Follow up on Rose Hill Troules...

A few weeks ago, The 4th and Idges department reported on the saga that has become Rose Hill Christian Academy. Controversy and RHCA go hand in hand it would seem these days. After the over night and meteoric rise to power, Rose Hill has been mired in the muck. KentuckyRivals and BluegrassPreps along with the Ashland Daily and other local media outlets have covered the woes of the tiny christian power. As have we. Now, we continue our coverage of some further developments in the situation.

As reported by Mike James in the November 16th edition of the Daily Independent, and what we had stated before, RHCA's judgement day had come. Or did it? school administrator Sharon Parson, Principal Jerry Foster, former board member David Thompson and attorney Don Frailie all met with KHSAA Board of Control members in Lexington and underwent questioning. As noted in the article, the questioning lasted for two hours. Two Hours? RHCA must have been getting thier last rights read to them. Two Hours. Surely this was going to be the death blow that The Moron Mafia and the County Mounties had been calling for since OJ Mayo was in the 6th grade.
No verdict. RHCA managed to escape another inquiry from the KHSAA with a slap on the wrist. Devine intervention? Not quite. The KHSAA gave them a reprieve, not a confirmation of innosence. No Clean bill of health. Rose Hill will have to return to the gallows on December 7th to recieve their sentance. RHCA was granted more time to get documents together and be more prepared to present their case and what they feel are the facts. Or is it that they managed to buy some time to get everyone on the same page and co-ordinate a story? The Baptist need an alibi...
However, we can put a persistent rumor to rest. This has nothing to do with The OJ Mayo circus, Chad Jackson, or Dakatah Euton or any other player that had their name going around the rumor mill as the reason for the persucution of the tiny Christian school. Not to say that there had not been allegations against those parties, there have. Plenty. However, to the dismay of the 16th Region, they have been cleared of all wrong doing in those cases, or at least were giving second chances and those were not persued. Case closed on those issues. So, Ashland, Boyd County, knock it off already. Rose Hill is not going to e punished in any way for those regimes. Let it go. Move On.

These are allegations that caused the KHSAA to open an investigation which started in January of 2008. Now, we had touched on reports that a player's way was being paid to RHCA. Same thing as always. But for some reason this was gaining more credence from the KHSAA. Was it because the KHSAA had already let this by so many times before that they now had to do something about it? Perhaps.
Former Coach Tim Fraley was allegedly heard admiting at a special meeting at RHCA that he in fact was partly responsible for paying a students tuition. Many assumed it was Chad Jackson, the D1 prospect from Lexington, who transfered to Scott County, with Euton. Turns out, The young man is innocent. Well, innocent as far as the new allegations. Remember, this has nothing to do with Rose Hill pre 2008.
David Garnes was a sophmore forward for Rose Hill. He had a heart of gold. That same heart gave out on him. David Garnes' untimely death was a tragedy in every sense of the word. Taken in his youth. His family, who knew that David loved his school and his basketball program, wanted to do something to keep his son's name alive. To insure his legacy. They set up a scholarship in his name to RHCA.
Michael Fuller was Garnes' best friend. He was also a member of the Basketball team. He got the Scholarship. The RHCA represenatives stated that "The Garnes family wanted Michael to get the scholarship." Attorney Don Frailie said it was an "act of compassion" and that "you don't turn that family down." He would also express that the investigation was very disputable, and questioned it's validity. Turns out, RHCA was never asked for any documents or information in regards to this situation, and then were told that it was very important after the fact.

The most recent request for said information was with a 48 hour response from the school. That information would not be sent by the school and no response nor reason as to why not was given by RHCA. Administrator Sharon Parsons stated that the reason being is that the rquest was sent while many of the institutions , if not all board was overseas on mission trips. Frailie also claimed that most of investigation it's self was "embelished" to make it appear far worse than what it was.
School officials would go on to proclaim further innocence, or depending on your stance, ignorance. The main claim they have? That all these allegations happened while other people were in charge of not only the school but the program, as it was pointed out that Parsons is only in her second year as administrator. Something tells me that, the KHSAA is not buying this. One KHSAA board member stated that "we are finding out that it is everybody else's fault."

"If we were out to recruit, we would recruit someone who knows how to play ball."- RHCA Principal Rev. Jerry Foster

The smoking gun. The Board saved the best for last. The board played a recorded conversation in which they believe is former head coach Tim Fraley confirming the payment of tuition for Fuller. Rose Hill fired back and said that there is no way to proove who that is on the tape or when it was said and recorded. Now, remember, we had previously spoke in the first report that at a special meeting at RHCA, Tim Fraley admitted to paying the tuition, as was reported to us by several who claim to have been witness to this meeting. However, RHCA seemingly denies that ever happened, and we don't really know, we were not in attendence at said meeting, nor can we confirm that it took place. Several sources, however, say that the meeting at least did in fact take place. The only meeting we know of as being fact was an organizational meeting for this years basketball program.
Frailie also made claims to the KHSAA that an expert analyst had told him that, in fact, the tape may have been doctored. No proof was offered to support this, but, none was offered by the KHSAA to deny it either.
Just as before, RHCA has stated that steps are already in place to keep further infractions from happening. To many, this sounds all too familiar. This was allegedly the same thing that happened after the Mayo Entourage left town and similar guarding of the program that took place during the Euton/Jackson era. A complinace officer wil monitor all the athletic programs at RHCA to make sure that no wrong doing takes place.
School enrollment is down this year. Allegations have arose since the first day of classes that it is a direct reflection of the allegations and impending doom of the Athletic Program. Sharon Parsons says otherwise. Parsons states that is not the case at all, and all drops in enrollment can be directly attributed to the struggling economy. Sounds as if Rose Hill could use one of those Bail-Outs tight about now.