By Tim Amos, Executive Producer of CSN TV

First of all, I would like to congratulate all of the young men who were selected to this year's Shrine Bowl team.  Once again, however, the NC Shrine Bowl team has omitted perhaps one of the best players in WNC:  Asheville High QB/DB Rahkeem Morgan.  Morgan's stats speak for themselves.  He is fast approaching the career passing yardage record at Asheville High and can run with equal skill.  He is a leader on the best team in WNC (as ranked by the Citizen-Times), and can play any skill position on the field.  His talents are displayed on TV regularly so only a caveman could have not known about him.

So why was he not selected to the Shrine Bowl team?  Perhaps the better question is why am I surprised?  Asheville's John Avery (1993) (NFL, XFL and CFL star) and Petie Scarborough (1999)(All-State MVP) were left off the roster.  What about this year's Darious Spencer of A.C. Reynolds and Justin Wynn of T.C. Roberson?  Anyway, I am losing more respect every year for the selection process and the treatment of WNC athletes.  Politics, not skill, is what rules.

I hope the Shriners raise a lot of money for their very worthy causes, but as far as an "all star" game for NC high school athletes, the event falls far short in my opinion.  North Carolina does not select its best athletes and that is why their record is 27-38-4 versus SC.

Thanks for allowing me to vent my disappointment at our annual snub.  To end on a positive note, click below for a list of Asheville High/Lee Edwards players who have made the roster over the years.  Find out what NC's record versus SC is when these guys played.
Player Shrine Bowl Appearances (with final score):
1938 - Tom Jones, Elmore "Bobo" Carter, Herbert Coman, Bill Justice, Fred Lytle, Gene McCrary (NC 19 - SC 0)
1939 - Robbie Robinson (NC 0 - SC 12)
1940 - George Karembelas and Bob Young (NC 19 - SC 12)
1941 - Mack Duncan (0-0 tie)
1942 - Charlie Justice and Carl Tipton (Everett Wilkinson, manager) (NC 33 - SC 9) 
1943 - Billy Britt and Joe Swicegood (NC 20 - SC 7)
1944 - Bob Cline (NC 0 - SC 6)
1946 - Fred Beaver (NC 13 - SC 19)
1950 - Ralph Beaver (NC 47 - SC 7)
1952 - Jerry Bishop (NC 19 - SC 23)
1956 - Bobby Gibson (NC 20 - SC 13)
1963 - Paul Burwell (NC 13 - SC 23)
1964 - Chip Bradley (NC 6 - SC 20)
1966 - Stuart Kennedy (NC 34 - SC 14)
1973 - Charles "Buster" Ray (NC 17 - SC 6)
1982 - Scott Roberts (NC 10 - SC 14)
1991 - Craig King (NC 10 - SC 13)
1992 - Leonard Little (NC 7 - SC 36)
1994 - Jamal "Boo" Robinson (NC 10 - SC 14)
2005 - Crezdon Butler and Johnny White (NC 28 - SC 24)
 
During these games, NC's record is 9-10-1.