“Super Team” sputters to ignominious loss in OYMFL 2021 Covid Championship at Don Mills

Saints QB Heaney and WR Tiffany Hall named Finals MVPs

It was supposed to be a dream matchup for the finals of the OYMFL 2021 Covid-shortened season. But when the final whistle sounded, it was the Saints of Toronto West who recaptured the title with a dominating 40-22 beat-down of the talented Agape team.

“I did say we had a Super Team in terms of talent,” said Kevin Green, the Philly manager who joined forces with Agape, Kanisa and East. “However, it would seem as though chemistry and continuity won out on Sunday.

“T-West is a well-oiled machine and it will take a very organized team to beat them,” Green said following the game at Don Mills Collegiate Oct. 3.

Spoken like Captain Obvious. The Saints had just gone back-to-back for the second time and recorded their fifth championship – more than all other teams combined – since 2012.

“Winning is hard, winning consistently is even harder because it’s easy to get complacent,” said Saints team GM Darnell James.

“We’ve had to find ways to push ourselves each season. The fear of losing has always been a driving force,” he said.

When teams chirp at the defending champs it only makes it easier to get motivated and put on the championship cape again, James said. “We just want our respect!!”

It didn’t take long for Agape to realize they were up against an irresistible force on championship Sunday.

The Saints stopped Agape on their first drive, four and out, and responded with two deep strikes to Andrew Brimpong in the back of the zone for 5 points and the 2-point convert. 7-0.

Agape’s second series was a carbon copy of the first and the Saints scored again, this time, to the team’s on-field general Sheldon James. The convert failed, but it was 12-0.

Bad fortunes turned to worse when Saints recruit Loxley Prince picked off QB Carnel Baugh and before anyone could say, “turning point,” Darnell James plucked a Andrew Heaney pass and rolled in the end zone. Bruna Alencar snagged the convert and it was 19-0 before Commish Frankie Lazarus had settled into his chair on the sidelines.

It seemed every bit like déjà vu all over again. In the last OYMFL Final in 2019, with Carnel Baugh at QB for Toronto East, T-West jumped out to a 21-0 lead and that game was essentially over. Baugh was facing the nightmare again – this time leading a more talented roster that Green had labelled as unbeatable.

Desperate to find an answer, Baugh dialed up a double move to Jayde Rowe and the would-be pro prospect hauled in a 40-yarder to provide a spark. The convert failed and it was 19-5. The door had been cracked open.

Undaunted, QB Heaney carved up the Agape defence with tosses to Tyffany Ambrose, Bruna and Pingz before taking a few forays through the secondary, and finally, hitting Lox for a 10-yard score, pushing the lead back to 19 points – with five plays to go before half-time.

That’s when fortune seemed to smile on Agape. A last-play Hail Mary bounced off Brimpong and into the eager hands of a prostrate Nathaniel Pinto, near the end line. It was a gift from heaven. The convert failed but the score was 24-10 at the half. Agape had hope.

Covid wiped out the 2020 season, as it did everything else. But a determined group of players insisted on playing in 2021. With several teams unwilling to field a team, players grouped around 4 well-stacked teams – Agape, Apple Creek, Mt. Olive and Toronto West.

Agape was put together just days before the season. But it featured Toronto East stars Pinto, Baugh and Jazmine Phipps; and an amazing supporting cast of Mandisa Morgan, Raekwon Grant , Jayde Rowe, Durell Coleman, Gareth Johns and Green. Plus a large group of young players adding a lot of enthusiasm and hope for the future.

“I’m so impressed by this group,” said GM Coleman, following the loss. “We had about eight players (Tauge, Quin, Reiss, Jaiden, Josiah, Tres, Melissa and Bianca) who are new to the game. It was great to see them compete. They are hungry and really looking forward to next season.”

When T-West stalled on its first drive in the second half, the Agape newbies weren’t the only ones spoiling for a comeback. But Baugh threw a killer interception —  to Lox again – the same Lox that the Agape sideline was trash-talking that his best days were behind him.

T-West unleashed Tiffany Hall for a bomb, followed by a Sheldon James convert and the score jumped to 33-10.

Pinto returned the kickoff to the house, but 33-17 seemed like a mountain too tall to climb.

Tiffany Hall made sure it was – taking a slant for a short score after Darnell James, Bruna and Heaney matriculated the ball down the field. It was now 40-17, with minutes to play.

Agape’s Josiah Patrick would haul in the final score of the day, but the romp was complete. 40-22.

Toronto West had won their second title in a row, three of the last four, and five since 2012. The Saints will go for an unprecedented three-peat in 2022. The last time the Saints almost achieved the three-peat was in 2014, but Apple Creek upset the favourites on the last play of the game, ending the bid or a perfect season and three straight titles.

Mt. Olive was perfect in 2016, but in 2017, T-West upset them to stop their bid for three straight.

Olive has won the title three times.

Choices for most valuable players were fairly easy. Heaney was named Male MVP after tossing six TDs to five different players. Tiffany Hall, who grabbed two of those TDs, took home the Female MVP trophy.

Keys to success for Toronto West is a collection of supreme talent who are prepared to sacrifice stats to spread the glory around in the form of a championship.

“There is room for everyone to shine. We are a family unit,” James said.

Don’t let the family unit talk fool you, said Green of the champs. “It’s definitely more than chemistry. It’s a lot of football knowledge on the team and top talent. The QB and Bruna are definitely at least top 2 at their respective positions.”

Green said Philly is “coming back next year in hopes of making a splash.  We have some early commitments from players and we think the chemistry will be great.

“It’s time for the championship trophy to find a new home. T-West is beatable and I believe I have the formula for that. We will see what happens next year when teams have a full year to improve.”

In the semi-finals, Toronto West made short work of a Mt. Olive team missing key recruits who failed to finish the season. The second semi-finals was a nail-biter that Apple Creek seemed to have in control, until they allowed Agape a late touchdown to steal a berth in the finals.

Hail to the 2021 champs:

Hail to the 2021 champs:

Girls: Audette James, Avalon James, Chelsea Bartholomew, Cymonne Henry Roper, Ellen Bruna Alencar, Juvonne Jaddo, Michela Dennis, Sandi Senior, Tiffany Hall, Tyffany Ambrose.

Boys: Andrew Brimpong, Andrew Heaney, Chris Gordon, Darnell James, Isaiah Francis, Jeremy Alleyne, Lamar Ferguson, Loxley Prince, Mark Perrin, Roshawn Nunes, Royson James, Shaun Sorias, Sheldon James.

–30–

Saints 43, Titans 38

Toronto West wins 4^th church football title in 8 years

The OYMFL trophy has known only one address – Albion Road in Rexdale. And it’s travelling just five lights up Albion from the defending champs Mount Olive church (at Islington) to #1621 where it will grace the Toronto West trophy case – again.

The Toronto West Saints jumped all over the Toronto East Titans from the opening whistle last Sunday and never looked back until the game was just about done. By the time the final whistle sounded, the teams had scored 81 points total, with West winning 43-38, in a game many thought over before the first half ended.

It was West’s fourth title, to go with championships in 2012, 2013 and 2017. Olive won it 2015, 2016, 2018 and Apple Creek won in 2014.

“Winning never gets stale,” said defensive captain Sheldon James. “I must confess I hate to lose more than I love to win. So that keeps the fire going.”

As the Saints huddled just before kickoff, offensive captain Darnell James urged the squad: “Let’s step on their necks early and don’t let up. Everybody. Right from the kickoff!”

That’s just what they did. The T-West blitzkrieg began with the opening drive that saw the James Brothers leading the charge until the ball ended up in Sheldon’s hands in the endzone.

East Titans’ turned over their first possession on downs.

The Saints’ next drive caught East napping when T-West pulled a trick “girl play” that went from Thalia Wright to QB Andrew Heaney who found a streaking Tiffany Hall and she took it to pay dirt. A two-point convert made it 16-0 before some fans were settled in the bleachers at Mississauga Valleys.

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West’s defense held again, forcing East to punt for a single point.

Then newcomer Ellen Bruna Alencar pulled down a spectacular grab on top of an East defender’s head. Three drives. Three straight touchdowns. Two for female scores. All three converted for 2 points each. Score? 25-1.

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QB Heaney was hot early and stayed hot. When receivers were covered he ran the defense in circles. And he spread the ball around, hitting all targets.

It was all but over – except we are talking football. And the history of East Titans-Toronto West Saints playoff matchups is one of close games decided in the final seconds. Still, fans felt this one was over – until East scored just before the half to resuscitate a squad on life support.

“The way the game started it looked like East came out pretty flat and West was just having their way with them. They went up 3 scores,” said Isaiah Shikongo, a newcomer to OYM Football who burst into prominence with spectacular plays for Perth Panthers.

“I have to give Carnel credit for his second half performance. It was looking like a blowout, but they at least made it interesting.”

“West is a great team. Of course they are going to score. They have a high-powered offence so I wasn’t surprised when they scored on their first drive,” said East QB Carnel Baugh.

But West scored on the first, second and third drives; and they stopped East twice.

“Well, I wouldn’t say, ‘stop us.’ I missed a couple of throws; but at the end of the day, give credit where credit is due,” said Baugh. “Still, I was not worried. We scored going into the half. I decided I was going to score on every single drive after that and we did. Had I connected with my receivers in the first half we’d be having a different conversation right now.”

Some say the semi-final game the night before took the steam out of the East squad. In fact, the Titans were sky high against a short-handed Mt. Olive squad and celebrated the victory with gusto Saturday night.

“I woke up still a little high and excited from Saturday night, but once I got going there was no stopping. After that it was ‘Who’s going to score last’. I wanted to make the game competitive. It’s been a while since we got to the finals so if we are going to go down, let’s go down fighting. We got the ball and kept scoring and scoring.”

The problem is T-West’s offence didn’t completely dry up in the second half. The team cycled in the reserves on offence and defense, emptied the bench, and still scored twice (Darnell James and Ellen Bruna again) while East’s four scores still left them short. 

“I was not afraid of, or intimated by, West’s defense because the defense hadn’t done anything scary all season,” explained Baugh. “We played them in the regular season and scored 30 points so I was pretty confident we could do it again.”

Except, the beleaguered defense had two early stops. West’s girls put the clamps on elite East girls Jasmine Phipps and Amanda Davidson; and Andrew Brimpong put the lid on Nathaniel Pinto, East’s star recruit.

“Was it me missing my throws or them getting a stop?” Baugh debated with himself. “I wouldn’t say they stopped me. A stop is a stop. But I just think I missed a couple throws.

The way Baugh saw it, no defense was being played on either side of the ball. West captain Sheldon James saw it differently.

“Our defense had a game plan and we executed it flawlessly,” James said. “Actually we did better than I thought we would in not allowing a single offensive point until just before halftime.

 His team came up with a defensive strategy to contain the amazing battery of East girls and limit the damage from Pinto, their nuclear weapon.

Brimpong was equal to the task, backed by Shaun Sorias, Dan George, Flavio Alfico, Kirk Dunchie and James. And even when East “woke up” in the second half, their top weapons were contained, leaving the comeback slow and manageable – a strategy that proved successful.

Using a girl rusher in Tiffany Hall, Bruna and Thalia Wright stayed glued to the East girls, preventing long, open gains. Their replacements Juvonne Jaddo and Sandy Senior also didn’t give an inch limiting the gains by Alecia Lewis, Sushana Harris and Samantha Reid.

“Our offense got whatever it wanted the entire game. And in the second half the defense forced East to burn clock and timeouts. When you have such a big lead the only enemy is turnovers and quick scores. I think our team did a great job limiting both,” James said.  

The championship game featured 10 touchdowns, five from each team. But T-West converted all five for 10 points. East converted just two, essentially, the difference in the game.

The 81 total points was a championship game record and the highest score of any single game in league memory. Both teams had three girl TDs. East had one turnover on downs and West threw an interception – a late game flub that slipped through the T-West player’s fingers and was spectacularly scooped off the ground by East’s Pinto.

That made the ending interesting. Down 10 points, East needed two scores. They got one with three plays to go, and then Sheldon James intercepted the convert deep in the end zone, ran it out, and lateralled it to Sorias for the 100-yard 2-point score.

“There was never a time in the game that I didn’t feel we were completely in control. We dominated from the kickoff until that 100+ yard runback,” the captain said.

Scoring for East were Samantha Reid, Sushana Harris, Jasmine Phipps. Adrian Pardinas and Sheldon Griffiths. For West: Sheldon James, Tiffany Hall. Darnell James and Ellen Bruna with two. Brimpong had three converts.

The victory was the fourth title for Toronto West in their eight years in the church league. They’ve been in the finals for the last three years – winning in 2017 and this year. Last year they fell to Mt. Olive, their sister church, five stop lights away on Albion Road. So, for five straight years, the trophy has resided along Albion Road in Rexdale.

East has been steadily climbing up the competitive ladder since the glory days at the start of the decade.

“We had an end-of-year meeting on how to get better,” said Baugh. “In order to compete with Olive and West and Creek, every year you have to get better. We picked up some playmakers like Jasmine and Pinto. With the ball in his hand he’s a dangerous weapon.”

Toronto East Titans ended the regular season with a league best 7-1 won-lost record. They beat Apple Creek by one point in the quarter-finals and throttled defending champions Mt. Olive in the semi-finals. But they couldn’t overcome their nemesis, T-West.

“The key is growth. This year we came up short again. It’s been a while since we won the finals so it’s back to the drawing board.”

Toronto West finished the regular season at 6 wins and 2 loses (to Mt. Olive and East). They beat Kanisa in a close quarterfinal game; and they survived three TDs from Shaun Ross to slip by Downsview and get to the championship.

Hail to the 2019 OYMFL champions:

Abi Marshall, Adan Bartholomew, Andrew Heaney, Andrew Brimpong, Avalon James, Chelsea Bartholomew, Chris Gordon, Cymonne Henry-Roper, Daniel George, Darnell James, Dennis Langley, Ellen Bruna Alencar, Flavio Alfico, Juvonne Jaddo, Kirk Dunchie, Lamar Ferguson, Marvin Clarke, Orlando Pule, Royson James, Sandy Senior, Shaun Sorias, Sheldon James, Thalia Wright, Tiffany Hall, Tiffany James, Tyffany Ambrose.

The Saints dedicated the win to beloved teammate Marvin Clarke who had a season-ending injury in week 7. We pray for his complete recovery.

Final 4 have earned their spots, Who will punch 2 tickets to the dance?

For once, the regular season record didn’t lie. The top four seeds have advanced to the semi-finals of the OYMFL, setting up two intriguing matchups later this month.

Can the upstart squad from Downsview – as yappy and vocal as any first-year team ever – put their game where their mouths are and take down the mighty T-West?

Can Toronto East, two years removed from the Redemption Bowl, put together the masterpiece it will take to keep Mount Olive from a fifth straight appearance in the OYMFL championships?

The Downsview-Toronto West contest will go first, August 18. Time and location is pending permit approval. Mount Olive will continue its defense of its title on Saturday night Aug. 24 at Mississauga Valleys.

This year’s playoff schedule turned topsy-turvy in order to accommodate the international pathfinder camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Some of the league’s younger players will be part of 45,000 pathfinders meeting from August 10 to 18.

Results from the quarterfinals give little insight into what to expect when the top four teams meet. The 2019 season has shown that fortunes fluctuate wildly from one game to the next. And much of the inconsistency can be attributed to team rosters that can suddenly be missing key players.

When the Downsview Dawgs meet the T-West Saints the Dawgs will not need a motivation speech to get up for the game. The Saints took apart Downsview’s vaunted defence, dropping 48 points on the Dawgs. Expect a much stiffer challenge this time – a dog-fight, really.

But it will take more than will power to beat the Saints, looking to go to their third straight championship game. (They won in 2017 and lost in 2018, both against Mt. Olive). The Dawgs must put the teeth to an all-star squad that can score from multiple positions. Andrew Brimpong, Darnell James, Dan George, Flavio Alfico and Sheldon James are a handful for any defense. And they have Andrew Heaney slinging the rock.

And when the boys take a rest, the girls are more than capable of carrying the load. The last time both teams met, Ellen Bruna Alencar embarrassed the Downsview defense with multiple scores. If Downsview designs something to stop her in the rematch, the Saints can turn to Tiffany Hall and Thalia Wright, among others, to pick up the slack.

Dawgs’ Quarterback  Germaine Clarke will be looking to Sheldon Maxham, Brandon Andrew  and Nick Deslandes to lead the charge. If they can cut loose, bolstered by the fiercely competitive Shaun Ross and Craig Farrier, the dogs could be yelping into the finals.

Olive versus East promises a delicious feast.

East has firepower in elite girls Jasmine Phipps and Amanda Davidson plus a cast of supporting girls that can confound a defense with an all-female look.  And, most dangerously, they have Nathaniel Pinto, as dangerous a receiver as there is in the league. If QB Carnel Baugh is on point, Olive will need every ounce of their experience and championship pedigree to hold off the Titans.

But if there is a team equipped to handle East, it is the veteran squad from Mt. Olive.

Led by the irrepressible QB Karl Brown, Mt. Olive has been in four straight championship games, winning three, After beating Toronto West last season, Mt. Olive lost three significant pieces from their championship squad when Nick Deslandes, Germaine Clarke and Tenesha Hardie defected to the new team at Downsview. They left to join another Mt. Olive alumnus in Craig Farrier, who left the Triumph in 2018.

Most teams would have been decimated, but the Triumph started the season slowly and have now peaked at the right time. After Cleon Holmes defected from T-West and turbo boosted the Olive scoring in 2018, he was joined by sidekick Ty Edwards for 2019.  Brown added Sean Sheperd and he has been a late-season treasure – scoring three touchdowns in the quarter-finals against Toronto Perth.

Besides, they still have veterans Ezekiel Marksman, Lamar Lazarus and Petagaye McIntosh, making the squad a tough, tough out.

In the quarterfinals, Toronto West won convincingly (33-14) over Kanisa and Mt. Olive thumped the Perth Panthers, 30-14. Top seed Toronto East struggled mightily against Apple Creek, pulling out a heart-stopping 19-18 win. And Philadelphia took Downsview down to the wire before falling,

–30— 

 

POLL PREDICTS T-WEST vs TITANS FINAL  

Toronto West will play Toronto East in the finals of the OYM Football League, according to a poll conducted for the OYM website.

A solid majority – 57 percent of those who responded to the poll — picked either Toronto East Titans or Toronto West Saints to win it all on the last weekend in August.

The Titans and the Saints were tied with 29 per cent support in the poll. Defending champions Mt. Olive and Kanisa Conquerors each garnered 14 per cent support, while Perth and Downsview were each selected by 7 per cent of respondents.

The run to the championships begin Saturday night at Mississauga Valleys when Toronto West take on Kanisa. The two teams battled through an up-and-down contest during the regular season, with West prevailing 17-12. On Saturday night the loser goes home and the winner moves to the final four.

The poll was conducted Thursday and Friday and asked OYMFL managers, coaches and players to pick who they think will win the championships. Respondents could not pick their own team.

“It’s a East versus West final. East wins,” wrote one respondent to the online poll which is entirely unscientific and was done for fun and general interest.

In all, 14 people responded by press deadline. Four picked East, four chose T-West, two picked Olive, two voted for Kanisa and one person each selected Downsview and Perth.

Games this weekend are:

Saturday Night at Mississauga Valleys, Quarter-finals

9.15 pm – Kanisa (4-4) vs Toronto West (6-2).

Sunday at Woburn Collegiate, Quarterfinals

10 am – Apple Creek (4-4) vs Toronto East (7-1)

11.30 pm – Downsview (5-3) vs Philadephia (4-4)

Sunday at Gordon Graydon, Quarterfinals

10 am — Perth (5-3) vs Mount Olive (5-3)

11.30 am — Malton (0-8) vs Meadowvale (1-7) for the Redemption Bowl

Mount Olive has dominated the league in recent years, winning in 2018, 2016 and 2015. Toronto West won in 2017 and lost in the finals last year.

OYMFL REMIX AS TOP TEAMS GET REMATCH

There’s redemption and then there’s revenge.

A remake and a replay.

And it all adds up to second chances – which is what many teams have as the OYMFL regular season gives way to the playoffs, starting Saturday night at Valleys when Kanisa gets a second kick at the Saints from T-West.

Three of the four playoff games on Sunday are re-matches of recent contests. Mount Olive took it to Perth on the last day of the regular season and, what do you know, both teams get a rematch on Sunday at Gordon Graydon, with the loser done for the season.

Apple Creek (4-4) got out of the blocks real fast this season but ran out of steam, sputtering at the end when Toronto East relegated the Golden Apples to the last seed in the playoffs, on the last week of the regular season. Creek doesn’t have to wait long for revenge as both teams meet in the first round of the playoffs, at Woburn Sunday at 10.

Kanisa Conquerors (4-4) did not do much conquering during the season, ending with a disappointing 4-4 win-loss record. So maybe the playoffs is time for the Conquerors to hit the reset button.

Their matchup comes two weeks after T-West (6-2) beat Kanisa, despite scoring just one offensive touchdown. Andrew Brimpong did the trick with not one, but two TDs of more than 100 yards – one a pick 6 and the other a kick return.

Apart from those two bursts of Brimpong brilliance, Kanisa more than held their own against the Saints and should be chomping at the bits to get a second crack at the Saints. The playoffs have a way of re-energizing a team. A win against the Saints may be all the Conquerors need to inject confidence and turn around a disappointing season so far.

Perth (5-3) vs Olive (5-3) promises to be a slugfest between two tough defences and top-scoring offences. Only T-West scored more points than these two.

The defending champions from Olive beat Perth 19-7 on the final week of the season but Perth’s ace in the hole, QB Leon Perry, was hobbled. If Perry is back to health on Sunday, Perth could end the reign of the champions. It would be a fitting turnaround after Olive beat Perth in the playoffs last year to march to the championship game.

Perth’s defence is anchored by Isaiah Shikongo and Gabe Kiameso with 5 interceptions between them. Their offence presents numerous options, include 3 or 4 women (led by Kadesha King-Nibbs and Tracy Evans) who are a handful to guard.

But Olive, after a championship hangover, is clicking again. League MVP Karl Brown still has Cleon Holmes and Petagaye McIntosh as targets plus newcomers Ty Edwards and Sean Shepherd.  

The Eastern matchups are not as promising, but don’t sleep on these contests. Toronto East (7-1) has been the class of the league all season and should beat Apple Creek, who has laboured all year without number one QB Joel Knight.

East’s defence is stingy – the only team to give up fewer than 100 points this season. And its offence received a major jolt with the addition of Nathaniel Pinto. Meanwhile, their girls continue to be elite, with all-stars Jasmine Phipps and Amanda Davidson leading the charge.

 A Creek victory would be a major upset. And it will take a stellar defensive performance from Jason Knight, tied for the league in interceptions with 4. (Brimpong and Woodbridge’s Stevie Williams also have 4 picks).  Knight returned two of his picks for score.

The second contest at Woburn pits Philadelphia (4-4) against new team Downsview (5-3). Only diehard fans of the Rolling Thunder expect to knock off the Dawgs from Downsview but the hungry kids from Downsview will show up and ball.

One exciting story for the team of Brotherly Love is the emergence of Mark Perrin as a speed receiver. Just getting on the field is a miracle for the player, following a catastrophic car accident. Yet, there he is, out there, catching touchdowns and inspiring his team.

Finally, the real redemption occurs Sunday at Gordon Graydon when Malton meets Meadowvale in the Redemption Bowl, the consolation final.

Woodbridge was slated to face the winner of this game for the trophy, but have closed shop for the season and will not play the consolation round. This means that Malton gets a chance to avoid the doughnut of a season, having ended the regular season 0-8.

Their last game was a close lost to 13-7 loss to Meadowvale, giving the Power their only win of the season. Now, Malton gets another chance at a win, and with it, the ultimate redemption in the Redemption Bowl trophy, the OYMFL consolation prize.

Games this weekend are:

Saturday Night at Mississauga Valleys, Quarter-finals

9.15 pm – Kanisa (4-4) vs Toronto West (6-2).

Sunday at Woburn Collegiate, Quarterfinals

10 am – Apple Creek (4-4) vs Toronto East (7-1)

11.30 pm – Downsview (5-3) vs Philadephia (4-4)

Sunday at Gordon Graydon, Quarterfinals

10 am — Perth (5-3) vs Mount Olive (5-3)

11.30 am — Malton (0-8) vs Meadowvale (1-7) for the Redemption Bowl

1. Toronto East (7-1)  Consistent all year, the Titans closed out the season with a win over Apple Creek, even though they were missing starting QB and leader Carnel Baugh. Will be a tough, tough out this year and are on most people’s list of potential champions for 2019. League’s number one defence; dangerous offence
2. Toronto West (6-2) The Saints announced they are serious contenders by closing out the season with wins over Downsview, Woodbridge and Kanisa. QB Andrew Heaney leads an all-star lineup of Pingz, Dan George, Flavio Alfico, the James Brothers and all-star females Tiffany Hall, Thalia Wright and Bruna Alencar.
3. Mt. Olive (5-3) The defending champions are all the way back, climbing out of a hole, with games against Woodbridge and Perth to end the season. They still have league MVP Karl Brown at QB and landed capable replacements to compensate for the defections of Craig Farrier and Germaine Clarke. Some fans had already buried the Olive, but, as everyone knows, “Don’t underestimate the heart of a champion.”
4. Perth (5-3) After 6 games, Perth seemed unbeatable. Maybe the players started reading their press clippings because the final two games were losses to Downsview and Mount Olive. Now, no one is sure. Still the team scored the second most points and gave up the fourth fewest. Downsview, no doubt, feel they should be ranked above Perth.
5. Downsview (5-3) A two-game losing streak to start the season, four straight wins, and then a trouncing at the hands of Toronto West trouncing at the hands of Toronto West was a cold shower for Downsview. They woke up in time to defeat Perth to end the season. Now, they are looking to regain their mojo. Philadelphia may just be walking into a hornet’s nest.
6. Kanisa (4-4) – “Underachievers in search of a catalyst,” best describes the talented Kanisa Conquerors. This jump start could come from an unexpected win over Toronto West. Vested with loads of talent, the team has befuddled watchers all year. But there is no time like the present to live up to their pre-season billing as one of the top 3 teams most likely to win a championship.
7. Apple Creek (4-4) As sure as night follows day, it will take a Knight to resurrect the fortunes of the Golden Apples. Toneil Knight would need to become a favourite target again, Jason Knight must continue his defensive exploits, and the supporting cast must rally to the cause. Or the 7^th place ranking to drop to the bottom.
8. Philadelphia (4-4). Heading into the playoffs, Philly can take fuel from this 8^th place ranking.  After all, the team beat Apple Creek, Kanisa and others in the regular season. Where is the respect? Respect is earned and that is what the young team will have to deliver when they go up against the vocal Downsview squad.

T-West vs Kanisa at Mary Ward Saturday night; 5 games at Northview Sunday

OYM Football returns to Northview on Sunday with all five Sunday games schedule at the Bathurst-Finch field.

But before a return to the field of dreams, the weekend begins with two Saturday night games – Apple Creek vs Meadowvale at Valleys; and a classic between resurgent Toronto West and faltering Kanisa, looking to reboot its season.

With a 2-3 won-lost record Kanisa ends the season with T-West on Saturday night, Apple Creek on Sunday and then Meadowvale om the final week. The task isn’t as difficult as it once appeared. All the Conquerors need is to split this weekend’s game, squeeze into the playoffs and get hot at the right time.

Olive is in a similar place, having played out a mediocre season after four straight years of brilliance. Left for dead by some, Olive can rebound and run the table to a repeat championship. First, it has to get its players to turn up.

None of the great weekend matchups will be able to match the intensity of the Futility Bowl, a game between two winless teams. Since ties are not allowed in OYMFL, one Malton or Meadowvale will avoid a winless season. But even for Sunday’s losing team there is the genius of the Redemption Bowl, a final chance at consolation for the three weakest teams.

Two seasons ago, Toronto East won the Redemption Bowl. Now East is fighting for top seed in the league with a 5-1 won-lost record.

Sunday’s games at Northview are:

10 am – Philadelphia (4-2) vs Toronto East (5-1)

11.30 pm – Mt. Olive (3-3) vs Woodbridge (2-4)

1.00  pm – Kanisa (2-3) vs Apple Creek (3-2)

2.30 pm – Meadowvale (0-5) vs Malton (0-7)

4.00 pm – Downsview (4-3) vs Perth (5-1)

Sunday’s matchups at Northview should be highly entertaining with several teams in a mad scramble to avoid the bottom of the playoff pool. Meanwhile, Toronto East Titans and the Perth Panthers both need just one win to sew up top seed in the East and the West.

Playoff rules are a little different this year, adding spice and possibilities right to the final game a week Sunday.

As usual, eight teams will vie for the championship. The bottom three teams play for the Redemption bowl.

The top two teams from each conference get the first four spots. The last four spot go to the teams with the best record, no matter what conference. So, it is possible for all 6 teams in the West or all 5 teams in the East to make the championship playoffs.

Several teams are bound to have the same won-lost record – likely 4-4. So tie-breaker rules are important. Tie Breaker:

>> Head to head (if they’ve played each other).

>> Points Differential (For games involving the tied teams. If they have not played each other, use Points Differential for season).

>> Points Against. (For games involving the tied teams. If all the tied teams have not played each other, use Points Against  for the entire season).

>> Coin Flip.

Here is the OYMFL Week 6 Power Rankings:

1. Perth (5-1) Fourth straight victory was a dismantling of Apple Creek. After 6 games their points differential is a plus 80. Next up is a massive matchup versus Downsview 4 pm Sunday at Northview. Games remaining: Downsview, Olive.
2. Toronto East (5-1) East keeps rolling along, this time with a squeaker over Kanisa, 10-9, Only blemish is a trouncing at the hands of Perth.  Games remaining: Philly, Creek. 
3. Toronto West (5-2) Is this the real Toronto West? Dropping 48 points on Downsview, with QB Andrew Heaney playing pitch-and-catch with Bruna Alencar spells trouble. Play Kanisa Saturday night at Mary Ward.
4. Apple Creek (3-2) Sunday’s loss against Perth drops the Golden Apples far from the t(h)ree spot they occupied at mid-season. Suddenly in a dogfight. Remaining games: Meadowvale, Kanisa, East.
5. Downsview (4-3) A trouncing at the hands of Toronto West was a wakeup call following four straight wins.  And now they face Perth in the ir final regular season game on Sunday.
6. Philadelphia (4-2). Almost got caught looking past Malton. Will they catch East looking past them on Sunday? Still, they face massive matchup versus Woodbridge in prime time undercard to the all-star game July 20 at Valleys.
7. Kanisa (2-3) – Underachievers continued to, well, underachieve last Sunday, losing 10-9 to East. Must beat one of T-West and Apple Creek this weekend in order to get to 4-4 and squeak into the playoffs.
8. Mt. Olive (3-3) Defending champions slowly climbing out of a hole, with games against Woodbridge and Perth still to come.
9.  Woodbridge (2-4). Must beat Olive on Sunday and take down Philly on all-star Saturday night to avoid returning to the Redemption Bowl.
10. Meadowvale (0-5). Three more chances to avoid the dreaded “0-for”.
11. Malton (0-7) O so close to the first win of the season vs Philly, but, thwarted at the end. Sunday’s game against Meadowvale 2.30 at Northview deserves a large crowd.

Who shone brightest in Week 6 during games at Valleys, Woburn and Gordon Graydon?

Well, Ellen Bruna Allencar of T-West served notice she must be considered among the elite girls in the OYMFL when she destroyed Downsview with a two TDs + 2 converts + numerous catches.

T-West QB Andrew Heaney had a special night throwing for 6 TDs and converting 5 of them. Flavio Alfico scored twice and grabbed a convert to round out the T-West drubbing.

Against T-West on Sunday, Woodbridge’s Stevie Williams continues his excellence with two scores, including a 80-yarder, in a losing effort.

But it was a late-season meteor from Mt. Olive that bears watching. Sean Shepard played his second game and made it memorable, scoring 3 TDs and grabbing 2 interceptions to breathe new life into the defending champions. Tye Edwards also scored 2 TDs to make it four scores in two games.

Philadelphia’s Elvin Thompson saved his team’s bacon with two scores in a tight 12-7 win over Malton.

Who is this kid from Perth Panthers with the unforgettable name?

Isaiah Penda Shikongo has taken the league by storm, scoring 8 TDs in the first 4 games. Against Philadelphia on June 15, he scored three times and added two converts in an exhibition of speed and skill that has made Perth (4-1) a dangerous team.

OYMFL watchers know about Jasmine Phipps, Toronto East’s diminutive dynamo who is fast as the wind and will pick your flag with deft precision.

Cleon Holmes burned up the score sheet with an unprecedented 17 touchdowns in 2018, his first year with Mt. Olive after leaving T-West. His replacement wasn’t shabby either as Andrew Brinmpong was T-West’s wrecking ball against defences.

But the 2019 season has been marked by spectacular individual performances – capped off June 16^th with a Master Class conducted by Jazmine Phipps on the T-West Saints.

Other jaw-dropping performances of the season so far include:

WEEK 1 – Tye Edwards scored twice and added a convert as Mt. Olive continued its recent mastery over Toronto West. Jason Knight grabbed two interceptions, scoring once, as Apple Creek upset Downsview. 

WEEK 2  – Andrew Brimpong (T-West) scored 4 touchdowns, and had three interceptions against Perth, minus starter Leon Perry. Pingz has 7 TDs in three games this season.

WEEK 3 – Downsview’s Sheldon Maxham scored twice in a must-win game to right the Dawgs, off to a hobbling 0-2 start. They have not lost since.

WEEK 4— Jasmine Phipps packed the stat sheet with a sack, a convert and two touchdowns, including one OBJ-like one-hand stab that left the Saints befuddled and East fans in ecstasy.

Meanwhile, Isaiah bagged 3 TD and 2 converts vs Philly.  Shaa Wilson of Olive matched him with 3 TDs, a convert, a sack and an interception against Malton.

WEEK 5 – Perth started the carnival of scores by trouncing Malton, thanks to five female touchdowns, three of them from Kadesha King-Nibbs, and two from Tracy Evans.

The following day, Derice Saunders of East scored twice and added a convert; and Audette James of Philly scored twice to upset favourite Kanisa.  But Downsview’s Ovie Efijemueh did them one better with 3 TDs in a 24-12 win over Woodbridge. And Darnell James grabbed 3 TDs for T-West against Meadowvale.

Who will ball out in Week 6?

Downsview plays Toronto West at Valleys Saturday night at 9.15.

Perth battle Apple Creek and Meadowvale goes up against Olive at Gordon Graydon (10 and 11.30 am Sunday) in Mississauga.

At Woburn Collegiate in Scarborough on Sunday, it is Kanisa vs East at 9; Toronto West vs Woodbridge at 10.20; and Philly vs Malton at 11.40.