Carter Angry Over Paucity of Carries

The first time Kennedy High running back Ontiwaun Carter touched the football Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, he scratched and clawed for nine yards.

On his fourth carry, Carter scampered 32 yards up the right sideline. It would be the longest gain by a running back in the 40th Shrine all-star game.

But Carter, who will attend Arizona in the fall, had just three more carries during the South’s 14-0 loss.

Although Carter was the lone breath of fresh air for a South offense that suffocated most of the night, he sat on the bench and watched teammate Napolean Kaufman of Lompoc receive handoff after handoff.

And afterward, Carter questioned South Coach Dick Barrett’s showcasing of the touted Kaufman, a first-team All-American according to Parade magazine and USA Today who will attend Washington. Barrett, the coach at Lompoc, was harangued by numerous South fans as he left the field.

“You know, every time I carried I got about nine yards a pop,” Carter said. “Kaufman’s a good back, I don’t have anything against him. But I’m also a good back, and I should have carried the ball more. A lot more.”

Carter (58 yards in seven carries) had 45 yards in five carries in the first half, but touched the ball only twice in the second half. Kaufman, who was named the most valuable player for the South, carried 12 times for 67 yards.

“I can’t hang my head, because the people here saw what I can do,” Carter said. “It just really hurts me that (Kaufman) had that many carries. I gave up playing in the Daily News game (played Thursday evening) to be with the competition here.

“He didn’t show anything that I didn’t show.”

Carter highlighted a somewhat disappointing evening for the six area players who represented the South.

Royal defensive back Tim Ross, who was stricken with strep throat two days ago, was the victim of a penalty flag that extended the North’s final scoring drive.

“That was a brutal call,” said Ross, who was ruled the 12th man on the field during a North punt. “I was standing on the sideline when the ball was snapped. They never should have scored that second touchdown.”

Hart center Tim DeGroote did not play until the second half because of a rotator cuff injury he sustainedduring practice. Westlake quarterback Todd Preston, who completed three of seven passes for 34 yards, threw an interception and was sacked four times.

“We just couldn’t get it together,” Preston said. “It’s tough to get everything down pat with such a short time to practice.”

Preston, who is enrolled at Cal but may leave the school, said he has not yet made a decision. He said he is scheduled to return to Berkeley on Monday. “I just need to go home and talk about it with my parents,” Preston said.

Quartz Hill linebacker Selves Smith started on defense for the South and Hart’s George Kase, who will attend UCLA, played extensively as a defensive lineman.

The game will be broadcast by Prime Ticket today at 3 p.m.

* NORTH WINS SHRINE GAME: C16