But what happens when bending the rules or covering for players becomes a real life story; the infractions are so extensive and the storylines so indelicate that no TV producer would even believe it. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. 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. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. 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. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. 1. 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. The schools don't want to arm the WIAA with investigatory powers. 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. 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. 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. However, the victory only lasted five months when the school became the first in the state to have their title taken from them. "He's still a vital part of the picture. And then there is the claim within the report that some of the misdeeds were not so secretive; they were just direct cash payments to families to get players to Bellevue. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. Brick by brick!. Some prominent college football players are named in the report as having been cycled through The Academic Institute. The Times uncovered 17 instances of Bellevue players who attend the Academic Institute, a small private school which does not offer football, in the last seven years. The 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. KNKX Public Radio | Bellevue High School Football; Bellevue Football. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). On Thursday, the Bellevue High School self-imposed sanctions on its football program and head coach for violations of WIAA rules. Washington state wants to be a leader in climate change, but I sense that the voters are not as concerned about that these days. 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. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! By, Its almost like a cult. 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KingCo left the question of whether Bellevue should forfeit state titles up to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). The final score is simply listed as Brady 1 Stamford 0 in the states record books. The final report did not mention the Academic Institute. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. 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. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. Probation: Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. 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. It should be a Homecoming to remember! This isnt just about high school sports. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. Its no surprise that we tend to have a lot of conversations about entitled young athletes. 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. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. 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. If youre a Pac-12 talent, you are going to jump off the page at recruiters, he said. What is your main job as a parent? Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. "And if you can wiggle around with all of these variances in the rules, then they've got a real problem.". BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. 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. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook) It's not a state agency. Now lets see a similar investigation into sports programs at every private high school in the state to determine just how many of their players parents are paying full tuition. All Rights Reserved. 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. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. Comments (-1) BPS Summer STEM Camps. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. With ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary What Carter Lost screening Aug. 24, audiences are primed to remember the glory and scandal that surrounded Dallas Carter High School's football team nearly 30 . The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. At the crux of the scandal is a well to-do family that made their money in the trash/waste management industry. 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. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. 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. And a large percentage of those kids were athletes," Thiel said. It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. 2021 State Champs! Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. The investigators report and your editorial finally nailed it.. Varsity takes the field this Saturday (10/8) at Juanita, at 7pm, while the JV will face Juanita at home the following Monday. 56-0 win over Juanita! Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. 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.". A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. June 29, 2022 Posted in kawasaki monster energy jersey. Now we need to do it again! Final score 42-0. "The schools want it that way. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. That leads to what the money was used for. Photos: William Wang powers No. 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? 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 . Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. That was released a few months ago. Under ominous clouds and heavy winds, the Wolverines took the field in their electric yellow uniforms, to face the visiting Snohomish Panthers in a Week 10 crossover game. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. 4. 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). It should not be about winning at all costs to include cheating by parents. Of those 17 boys, seven were Bellevue football players. If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue High School football coach Butch Goncharoff told the school board Tuesday that an investigation of the football . Five days after bringing home the state title, a string of events began that would blemish the reputation of the Dallas Carter program. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. 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. For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. Tacoma WA 98418. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. He played for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins and was a five time Pro Bowl selection. They said Goncharoff never gave the family money to pay for rent. 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. Touchdowns by Daniels, Hansen, Rubin, Moon, Smith, and Matsudaira. This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. The Bellevue football story became national news in 2016 as false accusations of recruiting by the twelve-time state champions and 2012 national champions took center stage. 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. Hogwash! The Bellevue High football team is reportedly aided by a diploma mill private school. The team has won 11 state championships in the last 15 seasons. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. But, after a brief email exchange, they let it drop. All rights reserved. Teaching young impressionable minds to cheat is criminal! Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, 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. Along the way, competitors have complained that Bellevue was bending the rules. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy, A Grip on Sports: The action, good and bad, hits a little closer to home today, ESPN analysts expect 'rocking' Kennel for GameDay show, 'heavyweight fight' in Gonzaga-Saint Mary's nightcap , 'Growing up I can say I fell victim to being a Gonzaga fan.' In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. An anonymous tip led the UIL to investigate claims Carters star player, Gary Edwards had failed Algebra and had violated the states No Pass, No Play policy. A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". 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. Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. There's just too much 'go along, get along' over the years. It taught them how to succeed and prepared them for the future. 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. In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited. 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. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. 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. Mercer Island Football Booster Club President, 1988-89. Jones has filed an unfair-labor-practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission. However, the school often had no teachers in the classrooms; little, if any homework was ever given, and the players received full class credit. Three players robbed a Jack in the Box, two star players robbed a video exchange at gunpoint and walked away with $256 and robbed a mexican restaurant taking $11,000. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. Thiel said the complaints have been leveled at the Bellevue High School football program for years, but the scandal erupted after an investigation by the Seattle Times last year. The team should have to forfeit the championships it won. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State 3. Coach Kneip on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. 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. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. Final score, 59-0, BHS. Recent newspaper headlines should bring the immediate firing of Butch Goncharoff, Bellevue High School football coach. Among the players who have attended Academic Institute were those instrumental in Bellevues recent 67-game winning streak: Myles Jack, a linebacker now at UCLA; Marcus Griffin, a defensive tackle at the University of Arizona; and Max Richmond, a wide receiver at the University of Washington. 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. 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. Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! %link% That's as many as Milwaukee, two more than Indianapolis and Tampa, and six more than Oklahoma City and San Antonio.. This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. 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. Once you address these issues, thenlets talk about a level playing field.. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. 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. 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, Wash. -- While the Bellevue High football scandal gets sorted out, a forgotten casualty are the players who will experience the looming sanctions and coaching shake-up firsthand.Players . The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. 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. Often it would be well past dark by the time he returned home. 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.. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. 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. 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. Which spelled out who could live in certain neighborhoods. 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). Fire them all immediately.. On the shoulders of some hard running by junior Carson Rubin and sophomore Ryken Moon, a long reception by senior Ishaan Daniels, and a heaping helping of stingy defense, Bellevue took a 47-7 lead to the locker room at half time. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. Blame needs to fall primarily on Bellevue High School. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. Tony has been with Last Word on Sports for six years covering college football around the country. A native of Southern California, now living in North Carolina, he has been working in broadcast, print and digital media for nearly 30 years. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. 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.. 2023 Bonneville International. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. "I would say the rules are loose. In 2009, along with Steve Rudman and KJR 950 afternoon host Mike Gastineau, Thiel authored The Great Book of Seattle Sports Lists, a cross between historylink.org and Mad Magazine that has become mandatory reading for any sports fan who has an indoor bathroom. Carter High . 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. Ask yourself these questions while you scan the details: Where in the name of all that is right were the parents? There are plenty of opinions during the aftermath of an investigation that found the Bellevue High School football team engaged in potentially illegal recruiting tactics, but one common thread is a lack of shock. 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. Sophomore Ryken Moon took the opening kickoff back for a TD, junior Colin Miller had an interception, junior Luke Soma added a field goal, and junior Cal Zimmerman had his own pick-6. Sat Nov 26 L . During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. There are no legitimate answers to those questions. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. 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. 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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.
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