By Art Garcia
Photography by Thanin Viriyaki
For most great teams, the pressure to continue winning is usually enough, but the Carroll Dragons like to ratchet that burden up a notch or two.
“We take the target off our back and put it on people’s chests,” Carroll head football coach Riley Dodge says. “We get everybody’s best shot each and every week. We know that whatever film our players see the week before, they need to understand the other team’s effort and execution will be a little bit tighter when they play us.
“We don’t hide from it. We talk about it. I think that’s something that some people don’t want to talk about, but we talk about it. If they’re going to name us the No. 1 team in the state of Texas, when we practice, when we meet, when we lift, we better look and sound like the No. 1 team in the state of Texas.”
As the consensus No. 1 Class 6A team in Texas, the Dragons head into the upcoming season knowing they are the ultimate measuring stick for every team on their schedule. And for good reason. The program’s tradition, expectations and history are legendary.
Carroll is coming off a 15-1 season that ended in a loss to Austin Vandegrift at the state championship game. The disappointment only makes the Dragons hungrier in 2025. Throw in 19 returning starters and one of the deepest rosters in program history, and there’s no question why this group is chomping at the bit.
“After the season ended last year, we were really devastated,” senior defensive lineman/punter Zac Hays says. “And we’re working on not letting that happen again this year. We’re locked in, we got our heads down. We’re going to go to work.”
Hays is part of a talented and battle-tested core of returning standouts, which includes seniors such as quarterback Angelo Renda, receiver Brock Boyd, running back Davis Penn, linebacker Robbie Ladd, defensive back William Chen, defensive back Parker Harris and defensive back/kicker Gavin Strange.
Dodge is also quick to point out the number of players, especially below the senior class, with significant roles last season.
“We have a lot of guys that might have been backups that were underclassmen that played 40 and 50 snaps a game as well,” he says. “So we have a lot of guys that might not be starting, but I think the big thing for us starts in depth. We have really, really quality depth.” The Dragons scored more than 40 points in all but three games last season. Renda threw for nearly 4,000 yards along with 40 touchdowns.
Boyd caught almost half of those scores and racked up almost 1,900 yards receiving. Penn added 18 touchdowns and 925 yards rushing. They’re anchored by an offensive line that had senior center Carey Clayton and junior tacklers Tristan Dare and Luke Wilson make all 16 starts.
“We’re the best offensive team in the state,” Penn says. “Most explosive. We got the best talent. Not only the best talent, but the best coach and staff, too, so when you put two and two together, you can’t get much better than that.”
Dodge believes it’s a “special group,” one that can accomplish extraordinary things. Carroll has won eight state championships, most recently in 2011. Could this be the year for the ninth?
“It’d mean the world to us,” Hays says. “All of us have been dreaming about this since we were kids, watching the Dragons as we grew up. We’ll definitely be super excited when we get there.”
Robbie Ladd
2025 Schedule
Aug. 29 at Midland
Sept. 5 vs. Carrollton Hebron
Sept. 12 at Trophy Club Byron Nelson*
Sept. 19 vs. Euless Trinity*
Sept. 25 at Keller Timber Creek*
Oct. 3 vs. Keller*
Oct. 9 at Haslet V.R. Eaton*
Oct. 17 vs. Justin Northwest*
Oct. 24 at Hurst L.D. Bell*
Oct. 31 vs. Keller Central*
* District 4-6A