Valley Defenders Enable South to Defuse North in Shrine Game

The South defense cut the North off at the pass with three key interceptions and won the 38th Shrine Game, 23-7, Saturday night before a crowd of 26,100 at the Rose Bowl.

The South showed the best defense since the Oliver North trial, and three Valley-area players recorded the only three interceptions of the game.

Carrick O’Quinn of Agoura picked off a pass by Kris Hansen in the third quarter and Ron Redell of Crespi and Sean Burwell of Cleveland intercepted two passes by Billy Owens in the fourth quarter.

Trying to trim a 17-7 deficit, the North had just entered South territory when Owens lofted a bomb into the end zone for wide receiver Donnell Ragsdale.

Ragsdale and Redell lept for the ball, and both grabbed for it. Redell yanked it away, though, for the touchdown-saving interception.

“I knew it was mine,” said Redell, normally known for his expertise as a quarterback.

“The key interception I felt was when Ronnie got that ball at the goal line,” South Coach Tim Burroughs said. “That was the turning point of the game.”

Redell also backed up Curtis Conway at quarterback and completed two of three passes. He played only two series each half at safety.

Redell plans on playing quarterback at Stanford.

He and Burwell, who intends to play running back at Oregon, both said they hope their defensive exploits go unnoticed by their future coaches.

“I hope they didn’t watch the game,” Burwell said.

Burwell started at cornerback and notched his interception on the second-to-last play of the game. The North was making a last-ditch attempt to score when Burwell stepped in front of an errant pass by Owens along the sideline at the South 12.

“We were four-deep because we knew they were going to throw,” said Burwell, a Times All-Valley defensive back. “I caught it, and I was right on the line. I wanted to run it.”

O’Quinn returned his interception eight yards to set up the South’s second touchdown. A UCLA recruit, O’Quinn picked off a tipped pass from his inside linebacker position.

“Jason Uhl put some serious pressure on the quarterback, and it messed up his throwing,” O’Quinn said. “It bounced off the receiver’s hands into mine. I didn’t do anything. I was just there.”

O’Quinn played all but two of the South’s defensive downs. O’Quinn played at Division VII Agoura and was looking to prove himself against the state’s best players, while impressing the fans at his future home field.

“At first, when I was going into camp, I was kind of shaky. I didn’t know how I was going to match up with these guys,” O’Quinn said.

O’Quinn and Burwell each notched three tackles.

Crespi’s Russell White, the state’s all-time leading rusher, carried the ball seven times for 33 yards.

“I wasn’t mentally into it,” said White, who visibly favored his injured left knee. “You could tell I wasn’t 100%, but I was doing what I could.”

White did break loose for a 12-yard gain, but was stopped on several occasions for littler or no gain.

Hart’s Brian Allen saw extensive action at tight end but did not catch a pass. Rick McCathron of Thousand Oaks played several series on the offensive line.