Funeral for Centennial Player Is Today

Compton Centennial football players will play tonight’s Pioneer League opener against Morningside at Inglewood’s Coleman Stadium after attending the funeral for teammate Joseph Carter, who was the victim of a drive-by shooting Oct. 6.

Carter, a 16-year-old junior defensive back, and Joshua Wyatt, a 17-year-old former Centennial student, were victims of a gang-related shooting outside a fast-food restaurant a mile from the school, said Sgt. Martin Rodriguez of the Sheriff’s Department homicide bureau. Wyatt died at the scene and Carter died Oct. 8.

Rodriguez said it isn’t known if Carter, Wyatt or an unidentified third teenager who fled the scene were gang members, but three suspects in the shooting were known to have ties to a local gang.

The funeral service for Carter is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood.

Coach Fred Jackson said the 5-foot-5, 140-pound Carter was a reserve who played in the Apaches’ first five games.

“He was a very inspirational kid to the team,” said Jackson, in his first year as head coach. “He had a real desire and love for the game. Joseph was a well-liked kid throughout the school.”

--Eric Stephens

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The Southern Section Council rejected a proposal Thursday that would have allowed high school coaches in some instances to coach their own players during off-season competition.

The council is expected to take another look at the controversial association rule, which prohibits coaches from running off-season programs that involve their own players, at its next meeting Jan. 23.

The Southern Section is the only section of the 10 in California that still has an association rule, but attempts to repeal or alter it have met with resistance.

In other action:

* The council took under advisement, rather than vote on, a proposal that would set the maximum number of matches that a golfer can participate in at 24, including four tournaments. The proposal will be reviewed again in January.

* Commissioner Jim Staunton announced that he was instituting a $75 fee for eligibility appeals. The section rules on 300 to 500 eligibility cases a year, Staunton said, and about 20%-25% go to appeal. He said funds would be used to defray costs incurred in holding appeal sessions and to pay for annual seminars on eligibility that his staff plans to implement.

Staunton also announced the banning of plastic, tube-shaped noise sticks from high school events because they violate section guidelines prohibiting the use of noisemakers. The ban will be in place for next month’s playoffs.

Paul McLeod