Storey, Miller among those nominated for North Idaho Hall of Fame

COEUR D’ALENE — Wallace freshmen Cooper Miller, and Kellogg sophomore Colton Storey were recently announced as finalists for the 62nd annual North Idaho Hall of Fame awards.  

Miller, who was nominated for his efforts on the gridiron, amassed an astounding 3,200 yards of total offense as the quarterback of the Wallace Miners. He also passed for 26 touchdowns while rushing for 23.  

Storey recently capped off a stellar wrestling season with a state championship at the 3A 113-pound level.  

The award winners will be announced at the annual banquet, which is set for Saturday, April 12, at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and will take place along with the induction ceremonies for the North Idaho Hall of Fame. The five inductees are former Lake City and Coeur d’Alene High basketball coach Jim Winger, track throwing coach Bart Templeman, former University of Idaho volleyball coach Debbie Buchanan, former Coeur d’Alene High and University of Montana football athlete and community booster Rick Rasmussen, and Mike Iupati, former UI and NFL defensive lineman Tickets for the banquet, which also features the North Idaho High School Awards, are $40 each and can be purchased online either by going to www. nihof.org starting today and clicking on the “Purchase Tickets” brown box. Reserved tables for eight also can be purchased for $400. The new University of Idaho football coach Thomas Ford will be the featured speaker. 

A social hour where nominees can pick up their certificates and pose for photos begins at 5:30 p.m., with the banquet room doors opening at 6:30 p.m. 

The North Idaho Hall of Fame awards honor District I-II high school athletes, coaches and teams for their outstanding play, along with the athletes, coaches and teams from the University of Idaho, North Idaho College, and Lewis-Clark State College. A special award is also presented to a former area high school graduate who is performing well outside of northern Idaho. The awards cover the 2024 academic spring season and the 202425 academic fall and winter seasons. 

Also, during the evening the fifth annual Hagadone High Character Award winners will be announced. A female and male athlete from each school is honored. The award is named after Duane Hagadone, who founded the North Idaho Hall of Fame. In defining the award, it recognizes a student-athlete who excelled in the classroom and as a teammate; has outstanding work ethic and integrity, displays sportsmanship and true character in all walks of life, and is just an allaround good individual. Civic and community involvement is a plus. 

Nominations for each category are reviewed by the NIHOF committee, which selects the finalists and eventually the winner. 

Each finalist receives a certificate, and the winners also receive a plaque. The athlete, coach, and team of the year awards for both high school and college receive trophies. These awards are handed out during the banquet. 

All finalists for the awards and Hagadone High Character Award winners receive one free ticket to the banquet, but they must register on the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame website, www.nihof.com, to receive the free ticket. 

A full list of nominees can be found on the Coeur d’Alene Press website.