After seven weeks of feisty competition on the infamous Northfield turf, the New Trier Flag Football League crowned a new champion Oct. 27. Captain Hammes now holds the throne, but here are nine other teams that are worthy of some final recognition.

1. Captain Hammes: The #4 seed pulled off an upset of Raybans in the championship game (capping off a three game night) by a final score of 36-31. Senior quarterback Evan Basse filled in flawlessly for bedridden starter David Hammes, and a crunch-time interception from cornerback Robbie Abuls preserved the victory. CH’s timely offense and stellar turnover ratio ultimately proved them worthy of their previous #1 ranking.
2. Raybans: Raybans narrowly survived an early round exit by taking down Deep Threat in overtime of their first round playoff game thanks to a two point conversion from senior Clay Lesniak. Led by two-year starter Jake Reynolds, they then throttled Weisman for Heisman in the semifinals. They couldn’t carry this momentum into the ‘ship, however, as they fell to similarly senior-laden Captain Hammes in a tight contest.
3. Weisman for Heisman: Even a Final Four finish was a disappointment for senior captain Jack Koltin. The #1 seed couldn’t overcome a tough draw from the selection committee, as they came out rusty after a first round bye. An early exit indeed, but Koltin and Co. will be looking to make an impact on the Night League court this winter.
4. Deep Threat: Junior Michael Hurley was the key cog for this high-ceiling squad. He certainly figures to be a hot commodity in the free agent market next season. After a heartbreaking one point loss to Raybans, all eyes will be looking at how this team responds in the offseason. Which changes make DT a title favorite? Is it time to retool an already-dynamic roster? If the current roster stays intact, look out for Deep Threat as preseason favorites next year (after the graduation of this year’s three best teams).
5. Raspberry Sherbert: The epitome of playing old-school football, this team held steady despite lacking a consistent pass game. What they failed to do through the air, they made up for in physicality; strong lead blocks and designed runs couldn’t quite propel RS into the championship, but senior QB Niko Katsinis used his mobility to carry them to a respectable finish.
6. Chewbaby: At least they tried. Valiant efforts from senior QB Aidan Degenaars and senior wideout Andrew Murlick weren’t enough to pull off a first round upset. It was an appropriate ending to what many players would label as a disappointing season.
7. French Slayers: The upstart sophomore squad fell on the wrong side of the selection committee’s playoff-dividing line. Speculation that a lack of experience caused this snubbing is certainly justifiable, but a crucial offseason awaits; FS needs a quarterback to emerge in the free agent market to solve a revolving door at the position.
8. Loyola Girls Soccer: This team sneaks into the top ten solely because of its effectively chirpy name. Strong quarterback play from senior Nick Rettino kept them competitive, but a sub-.500 record doomed LGS’s playoff chances.
9. The Cool Kids Club: This roster (consisting of all juniors) didn’t lack athleticism. Alex Levine, Will Neild, and Will D’Angelo anchored a well-rounded team that was held back from contending status due to inconsistent QB play. Contending next season could very well mean an upgrade at the quarterback position.
10. Love Messiah: They didn’t do much through the air, but Love Messiah specialized in speed. Their NT Track and Field athletes brought a tricky dynamic that defenses sometimes struggled to figure out, but a playoff appearance just wasn’t in the cards.