2012 Hall of Fame: Mark Bruener and Rob Smith

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From Aberdeen High School- Mark Bruener

Mark Bruener’s football career included noteworthy accomplishments in the high school, college and professional ranks.  He was a 3 year starter at both the tight end and linebacker positions for AHS where he owns the record in receptions, reception yardage, tackles for losses and blocked kicks.  He earned all-state recognition on both the offense and defense as a senior and was also selected as the Black Hills League Player of the Year.  Bruener went on to become a 3 year starter at tight end at the University of Washington, earning all Pac-10 conference honors twice and Newspaper Enterprise Association All-American Recognition in 1993.  As a freshman, he caught a touchdown pass in the Rose Bowl to help the unbeaten Huskies claim a share of the national championship.  He completed college as the Huskie’s career leader in receptions by a tight end with 90.  A first-round NFL draft choice in 1995, Bruener completed 3 seasons as the starting tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He played on the Steelers’ 1996 Super Bowl team and was an alternate to the Pro Bowl team in 1997.

From Hoquiam High School- Rob Smith

Rob is a 1976 Hoquiam High School graduate.  Smith was Hoquiam’s leading rusher and scored a touchdown in a game coming from behind to win 21-14 over Aberdeen in 1972.  He also led his team in rushing in a losing cause in 1973 the last year the game was played on Thanksgiving Day.  Smith lettered for 3 years as a running back for the University of Washington and played in the Huskies upset of Michigan in the 1978 Rose Bowl.  As the head football coach as Western Washington University for 17 years, Smith became the winningest coach in school history with 109 victories.  He was named his conference’s coach of the year 7 times and guided the Vikings to a NAIA Division II runner-up finish in 1996.  He was named to the Western Washington Hall of Fame in 2007.  After a brief stint as Grays Harbor College’s Athletics Director, Smith was hired as the head football coach at Humboldt State University in California in 2008.  In 2012 he was name the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.