By Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
The "Bellevue Rule" has passed.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association's Representative Assembly passed the rule that has been dubbed the Bellevue Rule, meaning that any gift or stipend over $500 given to a high school coach must be approved by the district's school board.
The assembly passed the amendment 49-4 on Monday.
The rule came about on the heels of the revelation that a Bellevue booster club had paid football coach Butch Goncharoff a $50,000 stipend above his district stipend of $5,600. The stipend was revealed in a district investigation looking into rumors of recruiting violations for the state's most successful football program.
In seven years under Goncharoff, the Wolverines have accumulated an 80-7 record with five Class 3A state titles.
"The beauty of this amendment is it creates a really good balance of local control with oversight at the state level," said WIAA executive director Mike Colbrese.
Baseball: Kennedy Coach Claims Win No. 500
Joe Faccone is in his 38th season coaching Kennedy of Burien. This week he hit a big milestone. Kennedy beat Evergreen 14-1, giving Faccone his 500th career win.
Faccone has two state titles under his belt, including one in 1973 behind ace Floyd Bannister.
Ephrata's Dave Johnson owns the state record for baseball victories at 686. He retired last season after 36 seasons.
Basketball: Coaching Changes at Lincoln
Tim Kelly, who won Class 4A state titles at Lincoln of Tacoma in 2001 and 2002, has become coach at his alma mater, Curtis of University Place.
"We've obviously had good success here, and you think about all the things you've done .and it's hard to leave," Kelly told the Tacoma News Tribune.
Kelly lives in University Place.
Kelly takes over for Lindsay Bemis, who coached 16 years for the Vikings. Bemis had delayed retirement a season to coach star guard Isaiah Thomas but the Washington recruit went to a Connecticut prep school.
Kelly went 222-123 in 14 years Lincoln and took seven teams to state.
There is also a vacancy for the girls position. Kevin Strozier has been relieved of his duties.
Strozier had been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 31. He was suspended as the district investigated "procedural irregularities for his role in an altercation involving two Lincoln girls basketball players at practice on Jan. 4," the Tacoma News Tribune reported.
Strozier, known for his intense sideline demeanor, built Lincoln into a top program. He leaves with a 96-42 record, two Narrows League titles and a state tournament appearance.
The Abes were considered state contender this year before Strozier was suspended. Star player Alex Montgomery, who is headed to Georgia Tech, refused to play in the playoffs in support of her coach and Lincoln went 0-2 at districts.
Track and Field: Big Meets, Big Performances
Garfield's Stephone Jordan dominated at the Easton Invitational in Snohomish.
He put up the best time in the state (14.50 seconds) in the 110 hurdles. He almost beat his state-best time in the 200, too. He ran 22.11, just off his best time of 21.94. He also ran a leg on Garfield's winning 400-relay team. He was named sprinter of the meet.
Jordan owns state-best times in both hurdles and the 200.
"This is really nice. I wish every meet could be like this," he told the Seattle Times. "This year, I just want to make a name for myself."
At the Bellevue Invitational, Seattle Prep's Max O'Donoghue-McDonald won the anticipated 1,600 race. The two-time defending state cross country champ won in 4:15.72, just ahead of Skyline's Matt Frerker. Kentwood's Michael Chinchar, who owns the nation's fastest 1,600 time, didn't win the 1,600, but he did win the 3,200.
At the South Kitsap Invitational in Port Orchard, the 3,200 saw a rare tie. North Kitsap's Cody Bradwell and South Kitsap's Kyle Stolp both finished in 9:47.78.