Final score, 59-0, BHS. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. The KingCo Conference has levied sanctions against the school that include four years of probation for the entire athletic department,no road games or out-of-conference games for two years, no money funneled into the program from any source for four years, no postseason play for four years and no out-of-state opponents (a big source of revenue) for four years. New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory, Back on top: Bellevue beats Kennewick to win 3A state title behind William Wangs 243 yards, Bellevue runs over Marysville-Pilchuck to return to state football championship game, William Wangs career night lifts No. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. Here's the AP story SEATTLE (AP) - An investigation into illegal recruiting has resulted in the suspension of Bellevue High School's head football coach, Butch Goncharoff, and the team being placed on probation. Probation: Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. One player who attended the Institute told the Times he took one class without a teacher, and the school's director gave him a book and test questions to study. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. That leads to what the money was used for. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. WA State 3A Champs '83, '01, '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12,. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. Texas HS Football State Champions: 1920-2022, 2022 3A Fan Vote All-Texas High School Football Team, TXHSFB Podcast Championship Edition: Benjamin Mustangs, 2022 2A Fan Vote All-Texas High School Football Team, Texas HS Football Fan Vote Player Of The Year. Or, at the very least, put on administrative leave along with the schools athletic director until a thorough investigation is has been completed into the financial records (who paid what) and academic record of Academic Institute Inc., in Bellevue. "This issue with Bellevue has been around for many years. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. The players reportedly said the refereewas using racial slurs and said they were instructed to hit the ref by their coach, Mack Breed. Final score: 20-14, bringing the JV to 1-1. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. It's a guaranteed story that will be told for generations, with a record that will be likely painted up on a water tower or on a city's welcome sign. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. Bier on the Pier takes place on October 7th and 8th and features local ciders, food trucks and live music - not to mention the beautiful views of the Guemes Channel and backdrop of downtown Anacortes. Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. ONeil, however, says its misguided to think playing for Bellevue will be a ticket to free higher education, even if its a slightly more noble idea than parents creating super teams to win high school championships. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. But what happens when bending the rules or covering for players becomes a real life story; the infractions are so extensive and the storylines so indelicate that no TV producer would even believe it. Bellevue (Wash.) School District officials are planning to fire the head coach of the Bellevue High School football team, according to a letter sent to the coach by a top district official and . It hid and manipulated scientific and medical research and evidence to hide the price their players were paying on the field due to head injuries. With the pregame pageantry and TV interviews done, the Wolverines got to work making the Big Game a big blowout. Bellevue High's football squad completed an undefeated season by winning the 3A state championship with a 17-13 triumph over Kennewick High on Dec. 4 at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. He openly shared details of his high school experiences, saying he felt like the program was putting kids in a poor position to succeed after high school and that he didnt want to see the program have a negative impact on others in the future. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. Sophomore Ryken Moon took the opening kickoff back for a TD, junior Colin Miller had an interception, junior Luke Soma added a field goal, and junior Cal Zimmerman had his own pick-6. Bellevue High's football squad completed an undefeated season by winning the 3A state championship with a 17-13 triumph over Kennewick High on Dec. 4 at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. On the eve of a Halloween weekend, the Bellevue faithful showed up in droves (and costumes) to celebrate another fantastic class of Bellevue High seniors. Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. Jones began coaching at . Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Kirsten is also a sports lover. Carter High . It was a back and forth affair from the beginning that saw the Wolverines take a 21-17 lead into the locker room at halftime. Adults knew this was going on for years. Breed initially denied any involvement, but in December of 2015 pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury, was placed on probation and gave up teaching. Just one play into Hazens opening drive, senior Joel Schneider made an acrobatic interception, which moments later led to a sight thats become the terror of KingCo 3A: an Ishaan Daniels long run and touchdown this time from 63 yards. Bellevue High School Football Share this Team > Regular Season . Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! Now lets see a similar investigation into sports programs at every private high school in the state to determine just how many of their players parents are paying full tuition. Fire and fine all involved. The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory With ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary What Carter Lost screening Aug. 24, audiences are primed to remember the glory and scandal that surrounded Dallas Carter High School's football team nearly 30 . It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. Have no fear, Bellevue Faithful, the East Channel Bridge rivalry is very much alive. In the second quarter, junior Carson Rubin got on the board with an thrilling 80 TD run, Razore completed his second TD pass of the day (once again to Hansen, of course), and senior DB Caymus Rooney took an interception 40 yards to the house. The long-running nature of the corruption uncovered by this investigation could only have occurred with the explicit or tacit approval of Bellevue High Schooland Bellevue School District administrators, as the reportvividly details. Daniels got the second half rolling with his fourth house call of the game, and Luke Scoma added a late field goal to give the Wolverines a 44-13 win. In the second half, Bellevue let their young guns get a taste of the MI rivalry under the big lights, and played out the remainder of the game under a running clock. Brick by brick!. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. I correct you Sir they are in your charge as Student Athletes at Bellevue High School taking a physical education class, thereby bound by all the rules and regulations attendant to participating in any WIAA competitive sport which includes providing financial aid. Jayson Jenks: 206-464-8277 or, cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred, 68-page independent report that found wide-ranging rules violations within the program, Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years, WIAA lifts Bellevue postseason ban, strips two state titles, Cedar Park Christian hires ex-Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff, Two-year ban for Goncharoff ruled violation of union rights, After upheaval, sanctions, Bellevue ready to get back to playing football again, Report: Bellevue coaches violated rules for years, district obstructed probe, was placed on a three-year probation last year, district had proposed a suspension of the teams booster club along with meetings. We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. Carter High in Dallas took the state championship in 1988, but this new film about the team is not all about victory. We hear stories about competing schools. Darien Freeman has not returned multiple messages left for him last week. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. This fake news reporting in the media hammered down on the program until the program was literally ripped apart at the seams. November 4, 2022. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. "And if you can wiggle around with all of these variances in the rules, then they've got a real problem.". The KingCo Conference came down hard on Bellevue High School football Tuesday, banning the embattled program from postseason play for four years, prohibiting outside donations for four. 4. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. "They also discovered that there was a small school within the school called the Academic Institute, which was privately funded by a lot of the boosters to give educations to students who were struggling. Which spelled out who could live in certain neighborhoods. It starts with having no sports-specific booster clubs and school administrators having the courage and will to take responsibility for sustaining integrity rather than empty victories. Tornados drive 94 yards on 16 plays, capped by Damian Aalona's 1-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown, to win action-packed Class 3A semifinal game at Art Crate Field. Allow only the students living within the boundaries to participate. To tear down this whole organization is a crime. Saint Mary's guard Logan Johnson knows both sides of the Zags-Gaels rivalry , "It should be an awesome environment": Gonzaga's WCC title hopes depend on outcome vs. Gaels , Gonzaga rewind: Ben Gregg continues to thrive in expanded role, helps Gonzaga thump San Diego , Daily marijuana use raises risk of heart disease by 34%, study indicates, 'Growing up I can say I fell victim to being a Gonzaga fan.' 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations 2023 ABG-SI LLC. The ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. And that lofty tuition bill? lots and lots of money going around. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. Editors note: The following is an excerpt from the Seattle Times article of Aug. 23 detailing alleged improper practices within the Bellevue High football program: Bellevue High School has established itself as one of the premier prep football programs in the nation with 11 state titles in the past 15 years. The train wreck at Bellevue may be symbolic of much that is wrong with high school and college athletics and the creation of the entitled teenager and the grotesque flow of money into amateur sports. One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. The second half once again belonged to the youngsters and up-and-comers, who finished strong to the tune of a 56-14 victory. Agreed with Bellevues conclusions that athletes used false addresses to gain eligibility, and that payments were made to coaches without approval from the school district. Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter, Ross: The latest attempt to undo a national embarrassment, Ross: Changing the climate of mental health is a bill away, Ross: A national divorce isnt the solution, but some people should move, Ross: If the American system rewards hard work, cancel student loan debt, Ross: Fentanyl-smoking passengers on light rail present huge danger, Ross: Two less crooks to worry about in downtown Seattle. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! After the game, Coach Kneip said, Our job is to put our kids in the best position to win a state championship, and that means challenging ourselves against the best opponents we can possibly find for our non-conference games.. He's not going quietly. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. Earlier this year, one family complained that an assistant coach threatened to revoke their sons financial aid at Academic Institute if the student didnt continue playing football at Bellevue. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. Because of the legal challenge, Carter was allowed to go forward in the playoffs and they went on to a state title after defeating Converse Judson in the title game 31-14. "He's still a vital part of the picture. It feels quaint to sit back and watch an old rerun of Friday Night Lights and see some rally girl doing Tim Riggins homework, or a star player finding a mysterious envelope with cash in it. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Next week, both teams face a tough and up-and-coming Lake Washington team Varsity on Friday at LW (7pm), JV on Monday at home (7pm). Of those 17 boys, seven were Bellevue football players. Last year, after a Seattle Times story detailed how numerous Bellevue players had taken classes at The Academic Institute, a private alternative school that former teachers described as a diploma mill, the school district called for an independent investigation. The coach should be a faculty member and actually teach classes., These coaches and families have only helped these kids progress in a more beneficial way through life. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. In order to remedy the violations, the district had proposed a suspension of the teams booster club along with meetings, training programs and policy reviews to ensure rules are followed in the future. Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. Three players robbed a Jack in the Box, two star players robbed a video exchange at gunpoint and walked away with $256 and robbed a mexican restaurant taking $11,000. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. I think that theres a lot of different layers to understanding exactly what is going on., Related: Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. The team has won 11 state championships in the last 15 seasons. In 2009, along with Steve Rudman and KJR 950 afternoon host Mike Gastineau, Thiel authored The Great Book of Seattle Sports Lists, a cross between historylink.org and Mad Magazine that has become mandatory reading for any sports fan who has an indoor bathroom. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe He can also be found on twitter @tonybruin, Unrecognizable U.S. Mens National Team Defeats Costa Rica, NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers win Game 3 Convincingly over Golden State Warriors. "They also discovered compensation to the head coach, Butch Goncharoff, of $60,000 a year that was well in excess of what the standards are for high school coaches.". 2023 Bonneville International. It was so one-sided and evident that something was different about this team in comparison to the other nine teams Liberty played against., For every year they won the state championship, that should be the number of years they are not qualified to compete in theplayoffs. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. Brick by brick!. I found John Harrisons (former Mercer Island High School principal and now Executive Director of Bellevue Public Schools) comments to be cavalier; aiding and abetting a serious flaw in the system and, just plain very disappointing given his stellar career as a Mercer Island principal. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. In the end, nine football players at the school admitted to using over the counter steroid-like substances and prescription steroids. John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program, Seattle Times story detailed how numerous Bellevue players had taken classes at The Academic Institute, a private alternative school. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. Unfazed by the less than hospitable conditions, the Wolverine ground game got to work against a stout Panther defense. The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. School District officials are planning to fire the head coach, Bellevue coaches clearly violated eligibility rules for years, Clemson gets commitment from 4-star North Cobb RB David Eziomume, Vermont HS girls basketball team forfeits rather than face transgender opponent, USA TODAY Sports Super 25 high school basketball rankings, week of Feb. 27, 2023, Sierra Canyon 4-star small forward AJ Swinton commits to Virgnia Tech, Imhotep Institute CB Kenny Woseley names top 4 schools, commitment date, Centennial boys basketball 3-peats as champions with buzzer-beater dunk, 'The Last of Us' actor, deaf youth hockey player meets Alexander Ovechkin in heartwarming video, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. Or that they never had homework from that school? HOME 5-1 AWAY 4-1 NEUTRAL 0-1. The specifics of what happened is more symbolic of what is preposterously wrong with parents who lack the ability to teach their kids the responsibilities of being a student athlete. Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. The Bellevue football program was placed on a three-year probation last year for two self-reported violations, which allowed KingCo to hand down more severe sanctions. 1. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. If that wasnt enough, the main boosters involved are discussing suing the conference over the penalties and coach Goncharoff says he has been set up. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). JV Head Coach Danny Salonen was upbeat after the game, we never like to lose games like this, there are plenty of fundamentals on both sides of the ball that need cleaning up, but I cant imagine a better opportunity for our young guys and newer players to play a ton of football. The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. Voted as the KING 5 Sports Big Game of the Week, the 4-2 Wolverines once again headed north on 405 for a KingCo 3A showdown, this time with the 4-1 Lake Washington Kangs. Brazen Family-Central Bar + Restaurant,520 Bar and Grill, The Brazens - Windermere. Top-ranked 3A Wolverines get all they want for three-plus quarters, but Wing-T (342 rushing yards) generates big fourth-quarter scoring plays to pull away. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. After their work in the back half of the Friday night game, the Bellevue JV made the Monday drive to the Sammamish Plateau, to face off against KingCo 4A opponent Eastlake Wolves. Great highlight video Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. Then, on Monday, the JV took the field north of the lake, against the Bothell Cougars. Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. All Rights Reserved. The blatant efforts by school and district officials to obstruct the investigation demonstrate their complicity in cheating, their utter disregard for the truth and their complete lack of integrity. Dubbed The Fab Five, McKinney North High Schools Fab Five became the focus of a made for TV movie when photos of the cheerleaders drinking, scantily clad and engaging in risque behavior landed them in hot water with the cheer sponsor. His older brother became vice president of the teams booster club. 5 seeded Wolverines (8-2) walloped No. While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. A series of three books describing the storied history of the Bellevue High School Football program, and the investigations that surrounded the team from 2006 to 2018. To do whats best for your kid, he said. You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. A talented Wolves team got out to a very fast start and never looked back, and the Wolverines found themselves on the wrong end of a running clock in the second half. All the coaches involved should lose their jobs and be required to return any money they received that was above the amount they were legally entitled to. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. As reported by the Seattle Times, which has led the investigation of the Bellevue scandal throughout, the Bellevue program made at least $175,000 in payments to on leave head football coach Butch . This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. Who do these kids think they are? What makes them think they are so deserving? You know what? Tacoma WA 98418. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Accepted a Bellevue resolution that it will not renew contracts for two years of coaches who violated the WIAA rule that stipends and gifts of more than $500 must be approved by the school board. A video of two football players from John Jay High School in San Antonio went viral in September of 2015 after they blindsided a referee near the end of a game versus Marble Falls. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. None of our business, he said. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. It's not a state agency. Other families allegedly acquired apartments within the schools boundaries, with the rent being paid by boosters. That would be easy. Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. 1 Bellevue past No. Bellevue H.S. The booster club should be disbanded. Bellevue school officials have previously told Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff that the district will seek to terminate him for violations of district policies. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. That was released a few months ago. Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. "The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which is the administrative body that governs prep sports hired two investigators who produced a 68-page report that confirmed much of what the Times discovered as well as other things.
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