Debate: Are the parents to blame in the Bellevue football scandal State District . The NFL is the big example. Coach Kneip on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. The final score is simply listed as Brady 1 Stamford 0 in the states record books. My son plays football as a freshman at Liberty High School, and of course the teams one loss this past year was to Bellevue. These are the kinds of challenges we look for., Then, this past Friday, the Wolverines made the long drive up to Lake Stevens High School, home of the preseason 4A #1 Vikings. 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). While the Institute touts its focus on education at a full-time cost of $1,750 per month two former teachers label Academic Institute a diploma mill that doesnt adhere to basic educational standards. Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. The following Monday, the Bellevue JV had their first home game of the season, hosting Juanita. The KingCo Conference report, released earlier this week, said that while players were illegally recruited to play for Bellevue, some used false addresses to be eligible within Bellevues residential district. Come one, come all! And then there is the claim within the report that some of the misdeeds were not so secretive; they were just direct cash payments to families to get players to Bellevue. All Rights Reserved. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". The Times uncovered 17 instances. June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. 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. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. Location: Bellevue . Sat Nov 26 L . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. 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. Team supporters have battled the Bellevue School Districts decisions. Along the way, competitors have complained that Bellevue was bending the rules. The second half would be spent in running clock, ending in a final of 54-13. 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. 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. Bellevue High football: Team reportedly aided by diploma mill - Sports Bellevue High School Football As Bellevue football program receives sanctions - High School Sports 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. The KingCo Conference is a 16-team conference [and] their athletic directors decided some fairly draconian punishments. 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. Embattled Bellevue High School football coaches took another hit Friday as an executive board made up of high school principals increased penalties for the head . Fire them all immediately.. Earlier this week, the Bellevue School District requestedan investigation of the football program by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which governs prep sports in the state. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. 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 . Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. 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. 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. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. "And if you can wiggle around with all of these variances in the rules, then they've got a real problem.". They said Goncharoff never gave the family money to pay for rent. 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. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. 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. 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. The ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. bellevue high school football scandal - scrapcinema.fr That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. If youre retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you! 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. On BHSs ensuing possession, junior QB Lucas Razore found Ishaan Daniels in the flat, and Daniels scampered 30 yards for the Bellevue score. 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. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. Following the varsitys team lead from Friday night, the Wolverine JV got things going quickly with several big runs by sophomore Matt Reed, and the race was on. He's not going quietly. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. 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. 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. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. Bellevue football decimated the available pool of players for both Sammamish and Interlake for years to the point of Sammamish forfeiting games at the varsity level in 2015. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. 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). You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com. We love to see the kids have fun and play ball. 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. "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. A native of Southern California, now living in North Carolina, he has been working in broadcast, print and digital media for nearly 30 years. BELLEVUE REBOUNDS AT HOME VS LIBERTY, TOUGH START FOR WOLVERINES AGAINST TOP RANKED OPPONENTS, Former UW Lineman Is Lead Blocker in Returning Bellevue High to Prominence, Yelm goes length of field to end Bellevue's state championship reign, 28-27, PHOTOS: Yelm edges past Bellevue, 28-27, to earn title shot, VIDEO Game Highlights from Lincoln Playoff Game, 3A Quarterfinal, Bellevues 43-yard field goal breaks the hearts and playoff hopes of Lincoln Read more at: https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/high-school/article2, With Bellevue in need of a season-saving spark, Luke Scoma delivers - with his foot, Bellevue tops 400 yards rushing to beat Mead in 3A state football playoffs, Bellevue football team defeats Snohomish in non-conference game. Or that they never had homework from that school? BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. But, we would be lying if we said that there wasnt at least a benefit to these kids.. Yes, the Catholic schools do recruit, but they are not funded through public money. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Unphased by the change, the boys loaded up the busses on Saturday evening, and headed north to Juanita High School in Kirkland. Darien Freeman has not returned multiple messages left for him last week. And because it's now going to be subject to many lawsuits, there's going to be huge pressure and there should be huge pressure to reform the entire structure of state high school sports. 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. Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. 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 . Usain Bolt defeats Justin Gatlin, defends 100-meter title. I found this story on USA TODAY High School Sports and wanted to share it with you: Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. 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. The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. 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. 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. The Seattle [] It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. Bellevue High School Football 5 seeded Wolverines (8-2) walloped No. 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. 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.' Report: Bellevue football coaches violated rules for years 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations, Week 11 Playoff Matchups - Bellevue 42, Lakes 21, (Nov 12, 2021), This website is powered by SportsEngine's. It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. 2023 Bonneville International. 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. During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. 5. 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. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! 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. 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. Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. One son married a runner-up from The Bachelor TV show and became an assistant football coach at Bellevue. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State 3. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics. Final score, 59-0, BHS. 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.. Go re-read this story, and you will have your answers. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). Top-ranked Bellevue defeated Marysville Pilchuck, 27-3, in the 3A state football semifinals on Nov. 27 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years 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. That would be easy. Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. 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. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. Per a statement, athletic director Jim Hicks said. To do whats best for your kid, he said. At a Tuesday news conference, Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills said the report contains information that requires immediate action, but the district has not saidwhat that action will be. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. Bellevue Wolverines | Bellevue WA - Facebook 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. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. 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. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. "The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is 'American Greed' at it worst.". 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. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. This begins the discussion of the penalty phase of the violations, and there are several steps working through that process, said Mike Colbrese, WIAA executive director. 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. 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. The community was stunned. A player for Stamford, Wendell Robinson, lived in the towns fire station and continued to play for the school after his parents moved away from Stamford. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. 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. Censure Bellevue High School football | Mercer Island Reporter KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe Players speak out about Bellevue High coaching shake-up 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. Final score: 20-14, bringing the JV to 1-1. Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. It's not a state agency. Coach Butch Goncharoff connected to $175,000 in equipment payments in Wangs 64-yard burst up the middle with four minutes left gave the top-seeded Wolverines (14-0) the winning margin. The investigation was prompted, in part, by an exposure in the Seattle Times last summer that found an underbelly of fraudulent academics, illegal recruiting and of course, money. Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. 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. 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. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. 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. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. 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. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. Fire and fine all involved. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. 56-0 win over Juanita! "This issue with Bellevue has been around for many years. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. We asked our fans to vote for the 3A Players of the Year for Texas HS Football Podcast: Championship Series. Then, on Monday, the JV took the field north of the lake, against the Bothell Cougars. Cheerleaders capture the crowds attention during the game, but one group of Texas high school cheerleaders captured the attention of the entire nation due to their outlandish behavior. Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. It should not be about winning at all costs to include cheating by parents. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. 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 . 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. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. 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. 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. The booster club should be disbanded. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. "He's still a vital part of the picture. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. %link% How did parents move into a new apartment and never pay a dime of rent and never ask how that came to be? PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. All rights reserved. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. 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. Bellevue High School (WA) Varsity Football - MaxPreps.com The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. Edwards was sentenced to 16 years and never played another down of football. 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. 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. Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. Adults knew this was going on for years. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. That was released a few months ago. 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. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history - winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. 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.