No. 1 Southlake Carroll steamrolls Byron Nelson with relentless intensity
After a win against Byron Nelson, Southlake Carroll head coach Riley Dodge pulled senior quarterback Angelo Renda aside and told him, “You’re a bad dude.”
And by “Bad”, Dodge means that Renda did an incredibly good job. He led the top-ranked Dragons to a decisive 52-3 victory in a District 4-6A matchup on Friday at Northwest ISD Stadium. Carroll left no doubt, unleashing a relentless offensive and defensive attack.
Renda coordinated the offense, passing for 288 yards and three touchdowns, completing 22 of 28 (79%) passes.
Dodge said Renda took what the defense gave him, trusted his teammates and kept the offense on schedule while doing the little things with elite precision.
“He’s just been really efficient,” Dodge said of Renda. “He has matured so much.”
Southlake Carroll Riley Dodge said it was a good win in a hard place to play on the road.
“We talked about starting fast all week, and we had to weather the storm early in the ball game,” Dodge said. “But we just continue to apply pressure all day, and just super proud of the way we just were relentless all night. Just really locked in on the sidelines.”
Receiver Brock Boyd, an Ohio State pledge and the Star-Telegram Preseason Player of the Year, led the receivers with 93 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions.
The receiver room had a strong night, with multiple players making highlight-caliber, tough, contested catches. Wide receivers Brody Knowles, Blake Gunter and Boyd combined for 250 yards.
“We have some dudes, and Angelo (Renda) trusts them,” Dodge said. “People say 50/50 balls. But we say 70/30. That’s the mindset. Big time plays in crucial moments early in the game.”
The defense was just as dominant as the offense, preventing the Bobcats from finding the end zone. The unit allowed 21 rushing yards and eight first downs, putting the offense in a position to pile on the points.
“Very, very, just pleased each and every week and just so impressed by the way our guys prepare,” Dodge said. “But man, we’re playing together. I think that’s a big thing. I think it’s things you didn’t see a ton of last year in spots, but our first three ball games and two scrimmages — we’re really connected, and when our defense communicates really well and understands people’s jobs, we’ll be hard to move the football against.”
In every season, Carroll’s goals remain the same. For now, the Dragons are hyperfocused on a District 4-6A championship. A win against Byron Nelson propelled them in the right direction.
“Proud of these guys, how they spend time in the field house,” Dodge said. “They really dove into the game plan.”
Southlake Carroll dominates
It was a close game with 1:54 left in the first quarter, as both programs had to settle for field goals. But from that point, the Dragons scored 49 unanswered points.
Renda found Gunter for a wide-open 25-yard touchdown to start the spree. After Knowles put the Dragons in the red zone with a terrific catch in double coverage, running back Davis Penn extended the lead with a three-yard rushing TD.
Boyd then dazzled the fans, leaping to haul in a 42-yard touchdown. RBs Harrison Phillips and Brooks Biggers added rushing TDs— both were three-yard scampers.
Carroll kept its foot on the gas in the second half, and Boyd notched his second score with a seven-yard touchdown grab on a shoulder fade. Biggers then found the end zone again on an two-yard rush. In the fourth quarter, the Dragons’ reserves finished the game.
Southlake Carroll has outscored its opponents 84-7 through three games. In Week 4, the Dragons will host No. 9 Euless Trinity at Dragon Stadium on Friday in what should be an intense rivalry game.
“Unbelievable opponent,” Dodge said of Trinity. “It’s a great rivalry. Gosh, I respect the crap out of them. Love Aaron Lineweaver, who’s one of my dear friends in this profession and in life. … we’re gonna have to go back to work and put the work in if we want to get the W.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 9:55 PM.
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