TORONTO WEST OVER TORONTO EAST

TO WIN ALL-NIGHT INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Fresh off their 2017 championship season, the Toronto West Saints has served notice that they intend to continue their winning ways into 2018.

The Saints won the inaugural indoor championship in Scarborough May 10, running the table, winning seven games in seven hours of frenzied football, and beating Toronto East in the title game.

Dubbed March Midnight Madness, the indoor tournament attracted 10 teams, included an entry from Ottawa. 

Two new churches -- Immanuel and Downsview -- joined the football fraternity and spiced up the tournament. Downsview, in particular, filled the indoor arena with enthusiasm, featuring a loud cheering section bolstered by black and white pom poms.

The tournament was sponsored by the Ontario Conference's men's ministry and youth departments; and the OYMFL.

Winners received $500 and runner up got $250.

Toronto West 22, Mt. Olive 19

T-WEST CHAMPIONS AGAIN AS OYMFL TROPHY

STAYS IN REXDALE FOR FIFTH TIME IN 6 YEARS

 Super Sunday victory puts the Saints back on top; East wins Redemption Bowl

  T-West is once again atop the church flag football world – thanks to a business-like beating of the defending champions from Mt. Olive at Northview, Aug. 27. 

 The Toronto West Saints beat Mt. Olive Triumph 22-19 in Super Sunday II, ending the Triumph’s two-year reign. The win was the Saints’ third title in six years, and put them back on top of the mound for the first time since losing their perfect season to Apple Creek on the last play of the championship game in 2014. 

 Mt. Olive Triumph are vowing to be back next year. But if you want evidence of how tough it is to win, look at T-West. They dominated the league in 2012 and 2013, winning back-to-back championships. Then, in 2014, they won every game and were poised for the Three-peat when Apple Creek staged a furious comeback and won on the last play of the game to take the title. T-West has not been close to the title since then, failing to reach the finals for two straight years.

“There are so many ways to lose, and only one way to win,” said captain Sheldon James. “You need an entire team. Everybody has to buy in. Our guys and girls stuck together.”

In the consolation final, Toronto East beat Kanisa in an exciting game between evenly-matched teams, 23-22. See story below for details.

 This was the first season T-West played without a girl QB (Sasha Rampersad) and it took them several games to find the rhythm with recruit Jay Steinberg, a veteran lefty who’d retired from competitive football.  

Steinberg was still adjusting to co-ed football right to the end, but had enough moxie and veteran presence to lead the Saints to a 7-1 regular season record (the only loss was to Agape Avengers) and the win on Sunday. 

Steinberg ran for two scores and tossed one to Sheldon James. Sheldon got a second score on a pitch from brother, Darnell, plus a convert. But it was Darnell who grabbed the Precision Laboratories MVP trophy with back-breaking catches deep in the Mt. Olive secondary. 

For Mt. Olive, QB Karl Brown, Craig Farrier and Nick Deslandes  scored touchdowns, with converts to Germaine Clark and Farrier. But the dream of a three-peat petered out in the second half as they couldn’t contain the heavy dose of the James Brothers. 

 Mt. Olive’s offensive game plan was what the league has come to expect: methodical, probing drives with safe plays and no turnovers. By half-time they had a 12-10 lead, but would not score again until near the end when they trailed by 10 points. 

 Their challenge was how to stop the Saints’ offence. You must provide special coverage against their trio of elite girls (Sherri Pierce who won the league top female player in 2017), Alysha Emerson, and Keisha Alexander (top female offensive player of 2016). Fail to cover speedy newcomer Dan George and it’s over quick. And, the third option is the James Brothers, perennial all-stars who are among the league’s elite players. 

 “Defensively, we wanted to shrink the window for T-West players. Force them to make plays with pressure. Take away their girl players, and force T-West into going to their 3rd or 4th options,” Brown explained afterwards. 

 Mt. Olive chose to cover Pierce with a guy; Brown marked George all across the field and left it to Farrier and Ezekiel Marksman to handle the James Boys. It was Olive’s best option but it led to a slow death as Sheldon and Darnell, in particular, gashed the Triumph’s secondary for crucial third-down gains. 

 And when Steinberg went to Alexander, her yards-after-catch punctured the Olive defence. 

 With the game still hanging in the balance, a second-half sequence on offence showed how much Mt. Olive missed their female outstanding player of 2016 Petagaye McIntosh, off on mat leave.  Brown tagged the series as the game’s turning point and explains: 

 “Second half, T-West gets the ball and marches down the field to take a 5 point lead. We come right back and march down to their 30 yard line and hit a snag. The rule change on the girl toss comes into play. We end up getting flagged on back-to-back plays pushing us backwards 10 yards. Not being able to recover from that drive turned the game.” 

 McIntosh is a master at running that option play. Her absence, plus a rule change that now prevents a girl QB from simply flipping the ball to a guy and have it count as a girl play, tripped up the Triumph. Their mighty two-year run was over. 

 Consider what Mt. Olive has achieved, a small team with a small roster. 

 In 2014 Karl Brown was playing for Toronto West as they ran roughshod over the league, only to lose in the championship. Brown returned to Mt. Olive for 2015 and they won the title, upsetting the favourite Agape Avengers. 

 Not only did they repeat in 2016, but the Triumph did so with a perfect, unbeaten season, going 11-0 for back-to-back titles. 

 The only motivation for 2017 was the historic three straight titles, a feat basketball’s Pat Riley coined as a “three-peat.” Olive suffered early hangover from last year’s greatness but recovered to run through Mississauga and Woodbridge in the Western playoffs and set up the matchup with nemesis T-West. 

 Brown was gracious in defeat. 

 “They capitalized on their chances in the second half, and hung on. They made timely plays when they needed them.  Congrats to the team and Church members. Job well done.” 

 As strange as it may seem for a team that has been in the championship game four of the six years in the church league, T-West flew under the radar in 2017. They volunteered to move to the Eastern Conference because the west had seven other teams compared to five in the east.  

 The Saints weren’t blowing out teams, the offence sputtered, and the roster was rarely consistent as key players missed key games. Still, with just one loss to Agape, and wins over Olive, Philly, Hamilton, East and Woodbridge, the potential was obviously there. 

 Then the playoffs started and it came together.

 “It seemed like we could never get our full roster out for a game this year -- until the playoffs which is where we were able to showcase our various weapons,” said Darnell James.

 “Adding veteran players like Dan George, Jay Steinberg, Leon Perry along with youthful injections of Jauron Robinson and Tyffany Ambrose was what helped our roster become the deepest.”

 On any given day the Saints can blind you with speed, shock you with girl power or befuddle you with veteran guile.

 “We made plays when we needed them,” said Steinberg. “There was not one or two people, it was a total team effort that got this win.”

 Have the Saints peaked, leaving the door open for other teams in the league to step in?

 “This is our first year with Jay at QB,” said Darnell. “We will only improve our chemistry moving forward.” 

 “You always build to get better,” said Steinberg, who was impressed by the talent and organization of the league. 

 Hail to the champions: 

 Keisha Alexander, Tyffany Ambrose, Stefan Bruggemann, Alysha Emerson, Dan George, Chris Gordon, LeeAnn Gordon, Cleon Holmes, Avalon James, Darnell James, Royson James, Sheldon James, Jermaine Jarvis, Dennis Langley, Basil Linton, Abi Marshall, David McLennon, Roshaun Nunes, Leon Perry, Sherri Pierce, Leanne Prendergast, Jauron Robinson, Sandy Senior, Jay Steinberg.

 Commissioner Frankie Lazarus is to deliver the trophy to the Toronto West Church on Sept. 9.

OFFICIAL 2018 OYMFL Football Calendar 

February 17 midnight -- Deadline to pay $100 deposit to join the league for 2018

February 18, 2018 -- 2018 AGM at CAA

March 1, 2018 -- Deadline to register for Indoor Tournament. Adventistontario.org

March 10 -- 9 pm to 3 am -- March Midnight Madness Indoor Tournament

March 18 -- Deadline to join 2018 season & Pay 50% of the league fees

Saturday March 31, MIDNIGHT -- Deadline for schedule requests 

Thursday, April 26 @ midnight -- Deadline for final league fee payment.

Saturday Night May 26 -- Season opener 

Sunday May 27 – Season Launch @ Northview & Fields

Saturday, June 2 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 3 – Week 2 in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 9 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 10 – Week 3 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 16 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 17 – Week 4 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 23 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 24 – Week 5 -- Cross-conference games at Northview

Saturday/Sun July 1/2 -- Holiday Weekend. No Games

Saturday July 7 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday July 8 – Week 6 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday July 14 -- Saturday night Game of the Week

Sunday, July 15 -- Week 7 -- Cross-Conference games at Northview

Saturday July 21 – Saturday night Game of the Week

Sunday July 22 -- Week 8 -- In Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday July 28/ 29 --  Rainout Option and All-Star Game

August 4/6 – Off Holiday weekend – Optional rainout date

August 11/12   Playoff Quarterfinals in Pickering and Mississauga 

August 18/19  -- Championship & Redemption Bowl Semi-finals at Northview 

Saturday/Sunday August 25/26 – Championships and Redemption Bowl 

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Redemption Bowl: East 23, Kanisa 22 

TORONTO EAST TITANS ECSTATIC ABOUT

SECOND CHANCE VICTORY OVER KANISA

Conquerors close but miss out again; vow to continue the chase in 2018

East QB tells T-West: "Meet you in the finals next season"

The great thing about second chances is everybody deserves one. And the Toronto East Titans made good use of theirs last Sunday with a thrilling 23-22 victory over Kanisa Conquerors.

Even as Toronto West celebrated their OYMFL championship win, Toronto East set about salvaging a season that did not go according to plans.

A perennial contender, East has landed on hard times and missed the championship rung of the playoffs. But instead of pouting, the team rallied to finish strong and made it to the ultimate second chance game -- the Redemption Bowl.

Like the regular season of 2017, East trailed the entire game before rallying to snatch victory from defeat.

"Just  like the Titans we are, we kept it together," said quarterback Carnel Baugh. "We fought, we dug deep, we stuck  to the game plan. We were in a hole to start the game but we did not quit."

Baugh considered the game a personal test as well as a growing up moment for his team. Having missed three games because of an illness, Baugh feels the team might have won at least one of those games and made it into the championship rung of the playoffs. They did not and Baugh is not making excuses.

In fact, he says he's just thankful to God for helping him get well and for the privilege of playing.

"I knew we had to win this game, because there was so much at stake, for me personally. I wanted this game more than anything else. I  wanted to prove that we belong here, and that we can run with the big boys. To show our fans that the Titans are for real,  that we do have a team that will compete to the last minute."

That they did. Baugh scored one and passed forTDs to Shushana Harris and Ruth Reynolds and Jeremy Anderson. The girls TD, worth seven points compared to boys score for five points, proved to be the difference.

Backed by a monster game and three TDs from Cecil Lewis,  Kanisa went out in front and seemed positioned to win their first title, be that OYMFL championship or consolation Redemption Bowl.

Team manager Andy Marshall explains Kanisa's thinking and approach.

"The Redemption Bowl is a good idea.  Everyone has something to play for, even if the regular season doesn't go too well.  Our team looked forward to playing playoff football.

 "We had a lot of things go right in the game.  Our deception play worked like a charm in the first half, leading to our first touchdown.  We moved the ball well.  Cecil Lewis had his best game of the season, with three TDs.  Our offence scored four TDs in the game. Usually when that happens it's a W for us."

Not this time, and it was a bitter pill for a Kanisa team that lost the Redemption Bowl in 2016 to first-year team Woodbridge. But Marshall says his team is not devastated, just determined to improve.

"We didn't hang our head.  We gave it a very good effort, leading for most of the game.  We recognize we have to do something different next year to not be in this position again, and some serious thought will be put towards what is the best way forward, what needs to change and what needs to be kept.

"Congrats to East.  They fought back all game, the only time they took the lead was on their last TD when they went up 6 points.  They fought back all year, after a terrible start to the season.  We always have a good time playing them, the games are always close, and this year they got the better of us," Marshall said.

Between last year and this year, both teams have played each other three times, with East holding the edge with two wins. The total point differential after three games is 3 points.

In Sunday's game, Cecil Lewis scored late -- a rumbling stumbling TD after he coralled a long pass from QB John Cavallari, fell to the ground and got up in time to elude the clutching, flailing hands of multiple East defenders. Trailing by one, with the chance to tie the game with a 5-yard convert, Kanisa went for the two-point convert and the win. Cavallari's pass fell just beyond the diving Lewis in the end zone and East ran out the clock for the victory.

Following the game a jubilant East squad verbalized their goals for next season with the refrain,  "We're coming for you T-West." -- the 2017 league champion.

Baugh added: "This was our first time in the Redemption Bowl. I plan to make it our last! It's fun, but not for me! So this was why we had to make it so memorable. LOL. Keep in mind that the Titans will be making a strong run for the trophy next season.

"This was another great year for football.  We have nowhere to go but up from here.  Special shout to my teammates, the refs, and big congrats to T-West. See you in the finals next season."

The rest of the league of 12 teams, maybe 14, are saying,  "What about us?"

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OYMFL Award Winners

Sherri Pierce, Jayde Rowe named

Top players in OYM Football 2017 

7 players honoured with awards at Super Sunday II 

MOST OUTSTANDING MALE PLAYER 

  Jayde Rowe (Philadelphia Rolling Thunder) 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE PLAYER

Sherri Pierce (Toronto West Saints)  

MOST OUTSTANDING MALE OFFENSIVE PLAYER

Niah Wilson (Hamilton Steelhawks)  

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE OFFENSIVE PLAYER 

Karmealia Turner (Agape Avengers) 

MOST OUTSTANDING MALE DEFENSIVE PLAYER

Sheldon James (Toronto West Saints) 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE DEFENSIVE PLAYER 

Sushanna Harris (Toronto East Titans)  

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

 Jabari Lindsay (Meadwovale)

__________________________________________________

 Youth Summit & All-star game

Ballots sent to teams to help select 2017 all-star team

for classic East-West showcase on August 12 at Esther Shiner

The OYM Flag Football League announces that its third annual all-star game and Youth Summit will be staged August 12 at Toronto West and the game at Esther Shiner Stadium.

The league has requested each team submit ballots from each team with their votes for all-stars.

Each team picks one of its own players (male or female) to represent the team on the all-star team. This player is an automatic selection.

The league then asks each team to recommend 2 or 3 other players from its roster to be considered for selection. And each team is also asked to submit up to 8 players (male or female) from its conference (East or West) who are all-star worthy.

With this input,the league will announce its all-star selection on July 30.

All-stars will be recognized during the afternoon program of the Youth Summit where they get their jerseys and are presented to the Youth Summit gathering. The game itself follows the ceremony.

While the all-star game is a fun showcase of the talent in the OYM Football League, there are incentives for the winners. The winning conference is automatically awarded the coin toss, and is deemed the home team, and gets an extra time-out in the championship game.

The western squad has won the first two all-star games -- first in Hamilton in 2015 and in Markham in 2016.

The all-star game is the culmination of a full day of Youth Summit activities -- hosted this year by Toronto West Saints. All teams are required to participate in the day's activities -- through music, spoken word or other initiative.

Plans so far include:

>> 11 a.m. Special youth summit service for all teams and players at Toronto West.

>> 2 p.m. -- Summit lunch at T-West.

>> 4 p.m. -- An anti-drug and violence march through Rexdale, with each team walking under their team banner.

>> 6 p.m. -- All-star recognition, parade of the stars and motivational charge

>> 9 p.m. -- Game at Esther Shiner Stadium. $2 admission. Free for Kids under 12 and the financially challenged.

Mt. Olive goes for 3 straight on Sunday @ 10 am

Classic Mt. Olive v T-West showdown

worthy highlight to end 2017 season

Kanisa v Toronto East in consolation final 

Three-peat anyone? 

The Mount Olive Triumph are the defending champions in the OYM Football League. They have won back-to-back championships. Last year they went undefeated in conquering the league. And now they are back for one more title to complete the magnificent three-peat. 

Only their nemesis Toronto West Saints stand in their way, setting up a thrilling finals on Sunday. 

OYM Football could not ask for a more compelling finale to the season – unless it was the undefeated Agape Avengers trying to unseat the Mt. Olive champs by matching their perfect 2016 season. Alas, T-West took care of that last Sunday, handing Agape its first and fatal loss of 20-17, in one semi-finals, 22-20. 

Olive showed they are not ready to concede anything after a less than stellar regular season. Last Sunday, in the other semi-final game, they smacked the sophomore squad from Woodbridge, 27-12, to set up Sunday’s classic matchup at Northview, 10 a.m. 

The Championship game is followed by the Redemption Bowl, featuring Toronto East versus Kanisa. East got three by dominating Malton 24-0.  Kanisa outlasted Ghana 24-17 for a second straight trip to the consolation finals. 

Sunday’s championship game features two familiar foes from Rexdale. Their churches share an Albion Road address, just five stop lights apart. Olive’s perennial MVP Karl Brown spent two years playing with T-West. Until this year both teams played in the same division – T-West routinely spanking Olive until David slew Goliath in 2015 and went on to snag the title.  

Last season Olive won the lone regular-season game against the Saints and T-West lost to Mississauga in the semis so there was no playoff showdown as Olive steam-rolled to a perfect season.  

This year T-West moved to the East division to balance out the number of teams. Saints beat Triumph in the lone regular season matchup. Now it’s come down to a one-game winner take all showdown.  

Will Olive, a tiny church with a roster of 13 players, continue their championship run? Or will the behemoths from Toronto West, the largest SDA church in the province, return to the winner’s circle after falling short the past three seasons? 

For Olive to win they must contain the brilliance of Toronto West’s girls – especially Sherri Pierce, Keisha Alexander and Alysha Emerson. And Olive must do so without Petagaye McIntosh, the league’s most outstanding female player in 2015. (Petagaye did not play this year). 

Opponents of Toronto West have used boys to cover the magnificent 3 girls – and still got cooked. Olive are expected to have a plan. But the dilemma that T-West presents is if you shut down the girls with boys then who will stop the James Boys?  

After five years of using a girl QB, teams started pressing the T-West offence so the Saints added veteran male QB Jay Steinberg and speedster Dan George to the James staple for 2017. Now, it’s pick your poison. 

For Olive, QB Karl Brown is still the most difficult cover of any QB in the league. He can still beat rushers to the edge. He still slows down the game to a crawl, eating clock on offence. They don’t make mistakes. And his defence is still formidable. Plus, there is the amazing kick-return team. 

In last Sunday’s semi, Nick Deslandes scored three TDs and Craig Farrier took a long one to the house. Farrier is always in the mix and Germaine Clarke is Brown’s favourite target. Then, there is always Ezekiel  Marksman, if he decides to show up with booming kicks and timely scores. 

In the other game on Sunday, both teams are indeed seeking redemption. East had a horrendous start to the season bewfore ending on a bit of a roll. Kanisa lost the Redemption Bowl final last year and hope to go home with at least a smile in 2017. 

Games on Sunday August 27 at Northview: 10 a.m. Toronto West v Mt. Olive for the Championship. 11.30 a.m. – Toronto East v Kanisa for the Redemption Bowl.



Nobody should go winless; nobody did, not Malton

Mt. Olive regains mojo, pluck Ravens 13-0

Woodbridge stops Hamilton in its track

Agape and T-West roll towards showdown Aug. 20

And, surprise, glorious surprise, Malton wins

There is a reason they call the consolation round of the playoffs the Redemption Bowl. It gives you a chance of, er, redemption.

Just ask Malton Victory.

After a trying season where the team lost all 8 regular season games -- including a defeat at the hands of Meadowvale, Malton shocked the league with a 21-0 whitewash of Meadowvale in the wildcard playoff game.

Glory, Hallelujah. And all Malton broke out into song, "Victory is mine, O, Victory is mine . . ." 

So while Meadowvale is sent to the sidelines, Malton goes on to play Toronto East in one of two semi-finals Aug. 20 at Northview. The other Redemption Bowl semifinal will see Kanisa play Ghana. Winners of the two contests will play on Championship Sunday August 27 for the Redemption Bowl, the consolation prize that keeps teams coming back for more.

Meanwhile the top 4 teams in the league have been decided and they are Mt. Olive and Woodbridge in the West; Agape and Toronto West in the east. The games in the east went according to form. Toronto West demolished a weakened Philadelphia squad (missing star Jayde Rowe) by a 33-13 score. Agape easily dispatched the Spartans, 21-0. Spartans played without QB Joel Knight, leaving them little chance of success.

The Eastern conference showdown is a rematch of a mid-season game -- the only close one that Agape played all year (15-14) on their way to an unbeaten season. Agape are the prohibitive favourites as their team boasts 12 or 13 all-stars. The team's defence gives up fewer than 5 points per game. 

In the west, defending two-time champions Mt. olive showed that rumours of heir demise were greatly exaggerated. They blotted out Mississauga by a 13-0 score to set up a third straight appearance in the western finals. There they will meet the second year team from Woodbridge for a chance to get back to the title game.

Woodbridge spanked Hamilton 26-10 in a game that presented Hamilton as an over-confident bunch who got ambushed.

Woodbridge now has the opportunity to get to the league championship after winning the Redemption Bowl inits first season last year. To that they will have to take down the champs, no easy task. That game goes August 20 at Northview.

All games for the rest of the season are at Northview.  Four games run on August 20, starting at 10 a.m. The two championship games will be played Aug. 27, tentatively slated to start at 10.

Top 10

                                 RULE CHANGES VOTED AT AGM, FEB. 26

Teams meeting at the Annual General Meeting of the OYM Football League Feb. 26, approved the following rule changes, on recommendation from the executive and the head of officiating, Kevin Dawkins. The new rules go into effect for the  2017 season. They will be incorporated into the Revised Rule Book and distributed to the teams in April.

10 RULE CHANGES, CLARIFICATIONS for 2017

1. Defence can intercept and return converts for 2 points.

2. Five of the 8 players on offence must be set before the snap. There are no motion limits on the other 3 players.

3. The one-yard buffer between offence and defence is maintained at all times. Ref will re-position the ball so there is never less than 1 yard to go for a first down or a TD.

4. QB must receive the snap no closer than 2 yards behind the centre.

5. Like the rusher, the QB must maintain the 2-yard distance from the line of scrimmage, until the 3 steamboats are counted.

6.  Player can advance the ball after falling, or having three points of body contact the ground, if it is safe to do so. Progress is halted if the defender de-flags, jumps over, or simply touches the down player with one hand.

7. “Clear Path” rule is deleted. There are no restrictions on a player lateralling the ball to a girl 10 yards from the endzone or giving him/herself up to be tagged, or purposely running out of bounds anywhere on the field.

8.  If a female, acting as QB, shovel passes, pitches or throws to a male player, the play counts as a “female play” only if the intended receiver is beyond the line of scrimmage.

9. It is mandatory to electronically send a copy of the official game sheet to oymfootball@gmail.com by Sunday midnight to receive credit for the win and for player attendance.

10. Teams automatically change ends at the half. 

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Early season surprise

Apple Creek Spartans undefeated after 3 games

 Agape, T.West, Olive also unbeaten but one will bite the dust as Agape and T-West clash Saturday night

Who saw this coming?

After barely competing in 2016, the Spartans have beaten Malton, Philadelphia and Toronto East in succession and are looking down on the rest of the league with an undefeated record. 

Joining the Spartans at the top of the Eastern Conference standings are Agape and Toronto West, all with a 3 and 0 won-lost record.

The Spartans received an early-season boost from QB Joel Knight who came over from the other Creek team, on hiatus in 2017. But with Knight expected to miss several upcoming games the question hanging over the Spartans is, have they built up enough of a cushion to make it to the championships playoff round.

Spartans hold the tie-breaker with East and Philadelphia. A Spartan victory over Kanisa on July 9 would guarantee them a coveted playoff spot.

In other Eastern conference developments Agape Avengers has done exactly as promised, running roughshod over opponents for a perfect start. Tired of getting close but not over the top, the Avengers pulled a Golden State Warriors and now field a stacked team bolstered by refugees from the folded Apple Creek Golden Apples.

Crossing over to the Avengers were Jason Knight, Toneil Knight, Charles Rock, Kemesha McLean, Ashley Docking, Natalie Christie. 

But that was not enough. Nathaniel Fray-Smith and Errol Evans left Kanisa for greener pastures, and so did Xavier Ellis who played for Spartans last year. This gives the Avengers no fewer than 11 league all-stars.

Avengers will test their high-flying squad against Toronto West Saturday night in the game of the week at Mississauga Valleys, 9.15 p.m.

Toronto West crosssed over into the Eastern Conference to balance out the numbers in 2017 and immediately found themselves in a dogfight.

The T-West Saints are playing for the first time without female QB and all-star Sasha Rampersad. In her place, they have drafted veteran Jay Steinberg to sling the pigskin. Saturday night will give Steinberg a real baptism of OYM football and provide fans with a early season preview of what could become an Eastern Division final in mid-August.

No slouches themselves, T-West Saints are a blend of veterans and at least eight first or second-year players.

In the West, Mt. Olive has won both games and have not tasted defeat since mid 2015. The defending champions, coming off a perfect season in 2016, play Mississauga on Sunday. Sauga (1-1) play Kanisa Saturday night at L'Amoreaux Park and then tangle with Olive at Applewood on Sunday.

 After losing their Redemption Bowl rematch on opening day, Woodbridge rebounded to beat Malton and Ghana. Ghana tripped up Malton but lost close games to Olive, East and Woodbridge to sit at 1-3.

Meadowvale and Malton are  the only win-less teams as we head into Week 4. Both teams hook up July 9 in a "can't miss" game.

OYM FOOTBALL MID-SEASON POWER RANKINGS

13.       Meadowvale Power: This youthful bunch currently sits at 0-3. With more than half of the season left to play, they can  turn their season around. Once they get their ‘powerful’ offense on the same page, expect to see them in the win  column. Meadowvale has improved each year. Look out OYM!

Opponents to play:  (Ghana. Malton. Mississauga. Creek Spartans. Mt.Olive)

12.         Malton Victory: Currently sitting winless, at 0-4. Don’t be fooled by their record, they’ve lost some close games. This group has talent. Led by two Veteran QB’s Mark Lake and Christopher Thompson, Malton is headed in the right direction.  This team has a lot of speed. A few years together and they’ll see more ‘victory’.

Opponents to play: (Agape. Meadowvale. Philadelphia. Mississauga)

11.         Toronto East Titans: The Titans record is far worse than its Roster. They are 1-4 and have a -103 Point differential. Not at all the Titan team we are used to seeing. One major reason for the Titans aren’t on top in the east this season (Remember the Titans?)  the absence of star QB Carnel Baugh.  This defense led by all-star safety Junior Stephen, has playmakers all over the field. Talent isn’t the issue here. However, we’ve yet to see studs Triston Walker and Derice Saunders play this year. If the Titan can gather themselves for the final 3 games of their season it’s very possible they’ll finish the season 4-4 and slip into the playoffs. . Advice: Don’t sleep on the Titans

              Opponents to play: (Mississauga. Kanisa. Philadelphia)

10.        Ghana Blackstars: Energy. Intensity. Speed. Athleticism. Passion!!! Just a few terms to describe this bunch, who currently owns a 1-3 record. So many athletes on this squad. Akwasi continues to impress and improve every week. Expect to see WR. Benjamin continues to find the endzone. The Blackstars must channel their energy into making plays on the field. Once achieved, this is a scary football team.

              Opponents to play: (Meadowvale. Kanisa. Mississauga. Hamilton)

9.           Mississauga Ravens: The Ravens have flown south early this year. Sitting at a surprising 1-3 record and with some favorable matchups ahead, expect the Raven’s to begin their win streak. They’ve been missing players and it’s shown. So far, QB Jeff and star players Marvin Clarke & Tiffany Hall have played 1 game each. If those 3 players are in attendance, the Ravens could the return to the conference final.

              Opponents to play: (Toronto East. Ghana. Meadowvale. Malton)

8.           Kanisa Conquerors: Kanisa has suffered losses to 3 teams, 2 of which are ranked in the top 3 in the league. They’re doing well, comfortably at 2-3. The likable Conquerors have shown poise. Even in defeat they’ve shown how good they are. QB John Cavallari and Veteran Cecil Lewis, seem to be in sync when a first down is needed! Shane Larrow is impressive, as he seems to be able to play both sides of the ball and contribute well. Kanisa, will have to adopt a ‘best 8 players on the field’ mentality in order to ensure a win in certain games. Nonetheless, Kanisa is a solid squad!

Opponents to play: (Ghana. Apple Creek. Toronto East)

7.           Philadelphia Rolling Thunder: Kevin Green and Kenton Perrin lead this athletic bunch. This is definitely one of Kevin’s better seasons as a scrambler, but Jayde Rowe is their playmaker. He’s an explosive player, who probably leads the league in YAC. This team is ram-sacked with athletes and speed, an absolute special teams nightmare.  The offensive weapons, mother-daughter duo of Pam and Cymonne, are something special. This will be a tough matchup for any team, in the playoffs. Watch out for when the Thunder starts Rolling.

              Opponents to play: (Woodbridge. Toronto West. Malton. Toronto East)

6.           Hamilton Steelhawks: This team is a real threat this season. Hamilton, firmly seated at 2-2, lost their opening day matchup to Toronto West and suffered another loss to a fully staffed Ravens team. Niah Wilson looks to lead the Steelhawks past the 3-1 Spartans on Sunday, and will look to prove to the league that they have turned the corner. New acquisition, Veteran Safety Lamarr Lazarus looks to provide a spark and playmaking ability to Hamilton’s already strong core. Hamilton could have their best season to date. Expect big things, from this team.

              Opponents to play: (Woodbrige. Apple Creek. Mt. Olive. Ghana)

5.           Woodbridge Wildcats: After winning the Redemption bowl last season, this team looks much more confident and offensively polished. The Wildcats settle in, hanging on to a 3-1 record. On offense, QB Jamie Watson has found Chanel and Jeremy to be his go-to WR’s. The defense has several speedsters. Gabe and Oneko, along with Zalika are playmakers for Woodbridge, on both sides of the ball. Woodbridge hasn’t beaten a team over .500, yet. But don’t sleep, the Wildcats are hungry and ready to shock the league!

              Opponents to play: (Hamilton. Philadelphia. Toronto West. Mt. Olive)

4.           Apple Creek Spartans: 3-1 start for the Spartans! This might have something to do with star QB Joel Knight, coming over from the folded Golden Apples team. He looks to be in true form this season. He doesn’t have as many star females as he’s had in past, but he does have an upgrade with male WR’s. Chantae Smith is Joel’s go-to female target, but, don’t exclude Kjay and Tenille—Joel’s got some weapons!  J’vaughn, Andrew, Kavaun and Sheldon are also the playmakers so far for the Spartan men. They are big play WR’s and are one of the fastest teams in the league. The defense has a lot of speedy there too. Be careful testing their safeties, Roge and Jamar are ‘ball hawks’. If the Golden Apples don’t return to league, it would be interesting to see a mixture to this team.  Adding some veteran talent, would go a long way.

              Opponents to play: (Hamilton. Kanisa. Meadowvale Agape.)

3.        Toronto West Saints: The Saints look really good. Boasting a 4-1 record, they’ve got all the bases covered on this squad. Veteran QB Jay and star WR’s Sherri, Darnell, Alysha, Keisha and Dan are all playmakers, on both sides of the ball. Scoring 90 pts in 5 games, this offense is capable of 4 or more TD’s on any given Sunday. Not to mention their stellar Defense, led by Sheldon James, has only allowed 33 PA in 5 games! This is a very stingy defense. A good mix of veterans and newbies, this is one of the league’s most complete teams. They have a tough matchup against the 2-time defending champions on Sunday. It will be a spectacular game. West will finish this season as a clear top 3 team.

              Opponents to play: (Mt. Olive. Philadelphia. Woodbridge.)

2.           Agape Avengers: The Avengers had an active off-season. Acquiring players from the folded Golden Apples team, Kanisa & Spartans has certainly helped add to their depth. With a whopping 147 PF, this offense is clicking right now! Karmelia, Milo and Denzel are a few of many standouts thus far, playing exceptionally well. Sitting at 5-0, this aggressive defense has only allowed 2 TD’s in 5 games, and 1 allowed on special teams for 21 PA. Toussaint, Shaun, Liana, Mia and the rest, are proving to be extremely reliable and consistent on defense. Great team on paper, but--this team has to prove themselves come playoff time.  A win against West last week, and a 5-0 record, the Avengers secured themselves a top 2 spot in the rankings. Look out for the Avengers, this is an explosive squad.

              Opponents to play: (Malton. Mt.Olive. Apple Creek)

1.           Mt. Olive Triumph: No surprises here, at number 1. Back to Back to Back??? If you had any doubts, as to who the league’s best is…look no further. So far, Mt. Olive hasn’t tasted defat in over a season and a half. Everyone is asking, “Will they 3-peat?” WHY NOT!?
Owning a perfect 3-0 record, Karl Brown hopes to lead the Triumph over a talented Toronto West team on Sunday. It certainly won’t be easy, but with star players like, Germaine Clarke, Craig Ferrier, Tabitha Graham and Tenesha Hardie, we can expect this to be a tough game! The speed of this team is unmatched. They make BIG play after BIG play, a 3 yard dump turns into a 40 yard gain. But the defense is one of the league’s best. Only allowing, 28 PA in their first 3 games, they continue to show championship form. Perfection is what they aim for, and so far—they’ve done exactly that.

             Opponents to play: (Toronto West. Hamilton. Agape. Woodbridge. Meadowvale)

Hamilton leading West as double-header weekend arrives

Philly v Toronto East showdown highlights regular season finale

Can upstarts Woodbridge hand Mt. Olive a fourth straight loss?

They don't particularly like each other and on Sunday morning one team will send the other packing -- to the Redemption Bowl -- while the winner lives on to play spoiler.

It's Philadelphia Rolling Thunder (4-3) versus Toronto East Titans (3-4) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference of the OYM Football League. Win and you challenge your divisional powerhouses for a spot in the championship. Lose and you drop down with the also-rans looking to salvage your pride.

Meanwhile, in the West, Mt. Olive is looking to regain their mojo after three straight losses, Woodbridge is knocking at the door, and Meadowvale is primed to throw a monkey wrench into the playoff seedings in the East when they tackle the Apple Creek Spartans.

Philly versus East is the feature matchup in what is Double-header Weekend (Olive, Spartans and Meadowvale play double-headers). Philly has had some tough losses this year. They had Agape down 7-0 before collapsing. They had Toronto West on the ropes, up 14-0 before losing 15-14. And they lost by a point to the Spartans.

Toronto East Titans, meanwhile, has been a confounding lot all year. But wins over Kanisa and Mississauga and Ghana has given them hope of a dream ending and a berth in the championship round of the playoffs.

Can QB Carmel Baugh steady the skittish bunch long enough to pull off one major win?. Will Philly finally withstand the pressure in a big game and move on in confidence?

The other three spots in the East are secure. The world-beaters from Agape will finish first, and likely unbeaten. They have scored an astounding 191 points and given up only 35 points in seven games -- both league best. T-West is 7-1 and on a bye week, nursing a single loss to the Agape all-stars. The surprising Spartans (4-2) are not only in the playoffs but will stay in third place, if they can beat Meadowvale Saturday night, not to mention the insurmountable task of beating Agape on Sunday. Lose both games of their double-header this weekend and they'll finish fourth, if Philly beats East. A East win over Philly would leave all three teams at 4 and 4,  but Spartans have the tie breaker over both teams and would stay in third, with East finishing fourth.

A Philly victory, coupled with a double-header loss by Spartans, will vault Philly into third where they would avoid Agape and play T-West in the conference semis. 

With Joel Knight at quarterback, Spartans have beaten Kanisa, Philadelphia, East and Malton. That gives them the tie-breaker in the east should they lose both weekend games and end up tied with Toronto East or Philadelphia.

Kanisa, depleted in 2017 with the defection of Nathaniel Fray Smith and Errol Evans, and others, are missing firepower and will have to battle in the Redemption Bowl.

In the West, Hamilton can finish no worse than second and will take top spot if Woodbridge loses to Mt. Olive. However, if Woodbridge beats Mt. Olive, handing the defending champs a fourth consecutive loss, then Woodbridge finishes first in the West and Hamilton drops to second, with Olive and Sauga doing the two-step dance for third and fourth.

 Mount Olive (3-3) suddenly looks vulnerable -- thanks to three consecutive losses to Toronto West, Hamilton and Agape. Woodbridge, which seemed poised to make a run for the top spot in the west, fell back last Sunday with a 30-5 drubbing at the hands of rival Toronto West. And Hamilton now seem poised to snag the top spot, pending the outcome of weekend games.

The only thing settled in the West is that Meadowvale (1-5) and Malton (0-7) won't be in the championship round. Neither will Ghana. They will join Kanisa and the loser of Philadelphia vs Toronto East in the playoffs for teams seeking redemption and respectability for 2018.

Weekend games out west feature Meadowvale versus Spartans at Valleys on Saturday night. A Meadowvale win would counter arguments that the West is the weaker of the two conferences. Sunday's western contests at Applewood have Mt. Olive playing a double header against Woodbridge at 10 a..m. and Meadowvale at 1 p.m.. In between, Malton plays Sauga and tries to avoid a winless season.

In the East, the warm-up game is Spartans against Agape, looking to finish an unbeaten regular season for the second time. This is followed by the marquee matchup that pits Philly against the Titans at 11.30 at Pickering high.

Playoffs begin the following week at the same locations.

Then there is a break for the August Holiday, followed by another bye for the annual Youth Summit and the East-West All-Star Classic, this year at Esther Shiner Stadium on Aug. 12.

Semi-finals go August 20 and the championship August 27 -- both at Northview.

Back-to-Back OYMFL Champs

MT. OLIVE DEMOLISH APPLE CREEK 27-5

TO SEAL UNPRECEDENTED PERFECT SEASON 

Dominating performance ends season for the ages in Super Sunday 1 at Esther Shiner Stadium. Clarke, Marksman score twice. Brown named MVP 

Woodbridge Wildcats win Redemption Bowl in consolation victory over Kanisa 

There's a new way to spell P E R F E C T I O N. It's Mount Olive and their football team that ended their perfect season with back-to-back championshps as the best in the OYMFL. .

Mount Olive Triumph arrived at Esther Shiner Stadium Sunday in search of football immortality. They left as the undisputed champions of the OYM Football League with a command performance that left Apple Creek stunned and over-matched.

Eleven times this season Mt. Olive took the field against the best OYMFL could offer; and the Triumph prevailed 11 times. But none was more dominant than Sunday's dismantling of the Eastern Conference Champs from Apple Creek.

Quarterback Karl Brown threw for four touchdowns -- two each to Ezekiel Marksman and Germaine Clark -- and scrambled enough times to confound the Creek and earned his second straight championship MVP Award.

Two months ago, this delicious championship matchup seemed impossible. Mt.Olive was humming along at 4-0 and Apple Creek had barely fashioned a single victory. Triumph kept rolling and the Golden Apples found their groove just in time to salvage their season and have remained unbeaten in five games.  Now they meet in a Super Sunday Showdown at Esther Shiner Stadium (Off Bathurst one light north of Finch, behind Northview Secondary).

Apple Creek was looking to play the role of Dream Busters for the second time in three years. (Creek ended Toronto West Saints' unbeaten season in the 2014 title game). But after scoring early for a 5-1 lead, it was all downhill from there.

In the consolation final, The Redemption Bowl, the first-year team from Woodbridge upset the veterans from Kanisa to take home the consolation prize.

@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@ @ 

 APPROVED 2017 OYMFL Football Calendar

* * The deadline to join the league for play in the 2017 season has passed. Exemption is possible if new teams request to be added in groups of twos, and pay the full fee prior to April 27. 

Saturday April 1, MIDNIGHT -- Deadline for schedule requests 

Thursday, April 27 @ midnight -- Deadline for final league fee payment.

Saturday Night May 27 -- Season opener -- Mt. Olive vs Apple Creek

Sunday May 28 – Season Launch -- Cross-Conference games at Northview

Saturday, June 3 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 4 – Week 2 in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 10 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 11 – Week 3 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 17 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 18 – Week 4 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday June 24 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday June 25 – Week 5 -- Cross-conference games at Northview

Saturday/Sun July 1/2 -- Holiday Weekend. No Games

Saturday July 8 -- Saturday Night Game of the Week

Sunday July 9 – Week 6 -- in Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday July 15 -- Saturday night Game of the Week

Sunday, July 16 -- Week 7 -- Cross-Conference games at Northview

Saturday July 22 – Saturday night Game of the Week

Sunday July 23 -- Week 8 -- In Pickering and Mississauga

Saturday/Sunday July 29/30 – Playoff Quarterfinals in Pickering and Mississauga

August 5/6 – Off Holiday weekend – Optional rainout date

August 12  -- All-Star Game and Spiritual Summit. (Rainout option)

August 13 – Track and Field Meet. (Optional rainout)

Saturday/Sunday August 19/20 -- Semi-Finals;

Saturday/Sunday August 26/27 – Championships and Redemption Bowl 

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