Freeman said he may have misunderstood the conversation about rent and that it was possible Goncharoff had only worked to help the family find a place to rent in Bellevue. "The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is 'American Greed' at it worst.". This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation.
Unfazed by the less than hospitable conditions, the Wolverine ground game got to work against a stout Panther defense. Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. Bellevue High School Football Share this Team > Regular Season . A 68-page report found that players' families provided false address to gain eligibility and that head coach Butch Goncharoff encouraged players to attend classes at a private alternative school. Here is a selection of the. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. "The schools want it that way. Ask yourself these questions while you scan the details: Where in the name of all that is right were the parents? 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. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. The second half saw more of the same stingy Wolverine defense, and scores being added by another long Daniels run, and a 30-yard TD connection from Razore to junior TE, Hogan Hansen. Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. 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. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. 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. Bellevue H.S. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. The Bellevue High School football team is one victory away from the ultimate return to glory. This fake news reporting in the media hammered down on the program until the program was literally ripped apart at the seams. "It's not just Bellevue. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. The movie portrayed the girls as ruthless in their quest to run the school. During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. Im already excited for next week. JV plays at Lake Washington on Monday 9/26. football coach makes appeal after ban. KingCo reviewed sanctions that Bellevue had proposed for itself in the wake of a 68-page independent report that found wide-ranging rules violations within the program. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. The second half would be spent in running clock, ending in a final of 54-13. The players reportedly said the refereewas using racial slurs and said they were instructed to hit the ref by their coach, Mack Breed. And oh, by the way, how is it fair that a public school has limits on the geographic locations of its players homes,but private schools players can live anywhere? 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. Now, we cannot be completely naive. 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. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. In January of 1991, after the UIL completed their investigation and the legal battle ended, Dallas Carter was stripped of their title and Converse Judson was named the 1988 5A champions. Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. The final score is simply listed as Brady 1 Stamford 0 in the states record books. In an article about how Bellevues success was aided by a small private school, Freeman, 20, told the Times that he lived in four different cities during his years with the Bellevue football team Sammamish, Bellevue, Auburn and SeaTac. In its findings released a few hours earlier, the KingCo committee: Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue illegally recruited athletes to the school and coordinated payments for athletes, and that Bellevue failed to self-report money provided to players families. Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook) In addition to prohibiting the Bellevue football program from receiving donations, the KingCo committee said: Bellevue is not allowed to play any nonleague football games and will be limited to Class 3A league games for two seasons. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. Ban Goncharoff from coaching football in Washington for life. 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. After the half, the BHS offense really got rolling, including a 44-yard TD run from junior Blake Teets, a 24-yard TD run from sophomore Ryken Moon, and a screen pass from Razore that junior Cal Zimmerman took 21 yards to pay dirt. 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. It taught them how to succeed and prepared them for the future. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. That was released a few months ago. Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines,
BELLEVUE, Wash. -- While the Bellevue High football scandal gets sorted out, a forgotten casualty are the players who will experience the looming sanctions and coaching shake-up firsthand.Players . That probe confirmed some of the problems that The Times found and also detailed other issues, including families that had used false addresses to gain eligibility, a school district that had obstructed the investigation and evidence that Goncharoff had been paid beyond the bounds of WIAA rules. An independent investigation found a series of violations at the powerhouse football program, including that coaches directed athletes to attend the school, that boosters paid for athletes tuition, that false addresses were used to gain eligibility and that coaches coordinated tuition payments for athletes. And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? Under ominous clouds and heavy winds, the Wolverines took the field in their electric yellow uniforms, to face the visiting Snohomish Panthers in a Week 10 crossover game. Bellevue High School, Wolverine Way, Bellevue, WA, USA Sat Nov 19 W 22-20 @ Lincoln High School "Abes" Lincoln Bowl, Tacoma, WA, USA - 701 S. 37th Street. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. How did the adults never ask how it was that their kid was taking classes in a $1,750 per month school, yet they never got a tuition bill?
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. Senior running back William Wang rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns to lead Bellevue to a 3A state championship win over Kennewick on Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a diploma mill private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times. Get the days top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here. 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. SEATTLE An independent investigation into the Bellevue High football team uncovered "significant and long-standing violations" of state sports rules and extensive evidence that the team's. 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. A judge has sentenced 10 current and former high school athletes to prison terms of up to 25 years for their roles in numerous armed robberies in the Dallas area over the past year. 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. Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. 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.. Theyre going to find you. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. 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. Bellevue Highs 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. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. 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. 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. They don't have subpoena power because this is a trade association. Comments (-1) BPS Summer STEM Camps. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. Finally, in the fourth quarter, Kaden Matsudaira was featured in a long drive, culminating in a 3-yard TD run to put an exclamation point on the game. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. 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. One son married a runner-up from The Bachelor TV show and became an assistant football coach at Bellevue. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. All rights reserved. They said Goncharoff never gave the family money to pay for rent. Despite the short week, the Wolverines came out fast against a spirited Islander squad, thanks to TDs from Ishaan Daniels, Carson Rubin, and Kaden Matsudaira, culminating in a 35-0 halftime lead. It was a reminder of the Wolverines glorious past that got them fired up this week thanks to comments from Marysville-Pilchuck star running back Dylan Carson that fueled them for Saturdays matchup. The defense continued their stifling business, while the offense added a 27-yard Lucas Razore-to-Hogan Hansen TD, and a 39-yard Daniels TD run, leading to a comfortable first quarter lead. The evidence shows that the practices KingCo now is penalizing including summer sports camps for kids and paying coaches for extra work outside of the season were approved by Bellevue School District and are shared by many, many area schools, the statement said. There are many changes that should be made but they will never happen because our society places much more value on their teams winning than they do on oureducation system., This incident underscores what happens when booster clubs are permitted for specific sports and when those clubs put their own egos and insecurities above the appropriate life lessons to be gained and promoted from participation in school activities. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. Luke Scoma wins it for Bellevue with his 43-yard field goal in Wolverines' 22-20 win over Lincoln of Tacoma in Class 3A quarterfinals. 2021 State Champs! Bellevue can appeal the sanctions to KingCo principals within five school days, then can appeal to the executive board of the SeaKing District and ultimately to the executive board of the WIAA. Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Two former teachers told the Times the Academic Institute doesnt adhere to basic educational standards. Players need a 2.0 GPA with no more than one failing class to compete athletically.
Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. This isnt a player finding $100 cash in his locker. After starting the season in Sports Illustrateds SB Live Top 25, the Wolverines found themselves on the wrong end of two tightly contested losses to start their 2022 campaign. Led by senior running back William Wang as the wrecking ball of destruction in Bellevues vaunted Wing-T rushing attack, the Wolverines dogged Rainier Beach all night on the ground in a 56-22 triumph on Friday night in Class 3A state quarterfinals at Bellevue High School, Highlights of Bellevue's 56-22 win over Rainier Beach in the quarterfinals of the 3A State Playoffs. Freeman described in detail the hours he spent busing from Auburn to Bellevue, catching a 5:30 a.m. bus to start class around 8:15. 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. These findings only corroborate what is probably the worst kept secret in the history of high school sports. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. We love to see the kids have fun and play ball. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. 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 years and tightening oversight of incoming transfers for two years. 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. Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. Among the players who have attended Academic Institute were those instrumental in Bellevues recent 67-game winning streak: Myles Jack, a linebacker now at UCLA; Marcus Griffin, a defensive tackle at the University of Arizona; and Max Richmond, a wide receiver at the University of Washington. On the first play from scrimmage, freshman Max Jones took a handoff 65 yards to the house, and the JV squad never looked back. Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington is one of the most successful high school football programs in the country, with 11 state titles in 15 years, a 67-game winning streak covering some of that period and a national footprint that has had them playing on ESPN. Jessie Armstead, played for Miami and was the 207th pick in the 8th round of the 1993 NFL draft. Instead, athletes became eligible to play for the football powerhouse by traveling to a Bellevue office park for classes at an obscure, 40-student private school: The Academic Institute, Inc. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. 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. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. Washington needs more than 1 million homes in the next 20 years, Islanders speak out against Lava Ridge Wind Project, WA Lottery reveals Auburn woman as winner of $754.6 million Powerball jackpot, Victim energy is a siren song to which we must stop our ears | Whales Tales, Teams roll into action on renovated South Mercer Playfields. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. The first loss came at the hands of back-to-back Oregon 6A state champions, Central Catholic, on a field goal as time expired, which gave CCHS the first lead theyd had since early in the second quarter. They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. From changing grades and playing ineligible players to substance abuse and violence, these five scandals marred the face of the king of all sports in Texas. 1. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. BELLEVUE, Ky. (WXIX) - Bellevue police are stepping up for the high-school football team in their community after this week's news that the rest of the . 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! The Times uncovered 17 instances of Bellevue players who attend the Academic Institute, a small private school which does not offer football, in the last seven years. The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. 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. There's just too much 'go along, get along' over the years. Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. Bellevue has also been the subject of a nearly year-long investigation by the KingCo Conference, the league governing body for high school athletics in King County. On Thursday, the Bellevue High School self-imposed sanctions on its football program and head coach for violations of WIAA rules. Then, on Monday, the JV took the field north of the lake, against the Bothell Cougars. 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 Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. A video of Bellevue East High School's Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. With the pregame celebrations and hugs finished, the Wolverines wasted no time getting down to business. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy, A Grip on Sports: The action, good and bad, hits a little closer to home today, ESPN analysts expect 'rocking' Kennel for GameDay show, 'heavyweight fight' in Gonzaga-Saint Mary's nightcap , 'Growing up I can say I fell victim to being a Gonzaga fan.' 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. Playoffs: No postseason games for four years, Boosters: No donations to program for four years, Games: Only KingCo 3A opponents for two years; no out-of-state opponents for four years, Transfers: Stricter guidelines, oversight for incoming transfer students for two years, Championships: Vacate Bellevues conference titles if WIAA determines that state titles should be forfeited. To tear down this whole organization is a crime. State District . 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. Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. "They said four years of probation for the entire athletic department, a four-year ban for football on postseason play, and also non-conference play, as well as inviting any out-of-state opponents to play Bellevue High School. It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. We asked readers for their thoughts on what repercussions the Bellevue football program should face, as well as what the scandal says about high-school sports. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. 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. KNKX Public Radio | By: Logan Newman, https://usatodayhss.com/2016/bellevue-wash-expected-to-fire-coach-butch-goncharoff-cheating-scandal, Bellevue (Wash.) expected to fire coach at center of alleged football cheating scandal. Brick by brick!. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. Thiel said the complaints have been leveled at the Bellevue High School football program for years, but the scandal erupted after an investigation by the Seattle Times last year. And that lofty tuition bill? Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. Now we need to do it again! 5. The Bellevue football story became national news in 2016 as false accusations of recruiting by the twelve-time state champions and 2012 national champions took center stage. 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. "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.". Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history - winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. We will continue to defend our right, and the right of booster clubs around the state, to make these activities available to kids.. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited.