Carty Catches Wave of Success

Living a block from the beach, Joel Carty is so used to a surfer’s lifestyle that he can walk barefoot over a collection of pointy rocks leading to the ocean and not wince once in discomfort.

Having a high pain threshold and daring spirit also comes in handy in football, where Carty made 135 tackles last season as a junior linebacker when Carpinteria High went 14-0 and won the Southern Section Division XI championship.

Carty’s dual commitment to surfing and football means his college choice could be determined by the size of the waves near campus.

“If I had my choice, I’d pick a school by the ocean,” he said.

Land-locked football powers Nebraska, Ohio State and Iowa need not send recruiting letters, but Nevada Las Vegas could still get consideration since the Mandalay Bay Resort has a wave pool.

It’s understandable that Carty wants to keep experiencing his twin adrenaline rushes. He said riding a 10-foot wave at Sunset Beach in Hawaii is “like taking on a big running back. It’s that kind of rush.”

And playing football allows him to “let loose” and enjoy the team aspect of athletics.

“A lot of my best friends I’ve met through football,” he said.

With 4.5 40-yard speed, the 6-foot, 190-pound Carty figures to move to safety in college, but in high school, his athleticism and quickness have allowed him to sneak through the offensive line to drag down quarterbacks and running backs.

“He’s all over the field,” Coach John Hazelton said. “He can play any position.”

Coaches sometimes aren’t thrilled to have surfers on their team, fearing they might lose focus. But Carty has demonstrated the positive aspects of surfing.

“When you’re in the water, it heals your injuries, or at least you forget about them,” he said. “When I surf, it relaxes me. It lets you forget about all your problems.”

And fathers who are having trouble communicating with their sons might want to take up surfing as a cheaper, better alternative to $250 therapy sessions. Carty’s father, Martin, is a former Carpinteria football player who took up surfing and used to put Joel on his back as a toddler.

Today, they have a wonderful relationship and talk while surfing together. “He’ll let me know when the waves are good, leaving me a note,” Carty said.

Carty has relatives who live in Hawaii, allowing him to spend time each summer surfing the challenging north shore of Oahu. Attending college in Hawaii would be a perfect fit for Carty, but he’s open to all offers, as long as the school has a body of water nearby.

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K.C. Croal is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior linebacker at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame with a 4.0 grade-point average and the ability to make lots of tackles. But there’s a mysterious side to him that revolves around his quiet demeanor.

“I’ve never really had a conversation with him,” said defensive coordinator Joe McNab, who has coached him for two years in football and three years in track. “I tell him what to do and he says, ‘OK.’ ”

Croal said his quietness is part of his personality.

“I just keep to myself,” he said. “I’m not much of a talker.”

Said assistant coach Jeff Kraemer: “He does his talking with his helmet.”

Croal might be the best college prospect on a team that returns 11 starters from a 14-0 Division III championship squad.

“He’s very quick, instinctive and makes a lot of plays because of his athleticism,” Coach Kevin Rooney said.

Croal does have the ideal pet for his personality. He owns an African basenji named Shredder. It’s known as the barkless dog.

According to the American Kennel Club, “The basenji is an alert, intelligent, independent dog who is known to be aloof with strangers.”

That’s the perfect description for Croal, who has a love-hate relationship with 11-year-old Shredder. The dog has bitten Croal on his face and has sharp teeth.

“[Shredder] snapped at my face a couple times,” added Croal’s best friend, lineman Steve Cullity.

With a shaved head and the kind of eyes that stare through people, Croal gives off an intense, mysterious persona. But his high GPA, strong work ethic and relentless tackling skills provide further insight.

Feel good if Croal ever speaks to you, because, as he said, “I just talk to people who I like.”

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com