Roosevelt Senior Finalist for National 'Rudy Award'

Kent Roosevelt senior Ryan Anderson is among 12 national finalists competing for the High School Football Rudy Award, the winner of which will receive a $25,000 scholarship.

Anderson's mother, Sharon Zurbrugg, said Saturday that Anderson had been named a finalist after progressing in October to be out of more than 260 candidates.

"Fan vote continues, and is important in the final selections," Zurbrugg said.

Supporters can go to Anderson's page on the award website to vote for him and post comments of support.

Anderson, 18, was a star lineman for the Theodore Roosevelt High School football team. But in April he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma in his femur, a form of bone cancer that forced him to spend his senior year on the sidelines.

But his dedication and commitment to the team encouraged his coach, John Nemec, to , which celebrates "outstanding young athletes — not because of their statistical performance, but because of their ability to inspire teammates, classmates and communities."

The Rudy Award is named after Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who inspired the 1993 film Rudy about the young man trying for the Notre Dame football team. Of hundreds of national nominees, 12 finalists for the award will split $25,000 in scholarships. The winner will receive a $7,500 scholarship.

The winners will be announced Jan. 15, Zurbrugg said.