Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. In its findings released a few hours earlier, the KingCo committee: Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue illegally recruited athletes to the school and coordinated payments for athletes, and that Bellevue failed to self-report money provided to players families. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. None of our business, he said. Back to work tomorrow!. Mind you, this is not the kind of booster club that has bake sales to pay for road trips. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. One son married a runner-up from The Bachelor TV show and became an assistant football coach at Bellevue. Sat Nov 26 L . 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. At least 42 transfer students contributed to Bellevue's football team from 2008 to 2015, according to the report, for a program that has reached 13 Class 3A state championship games in the past. And the district has cut ties with longtime assistant coach Pat Jones. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. Onside kick with less than 2 minutes to go to setup Scoma winning field goal (Photo credit - Pete Caster / The News Tribune), Luke Scoma converts a must-have onside kick, then boots the game-winning field goal in the reigning Class 3A champions' 22-20 state quarterfinal victory over Gabarri Johnson-led Lincoln of Tacoma, A cadre of Lincoln defenders take down Bellevue running back Blake Tests during the first quarter of a Class 3A state quarterfinal game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at the Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma, Wash. PETE CASTER Pete Caster / The News Tribune Read more. The ref denied any use of racial slurs during the game. Part of Darien Freemans account, however, is corroborated by documents reviewed by the Seattle Times. The silver lining from one of the biggest scandals in Texas high school football history is the number of players who went on to continue their football careers in college. A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. Here's the AP story SEATTLE (AP) - An investigation into illegal recruiting has resulted in the suspension of Bellevue High School's head football coach, Butch Goncharoff, and the team being placed on probation. Allow only the students living within the boundaries to participate. 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. 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.". 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. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. 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. The schools don't want to arm the WIAA with investigatory powers. 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. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. Discretely paid for by the booster club. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. 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). In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. 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. 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. It taught them how to succeed and prepared them for the future. This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. The Wolverines will look to keep extend their conference win streak next week, at home, against the Knights of Newport. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid . Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. 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? Darien Freeman has not returned multiple messages left for him last week. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Now, we cannot be completely naive. November 4, 2022. 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. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. The booster club should be disbanded. 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. 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. 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Ask yourself these questions while you scan the details: Where in the name of all that is right were the parents? He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". "It's not just Bellevue. A 68-page report found that players' families provided false address to gain eligibility and that head coach Butch Goncharoff encouraged players to attend classes at a private alternative school. Bellevue Highs 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 most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. "The schools want it that way. 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. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. 5 seeded Wolverines (8-2) walloped No. 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. 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. They don't have subpoena power because this is a trade association. The players reportedly said the refereewas using racial slurs and said they were instructed to hit the ref by their coach, Mack Breed. 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. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. 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. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! 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. The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. 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. We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. 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. 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. Wangs 64-yard burst up the middle with four minutes left gave the top-seeded Wolverines (14-0) the winning margin. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. 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. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. KingCo left the question of whether Bellevue should forfeit state titles up to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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 NFL is the big example. The second half saw more of the same stingy Wolverine defense, and scores being added by another long Daniels run, and a 30-yard TD connection from Razore to junior TE, Hogan Hansen. 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. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. How did parents move into a new apartment and never pay a dime of rent and never ask how that came to be? Jones began coaching at . Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. 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 Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. And that lofty tuition bill? 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. Final score 42-0. Bellevue High School Football Share this Team > Regular Season . Bellevue is a public school district. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. Arguably one of the best high school teams ever fielded in Texas, the 1988 Dallas Carter Cowboys were loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. 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. 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. Which spelled out who could live in certain neighborhoods. All Rights Reserved. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. 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. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. 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. Embattled Bellevue High School football coaches took another hit Friday as an executive board made up of high school principals increased penalties for the head . 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 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 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. 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. 5. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. An investigation into the allegations by the Dallas Morning News led to the school investigating the claims as well. 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. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. 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. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. 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. Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. It's finally come to a head. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. Really? Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. "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. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. This isnt just about high school sports. Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. 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). 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. 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. Make it hurt. 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. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). Updated: 7:13 PM PDT July 8, 2016. Theyre going to find you. 2021 State Champs! We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. Tacoma WA 98418. Go re-read this story, and you will have your answers. He played for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins and was a five time Pro Bowl selection. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! 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. 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. You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com. The Bellevue High football team is reportedly aided by a diploma mill private school. Sanctions need to be put in place against the school as well as the BHS booster club to ensure the high-school programs for our conference and state are fair, as all sports should be. Jessie Armstead, played for Miami and was the 207th pick in the 8th round of the 1993 NFL draft. They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. We love to see the kids have fun and play ball. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. These efforts were and are fully within the rules., The boosters vowed to continue to fight. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue 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. Here is a selection of the. 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. 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. Jones has filed an unfair-labor-practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. 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. 2023 Bonneville International. Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. In response to allegations against the Bellevue booster club, KingCo ruled that the Bellevue football program cannot receive any donations for four years, including money, equipment and products from outside entities. Bellevue (Wash.) School District officials are planning to fire the head coach of the Bellevue High School football team, according to a letter sent to the coach by a top district official and . The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. The Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. Tony has been with Last Word on Sports for six years covering college football around the country. 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.
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