The summer season saw PIT Football expand to 14 divisions, including the first indoor summer touch-football league.
PIT Football now offers every variety of non-contact football, including flag football, coed football, and touch football.
PIT Football also partnered with the University of Manitoba Bisons Football Team to promote the game of football in Manitoba — a natural progression as a significant number of current and former Bisons players currently play in the league.
Flag Football Division
Flying Squirrels 26 Flag Football Free Agents 6
The Flying Squirrels won their first Flag Football Championship and, in the process, became the first team to win a championship across each of our different football platforms.
The Flying Squirrels began as a coed touch football team winning seven championships before moving to the men’s touch football divisions where they won three more.
Their 11th title comes as a flag team — a remarkable achievement in terms of both number of championships and the fact that the team remains a coed team playing against all men’s teams. The ladies were significant contributors to the team as the Squirrels were led during the season by Ramey Goetz who scored 84 points, which was good for seventh overall in league scoring!
Indoor Division 1
Snipers 33 Titans 20
Two of the longest-running and most-decorated teams in touch football history met to decide the first Division 1 summer indoor touch football championship.
The game did not disappoint, as the two teams traded touchdowns until late in the game when the Titans final drive stalled, and the Snipers were able to put the game away for good.
Snipers receiver Shawn Pachet kept his record-setting season going, scoring two touchdowns in the final to add to his 162 regular season points!
Titans quarterback Gavin Panchuk threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers, which could have been four after perfectly placing a touchdown pass off the head of one of his receivers. We won’t mention his name here but that receiver rhymes with Bamian Dialkowski.
Indoor Division 2
Trigger Happy Bunnies 25 Fighting Elms 8
The Bunnies hopped to their first summer championship where the score defied how close the game was.
Both teams played some great defensive football throughout the game with the score 13-8 for the Bunnies heading into the final frame.
The Bunnies were able to open the scoring up by instituting a double-quarterback system in which game MVP Jason Cassie threw two touchdown passes from the halfback position. It was a game of “twos” for Mr. Cassie, who scored two touchdowns, intercepted two passes, and threw for two scores.
Bryce McEwen carried the offensive load for the Elms, including throwing a touchdown pass on a play in which he eventually scored as he took a lateral 40 yards to the house on what might have been the best demonstration of athleticism of the indoor season!
Coed Division 1
Connor McDavids 44 Sofa Kings 20
The Connor McDavids completed their trilogy battle against the Sofa Kings in the third straight coed Division 1 championship final that pitted these two teams against one another.
The Connor McDavids completed the hat-trick by sweeping the series. Rookies James Teschuk and Joshua Frey-Sam each scored 19 points for the McDavids while Ramey Goetz had a pair of touchdowns for the Sofas.
The Connor McDavids are closing in on the Flying Squirrels record of seven coed championships — not bad for a team which originated as a bunch of free agents!
Congrats to Neil Gwizon who set the all-time coed interception record this season with 14 picks!
Coed Division 2
Football-Demort 38 Tom Bradycardia 36
This game was quite the barnburner as four touchdowns were scored in the final three minutes!
Football-Demort went up 32-24 when they scored with three minutes left. Tom Bradycardia drove the field in under a minute to score, however they missed the two-point convert attempt to make it 32-30. Football-Demort’s next offensive play resulted in Bryan Janzen intercepting the ball for Tom Bradycardia and taking it to the house to put his team up by four!
That set the scene for an improbable full-field scoring drive to win the game at the buzzer. An incredible finish to an incredible game! Bryan Janzen led Tom Bradycardia with 24 points, a sack, and an interception. Future Hall of Famer Jason Cassie took home his second championship of the night by going off for 12 points, a sack, two interceptions, and four touchdown passes.
Division 1
Rebellion 34 Knights 26
The Rebellion won their first Division 1 championship and ended the Guild of Calamitous Intent’s streak of eight straight titles.
Despite the game being as close as it was, this contest might have been won in the first few minutes. The Knights drove the opening kickoff 90-yards for a touchdown and had considerable momentum. The Knights stopped Rebellion twice on third down on the ensuing drive, but on both plays a defensive penalty extended the drive, ultimately resulting in a touchdown.
The Knights had to play catch-up the rest of the game and ran out of time to tie it up down the stretch. A great game by both teams, highlighted by some great individual plays by both teams on both sides of the ball, including a 20-point performance by game MVP Darrell Janzen.
Division 2
Polk High 35 MonStars 16
Polk High returned to the league after a multi-year hiatus and won the Division 2 final over a very-athletic MonStars team.
Drew Hawkins led the way with 13 points and an interception for Polk High, while former Bison’s standout Alex Vitt had eight points and a few highlight-reel catches for the MonStars.
Polk High improved their record to 3-8 in championship games, and 1-0 since the “return.” Polk High will move up to Division 1 and try to carry over their summer success to the indoor season where they will split into two teams in what should lead to some great rivalry “intra-squad” games.
You know the game is going right after a failed snap turns into a 35-yard touchdown reception. View that play and all the best plays from the finals here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B2-HUrPAlGP/
Division 3
Brewers of North Bay plus Two Guys from No D 36 Enforcers 33 (OT)
The final game played of the summer season turned out to be the best of them all as the Brewers got past the Enforcers in overtime, after scoring on the final play of the game to tie it up!
The game had a remarkable eight lead changes, with the Enforcers scoring to go up by six with under three minutes left. The Brewers marched down the field and had three shots from the two-yard line, scoring when Neil Gwizon hit Pierre Feng on a triple-move on third down.
Game MVP Andrew Westwood had 22 points, including both converts in overtime to seal the victory for the Brewers. Scott Rhodes threw for five touchdowns and ran for over 100-yards as the Brewers defence had no answer for the Enforcers QB, channelling their best ‘No D’ impression.
Division 4
Law Firm 13 Snappers 6
If you are a fan of defensive football, this was the game to watch!
Law Firm led just 1-0 at halftime via a rouge as both defences wouldn’t give an inch as the teams combined for four interceptions and two sacks.
In the second half both teams found success with the deep ball, but still couldn’t punch it in once they entered the red zone. Law Firm quarterback Garth Irvine decided to cut the red zone out entirely by hitting Chris Greenhaigh and Shane Smedvik on a pair of 60-yard plus touchdowns to break the game open.
The Snappers drove the field to try to tie the score but, fittingly, the game ended on a red-zone interception to preserve the victory for Law Firm.
This was Law Firm’s third straight finals appearance, and they finally got to bring home the championship belt!
Division 5
Strange Brew 33 Bad Company 25
In yet another edge-of-your-seat game, Strange Brew looked to be cruising to victory with a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
However, summer-season MVP Jason Gibbons threw two quick-TD strikes to start the fourth to pull the game within a converted touchdown. After an interception, Bad Company had a shot on the last play of the game to win it, however their Hail Mary fell short.
Strange Brew played a great defensive game leading up to the fourth quarter, led by the two sacks of Adam DeJonckeere, who had the unenviable task of trying to keep perhaps the best running quarterback in check.
Game MVP Steve Nabess threw four touchdowns to four different receivers in the victory to cap off a great season in which he led the entire league with 61 touchdown passes.
Division 6
Nasty Boyz 19 Gamecocks 13
Another great defensive battle which saw the two teams combine for six interceptions and three sacks.
Both teams scored on their first drives and then proceeded to stall each drive heading up to the fourth quarter, where the offensive game finally picked up.
Eric Hladkyj threw two late touchdowns to seal the victory for the Nasty Boyz, while Isaac Henry of East Side Eagles fame scored on a 60-yard touchdown bomb and threw a 40-yard TD pass for the Gamecocks.
The Nasty Boyz were this season’s version of the St. Louis Blues, having entered the playoffs as the bottom seed and then getting hot at the right time to show that once the playoffs begin, it’s a totally different ball game!
Division 7
Young Guns 28 Gym Class Heroes 20
The Vegas odds against these two teams playing in the final were quite substantial as the fifth and seventh-seeded teams met in another barnburner.
Both teams got hot down the stretch and that carried over into the playoffs. On this day the seventh-seeded team took home the championship belt.
The Young Guns were led by Daniel Lajoie’s 13 points, and Rifles standout Jake Rogers’ two interceptions and three converts. Gym Class was led by former Manitoba Bisons running back Alex Christie who had seven points.
This was a very entertaining back-and-forth game, that once again proves the old football adage of “any given Sunday!”
Division 8
Mega Powers 23 Razorbacks 14
Give the Razorbacks credit, they entered the playoffs as the ninth seed, had to win a play-in game to qualify, then proceeded to knock off the top two team teams in the division en route to the championship game.
Unfortunately, their Cinderella story ended in the finals as they ran into a Mega Powers team that was firing on all cylinders. Led by the 15 points and an interception by game MVP Matthew Dueck, the Mega Powers returned to championship form after a rough 2018 season. As always, the Mega Powers had the loudest fans in the stadium to cheer them on under the lights at IGF!
Trevor Smart led the Razorbacks with perhaps the nicest touchdown reception of the day in which he went over top of a defender to make an acrobatic catch in the end zone, however it was not enough for the Razorbacks who have been to three straight championship finals, but have yet to taste victory.
Division 9
The Bullet Club 41 Kraken 16
The Bullet Club/Kraken game was close with just a minute left in the half when Jean-Guy Mercier hit former league MVP Courtney Dyck on a touchdown to pull the Kraken within a score despite the team having an underachieving first half.
However, Jayden Cope took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown which completely changed the complexion of the game. The Kraken gave up a dozen kick/punt return touchdowns this season, breaking their own infamous record from the year previous when they gave up 11. Someone needs to hire a special teams coordinator for this team!
The Bullet Club were led by Travers Cummings who threw for five touchdowns, two each to Brant Ginter and Football Manitoba Provincial Flag Football coach Ben Lazaruk.
ProBowl Game
ProBowl Team Purple 32 ProBowl Team Pink 28
Each summer PIT Football offers each of its team captains an opportunity to play in the ProBowl game. We give back to the players who help organize their teams and offer them a night of fun and festivities at Investors Group Field.
This year’s game was an incredible back-and-forth matchup with spectacular touchdowns and interceptions. Deion Nelson of the Flying Squirrels was the MVP for Team Pink, Kyle Smith of the Loose Cannons was the MVP for Team Purple.
Included in the ProBowl were skills competitions such as the leagues fastest person, won by Joshua Frey-Sam of Law Firm; longest throw, won by Mike Nelson of Rebellion (52-yards); and longest field goal won by Jon Boville of the Blouses (55-yards…in the rain). Sign this guy up!
Summer MVP
Jason Gibbons
Congratulations to Jason Gibbons who won the Summer Most Valuable Player award as voted by his peers.
Jason Gibblons became not only the first player to win more than one league MVP, but he also defended his summer MVP from last summer.
Each season we give away a league MVP honour, Jason will now see if he can take home his first indoor MVP championship belt in the Fall season.
The PIT Football league is the official touch and flag football league of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. PIT Football would like to thank the Winnipeg Football Club for helping grow the game of touch football in the province!
Fall indoor registration is now open until October 18th for players or teams looking to get in on the action! Check out www.pitfootball.com for more information.
