Reviews and Previews for Co-ed and Women’s Division

Co-ed has already reached the halfway mark of the season and the women’s division is in its second week of action. Some story lines are starting to emerge from this season in co-ed. ATH Squad has surprised many with a 4-0 start to the season. Their average of nearly 40 points per game is good for the second-best offensive record in the division. They also concede an average of 11 points against per game which is the second-best defensive record. The main criticism against ATH Squad is that they have not faced any of the heavyweights in the division yet. Over this second half of the season, they will be facing those top teams. We should very quickly see if ATH Squad are legitimate contenders or not.

The team with the most points scored and the least conceded are Yin & Yang. Since their opening week loss to Kiss My End Zone, Y&Y has been on an absolute tear. They have been destroying teams in the past three weeks. After only scoring twice in week 1, they have scored 110 points in their past games. Clearly something has started ticking for this team. If they can continue scoring points like they have of late, they will soon forget their opening week loss.

Enough talk about co-ed 2 for now. In co-ed 1, I was thrilled to see some signs of improvement from Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. While they did lose 35-26 to Midtown, they showed significant improvement. While SHCS might not be as athletic or as talented as Midtown, they did do something better than their opponents: they used their women. All season, Midtown have completed just 3 passes to the women on their team. Simply put, they are not using their female players. You cannot expect to excel in co-ed when you barely target 1/3 of the players on your team. Refusing to pass to the women makes your offence predictable and easy to stop. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce have clearly understood the importance of involving the girls on your team offensively. SHCS’s leading receiver in this game was Camille Ste-Marie with her three catches for 47 yards and a score. Viviane Langlois Mainville also made her presence felt with three catches for 24 yards. SCHS clearly realized they did not have the talent to rival Midtown, so they needed to play smarter than them. Despite ultimately losing this game, SCHS’s willingness to spread the ball to everyone, especially the women is what kept them in the game.

Perhaps the most surprising game of week 4 was Party Mix’s route of 3rd Down for What. I expected this to be a close game that 3DW would manage to win. I did not expect Party Mix to score twice as many points as their opponents. This game really came down to one team that was running on all cylinders while the other was sputtering. Sara Parker had an uncharacteristic game. Yes, she was able to move down the ball with a certain degree of success. However, she threw two very uncharacteristic interceptions. For a passer who is normally so accurate and safe with the ball, I was shocked to see her turn over the ball twice. On Party Mix’s side of things Francois Deslauriers had his best game of the season. He passed for 185 and a staggering six touchdowns. Most importantly, he did not turn the ball over once. Party Mix has also understood the importance of involving women in their offence. To be fair, when you have elite athletes like Emma Racine, it is pretty hard not to throw them the ball. Racine led all Party Mix receivers with six catches for 53 yards. Impressively, she accounted for half of her team’s touchdown catches. Defensively, Jameel Greenidge sealed 3DW’s coffin with his interception. 3rd Down for What were driving when Parker attempted to connect with an outside shoulder throw at the goal line. Greenidge read the play perfectly, undercut the route and managed the toe-tap interception. Party Mix then drove the field, scored and put this game to bed.

 

Game of the Week:

Women’s Division

Spartiates (6) vs Ahunstic Girls (9): For those of you who don’t know, yes, FPF has a women’s division! All the games are on Monday nights in Papineau. This division plays with a set of rules that is a hybrid between the usual FPF rules that we all know and the rules of international flag football tournaments. Teams have 4 tries to get to midfield and another 4 tries to score once they cross midfield. If a team fails to score, the opposing team takes over the ball at their own 5-yard line. Most importantly, this division is played on a slightly smaller field since there are only 5 payers on the field at a time. These rules lend to a slightly more defensive game and that is exactly what we saw in the match between Spartiates and Ahunstic Girls.

Ahuntsic and Emmanuelle Bronsard had no trouble moving the ball. They passed for just over 200 yards. The only problem was that they only managed one score. When you pass for over 200 yards, you generally expect to score at least 20 points. You definitely expect to score more than once. To be fair, a lot of those receiving yards came on fourth down when they were 20 yards away from the endzone and needed to score. Spartiates would let Ahuntsic pass for 15 yards and tackle them short of the endzone. This inflated their passing numbers. Even taking into account this inflation, Ahuntsic does need to learn how to be more efficient with the ball if they hope to compete with the heavyweights in this division.  Nearly 75% of Ahuntsic’s receiving yards came courtesy of Alexandrine Trottier. She caught eight passes for a staggering 141 yards and her team’s only score.

On Spartiates’ side of things, they have to be left wondering what if. What if that snapped ball hadn’t sailed into the endzone for a safety. Ultimately, Spartiates need to live with those mistakes. On the bright side, they find solace in the fact that they fixed their week 1 turnover issues. After throwing two interceptions in the opening week, Clarence Michaud stepped up her game. This week, she was careful with the ball and did not throw a single pick. I think Michaud was able to protect the ball so well because she spread the ball. Six different receivers all finished the game with catches and half those receivers had three receptions or more. This emphasis on spreading the ball kept the opposition guessing. While her ball protection was admirable this week, if Michaud and her Spartiates want to start winning games, they need to start scoring more points.

 

Team of the Week:

Each week I will choose the top performers from co-ed to create the team of the week. There will always be two girls on offence and on defence. If you are on the offensive team of the week, you cannot be on the defensive one.

Offence:

Quarterback: Jean-Felix Marquis (Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce) 20 completions, 212 passing yards, 3 TDs, 100 QB rating

Receiver: Adrien Dusautois (Js) 10 receptions, 124 receiving yards, 3 TDs

Receiver: Emma Racine (Party Mix) 6 receptions, 56 receiving yards, 3 TDs

Receiver: Valentin Lamoulie (Rhinos) 6 receptions, 117 receiving yards, 3 TDs

Receiver: Etienne-Jean Bertin (3 Hunnas) 6 receptions, 81 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Receiver: Reka Sivasubramaniyam (A-Town) 6 receptions, 41 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Defence:

Rusher: Jade Tremblay (Kiss My End Zone) 2 sacks

Defensive Back: Catherine Gaumont (3rd Down for What) 7 tackles, 1 PD

Defensive Back: Rachelle Vallieres (Yin & Yang) 2 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 defensive TD

Defensive Back: Jonathan Hared (Kiss My End Zone) 2 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 PD, 1 defensive TD

Defensive Back: Djomax Mukuna (A-Town) 2 tackles, 2 INTs

Defensive Back: Alexia Vittia (Dream Crushers 2 tackles, 3 PDs

 

Week 6 Predictions:

These are my week 6 predictions because week 5 is a co-ed wide bye week. The Women’s division is still playing in week 5, but I am calling this week 6 predictions to keep it simple….

Co-ed 1

3 Hunnas (0-4) vs 3rd Down for What (3-1)

Prediction: While 3 Hunnas might have showed signs of improvements in week 3, they are still nowhere near the level of 3rd Down for What.

Prediction: 3rd Down for What

Michael Scott’s Tots (1-3) Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (1-3): Both of these experienced co-ed teams have got off to a shaky start to the season. I was impressed by what I saw from Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce last week. Their offence was efficient and spread the ball with ease

Prediction: Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Party Mix (3-0-1) vs Power Rangers (2-2): No one expected Power Rangers to get off to such a shaky start to the season. On the other hand, Party Mix stunned the FPF community with a convincing win over 3rd Down for What.

Prediction: Party Mix

Midtown (3-1) vs Speed Academy (2-1-1): Speed Academy has gotten off to a surprising start this season. This new team has quickly figured out how to win in this division. However, I see Midtown as a more talented and experienced version of Speed Academy.

Prediction: Midtown

Co-ed 2

Tigers (0-4) vs Js (1-3)

Prediction: Is this the week the Tigers will FINALLY get their first win? I think it will be. Tigers have proved they can score with ease. Js have struggled offensively this season. Their offence just doesn’t seem to be on the same page. I think Tigers will be able to stop Js enough times to win this one

Prediction: Tigers

ATH Squad (4-0) vs Kiss My End Zone (4-0)

Prediction: The only two undefeated teams in co-ed are set to clash! This is ATH Squad’s first real challenge of the season. On the other hand, Kiss My End Zone proved with their victory over Yin & Yang that they can hang with the best teams in this division

Prediction: Kiss My End Zone

La Secte (1-3) vs Rhinos (1-3): La Secte has had a rough start to the season. They have only scored 50 points over their first four games. If they are to have any chance of beating Rhinos, they will need to find a way to get the ball into the endzone.

Prediction: Rhinos

It’s a Match (2-2) vs Yin & Yang (3-1):

Prediction: This will definitely be Yin & Yang’s toughest challenge since their week 1 loss. That being said, I do not think they should be worried about It’s a Match. While they might not be able to score 30 points like they have over the past few weeks, they should win this one.

Prediction: Yin & Yang

Dream Crushers (3-1) vs A-Town (1-3): Dream Crushers are doing much better than I expected while A-Town have not performed as well as I thought they would. In week 1, I might have predicted this match differently. However, after seeing four weeks of action, I am confident Dream Crushers will win this one.

Prediction: Dream Crushers

Women’s

The Rookies (0-2) vs District (1-1):

Prediction: The Rookies were surprised at the level of competition in the women’s division. They will be surprised by just how good District are this week.

Prediction: District

Fleur de Lys (2-0) vs Spartiates (1-1):

Prediction: While Spartiates fixed their turnovers issues in their week 2 loss, they are facing much tougher competition this week. Fleur de Lys are the only undefeated team left in this division for a reason.

Prediction: Fleur de Lys

Team Texas (1-1) vs Ahunstic Girls (1-1): Team Texas got off to a disappointing start this season. However, a little rest has done this team a lot of good. They put in a dominant performance in week 2 and I expect them to keep up that strong play.

Prediction: Team Texas

 

I hope everyone enjoys their Super Bowl weekend. For everyone in co-ed, enjoy your bye week. For everyone in the women’s division, enjoy the Super Bowl responsibly because you are playing Monday night!

As always, if anyone has any comments or feedback feel free to contact me by email at [email protected]