By: Paxton Ritchie
CSC Sport Information Director
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Led by first-team nods for two members of the Eagle defense, Chadron State football was well represented on the 2024 RMAC Football All-Conference Teams, announced Wednesday by the league office.
Senior defensive end Hunter O'Connor and junior safety Dax Yeradi both earned spots on the first team, with O'Connor receiving a first-team selection for the third consecutive season while Yeradi earned first-team status for the first time in his career.
Chadron State had three second team picks in wide receiver Tommy Thomas, linebacker Xavier Harrell and punter Brodie Eisenbraun.
The Eagles had eight players earn all-conference honorable mention – cornerback Omar Ali, offensive lineman Nicholas Gossage, tight end Peter Krohn, linebacker Logan O'Brien, safety Tucker Peterson, defensive tackle Tanner True, kicker Wilson Yee and Yeradi, who in addition to his first-team defensive selection picked up an honorable mention nod as a punt returner.
The All-RMAC teams are voted on by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. Any student-athlete not named first or second team that receives at least one first team vote or two second team votes is considered honorable mention.
Hunter O'Connor, a senior from Broomfield, Colorado, put a cap on a decorated career with a third straight First Team All-RMAC selection. The 2022 All-American finished 2024 with 7.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 49 total tackles while being the focus of every defensive gameplan. O'Connor had three games with multiple sacks, with two of them coming against nationally-ranked opponents in Colorado School of Mines and Western Colorado.
On November 9 against Western Colorado, O'Connor recorded two sacks to become Chadron State's all-time program leader with 35.5 career sacks. O'Connor already held the program sack records for a single season (16) and a single game (five), both set in 2022.
Dax Yeradi had a breakout campaign in 2024, vaulting from an honorable mention selection in 2023 to the first team. The safety from Wright, Wyoming finished the season tied for the RMAC lead with four interceptions, including a 51-yard pick six against Fort Lewis.
Yeradi also finished with 51 tackles, including 40 solo stops, and recorded four pass breakups. He earned the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week award on September 23 of this year. As a punt returner, he ranked second in the RMAC in 17th in Division II by averaging 11.5 yards per return, with a high of 103 return yards on six attempts against Adams State.
Both O'Connor and Yeradi were defensive leaders for an Eagle team that finished second-best in the RMAC in most defensive categories, including total yards allowed, passing yards allowed and interceptions while ranking third in scoring defense.
Tommy Thomas followed up a First Team All-RMAC season in 2023 by still earning second team honors during an injury-shortened 2024. Despite missing three games, the junior hauled in 36 receptions with 419 yards and four touchdowns, all marks which led CSC for the season. Thomas starred during the rivalry game against Black Hills State, catching 11 passes for 146 yards.
Xavier Harrell lands on the second team after captaining the linebacking corps for the Eagles defense. Harrell finished with 66 tackles and ranked eighth in the RMAC with 42 solo tackles. The senior added 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception and four pass breakups. Harrell earns a second team selection a year after being named honorable mention in 2023.
Brodie Eisenbraun earns a second-team selection at punter for the second straight season, but after sharing second-team honors with two other punters due to a tie in voting a season ago, Eisenbraun has it all to himself this year. The junior averaged 43.26 yards on 53 punts, hitting 15 punts for 50 yards or more. Eisenbraun pinned 17 punts inside the 20-yard line against just three touchbacks.
CSU Pueblo receiver Reggie Retzlaff took home Offensive Player of the Year honors, Western Colorado defensive end Ricky Freymond was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year while Colorado School of Mines punter Blake Doud was the Special Teams Player of the Year. Western Colorado's Jas Bains took home RMAC Coach of the Year.