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. 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. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. Top-ranked Bellevue defeated Marysville Pilchuck, 27-3, in the 3A state football semifinals on Nov. 27 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. ", "Pretty serious stuff," Thiel said. 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. Final score, 59-0, BHS. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. 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.. 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. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! 2023 ABG-SI LLC. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . 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. 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. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. Lets be reasonable., The wrong-headed parts of the Bellevue High Schoolfootball program continued for far too long. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. 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. The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. However, the school often had no teachers in the classrooms; little, if any homework was ever given, and the players received full class credit. Carter High . But Notre Dame-bound RB Jayden Limar led a second half comeback, eventually closing the game out 37-28. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. It should be a Homecoming to remember! "It's not just Bellevue. Usain Bolt defeats Justin Gatlin, defends 100-meter title. Part of Darien Freemans account, however, is corroborated by documents reviewed by the Seattle Times. 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. %link% But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. 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. The families of two other players have described how supporters of the football program had a role in coordinating scholarships for the players. While the Institute touts its focus on education at a full-time cost of $1,750 per month two former teachers label Academic Institute a diploma mill that doesnt adhere to basic educational standards. 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.. 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 . "That report will be forwarded to the WIAA, which will adjudicate the punishments and will allow Bellevue High School a chance to appeal.". Fire them all immediately.. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. 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. 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. No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. 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. 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. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. The Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a diploma mill private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times. The movie portrayed the girls as ruthless in their quest to run the school. 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. Because of the legal challenge, Carter was allowed to go forward in the playoffs and they went on to a state title after defeating Converse Judson in the title game 31-14. The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. 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. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. 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. That would be easy. One son married a runner-up from The Bachelor TV show and became an assistant football coach at Bellevue. The players spent 75 days in the districts alternative school after the incident. 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. The train wreck at Bellevue may be symbolic of much that is wrong with high school and college athletics and the creation of the entitled teenager and the grotesque flow of money into amateur sports. The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. Bellevue school officials have previously told Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff that the district will seek to terminate him for violations of district policies. 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. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, Coach Kneip said, after the game, What an awesome night to celebrate a group of guys who have given so much to this program! 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. This fake news reporting in the media hammered down on the program until the program was literally ripped apart at the seams. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. Coach Kneip on the game, We had a great, physical week of practice, and it really paid off. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. A third player whose family couldnt afford the steep tuition said he attended Academic Institute for two years without knowing who picked up the tab. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue High School football coach Butch Goncharoff told the school board Tuesday that an investigation of the football . "This is the most successful athletic program in state history and it's being torn down. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. A committee of athletic directors from KingCo cited in its report a preponderance of evidence that violations had occurred. But the program's remarkable success has. Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff was suspended two games for "improper out-of-season activities" and for providing money to a player. 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. Senior running back William Wang rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns to lead Bellevue to a 3A state championship win over Kennewick on Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium. 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. Now, we cannot be completely naive. That leads to what the money was used for. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. A video of Bellevue East High School's After the half, the BHS offense really got rolling, including a 44-yard TD run from junior Blake Teets, a 24-yard TD run from sophomore Ryken Moon, and a screen pass from Razore that junior Cal Zimmerman took 21 yards to pay dirt. 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. Among those, Freeman said Goncharoff directed him to attend the Academic Institute instead of studying at Bellevue. 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. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. 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. Kirsten is also a sports lover. Bellevue High School, Wolverine Way, Bellevue, WA, USA Sat Nov 19 W 22-20 @ Lincoln High School "Abes" Lincoln Bowl, Tacoma, WA, USA - 701 S. 37th Street. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. The Times uncovered 17 instances. 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. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. This isnt just about high school sports. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. Tony has been with Last Word on Sports for six years covering college football around the country. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. 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.". The team has won 11 state championships in the last 15 seasons. It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. 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. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook) Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. "He's still a vital part of the picture. Breed initially denied any involvement, but in December of 2015 pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury, was placed on probation and gave up teaching. Theyre going to find you. Goncharoff built Bellevue into a football dynasty. With the pregame pageantry and TV interviews done, the Wolverines got to work making the Big Game a big blowout. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. 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). To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. Now we need to do it again! HOME 5-1 AWAY 4-1 NEUTRAL 0-1. You do what you can to give your kid a leg up because you want him or her on a path that maybe you werent on.. Brick by brick!. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. 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. The Times found at least three instances in which families of players attending the school were either given financial assistance by the team's boosters or didn't pay for the tuition themselves, a violation of state athletic rules. I found John Harrisons (former Mercer Island High School principal and now Executive Director of Bellevue Public Schools) comments to be cavalier; aiding and abetting a serious flaw in the system and, just plain very disappointing given his stellar career as a Mercer Island principal. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. There's just too much 'go along, get along' over the years. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. Records reviewed by the Seattle Times, however, show that Freemans father has had a home address in Auburn. On Thursday, the Bellevue High School self-imposed sanctions on its football program and head coach for violations of WIAA rules. I think that theres a lot of different layers to understanding exactly what is going on., Related: Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter. 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. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. They happen to go to a private school that doesnt offer a (football) program.. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. 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.