Im already excited for next week. JV plays at Lake Washington on Monday 9/26. 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. 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. It should be a Homecoming to remember! 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). And a large percentage of those kids were athletes," Thiel said. A native of Southern California, now living in North Carolina, he has been working in broadcast, print and digital media for nearly 30 years. 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.. What sanction to impose if they will not resign in disgrace? 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 NFL is the big example. 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. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue High School football coach Butch Goncharoff told the school board Tuesday that an investigation of the football . 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. 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. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 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. 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. He's not going quietly. The Bellevue High School football team is one victory away from the ultimate return to glory. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. Which spelled out who could live in certain neighborhoods. 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. Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! ", "Pretty serious stuff," Thiel said. Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. 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. KNKX Public Radio | Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. 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. Freemans parents, Yusef and Allona, wrote in a letter this week to the school district that their son lived in the Bellevue attendance area. My son plays football as a freshman at Liberty High School, and of course the teams one loss this past year was to Bellevue. If youre a Pac-12 talent, you are going to jump off the page at recruiters, he said. 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. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, Thiel said Goncharoff has been quite vocal about his innocence. Editors note: After the original Seattle Times article of Aug. 23 the newspaper followed up with another article in which the parents of Darien Freeman disputed portions of the first article that were attributed to their son. The second half would be spent in running clock, ending in a final of 54-13. Goncharoff got a slap on the wrist, just a two-game suspension for providing cash to a player when he should have been suspended for the season and the school banned from post season play. The Bellevue High football team is reportedly aided by a diploma mill private school. This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. On BHSs ensuing possession, junior QB Lucas Razore found Ishaan Daniels in the flat, and Daniels scampered 30 yards for the Bellevue score. 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. 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. lots and lots of money going around. Saint Mary's guard Logan Johnson knows both sides of the Zags-Gaels rivalry, 35-year-old loved his dog, the outdoors and his mother who is accused of killing him, Accused killer returns to Spokane to face murder charge in 40-year-old South Hill cold case. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. These efforts were and are fully within the rules., The boosters vowed to continue to fight. David R. Evans During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. Discretely paid for by the booster club. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. Hogwash! 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. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. 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. In Q2, senior Ishaan Daniels added his own long TD run, and quarterback Lucas Razore added not one, but two, TD passes to fellow junior Blake Teets (one for 19 yards, one for 43). With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. His older brother became vice president of the teams booster club. 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. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. This was wealth gone greedy., Bellevue football report put asterisk on winning record. Bellevue High School Football; Bellevue Football. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. What is your main job as a parent? 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. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. 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. You cheat, you steal, you lie. Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. 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. 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 . Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. 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. 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. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. Yes, the Catholic schools do recruit, but they are not funded through public money. A High School Football Program Just Got the SMU-Style Death - Forbes Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. 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. An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. 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 Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a diploma mill private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times. Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. 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. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. To tear down this whole organization is a crime. 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. 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). This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. 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. Coach Kneip on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. Goncharoff released a statement after KingCos sanctions were handed down. 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. 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. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. 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. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. "The schools want it that way. 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. Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. 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. An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. "This is the most successful athletic program in state history and it's being torn down. The ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. 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. "I would say the rules are loose. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. 1. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. We asked our fans to vote for the 3A Players of the Year for Texas HS Football Podcast: Championship Series. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. McKinney North Principal Linda Thret was the mom of one of the Fab Five and eventually resigned due to mounting pressure over her lack of discipline with the group. Brick by brick!. But, we would be lying if we said that there wasnt at least a benefit to these kids.. 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. An anonymous tip led the UIL to investigate claims Carters star player, Gary Edwards had failed Algebra and had violated the states No Pass, No Play policy. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. The following Monday, the Bellevue JV had their first home game of the season, hosting Juanita. Location: Bellevue . 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. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. Here is a selection of the. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. Final score 42-0. 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. They don't have subpoena power because this is a trade association. With the pregame celebrations and hugs finished, the Wolverines wasted no time getting down to business. They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. State District . On Thursday, the Bellevue High School self-imposed sanctions on its football program and head coach for violations of WIAA rules. 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. That was released a few months ago. Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. 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. This will essentially kill the football program. Next stop for the Wolverines (13-0) is the state championship game the Gridiron Classic versus Kennewick at noon on Dec. 4 at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. Have no fear, Bellevue Faithful, the East Channel Bridge rivalry is very much alive. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. November 4, 2022. 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. Latest Updates. The investigators report and your editorial finally nailed it.. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. 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. That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. "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. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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. There are no legitimate answers to those questions. 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 parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. 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. 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. 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 . 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. Armstead is also in the New York Giants Ring of Honor. For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. Bellevue High football: Team reportedly aided by diploma mill - Sports 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. 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. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! 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.