During that conversation on Sunday, Freeman reaffirmed the other aspects of his account. An investigation into the allegations by the Dallas Morning News led to the school investigating the claims as well. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. 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? 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. 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. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory 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. KingCo will have stricter guidelines and oversight for incoming transfer student-athletes for two years. The No. I think the system is prone to corruption. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook) In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. 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. 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. Ban Goncharoff from coaching football in Washington for life. The Times uncovered 17 instances. Theyre going to find you. The team should have to forfeit the championships it won. An independent investigation found a series of potential violations on the Bellevue High School football program. "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. This is a public high school and a strong message needs to be sent that this type of practice cannot be tolerated. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. 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. Final score, 59-0, BHS. 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. Boosters have been barred from affiliating with the program. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. You can read the Times' entire investigation here. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. Bellevue junior Cal Zimmerman (#8) scores a touchdown as Snohomish seniors Miles Lamb (#8) and Easton Leonard (#24) attempt to tackle. 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. 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. During one of the meetings with the Times, Freeman said he no longer had a relationship with his father. Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. WA State 3A Champs '83, '01, '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12,. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. It hid and manipulated scientific and medical research and evidence to hide the price their players were paying on the field due to head injuries. 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. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Carter High . The players spent 75 days in the districts alternative school after the incident. If youre a Pac-12 talent, you are going to jump off the page at recruiters, he said. 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. 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 . 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 Bellevue High (Seattle) football team is reportedly aided through a "diploma mill" private school, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times . BELLEVUE REBOUNDS AT HOME VS LIBERTY, TOUGH START FOR WOLVERINES AGAINST TOP RANKED OPPONENTS, Former UW Lineman Is Lead Blocker in Returning Bellevue High to Prominence, Yelm goes length of field to end Bellevue's state championship reign, 28-27, PHOTOS: Yelm edges past Bellevue, 28-27, to earn title shot, VIDEO Game Highlights from Lincoln Playoff Game, 3A Quarterfinal, Bellevues 43-yard field goal breaks the hearts and playoff hopes of Lincoln Read more at: https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/high-school/article2, With Bellevue in need of a season-saving spark, Luke Scoma delivers - with his foot, Bellevue tops 400 yards rushing to beat Mead in 3A state football playoffs, Bellevue football team defeats Snohomish in non-conference game. Top-ranked Bellevue defeated Marysville Pilchuck, 27-3, in the 3A state football semifinals on Nov. 27 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. Players attend the school for academics but are allowed to play football at Bellevue if they live in the proper district. Probation: Bellevue athletic department is on probation for four years. 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. 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. Tornados drive 94 yards on 16 plays, capped by Damian Aalona's 1-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown, to win action-packed Class 3A semifinal game at Art Crate Field. Tacoma WA 98418. 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. Coach Kneip said after the victory, Amazing atmosphere tonight!! Photos: William Wang powers No. 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. 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. 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. 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. Darien Freeman had said he lived in that city during his 2009-10 freshman season. With the pregame celebrations and hugs finished, the Wolverines wasted no time getting down to business. Bellevue Independent Schools announced it has canceled the rest of its high school's football season due to multiple injuries on the team. 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. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. KingCo left the question of whether Bellevue should forfeit state titles up to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). KNKX Public Radio | This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. 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 in Dallas took the state championship in 1988, but this new film about the team is not all about victory. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. The conferences action sets a precedent that should raise a red flag to everyone, the statement said. Later, when the family lived in SeaTac, he said, his mother would drop him off at a bus stop in Renton to commute. Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory 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. This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. Any booster associated with this mess be banned from any financial or booster club membership for two years. 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.. 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.. Jones began coaching at . 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. 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. There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. Supporters of the Bellevue football program have shared the letter on social media. My son plays football as a freshman at Liberty High School, and of course the teams one loss this past year was to Bellevue. The booster club should be disbanded. 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. 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. With their sights set on a state championship run, the Cowboys began preparing for the playoffs. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. 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 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. 710 ESPN Seattles Danny ONeil thinks the parents are misguided. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. Jessie Armstead, played for Miami and was the 207th pick in the 8th round of the 1993 NFL draft. 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. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. State District . One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. It should not be about winning at all costs to include cheating by parents. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. 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 team has won 11 state championships in the last 15 seasons. 5. If our society didnt place such a level of importance on winning at all costs, this type of thing wouldnt happen. 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. 1 talking about this. But Notre Dame-bound RB Jayden Limar led a second half comeback, eventually closing the game out 37-28. I am also the father of a high school varsity athlete. This was wealth gone greedy., Bellevue football report put asterisk on winning record. Sat Nov 26 L . 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. Kirsten Kendrick has been hosting Morning Edition on KNKX/KPLU since 2006. Lots of work to be done to get where we want to be, though. 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. 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. Washington state wants to be a leader in climate change, but I sense that the voters are not as concerned about that these days. Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 6:55 PM PDT. Jones has filed an unfair-labor-practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission. 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. No, its not something we want to teach our kids as the right thing to do, he said. Discretely paid for by the booster club. Butch Goncharoff is banned from coaching in Washington State 3. Head coach Butch Goncharoff has been fired. 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.. 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. After two rigorous non-conference games, Bellevue kicked off KingCo 3A conference play this past Friday night against Liberty High School of Renton. But many of those accomplishments are in jeopardy, because of a scandal that has now reached the punishment stage. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. To do whats best for your kid, he said. Thanks to state-wide referee shortages, the Wolverines had to reschedule their weekly Friday night appointment to Saturday. Later, a traffic citation was issued to a Yusef Freeman with an address in SeaTac. That would be a likely violation of rules that generally require student-athletes to live within a schools attendance boundary. 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. "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.". 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. 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. 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. 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). The Bellevue High School football team is one victory away from the ultimate return to glory. 9-0 on the season, BACK ON TRACK! 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. Adults knew this was going on for years. 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. 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. Bellevue will host Mead High School in the 3A Round of 16, this Saturday at Noon. Plenty of things we need to clean up for next week, though. 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. 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 wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. Yusef Freeman did not return a call Friday seeking comment on his letter. 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. 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. How did parents move into a new apartment and never pay a dime of rent and never ask how that came to be? 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. At the crux of the scandal is a well to-do family that made their money in the trash/waste management industry. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe Mind you, this is not the kind of booster club that has bake sales to pay for road trips. Department of Commerce officials say communities will need diverse housing options in the future as well. This fake news reporting in the media hammered down on the program until the program was literally ripped apart at the seams. "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. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. Brazen Family-Central Bar + Restaurant,520 Bar and Grill, The Brazens - Windermere. Our guys played pretty well, its just about getting better., Then, on Monday, the LW JV made the opposite trip, visiting BHS. Of those 17 boys, seven were Bellevue football players. 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. KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. November 4, 2022. 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. A video of Bellevue East High School's Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. Hopefully something like that will come out of this mess.". 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. Often it would be well past dark by the time he returned home. PF 497 PA 185 STREAK 1L. 2023 Bonneville International. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. "It was discovered that there were athletes competing under false addresses in the Bellevue district. All rights reserved. The western-themed student section brought the energy all night, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. The second half saw more of the same stingy Wolverine defense, and scores being added by another long Daniels run, and a 30-yard TD connection from Razore to junior TE, Hogan Hansen. The blatant efforts by school and district officials to obstruct the investigation demonstrate their complicity in cheating, their utter disregard for the truth and their complete lack of integrity. You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com. Bellevue High School football is banned from postseason play for two years. The Seattle [] A native of Southern California, now living in North Carolina, he has been working in broadcast, print and digital media for nearly 30 years. Bellevue's head coach and athletic director be fired immediately 2. 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. Get the days top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here. 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. 9 Rainier Beach into WIAA 3A state semifinals, William Wangs career night lifts No. What sanction to impose if they will not resign in disgrace? I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in the early game of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Memorial Stadium. In 2012, Freeman was among 17 boys pictured in the sophomore, junior and senior pages of an Academic Institute yearbook reviewed by the Times. 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. Bellevue High School has the most successful football program in state history winning 11 titles in the last 15 years. 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. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. 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. 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. Bellevue High School offered a Physical Education program (football) not offered by this sham institution. She has worked in news radio for more than 30 years. Im already excited for next week. JV plays at Lake Washington on Monday 9/26. Until 1968, Washington state allowed restrictive housing covenants. Bellevue is a public school district. Freemans parents, Yusef and Allona, wrote in a letter this week to the school district that their son lived in the Bellevue attendance area. And we wonder where entitled athletes come from? They were outlandishly gravy training on their 17 or 18 year old kids football ability. And I think the only thing that can be a positive is major reformation. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. 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. 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. 1 Bellevue back into 3A state semifinals: 4 observations Really? The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. 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. Every sport has its dark side and high school football in Texas is no exception. 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. Edwards was sentenced to 16 years and never played another down of football. 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? Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. We asked our fans to vote for the 3A Players of the Year for Texas HS Football Podcast: Championship Series. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. 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