Northwest Notes: Nov. 27, 2024

Kootenai County Vandal Boosters

offering bus to FCS Playoff game

The Kootenai County Vandal Boosters will be providing a bus from Coeur d’Alene to Moscow for the Vandals FCS Playoff opener against either Richmond or Lehigh on Dec. 7 at the Kibbie Dome at 6 p.m. 

The bus will lead from the University of Idaho-Coeur d’Alene campus at 3 p.m., with free parking available and travel to the Kibbie Dome, arriving at 5 p.m. 

The bus will depart Moscow at 10 p.m., arriving back in Coeur d’Alene at midnight. 

Cost is $45. 

Only 30 seats are available. 

For more information, contact Doug Miller (208) 691-1612 or email dougm@nwledlighting.com.

Eastern receiver Chism III

finalist for Walter Payton Award

After leading the FCS in receiving and moving up in the Eastern Washington football record books, Efton Chism III was named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented by Stats Perform. 

The Walter Payton Award honors the top offensive player in the FCS and Chism is one of 35 finalists. 

The winner is selected by a national voting panel and will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.

Chism led the FCS this season with 120 receptions and 1311 receiving yards, while leading the Big Sky and ranking third in the nation with 13 receiving touchdowns. His yards total ranks 10th in EWU history for a single season, while the touchdowns are tied for 10th. Chism averaged 10.0 receptions per game, a mark second only to Cooper Kupp in 2016 (10.63). 

In Eastern’s final game against Northern Arizona, Chism caught a pass for his 53rd consecutive game, breaking Kupp’s FCS and EWU record. Chism’s 120 receptions also broke Kupp’s Eastern record for a single season and ranks fourth all-time in FCS history. His record breaking catch was a 67 yard touchdown catch-and-run, a career-long for the senior. 

The final career numbers for Chism include 346 catches, 3852 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns, averaging 6.53 receptions per game. The Monroe, Wash. native’s receptions and receptions per game rank second behind Kupp in Eagle history, while his yardage ranks third and his touchdowns rank fourth.

Chism had 12, 100 yard-plus receiving games in his career, with six games in 2024. He had eight career games with 10-plus receptions, with six this season. 

Washington State adds Rudd,

Haziri to women's hoop team

Washington State women's basketball coach Kamie Ethridge announced the signing of Malvina Haziri and Malia Rudd for the 2025-26 season.

Rudd, a 6-foot-2 forward, comes from Pasco, Wash., where she has played at Chiawana High and with the Samoan National Team. 

 As a junior at Chiawana, Ruud averaged 20.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while averaging 58 percent shooting from the floor and 42% from the 3-point line

While playing internationally for Samoa, Ruud played in the FIBA U18 Asian Championships in 2022 and was a FIBA First Team Selection averaging 18.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. She also played in the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship in 2023 where she was an All-Star 5 selection after leading the tournament with 19.8 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. In the tournament she led Samoa to its first ever historic win over New Zealand with 26 points and 14 rebounds, and also put up big numbers against powerhouse, Australia, with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Haziri, a 5-9 guard, comes to the Cougars from Kosovo, where she has been playing in the KBF Prishtina in Kosova's Women's Superleague.

Last year with KBF Prishtina, she finished the season averaging 9.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, while helping the team win the league. This year, five games into their 2024-25 season, she is averaging 12.4. points, 3.2 assists and 0.6 steals per game.