We’re Back! Breakdown of Week 1 in Division 4

What’s up FPF Nation!? I’m going to be replacing Iggy Magnets for this week as your writer for the division 4 article. For those of who you don’t know me, my name is Will Power. I’ve been playing in FPF since 2015 and have loved it ever since. This season I will (at least attempt) to play on four teams being Outlaws (Div 2), Blessed (Div 3), Takeover (Div 4), and Thunder Buddies (Div 6). What can I say? I love my FPF. Thanks to Rob, Peeze and the media team for giving the chance to write this week. Super pumped to finally be back playing flag, it felt like ages since we were back on the field. Let’s get started!!

One of the bigger surprises this week has to be Honey Martin beating Finessers 39-0. I thought this game would have been tight. Finessers have a solid team with Ryan Kharouf at QB. He throws a beautifully looking ball. They also have one of the more underrated players in the league in Alexandre Bachaalani. Safe to say Honey Martin will be a team to watch out for all season long. Look for Finessers to bounce back and figure things out.
The U looked impressive in their 40-13 victory over Team Ethnik. To hold Ben Lawlor and that offense to 13 points isn’t easy. Evan Frank had a good game with 4 touchdown thrown and the defense helped out with two pick 6s. They’re just one of those teams that are always in title contention and this season will be no different.
Watch out for Small Giants. They could end the season with the most picks on defense… That is all.
We often here that games come down to converts which was the case in Bandits’ 25-24 win over Les Verges Folles. They went a combined 1 for 8 on converts, but it was that 1 that won the game.

Recaps

KGP Ra 40 VS Backyard Bullies 13

I didn’t catch many games this weekend but I caught a glimpse of KGP Ra’s win to open up the season. KGP Ra took it to Backyard Bullies from the very get-go. They seemed to be in midseason form. They scored a touchdown on their first possession and on defense kept the pace up with a sick sideline interception by Dylan Garber. From there the Backyard Bullies struggled to get much going on offense. They seemed to have to shake off some rust from the long offseason. This wasn’t the case for Ryan Garber as he went 18 of 19 passing for 163 yards and 6 touchdowns!! His main partner in crime was three-time All-Star Johnathan Garfinkle who had 9 catches on 9 targets for 87 yards and 3 touchdowns.

KGP Ra will be atop the standings for most of the season. Their next matchup will be against Les Blues Branleurs where they’ll be favourites. The Backyard Bullies have too much talent to let this one game define them. Jordan Allard is not only a good QB but he is also very smart with the football. Their next game is VS yours truly and Takeover. Should be a great game! Looking forward to it!

Los Locos 25 VS Sphinx 25

Unfortunately Sphinx violated the cap and ended up forfeiting the game. It was a great game that I wanted to recap anyways. It ended in a tie, but for a while it looked like Los Locos were going to start the season 1-0 (which they did anyway because of the forfeit, but you get what I’m saying). Shoutout to my boy and FPF ref Terry Babalis who gave me the inside scoop of the game as he was reffing. Los Locos were winning this game 25-6 in the second half! From there Sphinx got a TD and the conversion to make it 25-13. On the very next play they picked the ball off, and the ball was placed on Los Locos’ one yard line as a result of a UR. TD Sphinx on the next play to make it 25-19. Fast forward to the last play of the game. Sphinx have the ball around midfield and throw an incomplete pass….. but Los Locos get called for pass interference in the end zone! Sphinx capitalize and score on the actual last play to tie it at 25! Their potential game-winning convert was no good and that was the ball game. I was playing on another field at the same time and could tell the energy in this game was great. Nobody likes ties, but credit Sphinx for not given up and coming back after being down 3 touchdowns. In all my years of playing in FPF I have never came back after being down by 18 or more…. Don’t know why I just admitted that but it is what it is. Hopefully this is the last forfeit off the season!

Next up for Los Locos is QB Frank Kaye and Voodoo, who will also be looking for their first W of the season. For Sphinx they get Les Montagnards. I get the feeling that will be a low scoring defensive affair.

Previews

4A Blackouts VS TOPSZN

This has to be the game of the week in all of division 4. Blackouts coming off a 41 point performance while TOPSZN put up 35 in their season debut. It’s early in the season but getting off to a 2-0 start is crucial. We got a bunch of ballers on both teams in this one. Ryan Vanslet will try and replicate his 2 receiving touchdown and a pick 6 performance from week 1. If he has a quiet game I think TOPSZN will come away victorious, unless Anthony Mungiovi goes for another three touchdowns this week. TOPSZN’s roster is stacked. I think it’ll be Charles Verreault that breaks this game open and goes for 2 TDs. Besides Verreault, they have ballers who know the game inside out; The Parent brothers, Hasani Worrell, and the defensive minded Andel Thomas-Gordon.

I see this being a competitive game for the most part, but feel TOPSZN will be too much to handle for Blackouts.

Prediction: 39-31 TOPSZN

4A Small Giants VS Mongoose

A Battle of two 1-0 teams. Two experienced quarterbacks who are smart with the football. As mentioned before I expect Small Giants to have one of the division’s best defenses. They have length, speed, and the football IQ every defense needs. For Small Giants to win this one Justin Lerner will need to continue to target Daron Migdesyan. Not only do they have a great connection, but Migdesyan is as consistent as they come. In his last season with Small Giants he had 13 touchdowns, and I expect around the same this season.

Mongoose is filled with veterans. Gaudet, Deslauriers, and Chevalier is a trio that will make noise all season long. I played a season with Johnathan Chevalier and lemme tell you the man is underrated. Nothing he does will blow you away. He is not necessarily fast, shifty or anything like that, but he does not have a fault in his game.

The matchup of Migdesyan VS Chevalier will be must see TV. I had a tough time picking this game but give me Small Giants in a close one.

Prediction: 33-31 Small Giants

Power Rankings

KGP Ra: Ryan Garber has the most unorthodox throwing motion I think I have ever seen. But as mama always says, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” These boys are poised for a championship run
TOPSZN: The sky is the limit for this team. They have an incredibly balanced roster with players that complement each other. Good luck keeping them to under 30 points.
Small Giants: Arguably the most athletic team in the division. These guys will go as far as Lerner takes them… which should be far.
Blackouts: I’m not sure if I’m more impressed with their offense or defense… good problem to have. Big game for them coming up with a chance to move up higher in the rankings.
Takeover: I threw for us week 1 as QB1 Ian Einheiber was in Mexico… I think. Not sure why cuz God knows his bald head can’t handle much sun!! Hope he’s wearing a winter hat. Anyway, I don’t see any weaknesses on our roster and am excited for this squad!
Centaures: These guys are solid from top to bottom. With their new additions this offseason they will be a team to keep an eye on from day 1. Not only are they good team but also a good group of guys.
Mongoose: Their veteran experience will be enough to keep them in every game. I am excited to see how they’ll fare against Small Giants this week!
Stoics: They know how to win games. They may not have the sexiest wins, but an ugly win is better than a pretty loss, right? I expect Chris Rivest to be back this week and have this squad rolling.
Backyard Bullies: Not much needs to be said here. The Backyard Bullies are good and needed week 1 to shake off some rust.
Bruins: Gab Wiseman, Zach Zwirn, Rocco Christiano, Mathieu Ouimet, Jocelyn Calixte… Only reason they aren’t higher is because of their surprising blowout loss week 1.

The U: A very impressive week 1 win. They are extremely athletic and do not give up anything easy. Some teams in sports know how to win week in, week out. The U ain’t no different.
Honey Martin: Peeze thinks they are false kings… I think not. Shutting out the Finessers was the perfect way to start the season. Not only do they have a sound team but these boys love their flag football. No plays off for them. I love the addition of the two young bucks in Kareem Anthony Chilcott and James Langshaw.
Vultures: Any team in division 4 will be competitive with Ben McMahon at QB. James Drysdale may be one of FPF’s best kept secrets. Not to mention the fact that speedster Kevin Donnet did not play week 1.
Beer Belly Brigade: Fafard is a great dual threat QB. He’s got quite a connection going with Olivier Claveau, who caught all 13 of his targets VS Voodoo.
Les Montagnards: Mathieu-Girard Provest had an impressive debut to the season with 3 touchdowns on 5 catches for 80 yards. Let’s see if Sphinx are able to slow him down this week.
Mofos: 5 of Sanogo’s 8 completions went for touchdowns. I’m no math major but that seems like a pretty good completion to touchdown ratio. Julian Nelson had 113 yards on only 3 receptions. His speeding ticket must have been through the roof!
Team Ethnik: As long as Ben Lawlor is QB1 Team Ethnik will put up points. William Bissonnette has the ability to take the top off of any defense. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Arouch: Tough loss for them week 1. They’ll bounce back as they have too much youth and athleticism not to.
Golden Eagles: The football IQ of Golden Eagles will be enough to get them into the playoffs. Big test for them this week as they take on The U.
Los Locos: If they play like the did in the first half VS Sphinx they will be a tough out for any team.

Week 2 Picks

The Brotherhood vs Hurley & Sons

KGP Ra VS Les Bleus Branleurs

Big Fun VS Spera’s Cougars

Blackouts VS TOPSZN

Small Giants VS Mongoose

Bruins VS The Stoics

Backyard Bullies VS Takeover – NA

Centaures VS Nomads

The U VS Beer Belly Brigade

Los Locos VS Voodoo

Vultures VS Finessers

Ballers VS Hot Sauce Sports

Bandits VS Honey Martin

Team Ethnik VS Mofos

Arouch VS Les Verges Volles

Sphinx VS Les Montagnards

That’s it for this week folks! Hope you enjoyed the article. Feel free to reach out to me via Messenger. I always like hearing people’s opinions and what they’d like to see for future articles. Hope you’re all just as excited as me to be back! See you on the gridiron and always remember….

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!!