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. Bellevue is a public school district. I think the idea behind high school sports is pretty genuine if you get together and you play sports with the kids you grew up with.. Mind you, this is not the kind of booster club that has bake sales to pay for road trips. 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. 5 seeded Wolverines (8-2) walloped No. lots and lots of money going around. The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. 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. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. Jones began coaching at . Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! It should be a Homecoming to remember! At a Tuesday news conference, Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills said the report contains information that requires immediate action, but the district has not saidwhat that action will be. 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. One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. 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. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. The investigators report and your editorial finally nailed it.. 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. Set the playing field equal, limit the activity of booster clubs to support supplies and travel costs. Along the way, competitors have complained that Bellevue was bending the rules. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. If youre retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you! Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. 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. 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. That leads to what the money was used for. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. 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. State District . When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. 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. It's a guaranteed story that will be told for generations, with a record that will be likely painted up on a water tower or on a city's welcome sign. These efforts were and are fully within the rules., The boosters vowed to continue to fight. 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. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. 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. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. Earlier this week, the Bellevue School District requestedan investigation of the football program by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which governs prep sports in the state. 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. November 4, 2022. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. 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. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. 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 players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. 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. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. The players spent 75 days in the districts alternative school after the incident. 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. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. 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. 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. 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. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. 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. In the post-game interview, Coach Kneip told KING5, Its really fun to come out here in this great environment, packed house, theyre a great football team. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. Brazen Family-Central Bar + Restaurant,520 Bar and Grill, The Brazens - Windermere. "The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is 'American Greed' at it worst.". In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. Im already excited for next week. JV plays at Lake Washington on Monday 9/26. 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. Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. KNKX Public Radio | At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. This was wealth gone greedy., Bellevue football report put asterisk on winning record. Hopefully something like that will come out of this mess.". 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 . Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Tony has been with Last Word on Sports for six years covering college football around the country. Come one, come all! 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. 5. 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. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. 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. Comments (-1) BPS Summer STEM Camps. 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. 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. 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. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. 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. football coach makes appeal after ban. 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. "This issue with Bellevue has been around for many years. 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. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Coach Kneip on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. Great highlight video They scammed the system and stole the opportunities of hometown players, stoleplayers from schools that could have used the talent to grow their ownteams, and stole titles from teams that they played. Jayson Jenks: 206-464-8277 or, cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred, 68-page independent report that found wide-ranging rules violations within the program, Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years, WIAA lifts Bellevue postseason ban, strips two state titles, Cedar Park Christian hires ex-Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff, Two-year ban for Goncharoff ruled violation of union rights, After upheaval, sanctions, Bellevue ready to get back to playing football again, Report: Bellevue coaches violated rules for years, district obstructed probe, was placed on a three-year probation last year, district had proposed a suspension of the teams booster club along with meetings. How did parents never ask how their kid had so much walking around money? They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. As reported by the Seattle Times, which has led the investigation of the Bellevue scandal throughout, the Bellevue program made at least $175,000 in payments to on leave head football coach Butch . Luke Scoma wins it for Bellevue with his 43-yard field goal in Wolverines' 22-20 win over Lincoln of Tacoma in Class 3A quarterfinals. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. Rantz says he doesnt blame the parents whatsoever. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. 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. Usain Bolt defeats Justin Gatlin, defends 100-meter title. 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. Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. Freemans parents criticized the Times reporters who wrote the Bellevue High story, saying they hounded and harassed their son and tricked him into saying things that he has no knowledge of. He openly shared details of his high school experiences, saying he felt like the program was putting kids in a poor position to succeed after high school and that he didnt want to see the program have a negative impact on others in the future. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. 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. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. This isnt a player finding $100 cash in his locker. 5. 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. We hear stories about competing schools. Go re-read this story, and you will have your answers. One player who attended the Institute told the Times he took one class without a teacher, and the school's director gave him a book and test questions to study. 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. Per a statement, athletic director Jim Hicks said. However, the school often had no teachers in the classrooms; little, if any homework was ever given, and the players received full class credit. You cheat, you steal, you lie. The startup funding should be part of the investigation. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. A video of Bellevue East High School's Armstead is also in the New York Giants Ring of Honor. 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. 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. 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). In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support. Bellevue High School Football; Bellevue Football. Thanks to state-wide referee shortages, the Wolverines had to reschedule their weekly Friday night appointment to Saturday. 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. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). 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. The uproar began and a legal battle quickly ensued. 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. 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.. My son plays football as a freshman at Liberty High School, and of course the teams one loss this past year was to Bellevue. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. Freemans parents, Yusef and Allona, wrote in a letter this week to the school district that their son lived in the Bellevue attendance area. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. It was so one-sided and evident that something was different about this team in comparison to the other nine teams Liberty played against., For every year they won the state championship, that should be the number of years they are not qualified to compete in theplayoffs. 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. 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. 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. "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. 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 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 NFL is the big example. This isnt just about high school sports. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. Washington state wants to be a leader in climate change, but I sense that the voters are not as concerned about that these days. 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. What is your main job as a parent? No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. 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. Final score, 59-0, BHS. 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. 1 Bellevue past No. Photos: William Wang powers No. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. Im so happy and proud of all of them. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps is the traditional American response to anyone who complains about his lot in life. Latest Updates. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. The No. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. On Thursday, the Bellevue High School self-imposed sanctions on its football program and head coach for violations of WIAA rules. 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. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. 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. However, the victory only lasted five months when the school became the first in the state to have their title taken from them. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. 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. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State 3. The Times uncovered 17 instances. He's not going quietly. In an article about how Bellevues success was aided by a small private school, Freeman, 20, told the Times that he lived in four different cities during his years with the Bellevue football team Sammamish, Bellevue, Auburn and SeaTac. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. I found this story on USA TODAY High School Sports and wanted to share it with you: 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. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". 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 KingCo Conference has levied sanctions against the school that include four years of probation for the entire athletic department,no road games or out-of-conference games for two years, no money funneled into the program from any source for four years, no postseason play for four years and no out-of-state opponents (a big source of revenue) for four years. Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. 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. To tear down this whole organization is a crime. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. 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. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. 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. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! Tacoma WA 98418. The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. 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.