Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. Some prominent college football players are named in the report as having been cycled through The Academic Institute. It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. 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 . But, after a brief email exchange, they let it drop. 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. 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. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. If that wasnt enough, the main boosters involved are discussing suing the conference over the penalties and coach Goncharoff says he has been set up. At the crux of the scandal is a well to-do family that made their money in the trash/waste management industry. The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. 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.' 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. Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. Dinner and dancing may have been the order of the day on Saturday, but on Friday night, Wolverine students packed the stands to see the Bellevue High football team demolish their crosstown rival Newport Knights. Come one, come all! No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. The sanctions are the latest chapter in the saga of investigations, appeals and denials concerning one of the most successful prep-football programs in state history. Make it hurt. Photos: William Wang powers No. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. Among the violations, the 68-page report found thatplayers families provided false address to gain eligibility and that head coach ButchGoncharoff encouraged players to attend classes at a private alternative school where some of the players tuition was subsidized by the programs booster club. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. How did the adults never ask how it was that their kid was taking classes in a $1,750 per month school, yet they never got a tuition bill? 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. Kirsten is also a sports lover. 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. 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 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. OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. 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.. 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. Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. Bellevue can appeal the sanctions to KingCo principals within five school days, then can appeal to the executive board of the SeaKing District and ultimately to the executive board of the WIAA. 2023 Bonneville International. 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. Unphased by the change, the boys loaded up the busses on Saturday evening, and headed north to Juanita High School in Kirkland. 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. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Along the way, competitors have complained that Bellevue was bending the rules. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! 12 Mead in the first round of the Class 3A state football playoffs 41-10 as Bellevue rode its potent rushing attack to a dominant victory that puts it just two wins from their second consecutive state championship game appearance. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. 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. 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. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. Blistering report alleges football recruitment violations at Bellevue Bellevue High School Football Share this Team > Regular Season . Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. We hear stories about competing schools. That probe confirmed some of the problems that The Times found and also detailed other issues, including families that had used false addresses to gain eligibility, a school district that had obstructed the investigation and evidence that Goncharoff had been paid beyond the bounds of WIAA rules. 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. Who do these kids think they are? What makes them think they are so deserving? You know what? 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. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. The Times uncovered 17 instances. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. The second half once again belonged to the youngsters and up-and-comers, who finished strong to the tune of a 56-14 victory. 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. The KingCo Conference is a 16-team conference [and] their athletic directors decided some fairly draconian punishments. 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. 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. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. He's not going quietly. It's false. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. 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. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. 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. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. 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. Bellevue H.S. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! HOME 5-1 AWAY 4-1 NEUTRAL 0-1. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. 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. Rather than worry about imposing sanctions, it is more important that the Bellevue School District starts to do the right thing, going forward, meaning itneeds to replace the coaching staff, probably shun the booster club, and start exercising control by hiring a head coach who is also a teacher within the educational system., What sanctions are appropriate for people in positions of authority supposed role models for kids when they actively participate in or turn a blind eye to corruption and then do everything in their power to impede legitimate investigations? "This issue with Bellevue has been around for many years. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. But Notre Dame-bound RB Jayden Limar led a second half comeback, eventually closing the game out 37-28. And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? 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. 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. 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. Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. Or that they never had homework from that school? 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 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. 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. The startup funding should be part of the investigation. Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. Comments (-1) BPS Summer STEM Camps. Location: Bellevue . "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. David R. Evans And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. Flashback: Carter High Stripped of 1988 State Title After Win Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. In order to remedy the violations, the district had proposed a suspension of the teams booster club along with meetings, training programs and policy reviews to ensure rules are followed in the future. On the first play from scrimmage, freshman Max Jones took a handoff 65 yards to the house, and the JV squad never looked back. Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years 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.. Thiel: Bellevue Football Scandal Highlights Need For Statewide Reform Final score, 59-0, BHS. 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. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. The Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. 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. That leads to what the money was used for. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. 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. Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. Five days after bringing home the state title, a string of events began that would blemish the reputation of the Dallas Carter program. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. That was released a few months ago. 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. It's not a state agency. Brick by brick!. 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. Thanks to state-wide referee shortages, the Wolverines had to reschedule their weekly Friday night appointment to Saturday. 1 talking about this. 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. Bellevue High School, Wolverine Way, Bellevue, WA, USA Sat Nov 19 W 22-20 @ Lincoln High School "Abes" Lincoln Bowl, Tacoma, WA, USA - 701 S. 37th Street. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. Sat Nov 26 L . Bellevue has also been the subject of a nearly year-long investigation by the KingCo Conference, the league governing body for high school athletics in King County. Bellevue High School Football; Bellevue Football. 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. 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. I think the system is prone to corruption. 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. Top-ranked Bellevue defeated Marysville Pilchuck, 27-3, in the 3A state football semifinals on Nov. 27 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. 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. June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! 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. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. 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. 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. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. Bellevue High School Football As Bellevue football program receives sanctions - 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. Bellevue High School Football Scandal; Where Are the Adults? The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. 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 . Did The Truth Even Matter: The Real Bellevue Football Story (Did The Bellevue High School (WA) Varsity Football - MaxPreps.com 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. Some of Bellevue football's top players came from South Sound schools Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. 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. 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. Report: Bellevue football coaches violated rules for years "They said four years of probation for the entire athletic department, a four-year ban for football on postseason play, and also non-conference play, as well as inviting any out-of-state opponents to play Bellevue High School. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history - winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. Brick by brick!. Bellevue is a public school district. 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. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! 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. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. All Rights Reserved. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. ONeil, however, says its misguided to think playing for Bellevue will be a ticket to free higher education, even if its a slightly more noble idea than parents creating super teams to win high school championships. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. 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.