JESSIE MCCABE
Greatness is part of the Dragons’ DNA. Whether it’s through football, baseball, golf, volleyball or cross country, Dragons and their fans never fail to give 110%. That’s why the Carroll Athletic Hall of Honor is packed with amazing athletes, coaches and supporters who have made Dragon Athletics so special. Even though 2021’s ceremony has been postponed to May 22, seven more inductees will join the esteemed group of 43-plus Dragons who have already ascended to the pinnacle of Dragon Athletics.
2004 Golf Team
Dragon Golf won its first 5A state championship title in 2004. Playing against seven other teams over two days, Carroll clinched the win with a total score of 575 points, with Fort Bend Elkins coming in second with 579 points and Conroe The Woodlands coming in third with 584 points. Players on the team included Kirk Haverkamp, Max Draper, Jeff Edelman, Jason Lowry, Scott Steger, Kennedy Webb, Mike Stiller and Eric Peterson. Golfers Carmine Mediate, Jace Moore and Kyle Redman also placed in the overall Top 10 with individual scores of 141 and 144 respectively. Led by coaches Matt Glenn and Jason Stelzer, this championship-winning team set the standard for Dragon Golf. It would be another 10 years before the Dragons would win their second state championship at the 6A level in 2014.
Jessa Vacek
In her freshman year, Jess Vacek came second at the 4A state cross country meet with a time of 12:09. After finishing with a time of 11:10 her senior year, she not only won first place but also helped the girls win their first 4A state championship in 2001. But it wasn’t just Round Rock where Jessa outpaced her competition — she also raced at the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships in Orlando, Florida, her junior and senior years, finishing 23rd and 28th respectively. Jessa won eight individual state medals throughout her high school career, including three gold medals for herself and three medals for her team. She ran for Baylor University after graduation, taking her team to the National Cross Country Championships in 2003 and 2004 and broke the school record for the 300-meter steeplechase in 2005.
Shelly Adamcik
Relocating to Southlake in 1997, Shelly Adamcik came into the Carroll varsity volleyball team her junior year but quickly demonstrated what a powerhouse player she could be. In her first year on the team, she was named District MVP, All-Net Newcomer of the Year and made the All-Area Second Team from “The Dallas Morning News” and the “Fort Worth Star-Telegram.” The accolades continued into her senior year where she was named to “The Dallas Morning News” All-Area First Team, was named the All-Net Player of the Year and was a state tournament finalist. She attended the University of Alabama with a full-ride volleyball scholarship and graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in criminal justice and computer science. She worked in tech consulting in DFW for 10 years before her untimely passing in 2013 at the age of 32.
Shannon McGowan
Early on in the district’s history, track and field was among one of the most popular sports on its campuses, and few athletes displayed versatility like Shannon McGowan. Named Miss CHS and rated most athletic at Carroll High School, there was no challenge this multi-sport athlete couldn’t meet on the field. She was named the high point track individual and held the triple jump record for the region. She was also part of the Conference A state championship women’s basketball team in 1975. But her biggest accomplishment came in state, where she set the record for the 100-meter dash at 11.1 seconds in 1977. Whether she was running, jumping or shooting hoops, Shannon gave everything her all.
Gary Venner
Football, baseball, pole vaulting — Gary Venner was part of all three sports during Carroll ISD’s 1A days, and he was a standout in all of them. In 1974, Gary played on his father’s football team and helped take it to the area round of playoffs. In 1975, Gary was a pole-vaulting champ for the region and district, set the school record and qualified for state. Then in 1976, Gary made perhaps his biggest mark with the Dragon baseball team, as a region and district champion. Along the way, Gary was named an All-American and led the team to the Texas High School All-Star game. His baseball career continued at the University of Texas at Austin, which placed fifth in the College Baseball World Series in 1979. Gary was awarded with All-Conference honors for his season. Today Gary is a general manager at Park Place Dealerships and continues to make yearly donations to Carroll ISD’s outstanding athletic programs.
Justin Leonard
If there’s a unifying factor between Carroll Cross Country’s 13 state championship wins, it’s head coach Justin Leonard. Coaching since 2004, Justin pushes for excellence in his athletes and doesn’t let up until they’ve reached their full potential. Justin’s boys cross country teams have won six state championships since 2011, while the girls have won seven state championships since 2005. Together his teams have also won 17 regional championships and 23 district championships. Outside of Texas, Justin’s cross country teams qualified for a record 26 appearances at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon, with the boys finishing runner-up in 2011 and the girls finishing runner-up in 2012. Justin has produced a Footlocker National champion, 46 individual state medalists, five Nike National All- Americans, 82 Division I runners and state-low records for his teams. Justin most recently won the Coach of the Year award by the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas in 2020.
Doug Strickland
If anybody bled green, it was Doug Strickland. A fan, supporter and proud father to three Dragons, Doug fell in love with Dragon Nation and sought to get involved however he could. As a Carroll ISD school board member for two terms, Doug was part of the board that approved the construction of the new Dragon Stadium and Carroll Senior High School campus. As a member of the Carroll Athletic Booster Club, Doug organized and printed the football programs, would film the varsity and junior varsity games and picked up pizza for the teams after their games. And as a fan, Doug supported every Carroll program he could, not only following the Emerald Belles, volleyball, basketball, track and cross country teams but also sponsoring the scoreboard on the baseball field. Doug was voted Fan of the Year in 1993 and proudly wore that distinction until his passing in 2020 at the age of 76.