After finding steroids in her sons athletic bag in September of 2004, a Colleyville Heritage mom approached school administrators after verifying the contents through a local drug store. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. By, Its almost like a cult. Activists shout down rural renewable energy projects, Amazon pauses construction in Virginia on its second headquarters, Dam owner guilty in field turf pollution of Puyallup River, First auction held for licenses to pollute in Washington, How this year's Selma Bridge Crossing could mark a community renaissance, Russia's foreign minister gets laughed at over Ukraine remarks at a global conference, Students learn lessons on climate change, pollution through raising salmon. 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. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. 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. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. Final score: 48-14, Bellevue. Yes, they broke the rules to get them on the team. 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. Bellevue football scandal: Readers weigh in on possible sanctions 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? If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. It should not be about winning at all costs to include cheating by parents. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. 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. Hopefully something like that will come out of this mess.". KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. Rantz says he doesnt blame the parents whatsoever. 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. 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. 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. Even private schools require the students attend classes at that institution and make the grades to play, not go to a strip-mall diploma mill., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. Its no surprise that we tend to have a lot of conversations about entitled young athletes. In the second half, the Highlanders were haunted by a flurry of big plays on special teams and defense, by the Wolverines. 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. 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. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. McKinney North Principal Linda Thret was the mom of one of the Fab Five and eventually resigned due to mounting pressure over her lack of discipline with the group. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. "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 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. This decision is unfair to the players who are the heart and soul of this program. 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. 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 . 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. Coach Kneip said after the game, great to see our men get out and have fun tonight, energy on the sidelines was awesome. ONeil, however, says its misguided to think playing for Bellevue will be a ticket to free higher education, even if its a slightly more noble idea than parents creating super teams to win high school championships. 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. Bellevues head coach and athletic director be fired immediately, 2. 4. 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. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. 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. There's just too much 'go along, get along' over the years. The state high school governing body, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), is looking into whether state titles need to be stripped and further sanctions imposed. 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. Five days after bringing home the state title, a string of events began that would blemish the reputation of the Dallas Carter program. 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. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal. Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. 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. Hogwash! Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. 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. 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. There are absolutely no facts to support KingCos conclusion they have foolishly relied on the false inferences of the WIAAs original report, Goncharoffs statement said. Its a disgrace that this has gone on as long as it has. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! "They said four years of probation for the entire athletic department, a four-year ban for football on postseason play, and also non-conference play, as well as inviting any out-of-state opponents to play Bellevue High School. They said Goncharoff never gave the family money to pay for rent. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. Get the days top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here. Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. KingCo left the question of whether Bellevue should forfeit state titles up to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. 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 . 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. 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. June 29, 2022 Posted in&nbspkawasaki monster energy jersey. Location: Bellevue . After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. Yusef Freeman did not return a call Friday seeking comment on his letter. And the idea that you need to move from wherever you live Carnation, Concrete, etc. It's not a state agency. 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations, Week 11 Playoff Matchups - Bellevue 42, Lakes 21, (Nov 12, 2021), This website is powered by SportsEngine's. Junior Carson Rubin was the first to take the spotlight two long runs and two TDs got BHS on the board in Q1. 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. Latest Updates. Goncharoff released a statement after KingCos sanctions were handed down. How did parents never ask how their kid had so much walking around money? Bellevue High coach pleads: 'This has been a setup since day one do 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.". Make it hurt. He is now on administrative leave while this is adjudicated.". For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. Unphased by the change, the boys loaded up the busses on Saturday evening, and headed north to Juanita High School in Kirkland. 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. More of the money went to pay for school; the kind with no real academics. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). 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 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. Stamford had little trouble in the playoffs with wins over Quanah (43-13), Cisco (32-22), Denver City (14-0) and Olney (15-7). Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. This begins the discussion of the penalty phase of the violations, and there are several steps working through that process, said Mike Colbrese, WIAA executive director. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. 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. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. Freeman described in detail the hours he spent busing from Auburn to Bellevue, catching a 5:30 a.m. bus to start class around 8:15. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! The scandal rocked the affluent community and brought awareness to steroid use by teens. Good kids and families participated in Bellevuefootball, but there were also some people who stepped over the line. On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. The community was stunned. Who do these kids think they are? What makes them think they are so deserving? You know what? The Bellevue booster club in a statement early Tuesday expressed disappointment with the sanctions. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. 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. To tear down this whole organization is a crime. Edwards was sentenced to 16 years and never played another down of football. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State, 3. BHS cheated its own eligible students of playing. Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. Arguably one of the best high school teams ever fielded in Texas, the 1988 Dallas Carter Cowboys were loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Photos: William Wang powers No. 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. Thanks to state-wide referee shortages, the Wolverines had to reschedule their weekly Friday night appointment to Saturday. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid . And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? 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 Wolverines | Bellevue WA - Facebook 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. 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. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety. 1. This booster club raised more than $427,000 in 2013 according to the Seattle Times investigation. 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. Bellevue (Wash.) expected to fire coach at center of alleged football All told, a 42-0 first half lead. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. 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. 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. KNKX Public Radio | "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. Goncharoff has argued that the decision to fire him was based on improperly applied policies. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Police plan football game to send off Bellevue seniors after season Sat Nov 26 L . It's finally come to a head. 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. Bellevue High is an extremely successful football program. 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. NEWSLINE 425-453-4270. 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. Bellevue High stained by football scandal | The Spokesman-Review It is high time to clean up this mess. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. We hear stories about competing schools. 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 . When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. 5. 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. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. The Seattle [] But the program's remarkable success has. 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. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. 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. Other families allegedly acquired apartments within the schools boundaries, with the rent being paid by boosters. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. I found this story on USA TODAY High School Sports and wanted to share it with you: The deluge culminated in a 34-0 halftime lead for BHS. It's false. 5 seeded Wolverines (8-2) walloped No. It starts with having no sports-specific booster clubs and school administrators having the courage and will to take responsibility for sustaining integrity rather than empty victories. "They also discovered that there was a small school within the school called the Academic Institute, which was privately funded by a lot of the boosters to give educations to students who were struggling. Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan. The No. Now, we cannot be completely naive. Rescind the championship titles, and ban the team from any post-season playoffs for five years. Bellevue High School football is banned from postseason play for two years 4. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook) 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. They recently had a 67-game win streak snapped in the state championship game last December. We love to see the kids have fun and play ball. 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. Players speak out about Bellevue High coaching shake-up Debate: Are the parents to blame in the Bellevue football scandal BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue High School football coach Butch Goncharoff told the school board Tuesday that an investigation of the football . Mostly because they were too busy taking advantage of the whole in the system for their own benefit. There are no legitimate answers to those questions. 2023 Bonneville International. Theyre going to find you. The second half would be spent in running clock, ending in a final of 54-13. But the programs remarkable success has depended, in part, on players who werent actually Bellevue High students. Bellevue High School cancels rest of football season due to 'limited 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. An investigation released Tuesday revealed significant and long-standing violations by the Bellevue High School football program. Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, 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. 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.