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). The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. 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. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. 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. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. 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. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. 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. Last year, after a Seattle Times story detailed how numerous Bellevue players had taken classes at The Academic Institute, a private alternative school that former teachers described as a diploma mill, the school district called for an independent investigation. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. Bellevue High School football is banned from postseason play for two years. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support. Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan. Final score, 59-0, BHS. 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. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. 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. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. Discretely paid for by the booster club. Then, on Monday, the JV took the field north of the lake, against the Bothell Cougars. Top-ranked 3A Wolverines get all they want for three-plus quarters, but Wing-T (342 rushing yards) generates big fourth-quarter scoring plays to pull away. While parents arent specifically mentioned in these allegations, ONeil says they would most certainly be involved in these violations and are also culpable. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. 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. Nobody is talking about the kids who lived in-district whose spots were taking by athletic carpetbaggers., Sothe investigation found that, among other things, Bellevue boosters paid tuitionfor some players to attend an alternative school (just like many kids do) in order to receive instruction, compatible with their learning styles,that they needed to improve their academic standing. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. It's not a state agency. "This issue with Bellevue has been around for many years. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. But, after a brief email exchange, they let it drop. Brick by brick!. 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. 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.' 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. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. 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? Goncharoff released a statement after KingCos sanctions were handed down. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. The No. Come one, come all! 4. 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. The silver lining from one of the biggest scandals in Texas high school football history is the number of players who went on to continue their football careers in college. 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. 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? The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . Goncharoff got a slap on the wrist, just a two-game suspension for providing cash to a player when he should have been suspended for the season and the school banned from post season play. I am also the father of a high school varsity athlete. The KingCo Conference is a 16-team conference [and] their athletic directors decided some fairly draconian punishments. Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. 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. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines,
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. Students at a private school without a football team can play for a public-school team in their home district. 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. 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. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. 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. However, the school often had no teachers in the classrooms; little, if any homework was ever given, and the players received full class credit. This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. 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 on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. Now we need to do it again! 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. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. Despite the short week, the Wolverines came out fast against a spirited Islander squad, thanks to TDs from Ishaan Daniels, Carson Rubin, and Kaden Matsudaira, culminating in a 35-0 halftime lead. Photos: William Wang powers No. 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 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. 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. It is high time to clean up this mess. You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. He's not going quietly. A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. Jones has filed an unfair-labor-practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission. The only actual answer is likely that they didnt know and they didnt care to know. %link% After starting the season in Sports Illustrateds SB Live Top 25, the Wolverines found themselves on the wrong end of two tightly contested losses to start their 2022 campaign. Unphased by the change, the boys loaded up the busses on Saturday evening, and headed north to Juanita High School in Kirkland. But the program's remarkable success has. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. 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. 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. Touchdowns from Sharp, Jones, Reed, and freshman Trevin King kept the Bellevue offense on top, for a 49-22 win. 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. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue.