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sign of the times For decades, Southlake’s only billboard held a lengthy list of state championships for Carroll’s sports teams. Coach Kevin Murphy’s swim and dive teams alone earned 16 of them, including an unthinkable nine in a row between 2011-2019. Before long, the list of Dragon championships was too big for its billboard. But thanks to a redesign, it now honors Carroll’s eight UIL Lone Star Cup trophies earned as the state’s top overall athletics program — the same place it currently sits in this year’s competition. Southlake’s most current dynasty comes by the feet of coach Justin Leonard’s cross-country teams. Together, they have won 17 state championships, including the boy’s current streak of five straight wins. Pacing that team and the entire state is Justin’s son Caden, who as the nation’s top sophomore, will be filling his own shoes for two more seasons. Dragon fans may have noticed another new development this winter — the Lady Dragon Soccer roster is short one Fuller sister. After two heroic seasons, including a state championship as a freshman and being named Gatorade’s National Soccer Player of the Year as a sophomore, Kennedy Fuller has traded the green kit of her junior season for shades of red, white and blue. Southlake’s soccer phenom packed in a lot of school, training and family time before officially graduating early this past fall. She and her trademark warrior buns are currently testing her professional and World Cup aspirations with NWSL and European club teams while also training with the U.S. Women’s Youth National Team. If this soon-to-be 17-year-old decides not to go pro, she’ll honor her signing day commitment with the University of North Carolina. Yours in Dragon Pride,
Mike Tesoriero | Publisher Mike@SouthlakeStyle.com
Southlake Style is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and agencies assume all liability for advertising content. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.
SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
WINTER ’24 • 01
41 CARROLL SPORTS 05 IN REVIEW
Recapping the 2023-2024 athletic seasons
SPOTLIGHT 25 Catch up on the latest
news in Dragon Athletics
FULLERS 30 ATHE Southlake soccer success story
IN THE FAMILY 41 RUNS Father-son duo races toward cross-country championships
WELL REPRESENTED 46 Check out photos from the 2023-2024 season
ARTING SHOT 48 PKicking it
30
02 • WINTER ’24
05
DRAGONPRIDE
Take the short drive to CLASSIC KIA OF CARROLLTON Relax and enjoy the difference!
(L-R) Garrett, Kathy, Brody, Averi and Jesse Hull
Locally Owned By Southlake Dragons
2920 N. I-35E, Carrollton
(Only 12 minutes from Southlake Town Square)
972.798.6900 • ClassicKiaCarrollton.com •
SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
ClassicKiaCarrollton WINTER ’24 • 03
SPORTS IN REVIEW
,23 -,24
SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
WINTER ’23 • 05
CROSS-COUNTRY
CARROLL XC EYES NATIONAL PRIZE, FINISHES FIRST AND SECOND AT STATE When talented and driven athletes achieve lofty goals, they begin to start thinking about the next big challenge. Such was the case for the Carroll boys cross-country team as they entered the 2023 season this past fall. Having won four 6A state titles in a row, there was no doubt the Dragon boys intended to capture their fifth. But with the level of talent and experience they possessed, winning both state and national races became the ultimate goal. The boys team nearly accomplished the dual feat, following up a fifthconsecutive state championship in November with an impressive third-place showing at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon, in early December. “With the track season that we had last year, I knew and the kids knew we had a special team and we had a chance to be really good,” head coach Justin Leonard says. “This year's team kind of felt like it was a little bit different and we had a chance to really do well at the national meet, so we set that up as a goal.” At Nike Nationals, the Dragons finished with a team score of 138 behind first-place Herriman (83 points) and American Fork (100), two high school cross-country powerhouses from Utah. Sophomore runner Caden Leonard was the Carroll boys’ top finisher, coming in 21st at 15:36.7. Senior Jude Alvarez was next at No. 48 while junior Griffin Cords followed in 69th. The third-place finish is the second-best in school history after the boys took second in 2011. Not reaching that goal didn’t spoil the rest of an amazing season for Carroll cross-country. Winning their fifth-straight UIL state title and ninth since 2011, the boys were led by a first-place overall finish by Caden (15:00.10), four seconds in front of second place. Junior runner Blake Bullard (fourth, 15:09.40), Alvarez (14th, 15:25.30), seniors Zach Troutman (19th, 15:30.20) and Ryan Van De Berghe (28th, 15:44.20), and juniors Griffin Cords (41st, 15:53.50) and Alex Severson (54th, 16:00.20) rounded out the rest of the state title team. The Carroll boys won six of its eight meets this season, including the Southlake Invite, the Nike South Invitational in The Woodlands, the District 4-6A meet, the 6A Region I meet, state and the Nike Regional. Carroll also finished second at the Woodbridge meet in Irvine, California, which also featured top high school running programs from across the country. “That was our big difference with this year's [boys team] – they didn't mind who the competition was,” Justin says. “They were ready to compete.” The Carroll girls were right in the thick of the state title race again, finishing second at state for the fourth year in a row. The Lady Dragons (77 points) trailed champion Flower Mound (41), the team that has been in the Carroll girls’ way of the title for the last four years. “Sometimes you just run into a team that's a little bit better than you on that day, and Flower Mound has been that team,” says Justin, whose girls team last won state in 2019. “But it doesn't take away the fact that our girls have really done a good job overall the last couple of years, especially this season.” Junior Elizabeth Smits (10th, 17:50.60) led the way for Carroll, while teammate Alexandra Walsh (11th, 17:53.70) was just behind her. Sylvia Schwedler (35th, 18:29.90), Sarayu Veluri (37th, 18:32.10), Charlotte Martin (48th, 18:44.20), Vanessa Vezga (55th, 18:52.80) and Julia Gassett (19:29.50) also competed for the silver-medal team. The Lady Dragons won the Nike South Regional in September, securing their place at the prestigious Nike Nationals in December. Paced again by Elizabeth Smits (19:00.6) and Alex Walsh (19:01.5), the Lady Dragons placed 18th out of the top 22 teams in the country. Seniors Sylvia Schwedler (19:51.9), Charlotte Martin (20:24.2) and Julia Gassett (20:29) along with sophomore Vanessa Vezga (20:01.3) and junior Sarayu Veluri (20:04.2) rounded out another elite national performance for the Lady Dragons. “At one point, Lovejoy was ranked fifth in the country, Flower Mound was ranked seventh in the country and we were ranked ninth in the country,” Leonard says. “If you just kind of stay in the DFW area, you can see as good a level of competition as you want.”
06 • WINTER ’24
Head Coach: Justin Leonard Assistant Coaches: Dusty Allen, Emilia Egel, Sarah Odneal BOYS Jude Alvarez Blake Bullard Griffin Cords Caden Leonard Alex Severson Zach Troutman Ryan Van De Berghe
Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr.
GIRLS Julia Gassett Charlotte Martin Sylvia Schwedler Elizabeth Smits Sarayu Veluri Vanessa Vezga Alexandra Walsh
Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTHLAKE CARROLL CROSS-COUNTRY
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
DRAGONPRIDE
” They didn't mind who the competition was. They were ready to compete. — Coach Justin Leonard
SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
WINTER ’24 • 07
”
We haven't swam out of our minds yet, so we still have something positive to accomplish. — Coach Kevin Murphy
08 • WINTER ’24
DRAGONPRIDE
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
SWIM AND DIVE
Head Coach: Kevin Murphy Assistant Coaches: Keith Gomez, Rachael Ausdenmoore Diving Coach: Anastasia Pozdniakova BOYS
DRAGON SWIM & DIVE IS STATE-BOUND Injury and illness of key athletes had an impact on Carroll’s swimming and diving success at state last season. Although the boys weren’t expected to defend their 2022 state title, last year’s team looked poised to reach the medal stand in 2023, but unexpectedly dropped to eighth place. The Lady Dragons had a better shot at a golden repeat last year but finished a close second to The Woodlands. This season, the Carroll girls aim to return to state while the boys set their sights on a top-three finish at the 6A swimming and diving meet on Feb. 23-24 in Austin. Capturing medals won’t be an easy task. Keller’s boys and girls programs are among the best in the state, with the Keller boys taking the 6A title and the Keller girls finishing sixth in 2023. But Carroll swim coach Kevin Murphy says he expects the two neighboring programs to continue duking it out for supremacy in Austin. “Keller is the competition, no one else,” says Murphy, referring to the first two postseason swim meets, but noting that The Woodlands is most likely their main non-district competitor for a title at state. “If everybody stays healthy, I think [the Carroll girls] are in the running to win the [state] meet. “This is the best boys team we've had in a couple of years,” Murphy says. “I wouldn't bet my house on beating [the Keller boys] come the state high school meet, but I think we certainly have a top-three boys team.” Murphy knows that catchups and outcomes at state are far from etched in stone, but he’s encouraged by improved showings in meets involving the Dragons and Keller, including the TISCA Lonestar Classic in November. Featuring some of the top swimming programs in the state, the Carroll boys finished second to Keller by just 11 points, despite Carroll’s medley relay team suffering a disqualification early in the meet. “[Keller] beat us by over 100 [at TISCA] last year,” Murphy says. The second-place finish at TISCA was the only swim meet the Carroll boys didn’t win during their first nine meets this season heading into district. The Carroll girls won TISCA and all nine of their first meets this year. Carroll will rely heavily on the effort of its boys and girls relay teams to garner points and punch tickets to state. Times recorded within the final month leading up to district showed the Lady Dragons owned the top medley relay performance in the state, as well as the second-best time in the 200 free and 400 free relays. The Carroll boys have a second-best time in the 400 free relay and third-best in the medley and 200 relays. It’s unlikely the boys will catch Keller in any of its relays, but Murphy says finishing second or third in those events at state heightens Carroll’s chances of medaling as a team. The Dragons hope no sickness or injury plays a part in this year’s potential trip to state. In 2023, one of the top boys swimmers was sick and couldn’t compete at the state meet. Carroll girls diver Natalie Stubb, who finished second at state as a sophomore in 2022, injured her knee and didn’t perform in Austin as a junior last year. But if the Dragons’ top five divers (three girls, two boys) compete and place in the top eight at state, and Carroll’s top four to six boys and top five girls swimmers do the same, Murphy says gold and silver finishes appear very likely. “We haven't swam out of our minds yet, so we still have something positive to accomplish,” he says. “We try to promise the kids that if you do what we ask you to do, and you stay focused, we will see that you swim fast on the right day.” SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
SWIMMERS Andrew Balson Grant Bibza Cameron Chin Chris Clarin Alex Erastov Max Hatcher Dylan Heldenbrand Jackson Hernandez Lucas Mijares Coleman O'Brian Jackson O'Brian Matteo Palmisani Thomas Paskvan Alex Schwartz Quinn Tyler Landon Weilert Collin Woods Leonardo Xiao William Zhang
Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So.
Divers Jack Ma Zayn McKeon Dyhlan Patel Nathan Stone
Fr. So. Fr. Sr.
GIRLS Swimmers Emma Bibza Alli Boswell Lauren Boswell Katelyn Burke Carissa Chandra Marin Clem Olivia Colombo Kate Drap Avery Hafele Tatum Janning Jordan Jiuliano Kaitlyn Jiuliano Jenna Khalaf Sydney Klopfenstein Ella Le Carolina Lotrean Sayesha Mahat Somto Okafo Taryn Plows Sydney Rubin
So. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Jr. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. Jr.
Divers Sophia Borowski Reagan Evans Melina Michaelides Natalie Stubbs
Fr. Sr. So. Sr.
WINTER ’24 • 09
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
TENNIS
DRAGON TENNIS BUILDS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE After losing 14 seniors from last year’s state-bound tennis team, coach Corey Aldridge compiled a roster where 16 of its 28 players were new to varsity competition. With a combination of hard work and steady improvement, this young team overachieved and came within one match of returning to the 6A state tournament last fall. “If you would have told me before the summer that we would have made it all the way to the regional final, I would have been super surprised,” says Aldridge, whose team went 17-5 after competing in high-quality duels and tournaments this season, ultimately reaching the Region I finals in postseason play before losing to Plano West. “It kind of exceeded my expectations more so than it ever has, given the lack of experience we had coming in.” That inexperience showed itself at times early on as the Dragons struggled in their doubles games. During one contest they hosted at the Carroll courts, Aldridge remembers seeing all eight courts filled with doubles matches, and only two of his 16 players had any match-play experience. A lack of experience meant the Dragons had to put in extra practice to play catch-up and get up to speed in doubles competition, and Aldridge challenged the team to do so. “I told them we've got to really focus on our doubles play, and our kids did,” Aldridge says. “Our kids really stepped up and played a lot. I think it's just a drive to improve… it’s just instilled in them. Every year, it blows me away.” Carroll started the season 3-3 in team competition, but an early-season win against Highland Park (ranked No. 11 in the state by the Texas Tennis Coaches Association) gave Aldridge hope. The Dragons fought the Scots down to the wire before winning 10-9. Facing quality opponents all season, the Dragons’ only regular season losses came at the hands of Plano West (No. 3 in the TTCA 6A poll), twice to Frisco Centennial (Class 5A state champions) and to Amarillo (No. 3 in Class 5A and the 2022 state champs). Other than Highland Park, Carroll registered wins over impressive programs like Coppell (No. 10 in 6A) and Argyle (No. 11 in 5A), and led Allen (No. 5 in 6A) by an 8-3 edge in a duel meet before a storm caused the game to be called. Carroll cruised through district play, winning all six 4-6A matches and only losing six of 114 total doubles and individual games played. Entering the postseason on a roll, the Dragons defeated Weatherford 10-0 in bi-district, El Paso Coronado 10-5 in the area round, San Angelo Central 10-0 in the regional quarterfinals and Coppell 11-8 in the regional semifinals. That set up another meeting with Plano West, a perennial power that has defeated Carroll in playoff matches several times in the last few years. The Dragons fell by a 10-5 final to just miss returning to the team tennis state tournament for the third time in program history and the second year in a row. “We were in the match. I mean, we had opportunities,” Aldridge says. “We win a match here or there (against Plano West) and we're back where we were last year. “I think this is definitely a year that we can look back on and I can point to and say, ‘Hey guys, remember that in 2023 we were able to do this.’”
10 • WINTER ’24
Head Coach: Corey Aldridge Assistant Coach: Abby Mahlmann BOYS Bennett Berlew Jameson Berlew Manu Challa Noah Garcia Danil Kazakov Haydn Kim Andy Li Nauman Mustafa Rushil Rajpal Aman Rangee Brandon Ruiz Colin Seaburn Abhishek Tyagi Andrew Whitehead
Jr. Sr. So. Sr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Jr. So. So.
GIRLS Montse Alanis Nikki Battini Renee Battini Maddy Clark Moksha Davaloor Louisa Downes Arianna Esquivel Maggie Finley Loelle Kim Macyn McCaffrey Greta Neiman Abigail Perez Peyton Pham Ria Sanghavi Ainsley Stutes
Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr.
DRAGONPRIDE
Caring for a family Caring a family can befor tough. But now, getting Caring a family can be tough. can befor tough. Butcare now,doesn’t getting complete family have to be. Caring for a family canfamily be tough. But getting complete care doesn’t have to be.
complete family care doesn’t have be. quality care for Methodist Family Health Center is nowHealth open into Southlake Conveniently located in Southlake, Methodist Family Center provideshave But getting complete family care doesn’t to be. the entire family – from infants and children to adults and the elderly. Bringing our friends and Methodist Family HealthMethodist Center is nowHealth openCenter in Southlake Conveniently inthe Southlake, Family provides quality care for neighbors, oflocated all ages, exceptional care they deserve. That’s community and whyquality so many and the elderly, Methodist Family Health Center has arrived in Southlake with convenient, care the entire family – from infants and children to adults and the elderly. Bringing our friends and people Trust Methodist. for the entire family. Bringing our friends and neighbors, of all ages, the exceptional care they deserve. With over 2,600 square feet, six exam rooms, and care for everyone from infants and children to adults That’s and so many people Trust Methodist. neighbors, of all ages, the why exceptional care they deserve. That’s community and whyquality so many and the community elderly, Methodist Family Health Center has arrived in Southlake with convenient, care people Trust Methodist. for the entire family. Bringing our friends and neighbors, of all ages, the exceptional care they deserve. With over 2,600 square feet, six exam rooms, and care for everyone from infants and children to adults
That’s community and why so many people Trust Methodist. Meet our providers
Family medicine physicians Lisa Maehara, DO, and Mariah Burnell, DO, bring expertise and focus on primary care to our Southlake community. Dr. Maehara specializes in helping patients manage chronic conditions and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, while Dr. hasLisa a special interest in obesity and weight Our newest neighbor andBurnell physician, Maehara, DO, has a clinical focus on primary care Family medicineand physicians Lisapursuing Maehara,board DO, and Mariah Burnell, DO,medicine. bring expertise management is currently certifi cation in obesity and preventive care for the entire family and specializes in helping patients manage chronic
Meet Maehara, DO Meet ourLisa providers
Meet Lisa Maehara, DO
and focus on primary care to our Southlake community. Dr. Maehara specializes in conditions. Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, she joins us in Southlake Available for manage same day appointments and virtual helping patients chronic conditions and is certifi edvisits. by the American Board ready to provide care in the same community she now calls home. Welcome, Dr. Maehara! more information call 682-267-5409 ofFor Family Medicine, while Dr. Burnell has a special interest in and weight Our newest neighbor and physician, Lisa Maehara, DO, hasobesity a clinical focus on primary care management and is currently pursuing board certifi cation in obesity medicine. and preventive care for the entire family and specializes in helping patients manage chronic
Lisa Maehara, DO
Mariah Burnell, DO
conditions. Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, she joins us in Southlake Available for same day appointments and virtual visits. ready to provide care in the same community she now calls home. Welcome, Dr. Maehara! For more information call 682-267-5409 For more information call 682-267-5409 Lisa Maehara, DOBlvd Mariah Burnell, DO 3055 W. Southlake Suite 100 Blvd 3055 W. Southlake Southlake, Suite 100 TX Methodist Family Health Center is owned and operated by MedHealth/ Methodist Family Health Center is owned and operated by MedHealth/ Methodist Medical GroupGroup and staff edstaffed by independently practicing physicians Methodist Medical and by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth/Methodist Medical Group.Group. The physicians who are employees of MedHealth/Methodist Medical The physicians and staff who provide services at these sites are not employees or agents of and staff who provide services at these sites are not employees or agents of Methodist HealthHealth System or anyor ofany its affl hospitals. Methodist System of iated its affiliated hospitals.
Methodist Family Health Center is owned and operated by MedHealth/ Methodist Family Health Center is owned and operated by MedHealth/ Methodist Medical GroupGroup and staff by independently practicing physicians Methodist Medical andedstaffed by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth/Methodist Medical Group. The physicians
For more information Southlake, TX call 682-267-5409 3055 W. Southlake Blvd Suite 100 Blvd MethodistHealthSystem.org/MFHCsouthlake 3055 W. Southlake MethodistHealthSystem.org/MFHCSouthlake Southlake, Suite 100 TX
Southlake, TX
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
BOYS BASKETBALL
Head Coach: David Markley Assistant Coaches: Jon Cravens, Jordan Willis, Dustin Burchfield, Brennan Whitaker 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 21 22 23 33
Jake Jimenez Oakley Sarshar Jack Lawson Ukeame Ewoh Gavin Munroe Luke Cheatham Christian O’Connor Viraaj Singh Brody Knowles Ari Tumma Amechi Anwah Josh Gillette
Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Sr.
BOYS BASKETBALL HUSTLES FOR A REBOUND Bad starts and missed opportunities sunk the Carroll boys basketball team’s chances in 2022. Although the team made strides in David Markley’s second year as head coach, it wasn’t enough to end a postseason drought that extended to four years last season. The Dragons found themselves behind the eight ball after a 1-5 start in district last winter but rallied with a 5-1 stretch late in district play before losing their final two games in 4-6A competition — both by four-point margins. They wound up compiling a 6-8 district record and finished in fifth, just one spot shy of a playoff berth. Experience and hard work gives the Dragons a great chance to return to postseason play this year, as Carroll (17-6 overall, 4-2 in district at the halfway point) looks on the cusp of reversing its recent playoff drought. “We try to move on from the past year, but it still burns in them,” Markley says of missing the playoffs in 2023. “They know how close we were, and it's fixing those mistakes that we made last year and making sure they don't happen this year. I think our guys right now have the right mindset to do that.” Markley points to key players leading the charge like 6-foot-4 senior guard Christian O’Connor (13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game), who plays both shooting and point guard positions. Key difference makers also include 6-foot-5 senior Jack Lawson (15.7 points, 7.4 rebounds) and 6-foot-3 junior Ari Tumma (14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists). Junior Oakley Sarshar served as a backup last season but is now the starting point guard in charge of running the offense. Although not a huge scorer, he leads the team in assists (3.9 per game) and creates plenty of scoring opportunities. “We can't survive without him,” Markley says of Sarshar. “He gets us set up where we need to be.” This year’s roster also boasts a youth movement with 6-foot-5 Brody Knowles. The freshman small forward has shown a lot of potential on the court, and just like his older brother Graham, he shows off his hands as a wide receiver on the gridiron. Challenged by quality competition in early-season contests, the Dragons responded and stepped up their game. Winning the Magnolia Tournament in the Houston area was a good test, as Carroll defeated a very talented and athletic Fort Bend Travis team 55-38 in the championship game. Markley also noted a 67-52 win over Cedar Hill and a 48-45 overtime win over Eastern Hills — a team ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches — as good measuring sticks for the Dragons. Entering district play, Carroll has seen some strong competition again in district leader Keller (19-5, 5-0 in 4-6A and ranked No. 21 in 6A by TABC), Keller Central (1114, 4-1) and Northwest Eaton (17-6, 2-2). But the Dragons are winning games they let slip away last year and bouncing back from district road losses in the first half to Keller and Eaton to stay right in the middle of the playoff race. “I think it's our guys’ mindset and the way they prepare every day,” Markley says. “We tell our guys that confidence comes from your work. And these guys, they put in the work, they put in the time. They're shooting before school, after school, getting it done by training every day, and I think that's where their confidence comes from.”
12 • WINTER ’24
DRAGONPRIDE
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SPORTS IN REVIEW
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Head Coach: Robyn McCoart Assistant Coaches: Erin Weir, Rosana Barbosa, Madison Gregory, Alli Loftin 1 2 4 5 10 11 12 20 21 22 23 32 33
Milania Jordan Gianna Jordan Natalia Jordan Nadia Jordan Ava Anderson Kaitlyn Knaub Taryn Barnes Whitney Jense Payton Lee Katah Gunter Lexi Schneider Jillian Hall Cassie Chambers
Jr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. So. Jr.
GIRLS BASKETBALL KEEPS UP THE PRESSURE Head coach Robyn McCoart has always preached hustle, defense and intensity. That focus is currently paying dividends with the quartet of Jordan sisters leading the way. The Lady Dragons have showcased tenacity and speed on their way to a third straight district championship and a second consecutive undefeated run through the district season. “I can put five people on the floor that can all pressure the basketball,” says McCoart, whose team is holding opponents to 42.2 points per game through its first 28 contests. “We're really big on getting in their face, getting in their line of vision. On this team, if you want to be out there, you have to pressure.” McCoart has a team focused on holding down the opposition, as all four of the Jordan sisters and senior Taryn Barnes are committed to defense. Sophomore Gianna Jordan, who was named Defensive Player of the Year in District 4-6A last year, leads the way with 3.1 steals and 3.0 deflections per game. Gianna is third on the team with 5.1 rebounds per game. Natalia Jordan, also a sophomore, averages 2.4 steals, as well as 5.7 rebounds per game to tie Barnes for the team lead. Freshman newcomer Nadia Jordan earned a starting spot with rebounding and defense strong enough to regularly earn the assignment of covering opponents’ top offensive weapon. “They play really fast, and they are good under pressure,” McCoart says. “There’s a confidence across the board. They think fast, they play fast. They want to play at a high speed the whole game.” That speed is displayed on offense as well, with players who attack and score inside and out. Junior Milania Jordan leads the Lady Dragons in scoring with a 17.5 points per game average. Gianna is next in line with 15.2 points and averaging a team-leading 4.1 assists, while Natalia adds another 10.2 points per contest and leads Carroll in three-pointers made with 43. “No one outworks [Milania] in practice,” McCoart says of her scoring leader, who serves as a captain along with Barnes, junior Katah Gunter and senior power forward Lexi Schneider. Reserve players like freshman Whitney Jense, sophomore Jillian Hall and junior Kaitlyn Knaub — dangerous with the outside shot — all contribute to a Carroll offense that scores around 60 points per game. The Lady Dragons have defeated a challenging team in McKinney North (ranked No. 8 in Class 5A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches) at the Duncanville Hoopfest, suffered just one loss to San Antonio Brandeis (No. 25 in the 6A poll) at the Hays Hawk Classic, then went 2-2 at the Duncanville Sandra Meadows Classic in late December, defeating reigning 4A champ and current No. 2-ranked La Vega along the way. Those tests had the Lady Dragons prepared for challenging district competition such as Fossil Ridge and Keller Timber Creek. McCoart says her team doesn’t take any matchup for granted in its quest for a lengthy playoff run. “It doesn't matter the team, and if they're 0-5 in district or 4-1, we prepare the same way,” McCoart says. “I just think you always respect your opponents. That's what I tell them — treat every single time you step out on the floor, when you cross that line, like it's a playoff game.”
SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
WINTER ’24 • 13
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
VOLLEYBALL
Head Coach: Leslie Jackson Assistant Coaches: Erin Weir, Rosana Barbosa, Madison Gregory, Alli Loftin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21
Cat Millsap Ashley Tam Abbey Pace Ashley Dickenson Abby Huddleston Mary Beth Morse Layla Austin Kennedy Nguyen Taryn Barnes Blue Anderson Taylor Starr Audree Hughes Vanessa Glenn Kinsley Young Reese Bowen Liberty May Parker Tuttle Addisyn Kennedy Teddy-raye Ewers
S S DS OP MB OH OH L OH/DS L MB OH OH MH DS OH S OP OH
Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So.
LADY DRAGONS RECAPTURE DISTRICT TITLE UNDER NEW COACH Under its third coach in three years and with a roster consisting of just four seniors, the Carroll volleyball team entered the new season with its share of unknowns. Despite changes in leadership and a lack of veteran players, the Lady Dragons exceeded expectations on their way to regaining their first district championship since 2016. The Lady Dragons had a strong 9-2 start thanks to the three-headed offensive attack of sophomores Layla Austin and Kinsely Young and senior Taryn Barnes. The trio provided balanced scoring of 372, 370 and 368 kills respectively for a 31-13 team that had a perfect 12-0 run through districts. The Dragons extended the season into the regional round of the playoffs for first-year coach Leslie Jackson. “Sometimes teenagers aren’t super resilient when it comes to having somebody new to have to listen to, but they bought in super quick,” says Jackson, who left her spot at Denton Guyer to replace Jason Tanaka after a one-year stint. “I just think that as a whole, these girls were really able to use each other's strengths and come together to make a good team.” Under Tanaka, who in 2022 replaced four-year Carroll coach Teresa Dunn, the Lady Dragons struggled early before finding their groove late in the season to clinch the playoffs as a fourth seed, ultimately finishing with a 21-21 record for the year. This year proved to be smoother sailing under Jackson. However, Carroll did hit a snag just prior to district. The Lady Dragons went 5-10, facing tough competition early at quality tournaments like the Northwest Tournament and Volleypalooza in Leander. They also fell in pre-district matchups with Plano West (28-5) and No. 2 ranked McKinney Boyd (31-2) according to Texas Volleyball Insiders (TVI). “Scheduling a tough preseason is a gamble,” says Jackson, whose team was sixth in the state according to TVI. “I just think it's a long season, and you get into some ups and downs, especially when you play some of the top teams in the state.” Carroll then went on a tear, winning its final 13 regular-season games, including all 12 matches in District 4-6A. During that span, they were 39-7 in total sets, handling the next two closest district foes Byron Nelson (32-5, No. 13) and Keller (26-14, No. 16 in MaxPreps poll) to secure the title. Along the way, Barnes and her fellow seniors Cat Millsap, Taylor Starr and Abbey Pace provided stability in various areas. Barnes led the team in digs (627) and receptions (705), while Millsap led in aces (47) and was second in assists (677) to junior Parker Tuttle’s 831. Not to be left out, Starr was second in blocks (72) to team-leader Young (123) and Pace was near the top in digs (276) and serves received (282). “They were our glue kids that kind of kept everybody together,” Jackson says of her seniors. “They were some of the hardest workers day in and day out.” In the postseason, the Lady Dragons eliminated L.D. Bell, San Angelo Central and El Paso Eastlake — all in straight sets — to face Prosper (37-10, No. 7 by TVI) in the fourth round. Having lost to the Eagles in a regular season meeting, Prosper won again to end Carroll’s season on Nov. 10.
14 • WINTER ’24
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CARROLL WATER POLO KEEPS UP ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE Reaching the state tournament in the first year of UIL competition, the Carroll boys and girls water polo teams aimed to build off of last season’s success. Both teams were poised to do more than just compete and felt their teams had the talent and experience to take home the hardware this past fall. After a stellar season for both, neither team’s plans were fully realized. The Carroll girls lost in the 6A state final and the boys lost in the 6A regional final round the week before. The Lady Dragons (23-2) did advance to the state championship to face Richmond Foster (27-1), the same team that bested them in the semifinals in 2022. After a hard-fought match, Foster defeated the Lady Dragons by 11-8. Carroll beat Foster 6-3 in a meeting earlier in the season — the two-time champs’ only loss in two seasons — and looked forward to seeing them again in the playoffs. “Going into state, we were confident that we had the team to win it this year,” coach Keith Gomez says. “The kids were just tired, and they were just off enough where the goals that usually would fall just didn't.” The Lady Dragons played top teams throughout the season, dealt with injuries and still lost just one regular-season game. That came in a district contest with Hebron (27-6), but Carroll avenged the 16-12 loss in the teams’ second district meeting right before playoffs, thrashing the Lady Hawks by a 16-4 margin to secure the district title. “The girls really took care of business and sent a strong message to the whole region that we were the team to beat,” coach Keith Gomez says. After a first-round bye, Carroll advanced through the next three rounds to defeat Hebron again in the 6A regional final by 11-4. The Lady Dragons then beat Clute Brazoswood (26-2) in a grueling 8-5 state semifinal contest to reach the state title match. Carroll was led by strong play in goal by senior goalkeeper Somto Okafo, who blocked 79.8% of shots on goal for the season (229-of-287), and offensively by Jojo Walters (138 goals, 67 assists, 122 steals). Walters, who is committed to play at UCLA, was named MVP at the regional tournament and recognized as a top player in the state. The Carroll boys (26-2) also faced one of the best teams in the state in its own district. After defeating other top teams from the Houston and Austin area — including defending state champs Clute Brazoswood by an 18-5 decision — the Dragons played Marcus (24-2) in a district match and lost its only regular-season contest by a 15-7 final. “Going into the first [district] game against Marcus, I felt like they were almost a little bit overconfident,” Gomez says. “We had a [district] rematch with Marcus and beat those guys and really felt like we were set up for a successful run in the playoffs.” Carroll’s 12-11 victory in its second district meeting with Marcus was followed by three double-digit wins that saw the Dragons scoring over 20 goals each time to close out the regular season. But after disposing of Highland Park, Hebron and College Park in the first three rounds of the playoffs, Carroll again faced Marcus in the regional final game. Having played College Park earlier in the day in the regional semifinal and drawing the later match, the Dragons didn’t look as sharp and lost by an 18-6 margin in the regional final. Marcus went on to claim the 6A title at the state tournament the following week. “The boys took care of business all year — they just misstepped against Marcus, and that was tough,” Gomez says. “That's a shame because on the boys’ side, the two top teams in the state of Texas were in the same district.” The Dragons were led by seniors Eric Winkler (96 goals, 42 assists for 138 points), Rory McCarty (118 points), Chris Clarin (110 points) and Brandt McBride (100 points). Carroll returns juniors Carter Smith (121 points) and Louie Christensen (83 points) among other offensive weapons, and will again benefit from strong goalkeeping by junior Ryan Bradford (201 saves, 20-2 record). “They should be very competitive next year, and the goal is to make another run towards winning region and state,” Gomez says.
16 • WINTER ’24
Head Coach: Keith Gomez Assistant Coaches: Chava Osorio, Kevin Murphy BOYS Ryan Bradford 1 1A Griffin Lang 2 Louie Christensen 3 Chris Clarin 4 Greer McDevitt 5 Fergus Downs 6 Royce McBride 7 Rory McCarthy 8 Eric Winkler 9 Ivo Tagliani 10 Carter Smith 11 Brandt McBride 12 Logan Hough 13 Johnny Li 14 Joshua Shafer 15 Sagar Patel 16 Preston Jezek 17 Adam Handy 18 Colin Heintz
Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So.
GIRLS Somto Okafo 1 2 Riya Erasani 3 Olivia Stubbs 4 Maile Farden 5 Chloe Criswell 6 Jordan Jiuliano 7 Sydney Rubin 8 Gloria Flores 9 Kaitlyn Jiuliano 10 Riddhima Shanker 11 Katie Christensen 12 Cami Bettencourt 13 Ella Le 14 Rachael Shafer 15 Jojo Walters 16 Ashley Crabtree 17 Noor-E-Sahar Ahmed 18 Isabella Kopp 19 Charissa Chandra 20 Reagan Morris
Sr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. So. Jr.
PHOTOS BY ANDY RUBIN
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
DRAGONPRIDE
”
The girls sent a strong message to the whole region that we were the team to beat. — Coach Keith Gomez
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WINTER ’24 • 17
D RAG O N S
SPORTS IN REVIEW
WRESTLING
DRAGON WRESTLING RISES TO THE CHALLENGE The upside to having youth and inexperience on a high school sports team is there’s a chance for vast program-wide improvement. The downside is that improvement takes time — like next season. That’s not the outlook and expectation for this year’s Carroll wrestling program. Despite carrying a roster where underclassmen outnumber upperclassmen three-toone, Dragons coach Joe Hathaway still has high hopes for postseason representation among his veterans and some of his less-experienced varsity wrestlers. “Of our roughly 80 kids, 60 are freshman and sophomores, and 20 are juniors and seniors,” Hathaway says, who is now in his 15th season leading the Carroll wrestling program. “I think by the time we hit the postseason, we're going to have grown up a whole lot.” Hathaway has seen that growth at some challenging meets this season. The Carroll boys took third at the Rockwall Heath Tournament, sixth at both the Cy-Fair Invitational in Houston and the Bobby Lyons Invitational in Oklahoma, and 11th at a talent-heavy Mid-American Nationals in December. The boys are also 12-2 in duels this season. The Lady Dragons also took third at the Heath tournament, while members of the girls team placed or won matches at other big events like the Texas Women’s Classic and Cy-Fair. Carroll’s boys return three of the six wrestlers that advanced to the UIL 6A state wrestling meet in 2023, including sophomore Dylan Ota (106-pound weight class, ranked No. 2 in state this season), as well as seniors Boede Gibson (165) and Xavier Flanagan (126). The athletes received priceless experience at state, where the Dragons finished 18th. The Carroll girls sent two representatives to Austin in 2023 — KK Bucher and Bayley Trang — both of whom have since graduated after last year’s 22nd-place finish at state. Although there are fewer wrestlers with state experience this season, that’s not a concern to Hathaway, who notes that several who came close to advancing last year look poised to make strides this season. The boys’ efforts have already been noticed in polls, and the girls could advance with strong showings at postseason tournaments. Senior Valerie Gonzalez (100-pound weight class) was a state alternate two years ago, while senior Brenna Trang (107) finished fifth at state in 2022 as well. Gonzalez won her weight class at the Texas Women’s Classic this season, and Trang placed at Cy-Fair in early January. Senior Haley Maxwell (132) and sophomore Cora Hayes (120) have also helped pace the 10-member Carroll girls team.
18 • WINTER ’24
Head Coach: Joe Hathaway Assistant Coach: Steve Love BOYS Parker Barry Blaise Bennett Luke Brown Corban Chen Austin Davidge Nicholas Davidge Arav Desai Ayaan Didarali Alonso Diaz Chase Donovitz Kyle Duross Noah Dyer Cameron Ebner Elijah Emmer Xavier Flanagan Carlos Galindo Boede Gibson Tyson Gibson Gavin Gooden Ryan Haskell Kenon Hayes Logan Hough Josh Jolly Max Jolly Ethan Hunt Matthew Kruger Luke Langford Shane Langston Jake Lucky Luke Macleod Varun Mathews Mason Maxwell Zaden McBride Ethan Menezes Carter Miller Hayden Mitchell Lincoln Mittelstet Wassey Mohammed Nico Molina Chris Molinaro Dominick Moretta Blake Nguyen Noah Nicholson Stosh Niezgoda Carson Ota Dylan Ota Carson Piland Eric Revell Patricio Reynoso Mason Richardson Rocky Robbins Aidan Setzer Gavin Sibbett Ethan Singh Nicholas Springer Isaac Stratton Ivo Tagliani Desmond Taholo Aaron Thomas Jack Thrailkill Braden Trang Gavin Tripp Austin Trinh Aiden White
Jr. So. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. So. So. Fr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. So. Jr. So. So. So. So
GIRLS Christina Casey Lily Caskey Callie Dishaw Gracie Fordjour Ava Glaser Valerie Gonzalez Cora Hayes Grace Jose Haley Maxwell Brenna Trang
Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Sr. Sr.
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WINTER ’24 • 19
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s Carroll ISD's official orthopaedic, sports medicine and spinal care provider, All-Star Orthopaedics understands that being part of a community means being there for everyone, including parents, grandparents, siblings and athletes playing on the field. That's why we treat our community as our own family. We are pleased to announce the latest additions to our AllStar Orthopaedic team. Dr. Robert Runner joined us just before the holidays in late December and has already become an integral part of the practice. Dr. Runner is a renowned joint replacement and reconstructive surgeon with an excellent bedside manner who ensures you will be taken care of. We are also excited to welcome Dr. Scott Hrnack, who will join us later this month. Dr. Hrnack has been serving the Keller community and beyond for many years and will continue to do so from our North Fort Worth office. Dr. Hrnack specializes in general orthopaedics and sports medicine, and we are so grateful to have him as part of the AllStar team.
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Our goal remains the same: to help you regain an active life by treating injuries incurred on the sports field, in the workplace and during everyday life. We are skilled in detecting common conditions accompanying aging and creating custom treatment plans to reduce their effects. We specialize in joint replacement surgery and can help alleviate many aches and pains. While surgery may be necessary in some cases, our doctors will work with you to determine the most effective treatment plan and get you back to an active lifestyle as quickly as possible. The friendly staff, personalized care, conservative treatment plans and state-of-the-art facilities are just a few reasons why patients refer All-Star to their family and friends over and over again without hesitation. At All-Star, we aren’t just your orthopaedic providers — we are FAMILY. When you are injured and unsure where to go first, call or text us and we’ll make sure you get seen on the same or next day. We are on a mission to get you in, get you seen and get you and yours BACK IN THE GAME.
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24 • WINTER ’24
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SPOTLIGHT
TOUCHDOWN Caden Jackson wins Heart of a Dragon Award
p.
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28 WINTER ’24 • 25
SPOTLIGHT sports
DRAGON WRESTLING ACHIEVES DECADE-PEAT Dragon Wrestling claimed the 4-6A meet title, winning their 10th district championship in a row last month. The boys were named team champions, with Carson and Dylan Ota, Matthew Kruger, Tyson Gibson, Xavier Flanagan, Parker Barry, Aidan Setzer, Boede Gibson, Kenon Hayes, Luke Brown and Ivo Tagliani all named regional qualifiers. The girls team also made fourth place, while Valerie Gonzalez, Brenna Trang, Cora Hayes, Grace Jose, Gracie Fordjour and Haley Maxwell were all named regional qualifiers. Of the 17 regional qualifiers, seven qualified for the state tournament on Feb. 16, including Dylan, Carson, Tyson, Boede, Xavier, Haley and Cora.
ABBY MILLS COMMITS TO NOTRE DAME Abby Mills is following in the footsteps of Quinn Ewers and Kennedy Fuller by forgoing her senior year. A four-star-rated junior defender for the Lady Dragon soccer team, Abby will be graduating early this year to join the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. “I chose Notre Dame because I wanted to continue my academic and soccer career at a university that fully aligns with the things that are most important to me: faith, family, service and excellence,” Abby says. “I am excited to be a member of the Notre Dame family and for the opportunity to compete on a championship-caliber soccer program that is led by the best coaching staff in the nation.” ASJIA O’NEAL HELPS LONGHORNS REACH NATIONAL TITLE One Southlake Carroll volleyball alumnus helped the Texas Longhorns win the national title over the winter. A former Dragon Pride magazine cover girl and team MVP as middle hitter for the Lady Dragons, Asjia O’Neal aced the final point to lead the Longhorns to a three-set sweep over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Thanks to the No. 1 pro volleyball draft pick, the Longhorns secured their second consecutive national title and their fifth national title overall.
26 • WINTER ’24
DRAGONPRIDE
SPOTLIGHT sports CADEN LEONARD NAMED GATORADE’S CROSS-COUNTRY PLAYER OF THE YEAR Recognizing the top high school athletes nationwide, Gatorade’s Player of the Year program represents the best in high school football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and cross-country. As the top sophomore runner in the nation, Caden Leonard was named Cross-Country Player of the Year, making him the second athlete from Southlake Carroll to receive the honor in the past year. “Caden Leonard lifted his team to a bronze medal at the Nike Cross Nationals final with a third-team All-American performance on the heels of taking the individual bronze at the NXN South National,” PrepCalTrack editor Rich Gonzalez says. “His state title-winning run was the jewel of the Dragons’ team championship.” MILANIA JORDAN REACHES MILESTONE IN BASKETBALL CAREER Lady Dragons shooting guard Milania Jordan reached 1,000 career points on route to a 67-40 Lady Dragon win in front of an enthusiastic home crowd on Jan. 17. Starting for head coach Robyn McCoart since her freshman year, Milania leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game. Behind Milania and her sisters Gianna, Nadia and Natalia, the Lady Dragons recently completed their second straight unbeaten district championship season heading into the playoffs with a record of 28-5.
DRAGON WATER POLO ATHLETES NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM Two Southlake Carroll water polo teammates were named amongst the Top 7 athletes in their conference last fall. While Southlake Carroll fell to Richmond Foster in the state finals match, Dragons Jojo Walters and Somto Okafo were selected by the Texas Girls Coaches Association Water Polo Committee to be part of the all-tournament team. With Jojo scoring 138 goals and Somto blocking 229 goals this season, these power players stood out amongst other water polo athletes in their conference.
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SPOTLIGHT sports linebacker selections were Eric Garza, Zach Engelhardt and Bridger Jense, while cornerback Sam Fuller was the lone member of the Dragon’s First Team defensive backfield. He was joined on the Second Team by fellow corner Trey Ferri and safeties Carter High and Mitch Paulsen. Finally, kicker Kyle Lemmerman rounded out the selections on Special Teams.
DRAGON BASEBALL HOSTS DRAGON PALOOZA The Dragon Baseball team kicked off its 2024 season with a home run on Feb. 17. Held annually at the Carroll baseball complex, Dragon Palooza is an annual fundraising event that brings the community together in support of Dragon baseball. Varsity players signed autographs for their fans while children ages 4-16 practiced their swinging, hitting and catching at on-site clinics. There was a parade of teams recognizing all of Carroll’s athletes, and after parents placed their bids for the silent auction, families and their children took a group picture with the baseball team while proudly sporting their Dragon merchandise. CADEN JACKSON WINS STALCUP AWARD Southlake Kiwanis has presented the 2024 Charlie Stalcup Heart of a Dragon Award to Caden Jackson. As this year’s recipient, Caden earns a $1,500 scholarship and joins a long list of players who have exemplified the values of beloved football coach Charlie Stalcup, a 2014 Dragon Athletics Hall of Fame inductee whom the award has honored since 2004. Recent recipients include Travis Keener, Hayden Webb, Alex Shockley and Kaden Anderson. After converting from quarterback to receiver during his junior year, Caden tallied a total of 911 receiving yards throughout his last two seasons. 25 DRAGONS NAMED TO ALL-DISTRICT TEAM After an impressive 13-2 season, 25 Dragons were named to the 2023 All-District First and Second Teams. Led by Co-Offensive Player of the Year Graham Knowles and Offensive Newcomer of the Year Davis Penn, Andrew Cunningham and Jonathan McLaughlin were both unanimous First Team selections and were joined by Trent Wilson, Harrison Moore, Jack VanDorselaer, Ben Karlsson and Riley Wormley. On the wide receiving end, Jacob Jordan, Clayton Wayland and Brock Boyd all made First Team, while Caden Jackson made Second Team. The Dragon defense First Team selections were led by Dustan Mark, Wyatt Duffy and Austin Davidge while Julian Manero was a Second Team selection. The
28 • WINTER ’24
LADY DRAGONS SWIM AND DIVE TEAM WINS DISTRICTAND REGIONALS The Lady Dragons came out on top at both the district and regional meets earlier this month. At the district competition, the Lady Dragons scored 199 and won the championship, with Natalie Stubbs taking the individual title while Regan Evans and Melinda Michaelides won silver and bronze. Out of 36 swimmers, 25 advanced to regionals, where the girls took first and the boys took second. By the end of the contest, 19 Dragon swimmers advanced to the state tournament, which took place in Austin on Feb. 23.
QUINN EWERS RETURNS TO UT AUSTIN Former Southlake Carroll quarterback Quinn Ewers announced that he will forgo the 2024 NFL Draft and return for a third season at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has played since 2022. Since his two-year stint at UT, the sophomore has been listed as a top-tier Heisman contender for 2022 and checked in at No. 30 in CBS Sports’ NFL Draft prospect rankings. He also led the Longhorns to their first Big 12 championship since 2009. “Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing quarterback at the University of Texas,” Quinn says in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “I couldn’t be more thankful to all of my teammates and coaches, and I’m beyond grateful to be in the position I’m in.”
DRAGONPRIDE
SOUTHLAKE CARROLL IN FIRST PLACE FOR LONE STAR CUP Carroll ISD is in the lead for the 2024 Lone Star Cup. In the first update of the new year, Southlake Carroll sits in first place with 47 points, followed by Austin Vandegrift with 37 points and Lewisville Flower Mound with 34 points. As an eight-time Lone Star Cup winner, Southlake Carroll was pushed to the top thanks to its cross-country, tennis, marching band, volleyball, robotics, congress, football and spirit teams. The next update will be released on March 14 and will include swimming, diving, wrestling, film, mariachi and basketball.
UIL REALIGNMENT PITS SOUTHLAKE CARROLL AGAINST EULESS TRINITY An old-school rivalry has been reignited thanks to the University Interscholastic League's biennial realignment. Mapping out the alignment through 2026, this update groups Southlake Carroll with Justin Northwest and district champions Trophy Club Byron Nelson, making it the second most difficult district in Class 6A, according to “The Dallas Morning News.” In addition, Southlake Carroll will welcome longtime rival Euless Trinity back into the fold. The last time the two teams competed was in January 2021, where Quinn Ewers led the Dragons to a 59-35 win at then-Globe Life Field.
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WINTER ’24 • 29
FULLER HOUSE Southlake Soccer Family’s Sports-Centric Lifestyle Is Anything But Normal BY ZACH WARNER | PHOTOS BY EMILEE PRADO
30 • WINTER ’24
DRAGONPRIDE
D
uring most late-season holidays like Thanksgiving, don’t expect to see a plump turkey surrounded by all the fixings at the Fuller’s residence in Southlake. You won’t see serving trays on the counters or plates and silverware set for a family meal, either. There won’t be visiting relatives stopping by to eat and watch football. In fact, the five-member family that lives there usually isn’t even on hand. Things are a little different in the world of Kris and Kim Fuller who, along with teen daughters Kennedy and Kamdyn and 10-year-old son Kolton, have not experienced many traditional holiday celebrations in recent years. Even when their kids were growing up, Kim was busy coaching soccer and volleyball at Austin-area schools Cedar Park, Vista Ridge and Round Rock Cedar Ridge, while Kris coached football and basketball at Round Rock McNeil and Cedar Ridge. With kids on club teams competing across the globe or attending multiple local training sessions every week, the Fuller family has come to grips with a calendar that’s hectic year-round — even during the holidays. “I think of the last six or seven Thanksgivings, we've probably only spent two or three at home,” says Kris, recounting club soccer tournaments that brought their daughters — and the entire family — to California and London on a couple of occasions. Don’t feel too bad for the Fullers though, as their family time on those trips included visiting Disneyland and watching soccer matches in Manchester City and Chelsea. “We don't live a normal life, but that's okay,” he says. “We don't have normal soccer players, either.” Kennedy and Kamdyn left normal behind long ago. In fact, the term may have never even applied, especially when it came to soccer. At 16 years old, Kennedy has spent the past two-plus years receiving over 30 combined honors — ranging from local to state, national and international levels — recognizing her achievements in high school, club and national youth soccer competitions. Kamdyn is also making her mark at 15 years old, playing on nationally-winning club and youth soccer teams, earning a spot on top national soccer lists, making high school district honors and participating in national youth soccer camps. Reaching the level of play that earns such recognition requires constant training, daily drives to team practices and energy to battle through contests on nights and weekends. All this takes place on top of going to classes at Carroll. “Downtime” and “taking it easy” just isn’t in the vocabulary of the teen athletes or the parents that cheer them on. “When they were little, they grew up on the field, grew up in the gym,” Kim says. “I think [the busy sports schedule] is kind of all we've known.” Sports are just in the Fuller family DNA. Even pre-
K-5 FULLER SHOWED NATURAL ABILITY EARLY-ON
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teen Kolton is keeping busy with football and basketball, which means more games and practices on the weekly schedule. Their love of sports and desire to excel means joining challenging organizations that bring out their best, helping them reach the next level of development in their game. But the Fuller siblings don’t leave that drive on the practice field — they bring it home as well. “I think in our house, one of the biggest things you'll notice is we're all super-competitive,” Kennedy says. “It doesn't matter what sport. Our brother Kolton plays basketball and football, and we'll go out and play with him. He'll come play soccer with us. Everything we do is very, very competitive. “We're just all very hard on ourselves, but we work for it,” she says. “As a family and as an individual, we don't know anything else but work. You will never earn anything that you haven't worked for.” CHASING HER DREAMS The sports world came this close to celebrating Kennedy as a national gymnastics star. That was her first sport at the age of 5. Her competitive talents revealed themselves quickly as she became a state champion in her age group and was ranked on America’s Top 100 list of young gymnasts by the time she was 8. But after joining youth soccer at 7, the hours of practice needed to continue both sports began to mount up. Often needing to commit a combined total of 55 hours to both gymnastics and soccer each week, Kennedy had to make a choice. At age 11, she traded in the mats for the turf and turned her full attention to soccer. “I had to pick which one I liked best,” Kennedy says. “I liked the team atmosphere of soccer.” Her dedication to improving and honing her skills allowed her to make the various youth teams she joined better. Working with a trainer for sometimes 10 hours a day in the summer, Kennedy perfected the fundamentals and sharpened her skills in all the technical aspects of the game as well. A year younger, Kamdyn continues to take the same path as her sister, starting in gymnastics and then moving to soccer. Both girls benefited from the experience of joining youth soccer teams, but practicing together over the years also aided their development. “Just growing up with Kennedy, having her there like a best friend and there to push me and motivate me — it’s like a built-in partner where you can go out and train, and she’s making you better,” Kamdyn says. The sisters joined Solar, a nationally-recognized club soccer organization based in Dallas. Traveling to tournaments across the country, Kennedy’s performances stood out and led to tournament honors on several occasions. While on Solar, Kennedy was named to Elite Club National League All-Conference and All-American
FRESHMAN MVP
FRESHMAN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
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Leads USWNT U-16 to victory in Paris (FRANCE)
SOPHOMORE
Scoring machine nets 55 goals and 26 assists
32 • WINTER ’24
GATORADE NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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tying for the most goals scored, then she was awarded Best Player recognitions at the Mondial Montaigu Tournament in France in 2023. In her two years of high school competition for Carroll, Kennedy helped lead the Lady Dragons to the state title as a freshman and broke school singleseason records in scoring (55 goals) and total points (136) as a sophomore. Area, state and national honors ensued both seasons, capped off with the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year award in 2022 and the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2023. “Wearing the crest and doing something like this for your country is an opportunity that you can never take for granted,” Kennedy says of her experience at the World Cup-qualifying tournament Concacaf. “Winning [the Gatorade] award and being able to represent Southlake… Southlake was very supportive and backed me in pretty much everything I did.” Now, she follows through with the tough but rewarding decision to reclassify to the class of 2024 and graduate early — which she did this past December. With enough credits to earn her high school diploma after two and a half years, Kennedy leaves Carroll and prepares for a college career at the University of North Carolina — a perennial women’s soccer power with a record 22 national titles. Until she officially enrolls, she has opportunities to train with some pro women’s soccer league teams, such as the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit. “I just think the opportunities for girls in soccer have blown up over the last five, six years,” Kris says. “They're at that right time where all of a sudden, the opportunities in front of them are magnified because of what all those women [pro athletes] did before them.”
JUNIOR
Following Mia Hamm, Kennedy signs with NCAA soccer’s most storied program
USWNT U-17 TEAM CAPTAIN
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FROM COACHING TO CHEERLEADING Kris and Kim were high school sweethearts at San Marcos High School. They were also athletes in multiple sports, including soccer for Kim. Kris was a basketball and football player, and Kim even found the time to root his team on as a cheerleader. Kim played a year of soccer at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, but she and Kris eventually earned degrees at Texas A&M. Both became coaches, and Kim took her 2002 girls soccer team at Cedar Park to the state finals game to face the Highland Park team that ironically got the best of then first-year Carroll coach Matt Colvin’s Lady Dragons in the state semifinal game. Kim’s Cedar Park team lost to Highland Park in the finals, one year after her girls lost in the semifinals. Later taking over the Vista Ridge volleyball program, Kim took that team to the state finals as well, only to fall just short to Dumas in the championship game. “I coached two sports that went to state, but just never got that gold,” Kim says. “When [Kennedy] got the gold, she was rubbing it in my face.” Kim and Kris might have continued to coach, but when their kids were old enough to become heavily involved in sports, they decided they did not want to miss their athletic involvement. Both transitioned away from coaching in order to be able to view their children’s sports development. “We know that… we're going to blink and they're going to be gone,” Kim says of raising her children. “We're just really trying to soak it all in and really enjoy them. And we're just trying to support them.” WINTER ’24 • 33
SOCCER SISTERS
Kennedy and her sister Kamdyn share a family bond with their teammates.
As players and former coaches, Kris and Kim know the value of athletics. And as parents, they want to see their kids set themselves up for success as they journey toward adulthood — whether through opportunities afforded them on the field or otherwise. That’s the reason the Fuller calendar remains filled with games and practices, and that’s why there are few days throughout most of the year for family members to kick back and relax. Kennedy has experienced an incredible amount of attention and success due to her achievements. Her parents were committed to making sure the door was open to opportunities for her to develop, and she’s made the most of it. She’s not alone, as Kamdyn’s future in high school sports and beyond also appears very bright. As a freshman last year on the Lady Dragons’ varsity soccer team, Kamdyn scored 25 goals and 15 assists for 65 points to be among the top four scorers for another of coach Colvin’s state championshipcontending squads. Those numbers are very similar to Kennedy’s totals during her freshman season. As such, Kamdyn was named District Newcomer of the Year in 2023. Although her parents are already hearing murmurs of college programs’ interest, Kamdyn can’t officially be recruited by schools until June. Until then, she’ll just have to keep adding to her resume with strong performances playing for Carroll and Solar and aim to achieve lofty goals in high school and beyond. “Obviously I would like to not just win state, but I would like to follow [Kennedy’s] path and get MVP at state and whatever that holds,” Kamdyn says. “My path is not just for high school, but for finding and 34 • WINTER ’24
committing to a good college that I enjoy and like.” Kolton’s athletic success for the coming years is yet to be seen, but that journey won’t involve soccer like his sisters. Following in his father’s footsteps, football and basketball are the sports Kolton gravitates toward most. Moving to Southlake when he was young only sealed the deal. “The very first day of school, I picked him up and he said, ‘Mom, can I join football?’” Kim says. “They brainwash them early.” “We tried to put him in soccer when he was younger, and when they were [competing in] games, he would be doing flips and cartwheels and other stuff on the field,” Kris says. “It's kind of hilarious.” As the hectic sports schedule continues for a few years longer, the Fullers will make the best of it by enjoying family travel while attending club tournaments across the nation and the world. Kennedy’s team competitions in places like England, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and France gave the family a chance to experience different cultures once club games finished. They’ve also traveled together to Australia and New Zealand to attend World Cup matches. The Fullers’ weekly grind of packed-out schedules due to hours of practices and personal training can be endured if it’s put in the proper perspective and the end result is viewed as worth it. “I always tell them… if you want to be elite, you can't be normal,” Kris says. “It's okay to go and try to achieve something, but to do that, you're going to have to make choices that aren't normal — that most normal people aren't willing to do or aren't willing to make.” DRAGONPRIDE
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Your hard work and dedication helped you excel! Congratulations and blessings for all of your fantastic future plans! — Love, Daddy, Mommy, Abby and Annabelle
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We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what you do in college! We love you!!!
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ERIC WINKLER PURDUE UNIVERSITY | ENGINEERING
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We are so very proud of you Cookie, and can’t wait to see what your future holds. The sky’s the limit!
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HUNT & GATHER Carroll XC Father-Son Duo Continues To Collect Trophies BY ZACH WARNER PHOTOS BY BLUDOOR STUDIOS
I
f he’s not running through hilly fields and parks in cross-country competitions, hunting might be Caden Leonard’s favorite pastime. A weekend hunting getaway to rustic and picturesque Bend, Texas, seemed a fitting father-son activity with his dad Justin in early December. After all, it was just weeks after the Carroll boys and girls teams participated in the state crosscountry meet in Round Rock and the prestigious Nike Nationals in Oregon. SOUTHLAKESTYLE.COM
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The activity of hunting is almost poetic for this father-son duo considering that Justin kept his Dragon cross-country teams in the hunt for state championships ever since taking over as head coach 16 seasons ago. A sophomore with two years on the varsity team, Caden has shown he has a certain set of skills, setting his sights on being the best runner on the course each meet. It can get hectic in the middle of a pack of competitive runners, but Caden’s proving to be a survivor. Maybe it’s from years of learning how to zero in on goals and then take his best shot through exhaustive preparation and training. Those are things he’s heard his dad preach to Carroll athletes long before he was old enough to lace up shoes of his own. When they’re hunting, the Leonards don’t have to rely on speed to catch the prize, but can focus more on aim and accuracy. “I'm a sharpshooter, so I drop 'em right where they are,” Caden says of his game-hunting prowess. The runner has shown he’s good at hitting his targets, whether he’s looking through a scope or racing in one of the state’s biggest cross-country events. A second trip to the Class 6A state meet this past November was all it took for Caden to capture his own first-place individual finish. It’s an impressive feat for any underclassman, especially when you consider the many team and individual accolades within the program. His time of 15 minutes, 0.10 seconds was four seconds in front of second-place finisher Hudson Haley of Austin Vandegrift. It was also a considerable improvement from his sixth-place showing at state as a freshman. The push to take first is not easy, but Caden admits the final results of a challenging season have been well worth it. “I kind of like the pain a little bit,” Caden says. “When you finish the race, you kind of get that feeling of accomplishment, of ‘If I can go through this pain, I should be able to work hard in class or finish an assignment that I don't want to do,’ and things like that.” Caden isn’t alone in learning these life lessons — Justin has been leading scores of runners to buy into the mindset and level of dedication it takes to win races as a team. Trips to the UIL state meet have become an annual stop on the Dragons’ calendar. This season, the Carroll boys team won its fifth-consecutive state title and its ninth overall championship since capturing its first in 2011, a mere three years after Justin took the reins as coach. “They push each other… they all make each other better, which is the goal,” Justin says of his team. “Our training sessions this year — they were intense. Sometimes it felt like the practice sessions were more competitive than some of the meets we were in.” The Carroll girls have finished with the silver medal at state the past four seasons, falling to
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nemesis Flower Mound each time. But the Lady Dragons took the title in 2019 and have a total of eight championships and 27 consecutive trips to the state meet. Championship aspirations and expectations are the norm for both the boys and girls teams. That mentality has been ingrained into the cross-country program for years, and falling short of those lofty goals can be disappointing. However, the emphasis from Justin and his staff goes beyond wins and losses at races, as the life lessons he shares give the athletes something to take with them beyond their running days. “Coach Leonard obviously knows what he's doing. He's been doing this for 20 years and has been successful the whole time,” Carroll senior runner and TCU pledge Zach Troutman says. “What really separates him and what makes him so great is that he doesn't just coach us in cross-country. He's not just throwing out a mileage plan at us and saying, ‘Go do this on your own and you'll be good.’ He's all about teaching character and teaching all the intangibles. He just has such a way with words. He pours his all into this sport.” Justin’s tenure of impacting Dragon runners is nearing two decades. While former Carroll coach Robert Ondrasek was building a solid running program, Justin assisted the cross-country teams for four years (20042008). During that time, Dragon runner Colby Lowe flourished into a superstar in both cross-country and track. Lowe was the Carroll boys’ first and only other top finisher at the state cross-country meet, winning the race in both 2006 and 2007 before moving on to a successful career at Oklahoma State. Little did Justin know that his son would eventually be the next Carroll runner to accomplish the feat, becoming the first top individual finisher at state in Justin’s era as head coach. There is little doubt that Caden’s exposure to the sport at an early age played a role in his success. “He's 16 years old, and this is the 16th state cross-country meet he’s been to,” Justin says. “My wife brought him [to state] when he was 6 months old. He's been there a lot, he’s seen it and experienced it a ton. “When he was little, he would run with me on the course from spot to spot to spot and cheer on the kids. So he kind of knows [the state course at Old Settlers’ Park in Round Rock] probably better than anybody else. He probably knows it better than me, to be honest.” Surprisingly, Caden did not participate regularly in racing events such as Amateur Athletic Union track as a kid. Justin did not want to push him into running or enroll him in races at an early age because he wanted 44 • WINTER ’24
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to avoid any potential burnout in Caden like he’d seen in other young runners. But Caden asked to enter an individual 1-mile race when he was in fourth grade, so they signed him up, and the result was surprising. “He ran a 5:49 as a fourth-grader, and I looked at my wife and said ‘That's a little different,’” Justin says. “I knew right then that he had some potential and talent. But then I didn’t do [any running] with him for two or three years. I just kind of hung back and was waiting on him to initiate things.” The opportunity presented itself in spring 2020. Caden was preparing to enter seventh grade, and Justin had extra time on his hands since track and other sports were shelved for the rest of the school year. The two began running every day together, starting out with 1-mile runs and moving up from there. Caden began middle school playing football, basketball and running track and cross-country, but by the time he entered ninth grade, he narrowed it down to running only in order to stay ahead of the pack. “As you grow up, you’re able to pick out which sports you're better at and which ones you like more,” Caden says. “But being able to grow up around those [runners] and my dad, I think it helped influence me on making that final decision of just doing straight running.” Justin admits he no longer goes on one-on-one runs with his son because Caden is too fast now. He also smiled while saying he still holds the upper hand on his son.
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“The last time we raced, I beat him. So I'm never going to race him again,” Justin says. “I hung it up, so I'm 1-0 against him forever, for life. You're only as good as your last head-to-head competition.” That’s not the way Caden sees it, claiming the circumstances skew the situation. “Well first, it was a 50-yard sprint. And second, I was in seventh grade,” Caden emphasized. “And he hasn't raced me since. “We had a deal after that race… in my senior year, we were going to go on the track and race the 100-meter sprint. We'll see if he lives up to it. I'll make sure I film too.” Between now and then, Justin and Caden hope more records are broken and new heights are achieved for the Carroll cross-country program. The boys team has every intention of extending their state title streak, with Caden leading several returning and up-and-coming runners. Perhaps they’ll even notch a national championship at the Nike Cross Nationals in the future. They came close last year, finishing third at the national event in December. The dedication and passion for a successful program is on display from both the coach and his son. Employing his father’s principles in his own special way, Caden’s commitment and hard work have made a mark on the team at a different level. Together, the Leonard men are ushering in an amazing era for the entire program.
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