WHITEFISH, Mont. — Eastern Oregon senior linebacker Michal Arenas was named the Frontier Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, leading the list of all-conference selections for the Eastern Oregon football team.
Arenas is also a graduate of Lowry High School.
Arenas was the lone defensive selection for the Mountaineers, but is joined by four others as a member of the First Team All-Frontier Conference.
Junior wide receiver Brenden Kelly, senior offensive lineman Brayden Kearsley, junior offensive lineman Mick Wilson and redshirt junior kicker and punter Nathan Harden were each selected on the first team.
Senior wide receiver and return man Calvin Connors was named a second team member as a punt returner.
Arenas, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker played nearly every snap on the defensive side of the ball for the Mountaineers this season, making 89 total tackles to lead the team.
He ranked 22nd in the NAIA in second in the Frontier Conference in tackles per game at 8.9. He made 6.5 tackles for loss and added two sacks on the season.
As a leader on defense and an inside linebacker, Arenas was constantly around the ball and a player that defenses had to be aware of. He posted 10 or more tackles in five games.
Connors was named to the conference’s second team as a punt returner after averaging 5.3 yards per return.
He had a season-long 18-yard return as well has three of over 10 yards. Connors was also the team’s primary kick returner, taking 20 kickoffs for 383 total yards. As a receiver, the senior finished with 41 catches for 572 yards, with three touchdown catches. Connors also ranked fourth in the Frontier in all-purpose yards per game, recording 108.5 in 10 contests.
Kelly was arguably the most dynamic player on the offense, finishing the season with nearly 1,000 receiving yards at 927. With just 47 catches, Kelly made the most of his receptions at 19.7 yards per catch.
The junior ranked third in the Frontier in yards per catch and tied for first with nine touchdowns. Kelly’s production increased even more in the second half of the year, finishing with three 100-yard games and five touchdowns.
On Oct. 14 against Southern Oregon, Kelly had a career night with nine catches and 206 yards.
He also had the game-winning touchdown in overtime in the season finale against Carroll.
Kearsley and Wilson led an offensive line that blocked for the fifth best rushing attack in the conference.
The Mounties averaged 181.2 rushing yards per game, punching in 16 touchdowns on the ground. The offense continued to improve as the season went on, posting 500 yards of offense in three of the last four games. Kearsley made every start as the center after transferring from Oregon State before the 2017 campaign. Wilson also made every start at the tackle position as a captain.
As one of the best all-around kickers in the nation, Harden was an easy choice for the all-conference squad.
Selected as a punter, Harden averaged 42.6 yards on 58 punts, ranking fourth in the NAIA. He had 14 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 10 of 50 or more yards.
As a place kicker, Harden made 9-of-10 attempts including three of over 40 yards. In the final game of the year,
Harden hit a game-tying 41-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Mountaineers to overtime where they eventually won.
The Mountaineers finished the season at 4-6, but on a two-game winning streak as they look ahead to an improved 2018 campaign.
Southern Oregon’s Tanner Trosin was named the Offensive Player of the Year while the Raiders’ Charlie Hall was selected Coach of the Year.
