Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. 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 . PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. 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. The schools don't want to arm the WIAA with investigatory powers. Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. There are absolutely no facts to support KingCos conclusion they have foolishly relied on the false inferences of the WIAAs original report, Goncharoffs statement said. Bier on the Pier takes place on October 7th and 8th and features local ciders, food trucks and live music - not to mention the beautiful views of the Guemes Channel and backdrop of downtown Anacortes. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. On the shoulders of some hard running by junior Carson Rubin and sophomore Ryken Moon, a long reception by senior Ishaan Daniels, and a heaping helping of stingy defense, Bellevue took a 47-7 lead to the locker room at half time. Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. Jones began coaching at . The ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! Other families allegedly acquired apartments within the schools boundaries, with the rent being paid by boosters. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. 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. 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 that lofty tuition bill? 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.. That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid . Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. It is high time to clean up this mess. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. David R. Evans Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. Some prominent college football players are named in the report as having been cycled through The Academic Institute. 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. 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. 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. 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I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. 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. 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. His older brother became vice president of the teams booster club. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue School District officials and booster club members are fighting back against a blistering report that alleged recruitment violations within the Bellevue High. 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 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. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. It taught them how to succeed and prepared them for the future. Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. Allow only the students living within the boundaries to participate. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". 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 . SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Unphased by the change, the boys loaded up the busses on Saturday evening, and headed north to Juanita High School in Kirkland. 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. 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. WA State 3A Champs '83, '01, '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12,. Great highlight video 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 parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. Brick by brick!. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. Location: Bellevue . "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". 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). 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. Armstead is also in the New York Giants Ring of Honor. The Wolverines will look to keep extend their conference win streak next week, at home, against the Knights of Newport. "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 Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. 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. This will essentially kill the football program. The defense continued their stifling business, while the offense added a 27-yard Lucas Razore-to-Hogan Hansen TD, and a 39-yard Daniels TD run, leading to a comfortable first quarter lead. The uproar began and a legal battle quickly ensued. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Varsity takes the field this Saturday (10/8) at Juanita, at 7pm, while the JV will face Juanita at home the following Monday. 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 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. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a diploma mill private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times. 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? 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. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. 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. That loss was an eye-opener, as Bellevue dominated in every aspect of the game against our team. 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. They happen to go to a private school that doesnt offer a (football) program.. The startup funding should be part of the investigation. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. 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. Per a statement, athletic director Jim Hicks said. 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. Bellevue school officials have previously told Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff that the district will seek to terminate him for violations of district policies. The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! Now we have to keep the focus going next week for 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. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited. We asked readers for their thoughts on what repercussions the Bellevue football program should face, as well as what the scandal says about high-school sports. 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. Or that they never had homework from that school? In addition to prohibiting the Bellevue football program from receiving donations, the KingCo committee said: Bellevue is not allowed to play any nonleague football games and will be limited to Class 3A league games for two seasons. It hid and manipulated scientific and medical research and evidence to hide the price their players were paying on the field due to head injuries. Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. That would be easy. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. All rights reserved. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. In the end, nine football players at the school admitted to using over the counter steroid-like substances and prescription steroids. 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. 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. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. With the pregame celebrations and hugs finished, the Wolverines wasted no time getting down to business. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. Fire them all immediately.. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. KingCo left the question of whether Bellevue should forfeit state titles up to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. I am also the father of a high school varsity athlete. 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. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. Bellevue High School Football Share this Team > Regular Season . Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. 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 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. To do whats best for your kid, he said. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. Mostly because they were too busy taking advantage of the whole in the system for their own benefit. Here is a selection of the. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. 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. Brick by brick!. Now we need to do it again! 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. Back to work tomorrow!. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. Final score, 59-0, BHS. Really? 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. 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 . During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. But, after a brief email exchange, they let it drop. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. 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. 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. For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics. I think that theres a lot of different layers to understanding exactly what is going on., Related: Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter. What sanction to impose if they will not resign in disgrace? 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. We will continue to defend our right, and the right of booster clubs around the state, to make these activities available to kids.. State District . None of our business, he said. 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. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. Probation: Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. Jones has filed an unfair-labor-practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission. Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. 2021 State Champs! But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. 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. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! The investigators report and your editorial finally nailed it.. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. The Times found at least three instances in which families of players attending the school were either given financial assistance by the team's boosters or didn't pay for the tuition themselves, a violation of state athletic rules. An investigation into the allegations by the Dallas Morning News led to the school investigating the claims as well. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. 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. 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. Tornados drive 94 yards on 16 plays, capped by Damian Aalona's 1-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown, to win action-packed Class 3A semifinal game at Art Crate Field. 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. Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. 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. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. 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. After the half, the BHS offense really got rolling, including a 44-yard TD run from junior Blake Teets, a 24-yard TD run from sophomore Ryken Moon, and a screen pass from Razore that junior Cal Zimmerman took 21 yards to pay dirt. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. 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). It was a reminder of the Wolverines glorious past that got them fired up this week thanks to comments from Marysville-Pilchuck star running back Dylan Carson that fueled them for Saturdays matchup. The 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. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. We love to see the kids have fun and play ball. "And if you can wiggle around with all of these variances in the rules, then they've got a real problem.". Hopefully something like that will come out of this mess.". KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. Bellevue will be on bye this week, ahead of a Week 9 home game against Hazen to finish off the regular season. Breed initially denied any involvement, but in December of 2015 pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury, was placed on probation and gave up teaching. 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. The state high school governing body, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), is looking into whether state titles need to be stripped and further sanctions imposed. Touchdowns from Sharp, Jones, Reed, and freshman Trevin King kept the Bellevue offense on top, for a 49-22 win. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support. The Times uncovered 17 instances of Bellevue players who attend the Academic Institute, a small private school which does not offer football, in the last seven years. The 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. You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. Hogwash! The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. Earlier this year, one family complained that an assistant coach threatened to revoke their sons financial aid at Academic Institute if the student didnt continue playing football at Bellevue. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. KingCo will have stricter guidelines and oversight for incoming transfer student-athletes for two years. Come one, come all! 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. A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. If youre a Pac-12 talent, you are going to jump off the page at recruiters, he said. The second quarter was the Carson Rubin Show, as he added 10- and 35-yard TD runs, and even a two-point conversion, helping the Wolverines take a 26-6 lead to the locker room. 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. 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. After the game, Coach Kneip said, Our job is to put our kids in the best position to win a state championship, and that means challenging ourselves against the best opponents we can possibly find for our non-conference games.. Set the playing field equal, limit the activity of booster clubs to support supplies and travel costs.