Evan Daum, Canada West Communications

Highlights:

• Alberta WR Tylor Henry (offence), Alberta DB Tak Landry (defence), and Manitoba RET Marcel Arruda-Welch (special teams) are the Week 8 CW football players of the week
• Henry set an Alberta single-game record with four receiving touchdowns, while Landry was dominant defensively, recovering a pair of fumbles and earning an interception
• Alberta takes on Calgary in the Hardy Cup semis this Saturday at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m. MDT), while UBC hosts Regina in the other semi later that day (3 p.m. PDT)

EDMONTON – Tylor Henry and Tak Landry saved their best regular season performances for the right time, as the fifth-year veterans helped guide the Alberta Golden Bears back into the post-season for the first time since 2010. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CW PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Henry provided the offence for Alberta, while Landry was a man on a mission defensively, as the Bears downed the previously undefeated Calgary Dinos 53-3 Saturday afternoon in Calgary. The win, coupled with the Saskatchewan Huskies loss later in the day, punched the Bears' playoff ticket. It also snapped a 14-game winless streak against Calgary on the field for Alberta, who hadn't beaten the Dinos – excluding a forfeit win in 2014 – in nine years.

The Bears will now have the tough task of looking for back-to-back wins against Calgary, as the pair square off Saturday, Nov. 4 at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m. MDT) in the Hardy Cup semis. 

Also claiming a weekly honour is Manitoba Bison defensive back Marcel Arruda-Welch. The rookie earns the special teams player of the week after his 75-yard kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter of Manitoba's 36-32 come from behind win over the Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday. Arruda-Welch's return posted the first points of the night for the Herd, who had fallen behind 22-0 to Saskatchewan in a game they needed to win by 37 or more in order to leapfrog Alberta for the fourth and final playoff spot. 

You can watch both the Bears-Dinos game, as well as the other semifinal featuring the Regina Rams and UBC Thunderbirds (3 p.m. PDT) this Saturday on the Canada West Football Showcase (SaskTel, TELUS, BellMTS), or online at Canada West TV.

OFFENCE

WR – Tylor Henry

Alberta Golden Bears

5th-year

Camrose, Alta.

Physical Education & Recreation

What a way to head into the post-season. Fifth-year receiver Tylor Henry put on a pass catching show for the ages Saturday in Alberta's 53-3 win over the Calgary Dinos, as the veteran receiver posted 159 receiving yards on nine catches. Most impressive for Henry though were his four touchdown receptions – an Alberta program record, which also tied him for second most all-time in a single CW game.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers draft pick played a central role in helping the Bears clinch their first post-season berth since 2010, as the Bears earned their first on-field victory over the Dinos in nearly a decade.

DEFENCE

DB – Tak Landry

Alberta Golden Bears

5th-year

Edmonton, Alta.

Science 

Also big for the Bears in their clutch win was Tak Landry. The defensive back was all over the field for the Bears, registering 10.5 tackles, a tackle for loss, and four pass breakups. While impressive, those numbers weren't even the best on the day for the fifth-year. The Edmonton native forced a fumble, recovered a pair of fumbles, and registered an interception in the lopsided victory.

Landry and Henry will need to be big again this weekend, as the Bears head south for a rematch with the Dinos in the Hardy Cup semis. The playoff game will be the first in both player's careers, as Alberta takes aim at their first post-season victory since their 31-30 semifinal win over Saskatchewan back in 2010.

SPECIAL TEAMS

RET – Marcel Arruda-Welch

Manitoba Bisons

1st-year

Winnipeg, Man.

University 1 

Rounding out the Week 8 winners is Marcel Arruda-Welch. The first-year defensive back sparked the first bit of life for the Manitoba Bisons Saturday against the Saskatchewan Huskies when he returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. That major cut into the Huskies 22-0 lead in a game Manitoba eventually won 36-32 thanks to a touchdown with less than 20 seconds left in the game.

The win improved Manitoba's record to 2-6 on the season, as the Bisons stormed back to end Saskatchewan's playoff hopes a week after seeing their own post-season hopes dashed.