Weekday Quarterback (Div D) – Week 14

            The season is over, the championship trophies have been handed out, and there is very little that is left to be said. It is nice to take a second to reflect on the season that was in FlagPlus Football. It is sometimes difficult to look at the bigger picture of an entire season, while it is taking place, because we are so concerned with our individual teams and their goals. I took a second to look at how the season ended and how certain teams performed, and it is pretty clear,  it was a season that saw a lot of surprises but more importantly a ton of improvement for many teams, particularly in Division D. Yes, we all play to win the games because that is what sports are all about (according to Herm Edwards, anyway) but we also play for fun and to improve ourselves and our teams. When I think about some of the teams I covered in the winter and how they improved in the spring, it is almost unbelievable. I have a few stories that remind me of what this game is and should always be about. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 10-0 record and made it all the way to the conference finals. In the previous spring season, they struggled mightily but rather than quit and get down on themselves they worked hard to find some new pieces and improve their squad. A year later they were the talk of the league. It’s something that anyone who covers the league loves to see. The Monstars are a similar story in a sense that they have had some tough seasons over their time in FlagPlus. If you speak to any of those guys, you will see how much they care about the game and how happy it makes them to be involved with the league. Every season they show a steady improvement and I expect to see the same thing from them in the winter. They always show up ready to enjoy themselves and compete. Obviously, we all want to win a championship, that should be the goal of every single team, but remember, that it takes time to get there and it is often the process that is the most fulfilling part of the journey, not the destination.

            The championship game in Division D was exactly what most people though it would be. Mongoose is a team with a lot of character and ability, but the question was, could they keep up with the high flying Patriotes offense, powered by the arm of Etienne Chauvin. The answer became clear in the second half of the game when Mongoose simply ran out of gas. At halftime, they trailed by only five points, but it all came undone when the Patriotes went up by two scores in the second half. There were some great performances from all the guys you would expect to play their best in big games, but at the end of the day it was the best player in the division that stole the show. Chauvin threw 6 touchdown passes and only 1 interception to go along with his 172 yards passing. To put things into perspective, Chauvin completed 12 passes all game, 6 of them ended up in the end zone. Mongoose was kept in the game by some tough defense led by Alex Gaudet, Jason Lachapelle and Alex Theroux, but it wasn’t enough. In games like this, it comes down to which depth players can rise to the occasion, and last weekend, the Patriotes got a lot out of guys who you might not expect it from. Rusher Patrick Trahan came up with three big sacks, while Alexandre and Marc-Antoine Pereda each had an interception for the Patriotes. When you get a great defensive performance from your depth players, you put yourself in a very good spot to win the game, and that’s just what the Patriotes did. I give both teams a lot of credit for how they played this game, and it would seem that both of them have a very bright future ahead of them in FPF. Will either of these teams move up? It seems like the Patriotes are ready to move up to division 4 in the winter. They are an offensive team that loves to use the deep ball. Higher division teams may feast on that kind of offense, but it would be hard to see them playing another season in division 5. Mongoose is a question mark. They have a solid defense, but their offense is still a work in progress. Will they lose some star players in the next few months? Lachapelle and Gaudet will surely have some teams knocking on their doors, if they are willing to move on without some of their teammates. It is going to be a tough few months for Mongoose because they will need to see who stays and who goes. Once that process is complete they will need to make a few adjustments to get better offensively. I would expect them to spend a season in division 5, but wouldn’t be shocked to see them in division 4, when they come back in January.

            I bid you all a great fall, and I hope you enjoyed the articles over the past few months. It has been a pleasure to provide coverage to some really great players that have shown a lot of appreciation for my work. Hearing from the players is what drives me to write these articlea every week and I love to get feedback from the people who take the time to read them. Enjoy the CFL, NFL, and NCAA seasons, hopwfully they can keep you entertained long enough for the next FlagPlus season to get going. I would like to also thank Rob Campana and FlagPlus Football for allowing me to share my thoughts each week. It has been a great honor and pleasure. Good luck to all in all your endeavors this fall and we will see you back here in January.