Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. "The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which is the administrative body that governs prep sports hired two investigators who produced a 68-page report that confirmed much of what the Times discovered as well as other things. 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. 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. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. On BHSs ensuing possession, junior QB Lucas Razore found Ishaan Daniels in the flat, and Daniels scampered 30 yards for the Bellevue score. The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. 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. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. 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. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. The Seattle [] June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. 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. 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. Debate: Are the parents to blame in the Bellevue football scandal Its no surprise that we tend to have a lot of conversations about entitled young athletes. The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. In the post-game interview, Coach Kneip told KING5, Its really fun to come out here in this great environment, packed house, theyre a great football team. How did parents never ask how their kid had so much walking around money? Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Or, at the very least, put on administrative leave along with the schools athletic director until a thorough investigation is has been completed into the financial records (who paid what) and academic record of Academic Institute Inc., in Bellevue. The coach should be a faculty member and actually teach classes., These coaches and families have only helped these kids progress in a more beneficial way through life. Maybe there is some truth to some stories, and maybe it is just random speculation, but it is out there, usually in the private school arena. Final score 42-0. Weve seen a couple of surveys about Seattles happiness rating, one shows us near the top for happiness, and one has us closer to the bottom. Rantz is much less critical of the Bellevue parents saying that, assuming the allegations are true, putting a student in the position to gain a college scholarship is a noble pursuit. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. The KingCo Conference is a 16-team conference [and] their athletic directors decided some fairly draconian punishments. Bellevue High coach pleads: 'This has been a setup since day one do The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! 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 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. Or that they never had homework from that school? "He's still a vital part of the picture. 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. Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years 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. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. The long-running nature of the corruption uncovered by this investigation could only have occurred with the explicit or tacit approval of Bellevue High Schooland Bellevue School District administrators, as the reportvividly details. It is high time to clean up this mess. The deluge culminated in a 34-0 halftime lead for BHS. 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). Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. 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. The uproar began and a legal battle quickly ensued. Bellevue High stained by football scandal | The Spokesman-Review Carter High . Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. The players spent 75 days in the districts alternative school after the incident. Im already excited for next week. JV plays at Lake Washington on Monday 9/26. Updated: 7:13 PM PDT July 8, 2016. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. 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? David R. Evans Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. 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). 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. The newspaper further documented its original article: The parents of a former Bellevue High School football player have disputed their sons account of his time on the team, calling a Sunday Seattle Times articleon the subject false and misleading.. Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. Here is a selection of the. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. The players reportedly said the refereewas using racial slurs and said they were instructed to hit the ref by their coach, Mack Breed. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. Kirsten is also a sports lover. We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. 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. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. 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. Mind you, this is not the kind of booster club that has bake sales to pay for road trips. 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. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. We will continue to defend our right, and the right of booster clubs around the state, to make these activities available to kids.. Bellevue football coaches get hit with stiffer penalties He played for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins and was a five time Pro Bowl selection. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. bellevue high school football scandal - scrapcinema.fr Coach Salonen said, We feel incredibly lucky to have the numbers to support a JV program this year, we love seeing the additional reps these players are getting, and the improvement that comes with those reps.. 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 ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. Bellevue Wolverines Varsity - Bellevue High School Football Report: Bellevue football coaches violated rules for years The Wolverines got off to their usual fast start, with a whopping three rushing touchdowns from Ishaan Daniels, another from Carson Rubin, and a passing TD from Lucas Razore to Hogan Hansen. You cheat, you steal, you lie. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. If youre a Pac-12 talent, you are going to jump off the page at recruiters, he said. The booster club should be disbanded. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. 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 . Bellevue High football: Team reportedly aided by diploma mill - Sports That leads to what the money was used for. 10 Texas Athletes Are Sentenced to Jail Terms for Robberies There are no legitimate answers to those questions. "I would say the rules are loose. Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan. After finding steroids in her sons athletic bag in September of 2004, a Colleyville Heritage mom approached school administrators after verifying the contents through a local drug store. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. 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. 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. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. Sophomore Ryken Moon took the opening kickoff back for a TD, junior Colin Miller had an interception, junior Luke Soma added a field goal, and junior Cal Zimmerman had his own pick-6. 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. This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). Tacoma WA 98418. 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. 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. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. 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. And the district has cut ties with longtime assistant coach Pat Jones. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. These findings only corroborate what is probably the worst kept secret in the history of high school sports. During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. 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. I think the idea behind high school sports is pretty genuine if you get together and you play sports with the kids you grew up with.. Make it hurt. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. 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. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . Team supporters have battled the Bellevue School Districts decisions. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. 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. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. I think the system is prone to corruption. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. 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. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. If youre retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you! 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. And that lofty tuition bill? It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. 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. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. Bellevue High is an extremely successful 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. An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. 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. Who do these kids think they are? What makes them think they are so deserving? You know what? Fire and fine all involved. 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. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. 1. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. Rantz says he doesnt blame the parents whatsoever. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. I think that theres a lot of different layers to understanding exactly what is going on., Related: Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter. Bellevue High School Football Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. The Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. 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. Ask yourself these questions while you scan the details: Where in the name of all that is right were the parents? At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. It's false. What is your main job as a parent? A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. All the coaches involved should lose their jobs and be required to return any money they received that was above the amount they were legally entitled to. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. Coach Butch Goncharoff connected to $175,000 in equipment payments in