The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TWO games into their inaugural season with the Acadia Axemen of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and Atlantic University Sport (AUS) a pair of Bahamian players took to the field this weekend.

Despite an effort that came up short and saw the Axemen suffer their first loss of the season, wide receiver Eugene McMinns and offensive lineman Shelton Williams have helped Acadia to a 2-1 record.

Williams has started at tackle since the season opener and has been a lynchpin in the line that has been one of the leading offences in Canadian collegiate football.

The Axemen were upset  45-14 by the McGill in a game between the AUS and RSEQ conferences at Percival Molson Stadium in Montreal, Canada, on Saturday.

McMinns had a breakout game with two catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. His score came at the 2:21 mark late in the fourth quarter when he connected with backup quarterback Nick Bynkoski for a 39-yard score to cap a 100-play drive.

Williams and the line up front helped Acadia to gain 404 yards of net offence but 180 of them came late in the game.

McGill, which had a 45-15 advantage in first downs, led 13-2 after the opening quarter, 20-4 at halftime and 36-6 after three quarters.

Acadia (2-1) is scheduled to host Mt Allison (1-2) next Saturday at 2pm.

McMinns, the 6’1”, 190-pound wide receiver, and Williams, the  6’6” 304-pound offensive lineman, are two members of the 29-member 2015 recruiting class for Acadia.

After two years with the Holland College Hurricanes, both players transferred to join the Acadia programme this fall.

Axemen head coach Jeff Cummins said the two Bahamians will be vital in helping the team fill several voids at key positions.

“In this 2015 recruiting class, we believe we have filled the needs on the offensive line with a couple of big players who can step in right away in Shelton Williams from Holland College and Keiler Cherry from CJFL champions Saskatoon Hilltops,” he said. “At the receiver spots, we have brought in some real speed and skill highlighted by Jaylen McRae and Eugene McMinns both clocked in the 4.4s (in the 40-yard dash).”

Williams has worked his way into the starting lineup since day one, while McMinns continues to earn more playing time.

In the team’s lone preseason game, McMinns led Acadia with four catches for 66 yards in his team’s 14-3 loss to the St Mary’s Huskies.

Acadia is a member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and Atlantic University Sport (AUS). They hold more conference and national championships than any other university in Atlantic Canada and has the highest number of Academic All-Canadians for primarily undergraduate universities in the country.

In their history, the Axemen have appeared in four Vanier Cup national championships, winning two of those in 1979 and in 1981.

Recently, the Axemen had their most success in the 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2012 seasons, when the teams finished first in the AUS and reached the Uteck Bowl all four years. In 2014, they finished 3-5 and lost in the semi-finals to St FX, 18-17.