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. The parents confirmed in their letter that they received financial support, but said they properly requested aid from the school. Other families allegedly acquired apartments within the schools boundaries, with the rent being paid by boosters. A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. 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. These efforts were and are fully within the rules., The boosters vowed to continue to fight. What is your main job as a parent? In its report to KingCo, the Bellevue School District acknowledged several violations of rules while disputing other aspects of the independent investigation. We love the playoffs, Coach Kneip said postgame, this is the best time of the year, and were ready to get after it!. I have known athletes who have told of offers made by colleges. At least 17 Bellevue football players attended the program over the past seven years, the Seattle Times has learned. Final score, 49-6, Eastlake. The Bellevue High School football cheating scandal is American Greed at it worst! Bellevue High School Football Scandal; Where Are the Adults? 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). 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? For a paltry $1,750 tuition per month, these student athletes supposedly got academic help. Bellevue footballs promotion of a culture of cheating is a broadly understood fact. He played for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins and was a five time Pro Bowl selection. 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. 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? Ban Goncharoff from coaching football in Washington for life. 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.' Location: Bellevue . Flashback: Carter High Stripped of 1988 State Title After Win 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. The Academic Institute has a monthly tuition of $1,750. The players were ejected from the game, suspended and an investigation launched. 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. You cheat, you steal, you lie. Bellevue is a public school district. Great highlight video Strip them of their titles going back to 2001. 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. Touchdowns from Sharp, Jones, Reed, and freshman Trevin King kept the Bellevue offense on top, for a 49-22 win. BELLEVUE, Ky. (WXIX) - Bellevue police are stepping up for the high-school football team in their community after this week's news that the rest of the . Maybe there is some truth to some stories, and maybe it is just random speculation, but it is out there, usually in the private school arena. At least two families of football players received tuition assistance coordinated by the teams wealthy supporters, according to interviews and documents. 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. Bellevue wraps up undefeated season with 3A state title. 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.. 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. Bellevue school officials have previously told Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff that the district will seek to terminate him for violations of district policies. The community was stunned. 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 . Im typical Bellevue fashion, the JV Wolverines matched Bothells two big plays with long, methodical drives and stifling defense. Carter High . KIRO Radios Jason Rantz thinks they are just doing their job. 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. 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. 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. Bellevue High School Football To deny them the ability to compete with their peers is wrong and goes against every principle of youth sports.. Theyre going to find you. Bellevue High School (WA) Varsity Football - MaxPreps.com One family complained their son was told his scholarship at the Institute would be revoked if he stopped playing football at Bellevue. Amazing game and ending for Bellevue Wolverines, 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. And booster club President John Connors told supporters over the weekend that litigation may be necessary to protect the program. The Wolverines will face Snohomish High School, at home this Friday, in the Week 10 Crossover round. 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 Wolverines Varsity - Bellevue High School Football Bellevue High School Football On November 10, the UIL shocked Dallas Carter and the entire state when they announced the Cowboys were ineligible for the playoffs. Its no surprise that we tend to have a lot of conversations about entitled young athletes. Armstead is also in the New York Giants Ring of Honor. But, we would be lying if we said that there wasnt at least a benefit to these kids.. I think that theres a lot of different layers to understanding exactly what is going on., Related: Teen football player tackles suspected shoplifter. The Wolverines found paydirt early and often, ending the first quarter with a 280 lead, eventually taking a 35-0 lead to half. Which spelled out who could live in certain neighborhoods. 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. 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. This type of illegal and unethical activity runs through sports programs at all levels. Make it hurt. "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. Agreed with Bellevues conclusions that athletes used false addresses to gain eligibility, and that payments were made to coaches without approval from the school district. The Academic Institute existed in a strip mall not far from Bellevue High. This has been, I dont want to say an open secret, but Im not surprised by the investigation, ONeil told Seattles Morning News. However, the school often had no teachers in the classrooms; little, if any homework was ever given, and the players received full class credit. In the end, nine football players at the school admitted to using over the counter steroid-like substances and prescription steroids. 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. Among the players who have attended Academic Institute were those instrumental in Bellevues recent 67-game winning streak: Myles Jack, a linebacker now at UCLA; Marcus Griffin, a defensive tackle at the University of Arizona; and Max Richmond, a wide receiver at the University of Washington. According to the findings, 17 players were funneled to a for-profit private school for extra classes and academic help. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. The donors and contributors to this school should be identified. The Seattle [] 1. Bellevue H.S. Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. Final score: Wolverines 53, Panthers 12. In 1959, Stamford defeated Brady 19-14 in the state championship. Recent newspaper headlines should bring the immediate firing of Butch Goncharoff, Bellevue High School football coach. 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. Bellevue football banned from postseason for 4 years OVERALL 9-3 0.75 Win % DISTRICT 6-0 1st3A KingCo. This is another example of the incredibly flawed process that has been guiding this investigation for months. Courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus. Freemans parents criticized the Times reporters who wrote the Bellevue High story, saying they hounded and harassed their son and tricked him into saying things that he has no knowledge of. We hear stories about competing schools. When I saw the David Horsey cartoon, light rail ambassadors inviting a fentanyl-smoking passenger to leave, I lost it, says a listener. The movie portrayed the girls as ruthless in their quest to run the school. 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. WA State 3A Champs '83, '01, '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12,. Censure Bellevue High School football | Mercer Island Reporter 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. 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. The investigators report and your editorial finally nailed it.. Unfazed by the less than hospitable conditions, the Wolverine ground game got to work against a stout Panther defense. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. Bellevue High stained by football scandal | The Spokesman-Review 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. 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. 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. Therevelation is not a product of bias or envy. But Notre Dame-bound RB Jayden Limar led a second half comeback, eventually closing the game out 37-28. 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. Bellevue can appeal for that sanction to be reduced one year early. Yusef Freeman did not return a call Friday seeking comment on his letter. 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. Due to state-wide ref shortages, the Wolverines trip to the jungle at Mercer Island High School was moved from Friday night to Thursday. Varsity takes the field this Saturday (10/8) at Juanita, at 7pm, while the JV will face Juanita at home the following Monday. The second half once again belonged to the youngsters and up-and-comers, who finished strong to the tune of a 56-14 victory. The Academic Institute was briefly involved in a athletic district investigation after the family complaint, but no one from the school spoke to investigators. And the district has cut ties with longtime assistant coach Pat Jones. Bellevue High football: Team reportedly aided by diploma mill - Sports 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. Bellevue Superintendent Tim Mills says the district will appeal. ', "The Bellevue School District said only one charge was valid and that was the compensation to Goncharoff, and so they recommended his firing. 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. After the Seattle Times story was published on Sunday, a distraught Darien Freeman called a Times reporter, saying hed just spoken with Goncharoff. 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. In all, six players were connected with 21 robberies that occurred in Carter neighborhoods. School district leaders initially sought to have the booster club answer questions about its relationship with Academic Institute. Their punishment is that they will never be remembered well. "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. This isnt a player finding $100 cash in his locker. HOME 5-1 AWAY 4-1 NEUTRAL 0-1. The team won 11 state championships in 15 years, including a 67-game winning streak. 2023 Bonneville International. 4. The coaching staff should be immediately dismissed. 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. Bellevue football players worked hard thats how they won. An interception by Caymus Rooney sealed the first half, 34-7 in favor of Bellevue. 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. We will continue to defend our right, and the right of booster clubs around the state, to make these activities available to kids.. Members of the booster club have criticized the investigation, which was conducted bytwo former federal prosecutors hired by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 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. The most successful and the private schools are usually those that get accused. 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.. In both games, seniors Ishaan Daniels and George Kruger were standouts. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, Out of Left Field, which became a regional bestseller. Court records from an eviction case also show a Yusef Freeman was renting an apartment in Sammamish in 2009. 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. I think its terrible when parents get involved and start trying to tilt the playing field for high school sports, he said. 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. That was released a few months ago. We asked our fans to vote for the 3A Players of the Year for Texas HS Football Podcast: Championship Series. Earlier this week, the Bellevue School District requestedan investigation of the football program by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which governs prep sports in the state. We only care where they live., They are not our students, he said. GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund. Bellevue is not allowed to play out-of-state opponents for four seasons. The No. The win marks a return to the top for a former state juggernaut that won eight state championships from 2001 to 2011. It should not be about winning at all costs to include cheating by parents. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. 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. At the crux of the scandal is a well to-do family that made their money in the trash/waste management industry. "I would say the rules are loose. Of those 17 boys, seven were Bellevue football players. I have been watching professional and college sports for more than 40 years, and have been covering college football for Last Word on Sports for two years. Bellevue has 12 buildings taller than 25 stories, 10 of them built since 2005. Mostly because they were too busy taking advantage of the whole in the system for their own benefit. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Sports news, analysis, opinions, and rumors. 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. 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. Bellevue football scandal: Readers weigh in on possible sanctions There are a lot of reasons why he thinks the rules were wrongly interpreted by the investigators. KingCo will vacate Bellevues conference titles if the WIAA determines that state championships should be forfeited. In their opening possession, Carson Rubin zigged and zagged, dicing the defense with a 29-yard touchdown run. Hopefully something like that will come out of this mess.". 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. (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook), (Image courtesy Bellevue Wolverines Facebook). "Goncharoff, the booster club at Bellevue, and many people objected said 'No, this is all inaccurate. Part of Darien Freemans account, however, is corroborated by documents reviewed by the Seattle Times. A KingCo committee came down hard on Bellevue football Tuesday, banning the program from postseason play and prohibiting outside donations for four years. Staff reporter Mike Baker contributed to this report. A 68-page report found that players' families provided false address to gain eligibility and that head coach Butch Goncharoff encouraged players to attend classes at a private alternative school. 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. Thiel said Goncharoff has been quite vocal about his innocence. And in years where cheating was determined to have occurred, titles should be forfeited. The NFL is the big example. The Times uncovered 17 instances. Freemans parents, Yusef and Allona, wrote in a letter this week to the school district that their son lived in the Bellevue attendance area. The parents disputed Freemans account in which he said his father had asked him to thank Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff for helping pay rent. 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. 10 Texas Athletes Are Sentenced to Jail Terms for Robberies And that lofty tuition bill? Students at AI a school derided as a diploma mill by two former teachers are still allowed to play on the Bellevue football team. Found a preponderance of evidence that Bellevue boosters paid the tuition of athletes at The Academic Institute. An investigation into the allegations by the Dallas Morning News led to the school investigating the claims as well. 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. 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. Yesterday Kendall Alston, age 31, was sentenced in federal court to five years for selling fentanyl pills in downtown Seattle. BELLEVUE, Wash. -- While the Bellevue High football scandal gets sorted out, a forgotten casualty are the players who will experience the looming sanctions and coaching shake-up firsthand.Players . Freeman met with a reporter on two separate occasions at a SeaTac restaurant. 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. 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. 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. "The report then went to a panel of KingCo Conference athletic directors. But KingCo officials saw Bellevues problems as requiring more severe sanctions. Now we have to keep the focus going next week for playoffs.. 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. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says it's a symptom of a much bigger problem.Media Probe. Its unfortunate for the kids who played therebut also hard on those who played against Bellevue, too. Tacoma WA 98418. Carter High in Dallas took the state championship in 1988, but this new film about the team is not all about victory. It's the entire structure that needs reform and a lot of attention. Of the 24-23 loss, Coach Kneip said, Theyre a really, really well-coached, high quality program. Usain Bolt defeats Justin Gatlin, defends 100-meter title. Or that they never had homework from that school? Video Highlights of State Championship New coaching staff of young alumni lead Bellevue back to state football championship glory Following the string of robberies, six players were sentenced to prison with terms ranging from two to 25 years. I am old enough to remember corruption being the norm in the old Southwest Conference: fake jobs, hundred dollar handshakes and far, far worse. 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.