Welcome Back: Division 1 and Division 2

After yet another delay because of the Covid pandemic, we were finally able to kick-off the 2022 FlagPlus Football Winter Season. Before we begin, let me say welcome back!

In all honesty, it feels like it has been ages since I’ve put pen to paper, or in this case fingers to keyboard to talk FPF, but it has only been five months since the Spring Season ended.

A lot has changed since then. Tom Brady the GOAT of his generation has retired, The L.A Rams won the Super Bowl, Another wave of the virus forced a second but thankfully short lockdown, the NFL continues to look and act like the good ol’ boys club when it comes to hiring minority head coaches, Kyle Shanahan found another way to blow a late gate lead in the playoffs, Odell Beckham Jr proved he wasn’t the issue in Cleveland, and Aaron Rodgers continues to be Aaron Rodgers.

 A new year has brought in some new and as always, returning faces to our football community. To the former, hello and welcome. To the latter, welcome back.

As has been the case every year in FPF since the powers that be (Rob Campana) decided to separate teams into different divisions, some squads are scared to make the jump to Division 1. This year is no different, as Div. 1 has only five teams. Division 2 on the other hand is made up of 11 teams. Due to the unbalance, every week will feature two teams, one from each division, that will have to play two games. Up first are the BBallers and Terror Squad, who coincidentally enough, will be facing off against each other in their team’s second games of the weekend tonight at 9PM in Lachine.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with me or FPF articles in general, this will be your weekly spot for all Division 1 and Division 2 news. Our media team is led by Peeze, and of course the main man himself Rob Campagna. I am a senior writer on the team, and I have been writing and playing in FPF for over a decade.

Most of the news that our team and I get is from watching the games, and from the line of communication that has developed over the years between us and the players. I think it is safe to say that I know about 75-80% of the players in the league, either through talking to them, or at least watching them play. I don’t know everybody however, so please, if there is anything you want me to know, don’t be shy to reach out to me either in person, or by e-mail. I have no problem digging, to find out info, but getting a little help is always good.

For this season’s article, I want to include the usual pieces, like headlines, power rankings, picks, and matchups. Since you guys are the reader, and we are doing this for you, I want to get your input on another topic or segment that you want me to include in the article. Hit me up via email, and I will list the top 2-3 choices.

Headlines

After Week 1, there are a few things we can take to the bank. Rust and a lack of chemistry will be the Achilles Heel of some teams in the early part of the season. Whether Tom Brady adds his name to the list remains to be seen, but full-time comebacks are also happening in FPF, as the Bishara bros, Sean Kennedy, Greg Stern, Adam Sinagra, and Frédéric Dupuis to name a few, have made their way back to the world’s largest flag football league. Some teams have followed suit too, as Terror Squad, Flag Moi L’Sac, and Incredibles, are among several squads who have made their return as well.

KGP, the defending Division B champions, were one team where rust, and a lack of chemistry did not apply to them, as Quarterback Phil Cutler and company, rolled to an impressive (36-6) win over the Incredibles. While they couldn’t match the 55 points they scored in the Div. B Finals, the KGP offense looked nearly as lethal, as Cutler had more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions (2), as he finished the game 17 of 19 for 189 yards and five touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, he added an interception off opposing QB Greg Stern, who looked more than a little rusty, after playing in this first contest since the 2017 Spring Season.

The biggest recipient of Cutler’s performance was Julien Paiement, who hauled in a game-high three touchdown receptions, on four catches for 39 yards.

The KGP defense also showed up big time, as they held a talented Incredibles receiving corps with names like Chris Milard, Vince Nardone, Marco Bertolid, Terry Tam, and former Concordia Stinger James Ohayon, to just six points, while also registering three interceptions, and four pass deflections.

Urgence Médic adding future Hall of Famer AJ Gomes to their lineup seems criminal. A team that has length and speed in players like Marc-Antoine Vallée, Mathieu Houle, and Alexis Gaumont, adds arguably the best 2-way player in FPF to their lineup. The team’s addition of Gabriel Wiseman should also not go unnoticed, as he brings smarts, versatility, and you guessed it – length to the lineup.

Gomes, wasted little time acquainting himself to his new teammates, as he was able to score a receiving touchdown and also add an interception as a Defensive Back, in his team’s (37-26) victory over BBallers.  

The BBallers intrigue me. Although they came out on the losing end in their game, this team possesses some firepower on both sides of the ball led by Jeremy Murphy, Guillaume Beland, Charles Verreault, Jean-Daniel Chevalier, and FPF’s version of J.C Jackson, in William Paquette. Give QB William Trottier a little bit of time to figure things out in this division, and we could be looking at a potential sleeper come playoff time.

Speaking of intriguing, two lower division Quarterbacks made their Division 2 debuts this past week, as Charles-Olivier Lavigne of All Hooks took on Stephen Harripersaud of the Outlaws last Sunday at Stade Hebert. Lavinge, who was the MVP of the Junkyard Dogs in the Spring Season, and for EZW in the Fall Cup as both a Receiver and Defensive Back, led All Hooks to a (45-20) win at the game’s most important position, by throwing for six touchdowns and 248 yards on 18 for 31 passing. He also ran five times for 22 yards and another trip to the endzone.

I could be wrong, but despite throwing for 263 touchdown passes, I feel that Lavingne’s best position is not Quarterback. The fact that he was still able to come in and throw six TD passes in his first start since the winter of 2020, speaks volumes.

He might not have tossed for six touchdowns, but Outlaws Quarterback Stephen Harripersaud still had a respectable outing, with three TD passes. Harripersaud, has the ugliest throwing motion you will ever see, but I have played a won a championship with him before. He learns from his mistakes, gets better each year, and knows how to win. On an offense featuring talented playmakers like Zach Zwirn, Will Power (it’s about time you finally played in a higher division), Justin Lerner, and Marvin Steinberg, I expect this team to be able to put up points.

It does not qualify as a comeback, but it should fall under the category of return, as the Pilon brothers Serge Pilon Jr, and Alex Pilon, are back together as teammates once again, this time on the Braves. The old saying if you can’t beat em’ join em’ doesn’t really apply here, as Serge Pilon Jr and Khantraband, beat his brother Alex and the Braves, to win the Division A championship this past Spring Season. Serge scored the game-winning TD with three plays remaining, on a beautiful throw by Dan Lazzara. In this circumstance, maybe we can call it if you beat them, help them win. That sounds pretty good. Nonetheless, the Pilon brothers are back together, and they didn’t wait long to make an impact on both offense and defense in their team’s (48-14) blowout victory over Got-Skills. Serge had 6 receptions for 63 yards and two TDs, while Alex recorded two INTs, and caught two 2-Point conversions.

The Braves are one of those teams who used the Week 1 to show that the extended break from the Spring Season did not affect them, as they picked up where they left off. After losing the Quarterback of the Year Award, Jonathan Maheu, played like he a point to prove, as he threw for 214 yards, and seven touchdowns. Receiver Jean-Daniel Chevalier had a dominant game as well, with five catches for 80 yards and a led all Division 1 pass-catchers with four trips to the endzone.

One game is a clearly a small sample size, but the Braves have history, motivation from losing a championship, and what appears to be the best roster in Division 1. Is it too early to book their spot in this year’s championship game? I wouldn’t bet against them.

The Party Crashers used a solid first half offense performance, and a smothering defense to crash the party on Team Swoosh (27-6). PC Quarterback Frédéric Dupuis led two first-half scoring drives, and the defense which was led by Simon Rivard’s three first half interceptions, one of which he ran back for a score, was all the team needed for the victory.

Speaking of stellar defense, the Allstars, used a combination of a stinginess on that side of the ball to go along with a pick-six by Emmanuel Kerfella to keep Flag Moi L’Sac out of the endzone on two of their three second half possessions, to walk out of Lachine last Sunday night with a (38-29) victory.

After trailing (23-18) at the break, Allstars Quarterback Kevin Wyeth, led two second-half scoring drives, as he connected on touchdown strikes to Chris Milard and Paul Lapierre. Flag Moi L’Sac, was able to counter with a score of their own via a 27-yard TD pass from Alex Nadeau-Piuze to Jean-Christophe Morin-Phaneuf, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit, as recorded his interception return for a score on the next Flag Moi L’Sac drive.

No matter who is playing Quarterback, whether it be Cory Pecker, Alex Holowach, or Mario Porreca, #NR aka No Regard, has had an elite thrower of the football running the offense. This year is no different, as Adam Sinagra, is now the team’s QB. After having not thrown a pass in FPF since 2015 as a member of the Texas BareManz, Sinagra, looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, as he threw for five touchdowns in #NR’s (30-13) blowout win over The Apocalypse. The pivot was able to connect on two TD passes apiece to Quaid Johnson and Kendal Mayers, while also finding Sanders Armand for a score.

The #NR defense was just as impressive as they were able to give their offense some short fields, as they picked off Paul Lapierre four times in the contest, led by the Armand, who did it twice.

Matchups

Flag Moi L’Sac vs Stephen Harripersaud (Outlaws)

The Outlaws have made a big jump up from Div. C to Div. 1/2, as they found out in Week 1 against All Hooks. The schedule does not do the Outlaws any favors, as they take on a Div. 1 Flag Moi L’Sac squad, who is looking to get into win column. Can Stephen Harripersaud and his offense keep pace?

Greg Stern (Incredibles) vs Urgence Médic

Both teams are loaded with firepower on both offense and defense. The difference here is at Quarterback. Urgence Médic, has Jesse Dupuis. He may have his detractors due to his mechanics, and some might even say cockiness, but the man is a difference maker, he simply knows how to win, and is a sure bet to eventually land a well-deserved spot in the FPF Hall of Fame.

Based off his first six combined seasons in the league that saw him throw 340 touchdown passes, you would have said with confidence that Greg Stern would eventually get a HOF plaque as well. After not playing in a game in nearly five years, Stern had a rough return to the game, with three INTs, and only one TD pass in his team’s (36-6) loss to KGP. In fairness to Stern, the team was without one of their best WRs in Nikki Papich.

Going from playing one top team to another is not the ideal way for a player to find their rhythm, but Stern will have to do exactly that as Urgence Médic, and their ball-hawking defense led by Dupuis, AJ Gomes, and Emile Beaudoin, await them tomorrow night in Lachine.

Terror Squad vs #NR

Terror Squad got what essentially amounts to a bye-week in Week 1, so they will be making their 2022 Winter Season debut tomorrow night in Lachine. I am genuinely excited to watch this matchup, as both teams have top end speed, playmakers, and championship experience. I already talked about how impressive #NR was against The Apocalypse to kickoff their season. This week they are taking on a better team who can match and counter a lot of things they do on both sides of the ball. Luckily for Terror Squad, at least some of their players, most notably Quarterback Tam Vilaydeth, have already played for a team in another division last week, so rust shouldn’t be too much of a factor. I expect this game to be a shootout.

Picks (Favorites in black)

#NR vs Terror Squad – Terror Squad (My pick for Game of the Week)

Gryffindor vs BBallers – BBallers

Terror Sqaud vs BBallers – Terror Squad

Flag Moi L’Sac vs Outlaws – Flag Moi L’Sac

Allstars vs Braves – Braves

The Apocalypse vs Got-Skills – Got-Skills (Upset Special)

Urgence Médic vs Incredibles – Urgence Médic

Team Swoosh vs KGP -KGP

All Hooks vs Party Crashers – All Hooks

Season: N/A

That’s it for this week. Stay safe, and good luck to everybody in their games. It feels great to be back! If you liked, loved, or hated the article, or simply feel that I left something out, do not hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]