bellevue high school football scandal

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. Of those 17 boys, seven were Bellevue football players. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. football coach makes appeal after ban. 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 most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. 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. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. 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. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. She handles most sports coverage at the station, including helping produce a two-part series on the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the ongoing series "Going Deep.". Bellevue 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. Instead, athletes became eligible to play for the football powerhouse by traveling to a Bellevue office park for classes at an obscure, 40-student private school: The Academic Institute, Inc. Carter High in Dallas took the state championship in 1988, but this new film about the team is not all about victory. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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. 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. A video of Bellevue East High School's 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 . "They also discovered compensation to the head coach, Butch Goncharoff, of $60,000 a year that was well in excess of what the standards are for high school coaches.". 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. His older brother became vice president of the teams booster club. 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. 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. The WIAS must close this loophole immediately, conduct a comprehensive investigation into the 17 Bellevue High School football players who were offered a distinct advantage over other high schools in the state and should take the following action if there is one shred of evidence of chicanery: 1. 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. 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. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. The second half would be spent in running clock, ending in a final of 54-13. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. The schools don't want to arm the WIAA with investigatory powers. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . 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. There's just too much 'go along, get along' over the 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. "He's still a vital part of the picture. WA State 3A Champs '83, '01, '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12,. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! All Rights Reserved. Yusef Freeman did not return a call Friday seeking comment on his letter. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, 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. 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. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. This isnt a player finding $100 cash in his locker. Bellevue school officials have previously told Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff that the district will seek to terminate him for violations of district policies. If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. This isnt just about high school sports. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. My son plays football as a freshman at Liberty High School, and of course the teams one loss this past year was to Bellevue. 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. 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. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. Daniels got the second half rolling with his fourth house call of the game, and Luke Scoma added a late field goal to give the Wolverines a 44-13 win. 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 . Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. Have no fear, Bellevue Faithful, the East Channel Bridge rivalry is very much alive. 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. The Seattle [] 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. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. Get the days top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here. That was released a few months ago. 4. The NFL is the big example. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! 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. It's finally come to a head. 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. 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. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. And the district has cut ties with longtime assistant coach Pat Jones. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. Final score, 59-0, BHS. Updated: 7:13 PM PDT July 8, 2016. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. 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. The team should have to forfeit the championships it won. Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. 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. 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. Allow only the students living within the boundaries to participate. Coach Kneip said after the game, great to see our men get out and have fun tonight, energy on the sidelines was awesome. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. Here is a selection of the. June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. The deluge culminated in a 34-0 halftime lead for BHS. 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. 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. Jessie Armstead, played for Miami and was the 207th pick in the 8th round of the 1993 NFL draft. Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue High School football coach Butch Goncharoff told the school board Tuesday that an investigation of the football . Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations Tacoma WA 98418. That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. Location: Bellevue . This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. 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). Touchdowns from Sharp, Jones, Reed, and freshman Trevin King kept the Bellevue offense on top, for a 49-22 win. Team supporters have battled the Bellevue School Districts decisions. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. 1. 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. Saint Mary's guard Logan Johnson knows both sides of the Zags-Gaels rivalry , "It should be an awesome environment": Gonzaga's WCC title hopes depend on outcome vs. Gaels , Gonzaga rewind: Ben Gregg continues to thrive in expanded role, helps Gonzaga thump San Diego , Daily marijuana use raises risk of heart disease by 34%, study indicates, 'Growing up I can say I fell victim to being a Gonzaga fan.' Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. 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). The Times uncovered 17 instances. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. Set the playing field equal, limit the activity of booster clubs to support supplies and travel costs. Final score: 20-14, bringing the JV to 1-1. 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. All told, a 42-0 first half lead. How did parents move into a new apartment and never pay a dime of rent and never ask how that came to be? Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. The team has won 11 state championships in the last 15 seasons. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. 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. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. The Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. 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. Final score: 48-14, Bellevue. But the program's remarkable success has. 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. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! There are no legitimate answers to those questions. After starting the season in Sports Illustrateds SB Live Top 25, the Wolverines found themselves on the wrong end of two tightly contested losses to start their 2022 campaign. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. 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. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. Ask yourself these questions while you scan the details: Where in the name of all that is right were the parents? 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. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. Voted as the KING 5 Sports Big Game of the Week, the 4-2 Wolverines once again headed north on 405 for a KingCo 3A showdown, this time with the 4-1 Lake Washington Kangs. This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. Varsity takes the field this Saturday (10/8) at Juanita, at 7pm, while the JV will face Juanita at home the following Monday. It's not a state agency. Mostly because they were too busy taking advantage of the whole in the system for their own benefit. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. They happen to go to a private school that doesnt offer a (football) program.. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. 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. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. 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. On the first play from scrimmage, freshman Max Jones took a handoff 65 yards to the house, and the JV squad never looked back. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. "This is the most successful athletic program in state history and it's being torn down. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. The startup funding should be part of the investigation. 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. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. 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.. November 4, 2022. 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..

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2022-07-09T10:17:55+00:00