MaxPreps 2012 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 7 Southlake Carroll

Hal Wasson captured National Coach of the Year honors in 2011 after guiding Carroll (Southlake, Texas) on an improbable state title run that saw the Dragons finish 16-0.

The state title, and subsequent Top 10 national ranking, reminded Southlake Carroll faithful of the Dragons dynasty that dominated the state during the mid-to-late 2000s.

With what the team has returning in 2012, repeating as champions is not out of the question.

Could this team start this decade’s Carroll dynasty?



Preseason Top 25 high school football early contenders

At the helm of the team’s offense is dynamic playmaker Kenny Hill. Committed to Texas A&M, Hill is an amazing commodity for the Dragons. It’s rare for the program to have such a talented and accomplished player back behind center. Hill gives Carroll leadership, experience and big-game experience.

The team also returns its top running back from a year ago, junior A.J. Ezzard, who rushed for 693 yards and seven scores in 2011.

With Peyton Williams and Sabian Holmes having moved on, the Dragons will need to find some threats on the outside.

Led by Cam Manning, three key offensive linemen return from last year’s squad, a crucial foundation that should allow the offense to click out of the gate.

Defensively, there are plenty of unknowns. The secondary boasts Tanner Jacobson and Ray Crockett, however, the linebacking unit will be entirely new, and that's a tall task given the level of competition Carroll plays.



Nose guard Nash Dickey provides some continuity up front on the defensive line for Carroll, which ranked No. 6 when MaxPreps named the Top 10 football dynasties in the nation.

Local look: “Facing the Dragons is like playing chess. They may not be the most athletic, fastest or high-caliber team out there, but their preparation and awareness of their surroundings helps them succeed. That will not change any time soon.”
- Christopher Lyke, owner, TexasHSFootball
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Size: Class 5A


Enrollment: 2,500 (approx.)


2011 finish: 16-0, Class 5A-I state champions


Head coach: Hal Wasson (2011 National Coach of the Year)


Career record: 172-92-2




Years at school: 7 (2001-2002; head coach 2007-present)


Notable players coached:
DL Chris Perry (Miami, Texas Tech, NFL)
QB Riley Dodge (North Texas)
DE Jackson Richards (Texas Tech)
RB Tre Newton (Texas)
WR Sabian Holmes (Texas A&M)
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No. of returning starters: 5 (offense), 3 (defense)


Key losses:
WR Sabian Holmes

WR Peyton Williams

LB Will Davis



OL James Prince

Key returners:
QB Kenny Hill

RB A.J. Ezzard

OL Cam Manning

DB Tanner Jacobson

DL Nash Dickey



Key newcomers:
WR Luke Timian

LB Steve Bergmark

WR Caden Carlton
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Toughest game: Allen. For as solid as Carroll should be this fall, it could lose its season opener to rival Allen. The game will mark the debut of Allen’s much-ballyhooed, $60 million stadium, which should draw an enormous crowd. It will be a great test for Carroll’s young defense, one that could set the tone for the season.

Question mark: Does Carroll have enough firepower on offense to take the load off Hill and Ezzard? Wasson likes the young players who should fill in at wide receiver, but a true difference-maker will have to emerge from the inexperienced unit if Carroll hopes to repeat as state champions.

Local outlook: Cedar Hill should be much improved from the team that Carroll hammered 40-7 in the playoffs last season. Arlington Martin, which Carroll held off in the regional final, returns some of its top skill players and could be a factor again. Of course, Euless Trinity will also be lurking in the Class 5A-I Region I playoff bracket.

Overall outlook: One of the most underappreciated aspects to the 2012 Carroll team is that in 2011, it played a whopping 16 games thanks to its six playoff wins. Those were six games where the team improved, matured and became more cohesive. With key players back on both sides of the ball, Carroll should hit the ground running in 2012. Its combination of returning stars, top-notch coaching and enviable fan and community support is a recipe for another deep playoff run this fall.



Coach quote: “We know the expectations here, and more importantly, our players know that. Again, we’re a work in progress here. Our players came in with that mindset again, know they’ve got a lot of work to do to play at that level, and they’ve jumped right in. Our coaches have done a great job. It’s one of those things, we’ve enjoyed the championship, that target just gets bigger."
- Hal Wasson
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