The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

An outstanding year, both on and off the gridiron, led to several post-season awards for Bahamian student athletes in Canada.

St Francis Xavier’s Demetrius Ferguson, and the Holland College Hurricanes’ Eugene McMinns and Cardell Rolle, were each honoured by their respective universities at gala banquets over the weekend.

Ferguson was lauded for his off-the-field work and received the St FX community X- Cellence award. His résumé this season included - “co-chair of the student athlete leadership team, where he dedicated hours each week to organise community initiatives including co-chairing the annual X athletes for charity event, a member of the XMen football unity council, the veteran leaders programme with the St FX leadership academy.”

In his second year with the X-Men programme, Ferguson was also involved with X- out bullying, the black student advisory organisation and the X-out violence initiative to promote the prevention of violence against women.

He volunteered with the Antigonish community food bank, canvassed for the Alzheimer’s Society with the X- Men football team, and his summer included charity hours at a local community centre, volunteering at youth sports camps and running youth fitness classes.

On the field, Ferguson finished with 20.5 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Ferguson had a career day against the Corncordia Stingers on September 14. He finished with 4.5 tackles, one forced fumble, and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 103-yard touchdown score. It was the second interception returned for a touchdown in Ferguson’s two year CIS career.

His success continued after a storied two-year tenure for the Hurricanes, where McMinns and Rolle continue the standard of Bahamian stars on the football field.

Rolle was named the Hilton Memorial Most Valuable Player for the Hurricanes programme which one its second Atlantic Football League title in three seasons.

Ferguson was a two-time Hilton Memorial award winner with the Hurricanes.

Rolle’s immediate impact led to him being named defensive captain in his first year with the programme.

In his first game in a Hurricanes uniform, he delivered a dominant performance and set the tone for the remainder of the season. He finished with six tackles and a forced fumble, which he recovered and returned for an 87-yard touchdown.

McMinns was named the male rookie of the year as he finished with 21 receptions for 441 years and two touchdowns. He was also an impact player on special teams with 11 returns for 189 yards.

Following football season, McMinns’ success continues on the track as a sprinter. He was named the Hurricanes’ male Athlete of the Week after he won both the 60m (7.32s) and the 200m (24.01s) at the Atlantic Indoor Track and Field Championships.

McMinns also recently won the 60 metre and 200 metre events at the Atlantic Indoor Track and Field Championships in Moncton.

Bahamian forward Ashley Moss also received recognition at the banquet as a member of the Hurricanes’ women’s basketball programme.

Moss was named the Most Improved Player in a season where she averaged a double double - 11.3 points and a league leading 12.8 rebounds per game. She helped the Hurricanes earn their first berth in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.