Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. The Times uncovered 17 instances. None of our business, he said. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. This was wealth gone greedy., Bellevue football report put asterisk on winning record. 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. 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. "I would say the rules are loose. 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.. 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. 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. "And if you can wiggle around with all of these variances in the rules, then they've got a real problem.". 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. Here is a selection of the responses we received: Bellevue High Schools titles need to be removed. In the second quarter, junior Carson Rubin got on the board with an thrilling 80 TD run, Razore completed his second TD pass of the day (once again to Hansen, of course), and senior DB Caymus Rooney took an interception 40 yards to the house. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. Armstead is also in the New York Giants Ring of Honor. "They also discovered compensation to the head coach, Butch Goncharoff, of $60,000 a year that was well in excess of what the standards are for high school coaches.". 2021 State Champs! After the game, Coach Kneip said, Our job is to put our kids in the best position to win a state championship, and that means challenging ourselves against the best opponents we can possibly find for our non-conference games.. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. Two former teachers told the Times the Academic Institute doesnt adhere to basic educational standards. Players need a 2.0 GPA with no more than one failing class to compete athletically. 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. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. Have no fear, Bellevue Faithful, the East Channel Bridge rivalry is very much alive. Bellevue High School football is banned from postseason play for two years 4. The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. The second quarter was the Carson Rubin Show, as he added 10- and 35-yard TD runs, and even a two-point conversion, helping the Wolverines take a 26-6 lead to the locker room. "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. 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 H.S. But, after a brief email exchange, they let it drop. 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.' 1. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. 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. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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. 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. Coach Kneip said after the game, great to see our men get out and have fun tonight, energy on the sidelines was awesome. They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. 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.. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. 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. 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. This will essentially kill the football 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. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. 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 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.. The first loss came at the hands of back-to-back Oregon 6A state champions, Central Catholic, on a field goal as time expired, which gave CCHS the first lead theyd had since early in the second quarter. KNKX Public Radio | The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations 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. Editors note: The following is an excerpt from the Seattle Times article of Aug. 23 detailing alleged improper practices within the Bellevue High football program: 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. 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. While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. However, the victory only lasted five months when the school became the first in the state to have their title taken from them. 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. Make it hurt. There are no legitimate answers to those questions. 56-0 win over Juanita! It's not a state agency. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. 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. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. 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. 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. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. 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. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. What is your main job as a parent? Other families allegedly acquired apartments within the schools boundaries, with the rent being paid by boosters. Final score: 20-14, bringing the JV to 1-1. 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. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. During one of the meetings with the Times, Freeman said he no longer had a relationship with his father. 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. Theyre going to find you. Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. The Bellevue High football team is reportedly aided by a diploma mill private school. We hear stories about competing schools. 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. 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. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! And that lofty tuition bill? Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. His older brother became vice president of the teams booster club. He can also be found on twitter @tonybruin, Unrecognizable U.S. Mens National Team Defeats Costa Rica, NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers win Game 3 Convincingly over Golden State Warriors. Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. That loss was an eye-opener, as Bellevue dominated in every aspect of the game against our team. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. Jessie Armstead, played for Miami and was the 207th pick in the 8th round of the 1993 NFL draft. 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. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. What sanction to impose if they will not resign in disgrace? 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. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. 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. 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. Next week, both teams face a tough and up-and-coming Lake Washington team Varsity on Friday at LW (7pm), JV on Monday at home (7pm). A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. Carter High . They happen to go to a private school that doesnt offer a (football) program.. "This is the most successful athletic program in state history and it's being torn down. HOME 5-1 AWAY 4-1 NEUTRAL 0-1. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. Often it would be well past dark by the time he returned home. Washington state wants to be a leader in climate change, but I sense that the voters are not as concerned about that these days. 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 . 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. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. Carter High in Dallas took the state championship in 1988, but this new film about the team is not all about victory. 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. Come celebrate Anacortes 11th annual Bier on the Pier! A judge has sentenced 10 current and former high school athletes to prison terms of up to 25 years for their roles in numerous armed robberies in the Dallas area over the past year. 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. Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. Michael Kneip coaches his alma mater and is bent on restoring its football greatness. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. The players reportedly got the steroids from a dealer named Big Mike who was a fitness trainer. Final score 42-0. Team supporters have battled the Bellevue School Districts decisions. "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. 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. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. 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. This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). 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 . The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. 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. 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? Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. 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. Freeman said he may have misunderstood the conversation about rent and that it was possible Goncharoff had only worked to help the family find a place to rent in Bellevue. But the program's remarkable success has. On the eve of a Halloween weekend, the Bellevue faithful showed up in droves (and costumes) to celebrate another fantastic class of Bellevue High seniors. Brick by brick!. The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. 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. The investigation was prompted, in part, by an exposure in the Seattle Times last summer that found an underbelly of fraudulent academics, illegal recruiting and of course, money. This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help! You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. 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 Bellevue High School administrators who allowed this to happen should also face the loss of jobs or demotions. From changing grades and playing ineligible players to substance abuse and violence, these five scandals marred the face of the king of all sports in Texas. There 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. The NFL is the big example. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). 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. Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. 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. This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. In the end, nine football players at the school admitted to using over the counter steroid-like substances and prescription steroids. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. 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. Fire them all immediately.. The Seattle [] "The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is 'American Greed' at it worst.". The final score is simply listed as Brady 1 Stamford 0 in the states record books. In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. 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 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). 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. Here is a selection of the. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. The community was stunned. I think the system is prone to corruption. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a diploma mill private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. A native of Southern California, now living in North Carolina, he has been working in broadcast, print and digital media for nearly 30 years. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid . Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Comments (-1) BPS Summer STEM Camps. Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety. 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. John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program, Seattle Times story detailed how numerous Bellevue players had taken classes at The Academic Institute, a private alternative school. Thanks to state-wide referee shortages, the Wolverines had to reschedule their weekly Friday night appointment to Saturday. 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. This fake news reporting in the media hammered down on the program until the program was literally ripped apart at the seams. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . 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. 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? In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. Led by senior running back William Wang as the wrecking ball of destruction in Bellevues vaunted Wing-T rushing attack, the Wolverines dogged Rainier Beach all night on the ground in a 56-22 triumph on Friday night in Class 3A state quarterfinals at Bellevue High School, Highlights of Bellevue's 56-22 win over Rainier Beach in the quarterfinals of the 3A State Playoffs.