game plan to each game as each individual understands their role on the team. Danny D’amour mentioned how “in previous seasons there would always be the 1 or 2 sour apples of the bunch who would demand the ball on offence. What makes this team special is how everyone trusts Alex (Holowach) in making the correct plays to ultimately do what we’ve been doing all year. 

The matchup between these two finalists carry a matchup every FPF fan loves watching. Two quarterbacks who have been steamrolling past teams all year, with a chance to win a Winter Division 2 Title. For the Braves, this isn’t unchartered territory as they’ve had numerous successful seasons from the moment they have joined FPF. As for YCSWU, this is their first appearance in a championship game as a team. Although YCSWU are relatively new to this scenery, don’t kid yourself. This team is filled with outstanding athletes across the board. It’s going to take mistake free football for any of these teams to squeeze away with this one. 

The Braves come into this matchup leading conference A in Points For at 408 total.  The only team that had produced more points throughout the season would be yours truly, the big bad boys who claim that nobody can sit with them, rightfully so at 414. If you’re a gambling man, do yourself a favour and take the over. Two gunslingers going at it a chance of recreational glory in addition to off-season bragging rights on the line? Count me in! 

What to look for:

Braves 2.0:

Maheu loves taking his shots deep whenever he feels as though the defence is playing a little too tight, trying to jump his crossing patterns or if he simply catches one of the defenders sleeping on a play. Maheu’s a very clever QB who rarely makes any mistakes. Johnathan completed 68.3% of his passes as he threw for 59 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions on the season, carrying a 127.8 QBR heading into the playoffs (woah!!). A “go to” receiver is someone who can be relied on for crucial, clutch, situations. That special someone can also go by the name of JD Chevalier for this Braves team. With only playing 8 games on the year, he was able to haul in 40 receptions, 634 yards and 22 (YES 22!) Touchdowns on the season (2nd in all of D2). Furthermore, as most of the league knows by now, If you don’t guard Mike Pierrecin, it’s going to be a very long day for the Defence. His 40 receptions, 494 yards and 10 TDs is nothing to joke about. He’s a tackle football running back with hands that rarely result in drops. It’s as if Maheu basically has Saquan Barkley playing at snapper for him (I’m not kidding this man is JACKED). Once he gets that ball in space, very few can make that open-field tackle. If I’m Vince Nardone & that Defence, I’m going to make sure I keep an eye out on wherever JD lines up pre snap, and where Mike goes post snap. This way I can get an idea as to where these two lethal threats will be coming from.

What makes this team roll, is their ability to create turnovers at any time during the game. The Braves defence was able to generate 14 interceptions on the season, as Marc-Andre Lapointe led them with his 4. What many people don’t realize is the reason this defence is able to make the plays they do is due to their exceptional rusher Julien Paiement. Julien gets to the QB as quick as anyone in the league (10 sacks on the season) and can be a critical factor in deciding the outcome to this game. If I’m Holowach, I’m looking to get rid of that ball as quick as I can. Taking chances at juking this style of rusher is a game no Quarterback should ever get himself involved in. 

 

YCSWU 

All season, many doubted, many hated, and most of all many didn’t buy into the hype that this team has created. From week one they kept the pedal to the metal. Whether it be winning games by having Terry Tam catch a 2 point convert on a toe drag swag to beat STL in the week 2, or stepping on the throats of Opponents such as they did vs Clockmakers in the playoffs. This team is not the new kid on the block when it comes to showing up in big moments. They’ve produced many nail biting finishes and have come out victorious in each one thus far. As good as a season Maheu has head, Alex Holowach won QB of the year for a reason. Alex completed 70.9% of his passes as he threw for 60 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions on the season, carrying a 128.8 QBR heading into the playoffs. What I found most impressive was that throughout the 10 games he played, he was only able to be captured for 1 sack (Ok seriously??). Holowach was dropping dimes all season long and it was no secret. If you’ve played vs this team, you can get a taste of what tremendous chemistry throughout the entire team looks like. By having everyone on the same page for every down of football, it makes all the difference in having the success needed to make a dynamic run for a championship. Tam made some key off season acquisitions by adding Chris Milard and Justin Mclean to this explosive offence. Chris was able to produce 38 receptions for 530 yards and 15 touchdowns with 10 games played. Justin was able to carry the load just as much as Chris when his number was called as he enjoyed a healthy 42 receptions, 540 yards and 13 Touchdowns  on solely 8 games played (okay seriously are you a free agent next season???). Both receivers were able to achieve tremendous statistical seasons, however it was the play of Holowach’s supporting cast that made this team undefeated. Players such as Sasha Papich who hauled in 9 TDs on the season, or Marco Bertoldi that finished with 7 TDs himself. Many would consider these two studs a WR1 option on any other teams, nonetheless that just goes to show the depth that this team carries. If they play to their potential believe me they will be a handful for that Braves Defence. 

The flag experience that this YCSWU Defence has is really what stands out when you’re looking from the outside in. They make it difficult for opposing QBs to find the right read by having Players shoot areas in which they believe you’re trying to attack. The strength of this defence all begins with their signal caller in Vince Nardone. He brings an extraordinary amount of knowledge to the game that makes it easier for teammates as he puts them in the best position to succeed. This group of savvy vets were able to muster up a total of 14 interceptions on the season. A large part of this success would also be credited to their speedy rusher Chris Milard. His quickness mixed in with ability to read the eyes and get a PD a la Kirouac is what really sets him apart fromother rushers in this league. Milard finished the season with 4 sacks, 4 pass deflections, and an endless amount of times having the opposing QB rush their throw because of the pressure he puts on them.

All In all, I think this game is going to see a share of turnovers by both quarterbacks. I expect JD Chevalier to have a big bounce back game for his squad. On the contrary to what many would assume, my dark horse X-Factor in this game will be the play of Sasha Papich. With all the attention going to Mclean and Milard, I can see Holowach picking his spots and making the most out of the 6’3 monster down in the redzone. Ultimately, I’m going with YCSWU by a score of 38-34. 

 

Division 1 Finals Breakdown

Flag Moi L’sac (1st) vs D-Boys (3rd)

Previous Encounter:

45-39 FMS week 4

34-31 D-Boys week 1

How we got here

They played each other twice in the regular season, splitting the pair like they were going dutch. In both games neither team were full strength, so it will be interested that they meet at last with their all-dressed rosters in the finals.

In the first game, we saw Marco Masciotra start to come alive on offense after a slow start to the season. Barely able to field a 6 man roster for the 11 pm game at Hebert, he looked calm while whizzing fireballs around the field to his eclectic receiving corps. This was also the first spotting of Travis Moses on the D-Boys, a move that stuck in the weeks to come. Despite Marco’s brilliance, and Kendal Mayer’s “The Catch” moment, ANP was just too much for the D-Boys patchwork defense. This was also ANP in the midst of his “Fuck the World, I’m breaking records” phase (not an official quote). The SNP/Guillaume Robert receiving duo overpowered the Boys, and FMS took it down 45-39.

The second game also had odd roster alignments, but in a different way. FMS called up Cougars standout Wedens Alexandre from division 3, and they had springy Zachary Alexis replacing his more robust brother Jourdain. The D-Boys were finally 7 for once, and had a more sensible lineup, with Justene Edwards replacing then injured Justin McLean. An injury to FMS snapper JP St-Pierre had Alexis slide over to snap. His wobbly snaps threw off ANP’s rhythm just enough for D-Boys to tag him for the stop. Marco iced the final drive to who else but Theo, and D-Boys parred the series at 1-1. On to the rubber match.

Flag Moi L’sac

Off: 393 (1/8)            Def: 338 (4/8)

If you’re walking your dog around Mile End getting a bagel and a cappuccino and happen to come across one of their hipster looking players, there’s no way you would say to yourself “this guy’s probably a baller”.

They show up to the field with funk and panache. They pull back their baggy sweaters and tight jeans to reveal baller gear underneath. Smooth Criminal was about them, as they’ll look like they’re having a laugh while cleaning out your pockets. Always laid back, they play with a smooth ease that must not be mistaken for a lack of intensity. This is a chill focus they put forward. Cold and intense.

To win this game they’ll need to do exactly what they did all season. Pump points like oxygen in the casino and rely on their defense to make that one big stop down the stretch. The catchword here is “rely,” as they weren’t able to deliver it in the semi-finals. If all else fails, they can try to win again with a perfect offensive game and advantage in converts or time management. But that’s more of a desperate strategy than a brilliant one, as it could have easily backfired on them last week.

Their best bet on defense will be to play a tight zone, and attempt to bait Marco into a mistake. You’d like to throw some man in finals, where tensions are high and windows are small, but Marco won’t be shook by the gravity of the moment. He’s been here before. The D-Boys outmatch FMS enormously in athleticism. FMS will need to get clever in order to succeed. Luckily they excel in craftiness.

D-Boys

Off: 312 (7/8)            Def: 293 (2/8)

It felt like the D-Boys were waiting all season to arrive, and they finally did last Sunday vs the Braves. Most people had them bullying their way past Waste Yout, but the way they man-handled the powerhouse Braves was eyebrow raising, This looked every bit the championship caliber team who’ve been to 4 of the past 7 division 1/A finals.

Last week Theo Ojeaha was the star, pulling his team towards another finals birth. But they wouldn’t have won without Justin McLean as the X-factor. The explosive slot receiver gavee the Braves matchup problems inside, and Masciotra carved them up with it.

Against an inferior defense like FMS, Marco will have the field at his disposal. He should have mismatches across the board on offense, but sometimes the possum defense of FMS can be enough to lure a QB into a mistake. He’ll need to maintain razor sharp focus the entire game, and battle complacency if he succeeds early on. The worst scenario would be getting too confident due to the ease with which he shreds the defense early on, and then starting to take liberties with his offense that he normally wouldn’t take. Anyways, that’s a rookie mistake and I don’t honestly expect it from one of the greatest all time.

On defense D-Boys should feel good if they get their starting roster out there. McLaren, Quaid and Theo should be able to match up with FMS’ big 3, but McLean showed us last week that he’s a top notch defensive talent as well. Expect a lot of press man coverage, as ANP is well known for shredding zones. ANP is known to hold the ball on occasion, usually throwing some nifty hip tucks at the rusher as he scans downfield. This will be Kee time, as last game the esteemed D-Boys rusher was uncharacteristically jumping like a puppet from a Kobe Bryant up fake. He’ll have his chance to push ANP back into a third and long scenario, giving his defense a chance to come up with the big play.

What to expect

ANP is like Luis Mendoza with the knuckle puck, the D-Boys can’t stop him. Embrace the standard ubiquity of an ANP thrown game, you feel his presence whenever he takes the field. You sense he controls even the air in the dome when he’s playing. This season has been a masterclass of quarterback play, courtesy of the legend in his prime.

On the other side Marco is as cool as gazpacho. Ready to hit them with the counter punch like plish, plash, plosh. He’s tough as cheap steak, and won’t back down from the samurai hipsters.

Expect pyrotechnics, as both QBs carve out their legacies with gasoline calligraphy on Sunday evening. FMS have the panache, but D-Boys have some chutzpah to them. These things become ever more important when the game narrows down and inches become miles.

At the end of the day what is sports without the ecstasy of victory and the agony of defeat?

I can’t fully explain why, but I had the feeling last Sunday that I was watching the division 1 champion emerge from the throw down between FMS and Finest. Some forces are preeminent, and instinct is one of them. I’m going to stick to my hunch.

It feels like too broken of a season for the D-Boys to complete the improbable late season run, no matter how great of a run it’s been. Give me FMS for the win.

Prediction: 35-32 Flag Moi L’sac                                                                                                  

 

 

Epilogue

That’s it for this season! I’d like to take this moment to thank you all for following along each week. It truly is a pleasure to write for such a talented reader base. I claim to know nothing of the game of flag or how to play it. I am just your humble student. You are all the stars of this league. The lower divisions look up to you and hope to one day reach your level. Use that power well while you have it!  

Have a good and safe summer everyone. Hope to see you all around the field soon.