All-Star High School Baseball : South Has Three San Diego Players

One of the strongest groups of San Diego area players in recent years will lead the South All-Stars in the 19th annual North-South High School All-Star baseball series beginning at 7:30 tonight at San Diego State’s Smith Field.

The three-game series between California’s top high school seniors will continue Saturday night at 7:30 at Smith Field and finish at noon Sunday at the University of San Diego. This is the first time the series will be played in San Diego County.

The San Diego Section will be represented by Grossmont High pitcher Lance Dickson, Granite Hills outfielder Donnie Carroll and Patrick Henry catcher Eric Helfand.

Poway third baseman Phil Plantier will be unable to play for the South because he has signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox organization.

Dickson, who was 11-3 for Grossmont, didn’t allow an earned run for 31 innings during one stretch this season. Dickson, a left-hander, had a disappointing finish to the season, though, when he was the losing pitcher in a 10-4 defeat in the 3-A semifinals to Santana.

Carroll, who also was quarterback for Granite Hills’ football team, hit .485 for the baseball team and led the Eagles to a No. 1 ranking in the county at the end of the regular season.

Helfand had the county’s strongest throwing arm and also hit .400 and led Patrick Henry to a 3-A playoff berth.

“This is as good a collection of high school players as you’re going to find anywhere,” said Poway Coach John Harmon, who has helped organize this year’s event. “There’s talent at every position on both teams.”

The South leads the series, which started in 1969, 19-16. The North won two of the three games played last year in Stockton.

Leonard Arevalo of Morse, Steve Vickery of El Capitan, Jeff Shimizu of Venice and Steve Gullotti of Placentia El Dorado will coach the South team. Bret Boone of El Dorado, the son of California Angel catcher Bob Boone, will play for the South.