Football

"We’ve had an outstanding off-season," said Carroll coach Hal Wasson, who returns after taking over the program last season. "That fact is very obvious, looking at their speed and development. I really like the chemistry of this team. You take that and you try to parlay that into the spring season."

This year’s off-season was a little longer than that of some of the team’s previous years. After its usual run to the state championship game was cut short in the third round, Carroll has had to wait a little longer before putting on the pads and helmets.

Gone are some of the familiar faces on offense, such as two-year starting quarterback Riley Dodge, an experienced receiving corps that included players like Blake Cantu, Chris Brainard and Ethan Cunningham, as well as University of Texas-bound running back Tré Newton.

The Dragons defense has lost some well-known leaders, such as linebacker Derek Tomlin, defensive tackle Robert Prigmore and defensive back Luke Anderson.

Now, with only one starter returning on offense and four on defense, Wasson said practices this spring will give many athletes plenty of opportunities to solidify spots on the roster.

"We’re going to have good, healthy competition in a lot of areas this year," he said. "...It’s going to come down to the performance over the course of the spring."

Wasson said offensively, it all starts up front with the offensive line. Players like Will McWhirter and Matt Boyles return, while potential linemates Kody Weaver and Tony Barone offer promise.

Kyle Padron’s chance to take the reigns as quarterback after backing Dodge last year is something Wasson looks forward to, and the incoming senior looks ready for the task, he said. Several wide receivers will compete for spots as well, while incoming junior RB Tommy Avers showed promise as Newton’s backup and John Nathan has shown great work ethic.

Defensively, linemen Braden Burnett and Jackson Richards are key components, while the linebacking corps offers good depth, Wasson said. Seth Jamison and Josh Rake are mainstays in the secondary, while cornerback Matt Rake will move to receiver.

"The downside is that we lost a lot of players that had injuries last year, but the upside is that a lot of young players got a lot of playing time that they would not have had otherwise," Wasson said.

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