Dodge Bowl, father vs. son, highlight Carroll-Westlake state football championship
Southlake Carroll captured its third straight football state championship and fourth in five seasons when it beat Austin Westlake, 43-29, in the Class 5A Division 1 title game in 2006.
Carroll’s coach that season? Todd Dodge.
The starting quarterback? His son, Riley.
Fourteen years later, and the Dodges are together at the state title game again. Only this time, Todd and Riley will be on opposite sidelines. Todd is Westlake’s head coach. Riley is Carroll’s head coach.
The Carroll Dragons (12-1) play the Westlake Chaparrals (13-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
It is believed to be the first Texas high school football state title game pitting father versus son as head coaches.
“It’s definitely surreal how the stars aligned to make this happen,” said Riley Dodge, who is in his third season with the Dragons. “It’s obviously very odd, but we both earned our right to get to this point.”
Carroll knocked off No. 2 Duncanville in the state semifinals to clinch its first championship berth since it won a title in 2011. Westlake eliminated two-time defending 6A D1 state champ Galena Park North Shore.
“I never believed this would have ever happened,” Todd Dodge said on Thursday morning on KTCK “The Ticket.” “So many things have to happen, so many obstacles in the way.”
Carroll and Westlake family history
Todd Dodge was Carroll’s head coach from 2000-06 and led the Dragons to four Class 5A state titles.
He was 79-1 from 2002-06 and 98-11 overall.
During the 2006 season, the Dragons went 16-0 and were named national champions by USA Today. Riley Dodge graduated in 2008 and accounted for 4,100 yards and 41 TDs during his senior season in 2007.
“It’s a dream come true to coach in the state championship game,” Riley Dodge said. “My entire life I was a coach’s kid and grew up in field houses. This one is extra special to do it at Southlake Carroll.”
Todd Dodge has been at Westlake since 2014. He is 87-13 there, and won the Class 6A Division 2 state title game last season against Denton Guyer.
Riley Dodge is 38-3 at Carroll. The Dragons reached the state quarterfinals in his first two seasons.
“It’s crazy for sure,” said Carroll QB Quinn Ewers, who has thrown for 2,091 yards and 25 touchdowns in seven games. “To see what’s going on with the Dodge family and just their success in high school football, it’s awesome to be a part of.”
But family ties go even further.
Westlake’s title last season was the program’s first since 1996, when the Chaparrals were led by NFL superstar Drew Brees. Riley was a ball boy that season.
Riley’s grandfather and Todd’s father-in-law, Everett Neptune Jr., was Westlake athletic director for more than 20 years.
“My ties go way back to Austin Westlake well before my dad starting coaching there,” Riley Dodge said. “My mom and aunt went to school there.”
Added Todd Dodge: “It’s special for Elizabeth (Riley’s mother). For all the state championships I’ve been apart of, it’s the least busiest I’ve been. Everybody wants to talk to mom. She’ll wear a little Westlake and Southlake Saturday night.”
More than just the Dodges
The Dodges aren’t the only ones with family history.
Carroll defensive coordinator Lee Munn, who was acting head coach against Duncanville as Riley was home with COVID-19, is the brother-in-law of Westlake receiver coach Boomer Collins.
“His mom is probably torn,” Munn said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. He coaches offense and I coach defense so it’s really like we’re going up against each other.”
Munn also was an assistant for Todd Dodge at Westlake.
Westlake offensive coordinator Kirk Rogers and offensive line coach Brandon Murdock both won state titles at Carroll under Todd Dodge.
“There is a lot of respect and friendships with both staffs,” Riley Dodge said.
The two teams were supposed to open the 2020 season in August at AT&T Stadium as part of the UIL 100-year kickoff, but COVID-19 forced a delay and the game was canceled.
The last time Todd Dodge faced Carroll was in the 2015 season opener when Westlake won 20-14.
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 5:06 PM.
