Evan DellAngelo had to go and take three of them when West PAC coaches met right after the regular season ended several weeks ago.

It’s not that DellAngelo didn’t earn them — heck, Miners head coach Jeff Niemi would’ve probably been happy to put him up for a couple more honors if he could’ve.

That’s because DellAngelo started off being named the Copper Division’s Special Teams Player of the Year, with Niemi reporting no other coach even wanted to put someone else up to challenge him for the honor.

DellAngelo returned five kicks for touchdowns, one in each of Negaunee’s first five games, before opponents just stopped kicking the ball anywhere near him.

Westwood quarterback Ethan Marta, right, breaks the tackle of Gladstone’s Chase Ketcham during a game played at the Patriots’ field in Ishpeming on Sept. 26. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

“He forced a couple of teams into making 10- or 15-yard punts just to make sure they got the ball out of bounds when he was back there,” Niemi said.

And the 6-foot, 180-pound junior — yes, he’ll be back next fall — was also unanimously named a conference First Team player on offense as a wide receiver, while also earning a similar First Team honor as a defensive back.

Teammate Ethan Gauthier also doubled up on First Team awards, earning them as a tackle on offense and end on defense.

“Playing with strength, speed and agility, he was pretty much unblockable most of the time,” Niemi said of his 6-3, 250-pound senior as a defender. “After awhile, teams would just run away from wherever he was on defense.”

They make up a 10-player contingent from Negaunee and five players from Westwood who earned various Copper Division awards.

Two more Miners earned First Team nods on offense.

Senior Braylon Hakkarainen was named as a guard, while senior Broc Bonovetz earned a spot as a running back.

Statistics for most of the skill position players weren’t available from Niemi.

Hakkarainen doubled up his awards by being one of seven Negaunee players earning Second Team laurels, earning that one as a defensive end.

Three more Miners seniors, Nash Barabe as a tackle on offense, Aiden Steel as a tight end on offense and Jack Jarvi as an inside linebacker on defense also made Second Team.

Miners’ juniors earning this distinction were Kyle Waterman as quarterback on offense, Mason Sandy on the defensive line and David Juchemich as an outside linebacker on defense.

The Westwood honors group is led by QB Ethan Marta, the only Patriot making the First Team. The 6-3, 180-pound senior totaled more than 1,200 yards between passing and running, accounting for 13 TDs in five of WHS’ actual seven games played.

Three more Westwood seniors made the Second Team — Louis Salmi as a running back on offense, Gavin Comero as a fullback on offense and Karter Scherer as a defensive back.

And Patriots’ junior Cody Laurila earned Copper Division Honorable Mention as a tackle on offense.

Menominee won the eight-team division with perfect records of 9-0 overall and 7-0 in West PAC division games.

The Maroons also carted off a majority of the special awards, with senior Tanner Theuerkauf unanimously chosen as Offensive Player of the Year. Junior teammate Nathan Nelson earned the Defensive Player of the Year and Chad Brandt was chosen as Coach of the Year.

For Kingsford, junior Preston DeClark was named Lineman of the Year.

The Flivvers were also JV champions.

Here are the other First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention winners, listed by position with year and school:

FIRST TEAM

Offense — Quarterback: Tanner Theuerkauf, sr., Menominee (unanimous). Running back: Clayton Miller, sr., Menominee; Ben Anderson, sr., Calumet. Fullback: Briar Brayden, sr., Kingsford. Center: Alex Parrett, sr., Menominee (unanimous). Guard: Brennen Swanson, sr., Menominee. Tackle: Preston DeClark, jr., Kingsford. Wide receiver: Oskar Loukus, soph., Calumet (unanimous); Dawson Bardowski, sr., Menominee (unanimous). Tight end: Nathan Komp, sr., Menominee (unanimous).

Defense — Line: Ben Wilson, jr., Gladstone (unanimous); Joe Halonen, soph., Calumet (unanimous); Henry Dobbins, jr., Menominee; Connor White, jr., Kingsford. End: Dirk Koskela, sr., Calumet. Outside linebacker: Tyler Halonen, jr., Calumet; Landen Daigneau, sr., Menominee. Inside linebacker: Trent Anderson, soph., Calumet; Nathan Nelson, jr., Menominee; Jake Lockhart, jr., Kingsford. Back: Blake Tomasoski, jr., Kingsford (unanimous); Andrew Karl, jr., Gladstone (unanimous); Brayden Goudge, sr., Houghton; Ben Keranen, jr., Hancock; Dawson Bardowski, sr., Menominee.

Special teams — Punter: Brayden Goudge, sr., Houghton (unanimous). Kicker: Clayton Miller, sr., Menominee.

SECOND TEAM

Offense — QB: Blake Tomasoski, jr., Kingsford. RB: Jackson Myszak, jr., Menominee; Owen Gereau, sr., Gladstone. FB: Trent Pietila, soph., Hancock. Center: Robert Loukus , sr., Calumet. Guard: Logan DeClark, sr., Kingsford; Ben Wilson, jr., Gladstone. Tackle: Connor White, jr., Kingsford. WR: Erik Loukus, sr., Calumet; Maverick Geniesse, sr., Menominee; Gage Sorensen, jr., Kingsford. TE: Peter Torola, sr., Calumet.

Defense — Line: Logan DeClark, sr., Kingsford; Lyle Lasanen, sr., Calumet. End: Zander Jurkiewicz, jr., Menominee. OLB: Blake Paasch, sr., Menominee. ILB: Trevor Thorbahn, sr., Gladstone; Jax Carlson, jr., Calumet. Back: Joel Durocher, sr., Houghton; Drew Sturos, sr., Hancock; Dylan Beal, jr., Menominee; Sid Olson, sr., Kingsford.

Special teams — Punter: Forrest Lacourt, jr., Hancock. Kicker: Luke Inghram, sr., Gladstone.

HONORABLE MENTION (by school)

Calumet — Michael Johnson, sr. DB; Rogan Gronlund, sr. WR; Lance Newman, sr. OL

Gladstone — Ryder Forvilly, jr. OLB; Miles Vitito, jr. OLB; Morgan Lynch, jr. OL; Aiden Burie, jr. DE; Jack Savard, sr. ILB

Hancock — Tyler Jaehnig, fresh. RB; Trent Pietila, soph. LB; Mason Wiitanen, sr. OL

Houghton — Brody Donnelly, jr. QB; Keedin Roberts, soph. G; Eli Hongisto, sr. DE

Kingsford — Jack Olson, sr. DB; Ian Spencer, sr. RB; Jack Kriegl, sr. DB

Menominee — Kahne Clarke, jr. T; Ryder Linsmeier, jr. T; Jake Russell, jr. G; Ryan Marzian, sr. DL

Story contents based on email received from Negaunee athletic director Jake Skewis. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.