Every championship team has its stars, its playmakers, its headline-grabbers. But for St. Thomas Aquinas over the last four years, the most reliable presence was the one fans rarely noticed until he buried a defender into the turf. 

That was Stephen Carroll. 

Now, with his high-school career complete, the 6-foot-1, 280-pound senior right guard exits as one of the most decorated linemen in Kansas. A four-year starter and the only freshman to ever start on offense for long-time head coach Randy Dreiling, Carroll earned a rare second-straight selection to the KSHSAA Covered Top 11 — one of only two repeat honorees statewide this season. 

He leaves behind a staggering body of work: 366 career pancakes, two state championships, and four seasons anchoring lines that collectively piled up 17,344 yards of offense. 

And he did it all with a trademark mean streak between the whistles. 

“He is powerful and strong — he’ll bench like 400 and he’ll squat whatever you put on there,” Dreiling said. “His aggression is different than most high school linemen. Early in his career we had to stop him from trying to get pancakes after the whistle because he’d just keep going and then we would get penalties.” 

Those penalties went away, and this fall, Carroll again served as the Saints’ top blocker, finishing with 83 pancakes as Aquinas racked up 3,469 yards of offense and 2,811 rushing yards, averaging 281.1 per game with 35 scores on the ground. 
 

The Saints finished 8–2, falling by a single point to Mill Valley in the second round of the playoffs — a loss stung by a two-point conversion that came up inches short. 

“It definitely didn’t end the way I wanted,” Carroll said. “But I wouldn’t want to lose any other way. Going for two is exactly what Aquinas is.” 

Much of the Saints’ success came behind Carroll leading the charge for all-state running back Cal Arndt, who surpassed 1,500 rushing yards in just seven games. 

“In my eyes if Cal’s having success, I’m having success,” Carroll said. “Cal is so humble. He always thanked us linemen and never let us feel like we didn’t get credit. He’d invite the whole O-line over and feed us big meals every Sunday. Cal is the best player on and off the field.” 

Carroll’s rise began earlier than anyone else who has worn a Saints uniform. Dreiling had never started a freshman lineman — until Carroll earned it. 

“To start as a freshman, you have to be physically mature, and that is hard when you’re 14 going up against 18-year-olds,” Dreiling said. “His body was strong, big, and having an older brother who played the offensive line helped him. He embraced it.” 

Carroll remembers the challenge well and he had a little extra motivation from his brother to perform. 

“Stepping up as a 14-year-old and playing 18-year-olds was definitely difficult,” he said. “My brother Sean was the running back that year, so I knew if I didn’t play my best he’d give me trouble at home. It’s such an honor to start four years for the best coach in Kansas.” 

A two-time state medalist wrestling at 285 pounds — including a runner-up finish as a sophomore — Carroll credits the mat for sharpening his game in the trenches. 

“Wrestling has helped my hips, footwork, and mentality,” he said. “It’s one of the most mentally draining sports out there. The conditioning is unmatched. I believe it is the core to my success in football.” 
 

Stephen becomes the fourth Carroll brother Dreiling has coached — a decade-long run that transformed into its own tradition inside the Saints program. 

“This is 10 years in a row of coaching a Carroll,” Dreiling said. “Eventually that has to come to an end. Oldest was a tight end, next one wanted to be a linebacker but it just didn’t work there. Then I asked him ‘Why don’t you be a center?’ He gave it a try and ended being first team all-league center and signed with North Dakota.  The other (Sean) was a running back and is at Northern Illinois wrestling. They have all been great to coach and Stephen has been no exception.” 

Dreiling said Stephen arrived “mischievous” but grew into a responsible team leader — and the key to this season’s veteran offensive front. 

“We had four starters back, and without a doubt he was the key link,” Dreiling said. “We pulled him all the time because he is so athletic. It was a big ingredient in helping us run the ball.” 

Carroll helped lead Aquinas to the 2023 Class 4A and 2024 Class 5A state championships, including last year’s undefeated run. He also earned first-team All-Class 5A honors as a junior. 

Next, he’ll take his power and punch to the college level, having signed with Central Arkansas. Still, he will always remember his time at Aquinas.  

“It feels amazing knowing I can call myself a Saint for the rest of my life,” he said. “Being able to bring back two state championships is an amazing feeling. I wouldn’t be where I am without this program. I give all praise to God and his plan of taking me to this school.”