Sandpoint’s Rust Earns Flaherty Carr, Sunday Also Receive Honors At Football Hall Awards Dinner
Dave Rust, an all-state lineman for a championship football team and valedictorian, was named winner of the Ray Flaherty Award on Monday night.
Rust is the second Sandpoint student-athlete to earn the honor sponsored by the Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The award was presented at the Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete dinner at the downtown Doubletree Hotel. University of Idaho coach Chris Tormey was the featured speaker.
Fred Sunday of Chewelah was named Lineman of the Year and Aaron Carr of Medical Lake the Back of the Year.
The trio was selected from a group of 10 finalists, each of whom received at least a $1,000 scholarship.
Rust helped lead the Bulldogs to their first A-1 Division II state championship. An all-state left tackle, Rust did not allow a sack in two years and set a school record with an 86 blocking percentage. He was also first-team All-Inland Empire League, All-North Idaho and was the Wendy’s Idaho Heisman Award winner.
Rust, who also plays baseball and basketball for the Bulldogs, has a grade-point average of better than straight A, 4.29. He is student body president, Boys State delegate, a member of the National Honor Society, the Math/Science Club, the school newspaper, Ping Pong Club and Chess Club. His community activities include church, school cleanup, tutoring and visiting senior citizens.
Brian Smith of Sandpoint won the first Flaherty Award. Other winners were Giorgio Usai of Central Valley and Paul Shogren of East Valley.
Sunday and Carr helped their teams tie with Pullman for the championship of the new 2A Great Northern League, both earned all-state honors and were two-way all-league selections.
A three-year starter on offense and defense, Sunday earned all-league honors three years on defense. He has a 3.617 GPA.
Carr was a four-year letterman for the Cardinals, finishing his career by rushing for 1,261 yards on just 121 attempts, making 36 tackles and two interceptions and punting for a 36.4-yard average. He has a 3.519 GPA.
Other finalists were: Luke Bowman, Lewis and Clark; Dave Mattingley, Sandpoint; Brandon Muzatko, Mead; Kevin O’Connell, Gonzaga Prep; Jason Robish, Central Valley; Matt Smith, Freeman; and Justin Ulmer, Rogers.
Each school in Eastern Washington and North Idaho was allowed to nominate a senior player for Back of the Year and Lineman of the Year. All finalists had at least a 3.5 GPA, earned numerous team and all-league honors and participated in many school and community activities.
Rust will be nominated for West Region honors.
Dick Wright and the late Carl “Tuffy” Ellingsen were also honored.
Wright, a long-time radio sports broadcaster, received the chapter’s first Distinguished American Award. Ellingsen, a long-time Rogers coach and administrator and a member of the Washington State University Hall of Fame, received the Outstanding Contributor to Amateur Football Award.
In four years, the Inland Northwest Chapter has given more than $50,000 in scholarships to 40 prep seniors.
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