November 2, 2021
Ford, Knight, MacKinnon named OUA football players of the week
Burlington, Ont. - Tre Ford, Deionte Knight, and Ethan Mackinnon have been named Canadian Football Perspective's OUA Players of the Week for Week 7.
Offensive Player of the Week - Tre Ford, Waterloo
With a playoff spot on the line and his team locked in a tight defensive battle with their cross-town rivals, Tre Ford stepped up in a big way for the Waterloo Warriors, not only securing the win, but a spot in the 2021 OUA postseason.
With the black and gold carrying a slim 11-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter against Wilfrid Laurier, the dynamic Warriors quarterback went to work to help his team put up 25 unanswered points in the final frame. Less than five minutes into the quarter, the Niagara Falls, Ont. native connected with Rushon Dagelman from 27 yards out for his first passing major of the day. On the following offensive play for the Warriors in their next drive, Ford found Gordon Lam for a six-yard touchdown pass. To cap off his regular season finale, Ford unleashed a 63-yard pass to Dagelman once again, bringing the senior's touchdown total up to three.
When the dust settled on the Warriors' 36-8 win - a win that locked up a playoff spot - the dual-threat pivot came away with 290 yards through the air on 17 completions, while also putting up a game high 97 rushing yards on just 10 carries for an average of just under 10 yards-per-carry.
Defensive Player of the Week - Deionte Knight, Western
Western was firing on all cylinders in their regular season finale against Windsor, and while Mustangs were making plays on both sides of the ball throughout the game, it was Deionte Knight who set the tone very early on in the convincing victory.
A force for the London squad all season, Knight added to his impressive campaign with a defensive touchdown on just the second play of the game. The defensive lineman scooped up the football with Windsor on their 12-yard line, not only recovering the fumble, but taking it to the end zone for the game's first of many points less than one minute in.
While the touchdown may have been the headline of his outing, the arts and humanities major didn't stop there, as he continued to have his presence felt among the Lancers offence. Knight added a pair of sacks, both of which stopped Windsor in their tracks on a pair of opening half drives, including one that sent them back to their own one-yard line.
Instrumental in the eventual shutout, Knight wrapped up his day with 4.5 tackles - three solo - to go along with the momentum-changing plays that reinforce why he is one of the conference's best on defence.
Special Teams Player of the Week - Ethan MacKinnon, Toronto
The Toronto special teams unit shone bright to close out their regular season run, and at the heart of the team's fireworks therein on Saturday, was one of the OUA's top returners, Ethan MacKinnon.
The commerce major from Amherstburg, Ont. helped the Varsity Blues secure second place in the OUA East Division and a home playoff berth to boot following a dominant 41-7 victory over the York Lions. He did so with an impactful return game, much like he did all season long for the playoff-bound Blues. The OUA leader in punt return yardage (345) made sure to maximize that total with his nine punt returns in the game. MacKinnon made the most of those attempts, registering 159 yards returning for his Blues, including six that went for more than 10 yards.
By far his longest and most impactful of those returns, however, came halfway through the second quarter, when he fielded the ball well into Toronto territory and went off to the races from there for the 75-yard punt return touchdown.
The second-year receiver/returner capped off his day with one reception for nine yards.
Offensive Player of the Week - Tre Ford, Waterloo
With a playoff spot on the line and his team locked in a tight defensive battle with their cross-town rivals, Tre Ford stepped up in a big way for the Waterloo Warriors, not only securing the win, but a spot in the 2021 OUA postseason.
With the black and gold carrying a slim 11-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter against Wilfrid Laurier, the dynamic Warriors quarterback went to work to help his team put up 25 unanswered points in the final frame. Less than five minutes into the quarter, the Niagara Falls, Ont. native connected with Rushon Dagelman from 27 yards out for his first passing major of the day. On the following offensive play for the Warriors in their next drive, Ford found Gordon Lam for a six-yard touchdown pass. To cap off his regular season finale, Ford unleashed a 63-yard pass to Dagelman once again, bringing the senior's touchdown total up to three.
When the dust settled on the Warriors' 36-8 win - a win that locked up a playoff spot - the dual-threat pivot came away with 290 yards through the air on 17 completions, while also putting up a game high 97 rushing yards on just 10 carries for an average of just under 10 yards-per-carry.
Defensive Player of the Week - Deionte Knight, Western
Western was firing on all cylinders in their regular season finale against Windsor, and while Mustangs were making plays on both sides of the ball throughout the game, it was Deionte Knight who set the tone very early on in the convincing victory.
A force for the London squad all season, Knight added to his impressive campaign with a defensive touchdown on just the second play of the game. The defensive lineman scooped up the football with Windsor on their 12-yard line, not only recovering the fumble, but taking it to the end zone for the game's first of many points less than one minute in.
While the touchdown may have been the headline of his outing, the arts and humanities major didn't stop there, as he continued to have his presence felt among the Lancers offence. Knight added a pair of sacks, both of which stopped Windsor in their tracks on a pair of opening half drives, including one that sent them back to their own one-yard line.
Instrumental in the eventual shutout, Knight wrapped up his day with 4.5 tackles - three solo - to go along with the momentum-changing plays that reinforce why he is one of the conference's best on defence.
Special Teams Player of the Week - Ethan MacKinnon, Toronto
The Toronto special teams unit shone bright to close out their regular season run, and at the heart of the team's fireworks therein on Saturday, was one of the OUA's top returners, Ethan MacKinnon.
The commerce major from Amherstburg, Ont. helped the Varsity Blues secure second place in the OUA East Division and a home playoff berth to boot following a dominant 41-7 victory over the York Lions. He did so with an impactful return game, much like he did all season long for the playoff-bound Blues. The OUA leader in punt return yardage (345) made sure to maximize that total with his nine punt returns in the game. MacKinnon made the most of those attempts, registering 159 yards returning for his Blues, including six that went for more than 10 yards.
By far his longest and most impactful of those returns, however, came halfway through the second quarter, when he fielded the ball well into Toronto territory and went off to the races from there for the 75-yard punt return touchdown.
The second-year receiver/returner capped off his day with one reception for nine yards.
