FB: Semifinal standouts honoured

EDMONTON – After playing key roles in their team's semifinal wins this past weekend, Calgary Dinos Tyson Philpot and Alex Basilis, along with Saskatchewan Huskie Bowan Lewis, have been named the Canada West football players of the week.

The trio will meet in the 82nd Hardy Cup this Saturday at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m. MST) after picking up victories in the conference semifinals.

Philpot was dynamic at receiver for the Dinos, as they earned a 37-13 win over the Manitoba Bisons in the first Hardy Cup semifinal. A second Calgary receiver had a big day, albeit in a different way, as Basilis is the special teamer of the week after blocking a Manitoba punt and scooping it up in the end zone.

Meanwhile in Vancouver, Lewis posted 10.5 tackles in Saskatchewan's first playoff victory since 2009, as the Huskies secured a 31-28 overtime victory over the UBC Thunderbirds.

The 82nd Hardy Cup goes this Saturday at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. For ticket details, click here.

The game can be seen live on SaskTel, TELUS, Bell MTS, and online at Canada West TV. Click here for complete TV listings.

CW OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: REC – Tyson Philpot

STATS: 4 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown, long of 73

Explosive receiver Tyson Philpot did his part for the Calgary Dinos in their semifinal win over the Manitoba Bisons Saturday, as the rookie receiver hauled in 142 yards on just four catches.

Philpot's biggest play of the day came in the fourth quarter, as the Delta, B.C. product went 73 yards for a major. The score capped off Calgary's 37-13 victory, as the Dinos punched their ticket to a record 11th consecutive Hardy Cup.

Philpot's 73-yard reception is the sixth longest in Canada West this season. The rookie owns the longest CW catch of 2018, a 107-yard touchdown back on Sept. 7 vs. UBC, which is also the longest reception in Dinos history.

STATS: 10.5 total tackles, 8 solo tackles

Bowan Lewis reached double-digit tackles Saturday for the Saskatchewan Huskies, as they captured their first playoff win in nearly a decade.

Lewis recorded a Canada West season-high 10.5 tackles for the Huskies, who earned a 31-28 overtime win over the UBC Thunderbirds.

It was the Huskies first playoff win since their 53-23 victory over the Regina Rams in the 2009 conference semis.

STATS: Blocked punt touchdown

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.