U Sports players of the week (11): Socholotiuk, Ferguson, Basilis named

StFX running back Jordan Socholotiuk, Western defensive back Mackenzie Ferguson, and Calgary receiver Alex Basilis are the U SPORTS Football Players of the Week, for the period ending Nov. 4, 2018.

An arts student in his fifth year of eligibility from Waterford, Ont., Socholotiuk scored two touchdowns and was named Subway AUS Player of the Game in StFX’s 33-10 win over Acadia in the AUS semifinal Saturday in Antigonish, N.S. His 103-yard rushing downtown in the win tied for the sixth-longest U SPORTS history. He also had a 52-yard rushing touchdown. The leading rusher in the country this season, he finished with 242 total yards on 24 carries in the game.

In a game that was filled with takeaways, especially in the opening half, it was Mackenzie Ferguson who proved to be one of the more persistent thorns in Carleton’s side. The Western defensive back was locked in against Michael Arruda and the Ravens and was able to reel in a pair of interceptions for the Mustangs against their semifinal foes. The effort, which was just one interception shy of his regular season mark of three, was a catalyst to not only get Western’s offence back on the field, but in providing them great field position to capitalize on, as he also took back the picks for a combined 35 yards. Ferguson was also involved in a tackle for a loss on the day, but his interception-happy ways were the true difference-maker for a team that needed the defensive spark.

With the score tied 3-3 in the second quarter, wide receiver Alex Basilis delivered the spark the Calgary Dinos needed to jumpstart another Hardy Cup semifinal win. The second-year kinesiology student made his biggest play of the day on special teams, blocking a Brad Mikoluff punt deep inside Manitoba territory, before running into the end zone to scoop up a touchdown. The play handed Calgary their first lead of the game, as the Dinos would go onto win 37-13 and earn another berth in the Hardy Cup.

Offensive nominees:

• CW: Tyson Philpot, receiver, Calgary
• OUA: Alex Taylor, running back, Western
• RSEQ: Vincent Breton-Robert, running back, Laval
• AUS: Jordan Socholotiuk, running back, StFX (winner)

Defensive nominees:

• CW: Bowan Lewis, defensive back, Saskatchewan
• OUA: Mackenzie Ferguson, defensive back, Western (winner)
• RSEQ: Marc-Antoine Dequoy, defensive back, Montreal
• AUS: Bailey Feltmate, linebacker, Acadia

Special teams nominees:

• CW: Alex Basilis, receiver, Calgary (winner)
• OUA: Jason Richards, defensive back, Guelph
• RSEQ: Louis-Philippe Simoneau, kicker / punter, Montreal
• AUS: Kieran Burnham, kicker / punter, StFX