Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. Wangs 64-yard burst up the middle with four minutes left gave the top-seeded Wolverines (14-0) the winning margin. A third player whose family couldnt afford the steep tuition said he attended Academic Institute for two years without knowing who picked up the tab. This will essentially kill the football program. Have no fear, Bellevue Faithful, the East Channel Bridge rivalry is very much alive. Tony has been with Last Word on Sports for six years covering college football around the country. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. 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. Even private schools require the students attend classes at that institution and make the grades to play, not go to a strip-mall diploma mill., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. Fire and fine all involved. Lets be reasonable., The wrong-headed parts of the Bellevue High Schoolfootball program continued for far too long. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. The movie portrayed the girls as ruthless in their quest to run the school. Team supporters have battled the Bellevue School Districts decisions. 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. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. Many would perhaps have fallen through the cracks had it not been for the help they received when it was obvious to coaches they needed a little boost. Set the playing field equal, limit the activity of booster clubs to support supplies and travel costs. The Bellevue High football team is reportedly aided by a diploma mill private school. The sanctions are the latest chapter in the saga of investigations, appeals and denials concerning one of the most successful prep-football programs in state history. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. 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. Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. You cheat, you steal, you lie. Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. Coach Kneip said after the game, great to see our men get out and have fun tonight, energy on the sidelines was awesome. 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. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. 12 Mead in the first round of the Class 3A state football playoffs 41-10 as Bellevue rode its potent rushing attack to a dominant victory that puts it just two wins from their second consecutive state championship game appearance. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. Among the violations, the 68-page report found thatplayers families provided false address to gain eligibility and that head coach ButchGoncharoff encouraged players to attend classes at a private alternative school where some of the players tuition was subsidized by the programs booster club. The following Monday, the Bellevue JV had their first home game of the season, hosting Juanita. 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. Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. The second half once again belonged to the youngsters and up-and-comers, who finished strong to the tune of a 56-14 victory. The Bellevue grads on staff are Jake Hiller (2010, offensive line coach), Morgann Richey (2014, offensive line), Ryan Gilbert (2015, defensive backs), Jack Michael (2015, defensive backs), Matt Gilbert (2012, defensive coordinator), AJ Kneip (2016, offensive line/strength coach), Miles Carlson (2016, defensive back), Quinn Sullivan (2018, linebackers), Joe Razore (1997, offensive coordinator), Cam Johnson (1999, wide receivers), Peter Nguyen (2009, wide receivers) and Jojo Connor (2010, quarterbacks). Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. I have been watching professional and college sports for more than 40 years, and have been covering college football for Last Word on Sports for two years. Discretely paid for by the booster club. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. Unfazed by the less than hospitable conditions, the Wolverine ground game got to work against a stout Panther defense. Here is a selection of the. 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. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. It should be a Homecoming to remember! GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. 1 Bellevue past No. Make it hurt. 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. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. The Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. A High School Football Program Just Got the SMU-Style Death - Forbes The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. Debate: Are the parents to blame in the Bellevue football scandal "He's still a vital part of the picture. A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. Senior William Wang piled up 182 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 32 carries, and the Bellevue defense was tough as the top-seeded Wolverines laid a 27-3 licking on No. Sophomore Ollie Sharp, and freshmen Max Jones also found the end zone, en route to a 46-7 Bellevue win, capping their first JV tour in years. Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years Arguably one of the best high school teams ever fielded in Texas, the 1988 Dallas Carter Cowboys were loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. 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. to Bellevue so college recruiters will notice you; its absurd., An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. Brick by brick!. 5. Updated: 7:13 PM PDT July 8, 2016. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Back to work tomorrow!. As Bellevue football program receives sanctions - High School Sports Brazen Family-Central Bar + Restaurant,520 Bar and Grill, The Brazens - Windermere. This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. The community was stunned. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. The Times uncovered 17 instances. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. 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. The KingCo Conference is a 16-team conference [and] their athletic directors decided some fairly draconian punishments. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. Some prominent college football players are named in the report as having been cycled through The Academic Institute. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. 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. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. 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 win at all costs mentality, and the sad state of parents living vicariously through their childs athletic accomplishments, has put a pockmark on youth sports. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited. 1 talking about this. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. 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. 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. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. Some of Bellevue football's top players came from South Sound schools Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. But the program's remarkable success has. Varsity takes the field this Saturday (10/8) at Juanita, at 7pm, while the JV will face Juanita at home the following Monday. Then, on Monday, the JV took the field north of the lake, against the Bothell Cougars. Photos: William Wang powers No. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. Mercer Island Football Booster Club President, 1988-89. Yusef Freeman did not return a call Friday seeking comment on his letter. The startup funding should be part of the investigation. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State 3. The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. 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. The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. 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. 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. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. They scammed the system and stole the opportunities of hometown players, stoleplayers from schools that could have used the talent to grow their ownteams, and stole titles from teams that they played. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. 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. You do what you can to give your kid a leg up because you want him or her on a path that maybe you werent on.. Who do these kids think they are? What makes them think they are so deserving? You know what? 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. Great highlight video That leads to what the money was used for. Usain Bolt defeats Justin Gatlin, defends 100-meter title. "The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is 'American Greed' at it worst.". The Wolverines will look to build on their learning from week 1 and 2 as they start KingCo 3A conference play against Liberty High School this Friday. State District . Police plan football game to send off Bellevue seniors after season The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. 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. 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. Tacoma WA 98418. Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. One son married a runner-up from The Bachelor TV show and became an assistant football coach at Bellevue. 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. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. 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. Freemans parents criticized the Times reporters who wrote the Bellevue High story, saying they hounded and harassed their son and tricked him into saying things that he has no knowledge of. The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. "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. The Wolverines will look to keep extend their conference win streak next week, at home, against the Knights of Newport. She handles most sports coverage at the station, including helping produce a two-part series on the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the ongoing series "Going Deep.". Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. Really? You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com. How did parents move into a new apartment and never pay a dime of rent and never ask how that came to be? Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. 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. 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. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. 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. I am also the father of a high school varsity athlete. The events took place under the watch of school district officials who conceded that discounted tuition for athletes would constitute a violation of state athletic rules, a district document shows. Kirsten is also a sports lover. Or that they never had homework from that school? I found this story on USA TODAY High School Sports and wanted to share it with you: "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". Bellevue Wolverines | Bellevue WA - Facebook A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. The players spent 75 days in the districts alternative school after the incident. KNKX Public Radio | Probation: Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. 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. Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. 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. However, the victory only lasted five months when the school became the first in the state to have their title taken from them. Fire them all immediately.. ", "Pretty serious stuff," Thiel said. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. The team should have to forfeit the championships it won. Along the way, competitors have complained that Bellevue was bending the rules. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe Brady rolled through the playoffs that year up until the state game beating Belton (66-8), Taylor (30-8), Jasper (24-0) and Palacios (22-0). lots and lots of money going around. They say proposed project will negatively impact Minidoka internment camp site. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. It taught them how to succeed and prepared them for the future. Adults knew this was going on for years. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. Part of Darien Freemans account, however, is corroborated by documents reviewed by the Seattle Times. "I would say the rules are loose. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. 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. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. 10 Texas Athletes Are Sentenced to Jail Terms for Robberies The final score is simply listed as Brady 1 Stamford 0 in the states record books. It's finally come to a head. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. football coach makes appeal after ban. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics.
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