I hope everyone had a great time this weekend watching the Patriots lose but now, its time to get back to the real deal: FPF Junior. In the action from this past week, we saw the playoff race heat up in some divisions and end in others. In Varsity, FPF Junior’s only undefeated team, the Thunder assured themselves of a first round bye and the number one seed in their conference. In Sophomore B, the Huskers will be looking to clinch their top spot this week but they face the dangerous Golden Eagles so a win is anything but a sure thing. The Musketeers will be ready to pounce on top place if the Huskers fall. Talking about the Golden Eagles, they are already in top place in Sophomore A and with three games to play this weekend and a single point needed to clinch top spot, we can presume that they’ll finish as their division’s top seed. Finally, in the Freshman division, the battle for top spot comes down to the game between the Tigers and the Cowboys. The winner of that will finish as the top Freshman team. Now that you have an idea of what the upcoming games mean, lets go back and take a look at the action from last weekend.

 

Week 7 Recaps

• Western Patriots (13) vs Dusters (18)

Week 7 kicked off at Loyola with the Dusters taking on the Western Patriots. While the score was close the whole game, the stingy Dusters’ defence was able to hang on to their lead throughout the match. The Patriots tried to climb back into the game but were never quite able to solve the Dusters’ coverage. On offence, the Dusters did just enough to take care of things. On the score-sheet, the offence had help from their defence but QB Adam Malinoff and company still put up 132 yards through the air and 30 more on the ground. In the past, we saw the Dusters spread the ball and move the ball with more ease. However, this week, they decided to exploit Matthew Fixman. He caught more than half of his teams passes for a total of 66 yards. When it came to scoring plays, Adam Malinoff connected with Matthew Eiley and Ben Liquornik. Wide receiver Justin Hircheimer also caught his first pass of the season for 7 yards.

It was on the defensive end of things that the Dusters made their biggest impact. They did everything that championship defences have to do: they created turnovers, limited their opponents gains and pressured the opposing quarterback. That defensive effort was a well rounded one but Matthew Eiley especially stood out. Early in the first half, with the Western Patriots deep in their own territory, Jesse Morris saw one of his receivers get open. Matthew Eiley read the play and smoothly got between the opposing QB and his intended target. He came away with the ball and ran it back for a crucial six points. For his first interception of the season, it was quite an impressive one. If the Dusters are going to win in the playoffs, they’ll have to keep up the same level of defence and spread out the ball much more than they did this week. The key to postseason success is a varied offence to keep your opponents on their toes.

From the Western Patriots point of view, it is hard to explain why they didn’t win this one. They only had 25 yards less of net offence than their opponents but what they were not able to do is convert in the red zone. On the bright side, they obviously know how to move the ball even verus some of the most talented defences. All that is left to do now, is to turn those yards into points ad they will be serious playoff contenders. Their success in moving the ball was in large part due to the fact they never used a receiver more than twice. This kept the opposing defence guessing where the ball was going and allowed more players to get open since everyone needed to be covered.

Their leading receiver on the night was William Bradford, followed by Luca Tamboriello and Justin Charles. Despite a strong showing, none of those receivers were able to pull in a ball in the end zone. On the other hand, their rushing attack scored points. Adam Callender scored an amazing touchdown after an electrifying 14 yard run where he seemed absolutely untouchable. Adam Callender even said on the sidelines that the opposing team knew that every time he took a snap, he was rushing. Despite everyone on the pitch knowing what was going to happen, he still weaved around defenders and made his way into the back of the end zone.

The Patriot’s defence also had a strong showing despite not getting the win. That defence was led not by their safety but by their rusher: Treavon Sealy. He was in Adam Malinoff’s head all game and sacked the all-star quarterback three times. They also produced six points on defence when Adam Callender picked off a pass and ran it back for six. Justin Charles also managed a crucial interception for his team. With all the Western Patriots showed this week, they shouldn’t worry too much about the postseason. With solid defence and an offence that can move the ball, they should be confident that they can make a run in the postseason.

 

• Sunnybrooke Elites (38) vs Cowboys (13)

I have seen the Cowboys play quite a few teams and usually, they are absolutely untouchable. I thought they were the cream of the freshman crop but after the jaw dropping performance of the Sunnybrooke Elites against them on Saturday, I am reconsidering that evaluation. The Elites were just that: elite. They moved the ball on offence and most importantly, turned those yards into points. Their defence was also massive but what made the biggest impact was their rushing attack. The Sunnybrooke’s quarterback Dave Lileka Bolombe had a massive night on the ground. He improvised and when no one was open, took off. In total, he rushed on 6 occasions for a staggering total of 115 yards and two touchdowns. To put that number into context, that is more than twice as many yards rushing than passing. And with 52 yards and two touchdowns, that passing attack was still quite the force. The favored target of the Sunnybrookes was Diego Leone. The young man finished the game with 18 yards and two key touchdowns for his team. Kaliq Williams was a short option and caught two passes for 9 yards and a touchdown. What made their outing so impressive was that it was not uniquely their offence that was overpowering, their defence was also rock solid.

Leading that defensive effort was Diego Leone who came up massive with three tackles, two defended passes and an interception returned for a touchdown. His teammate, Kaliq Williams, also picked off the Cowboys and Mateo Vergara managed 3 tackles and a defended pass. While the Sunnybrooke Elites did not have the strongest regular season, performances like this one in week 7 will make any team that might face them in the playoffs shake in their cleats.

On the Cowboys side of things, they played a good game but they didn’t have quite the same flare and energy I have seen them play with in past weeks. On offence, they had a few problems moving the ball like they have in past weeks but that can largely be attributed to just how strong the Sunnybrooke Elite’s defence was. Noah Swaminadham was the most effective passer on the part of the Cowboys with 43 yards but he made the biggest difference in this game with his legs. When the passing game was not as efficient as the Cowboys quarterback had hoped, he decided to start moving the chains with his legs. He rushed on three occasions and totaled 68 yards and two touchdowns. The receiving yards they were able to generate went through the hands of Thomas Hemens who caught for a total of 51 yards.

On defence, Diego Llaguno once again had a big week with three tackles. The only Cowboy to manage an interception was Phoenix Thomas. That one interception was important but if the Cowboys want to win, they will need to go back to their 3 or 4 interception outings. Despite the Cowboys not looking quite so much like the Cowboys of the past weeks, I have no doubt that they will get back to their winning ways very soon and they remain one of the very top contenders for the Freshman title.

 

Team of the Week

Offence

QB Riley Element: 232 passing yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs

Rusher Dave Lileka Bolombe: 115 rushing yards, 2 TDs

WR Alessandro Frassetti: 10 receptions, 130 receiving yards, 2 TDs

WR Joshua Taylor: 8 receptions, 95 receiving yards

WR Charles-Olivier Ostiguy: 6 receptions, 97 receiving yards, 5 TDs

WR Terrence Brown: 3 receptions, 90 receiving yards, 1 TD

 

Defence

Rusher Erica Dubois: 3 sacks, 1 tackle

DB William Leclerc: 9 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 defensive TD

DB Markus D’Alessandro: 8 tackles, 1 PD

DB Max Sabourin: 3 tackles, 3 PDs

DB Maya Di Fazio: 3 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 PDs

DB Kevin De Serres-Payne: 6 tackles, 2 PDs

 

Chrystal Ball and Shenanigans

• Fighting Irish vs Thunder

The Irish’s issue has never been moving the ball down the field. With FPF’s leading passer, Kaelan Trepanier under center, they have consistently moved the ball and scored points. The bigger issue has always been stopping their opponents. Now, with the Irish facing off versus the offensive juggernauts that are the Thunder, they will need to solidify things on the other end of the ball if they are to have any chance of wining.

• Wildcats vs Thunder

Just last week, the Thunder man handled the Wildcats 25-2 in a convincing win. Now, what can the Wildcats change this week to get a win? Well, in their second game of the week, the Wildcats played with Franky Denis under center and he led them to victory verus the Irish. Why don’t they shake things up this week and give their opponents a different look under center and try to confuse their talented opponents. Who knows, that could make the difference between winning and losing.

• Dusters vs Western Patriots

Well, 3 days into week 8 and we already see our second rematch. After a closely heated match, the Dusters managed to escape with the win. I don’t think that this week will be an easy match for either team. If the Western Patriots and Trevon Sealy can keep on pressuring Adam Malinoff, they have a chance to win. On the other hand, if the Dusters manage to pick off the Patriots like they did this week they’ll be on their way to another win.

• Dusters vs Golden Eagles

The Golden Eagles are the only team that I have not seen play so far but from all I have heard, they are a force to be reckoned with. Trey Bentley is one of the very top passing quarterbacks in the league and is also a threat on the ground. With a win, the Dusters will have a chance at the conference title but with a loss, they will have to content themselves with second place.

• Golden Eagles vs Huskers

After what is sure to be an intense match verus the #2 seed, the Golden Eagles have another very tough opponent waiting for them. This game might come down to the quarterback matchup. Riley Element has been one the leagues best offensive and defensive players so far this year, but Trey Bentley has passing numbers to rival his opponents. Both of these teams have only one loss so this will be a toughly fought match and great playoff preparation for both teams.

• Musketeers vs Gators

The Gators just stunned the league by putting up 54 points in week 7 versus the Bulldogs defence. Those 54 points they accumulated overshadowed the fact that they also conceded 34. Now, they are facing off against a Musketeers team led on defence by Massimo Moufrage. If the Gators can put up similar points verus this formidable defence, they will be serious contenders in the postseason.

• Cowboys vs Tigers

This is one of the most anticipated matchups of the week because of the direct playoff impact. It is very simple, the winner of the game clinches the division. The likes of Amani Ho Sang and Mackenzie Venne will need to step up big once again if they are to have a chance of shutting down the Cowboys. These two teams played this week and the Cowboys looked just a bit off. Now, they have a chance to prove that with Thomas Hemens and Phoenix Thomas, they are the dominant Freshman team and deserve the top seed.

• Longhorns vs Bulldogs

Both of these teams did not have the regular season they had hoped for but they now have the chance to get their first win and head into the playoffs on a positive note. To win, the Bulldogs will need to find a way to limit Terrence Brown who went off for 90 yards this week. That difficult job might come down Nicolas Manalopoulos who already has 10 PDs on the season. The winner of this high-level matchup will most likely dictate the outcome of the game.

• Golden Eagles vs Gators

With their third game in less than 24 hours, the Golden Eagles will be running on fumes by this point but they still have to overcome the high scoring Gators. The Gators main offensive weapons, Edward Leclerc and Charles-Olivier Ostiguy will be matched up against quality defensive backs like Camdyn Jeremiah and Kaiden Dewey-Hull. I doubt that the Gators will be able to repeat their 54 point performance from this week, but the question remains, will they outscore the tired Golden Eagles?

• Longhorns Buckeyes

Its been a while since I have talked about the Buckeyes, but they have settled into third place in their division and this week 8 matchup will have little or no impact on their final ranking. However, they will be facing a Longhorns team that will want to finish above the Bulldogs. To get the win, the Longhorns will need to solve the three headed Roach problem. One can throw, another can catch and the third can tackle. If Isak Parenteau can out throw Jahmaal Roach and avoid his brother Malaki Roach on defence, his Longhorns should get the win.

• Ducks vs Silver Cougars

Uncharacteristically, the Ducks had trouble generating offence this past week. They only completed two passes and both came on their final drive. What did work for them, was their rushing attack. Stopping that running attack will come down to rusher Eliot Patterson and leading tackler Jackson Lovig. If the Silver Cougars manage to limit their opponents run game, they should come away with the win. If not, this game could swing in the Ducks favor.

• Red Cougars vs Sunnybrooke Elites

In the final match of the regular season, the Sunnybrooke Elites will look to repeat their very impressive performances from last week. The Elites’ most dangerous weapon is Dave Lileka Bolombe who is fresh off a 115 yard rushing game and has recorded a team high 4 interceptions this year. Luka D’Aoust of the Red Cougars will need to keep the ball away from him and avoid turnovers if he hopes to lead his team to victory.

 

Week 7 is now in the books and the playoffs edge closer and closer. All we have is one weekend’s worth of games before postseason action begins. For all the teams out there that have had great regular seasons like the Thunder, congratulations but just know, FPF Junior has seen its fair share of post season upsets. The playoffs are an entirely different beast and no one knows what might happen. So keep your heads high, play hard each and every play and you never know where your team might wind up.