New Palestine Athletics
New Palestine Football
Commitment, Character, Class Friday, September 5 vs. Yorktown, 7:30 p.m. The schedule Date Opponent Time/Score F 8/22 DANVILLE W 61-0 F 8/29 at Richmond W 42-6 F 9/5 YORKTOWN* 7:30 F 9/12 at Mt. Vernon* 7:30 F 9/19 at Pendleton Hts.* 7:30 F 9/26 GREENFIELD-C.* 7:30 F 10/3 at Shelbyville* 7:00 F 10/10 at New Castle* 7:30 F 10/17 DELTA* 7:30 *-HHC game All games broadcast by Dragon Radio access at NewPalestineAthletics.com
The planner Saturday, Sept. 6 CC: at Marion Invitational, 9 a.m. TE: vs. Silver Ck/University, 10 a.m. GSOC: vs. Columbus E., noon/1:30 GO: at Shelbyville Inv., 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 FB: JV at Yorktown, 6 p.m. FB: 9th vs. Yorktown, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 BSOC: at New Castle, 5:30/7 p.m. VB: vs. Eastern Hancock, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 GO: at HSE/Westfield, 4 p.m. TE: at Lawrence Central, 5 p.m. GSOC: vs. Mt. Vernon, 5:30/7 p.m.** VB: vs. Lutheran, 5:30/7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 GO: vs. Shelbyville, 4 p.m. BSOC: at Shelbyville, 5:30 p.m. VB: vs. Brebeuf, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 FB: at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 p.m.** Saturday, Sept. 13 CC: at Whiteland Inv., 8:30 a.m. TE: County at EH, 9 a.m. VB: at Greenwood Inv., 9 a.m. GO: HHC meet, 9 a.m. BSOC: vs. Franklin, noon/1:30 p.m. **-Broadcast by Dragon Radio (access via Dragon HQ page at NewPalestineAthletics.com)
Find us online! New Palestine Athletics is online! Keep up with the Dragons at your fingertips every day with the latest news and information! Athletics website: NewPalestineAthletics.com Facebook: New Palestine Dragons athletics Twitter: @NPHSDragons
Helmet on the line
3A #5/5 YORKTOWN TIGERS (2-0) at 4A #3/4 NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (2-0) Kelso Stadium, New Palestine, IN Broadcast: Dragon Radio Tonight, the New Palestine Dragons return home to open HHC play with a lot on the line. First of all, tonight’s game is a matchup of the HHC’s top two teams from last season, both of which are ranked in their classes’ respective Top 10s this week, so the winner will have an early upper hand in the HHC race. Secondly, the Dragons are currently in possession of the HHC traveling Helmet Trophy, Hill which they seized Neligh from Yorktown a year ago and have successfully defended four times since. The trophy is again on the line tonight. New Palestine enters with its second-biggest start in school history -- and its second-biggest in two years. The Dragons have outscored two foes 103-6 in beating Danville and Richmond. Last week, the aerial attack and big plays were key in scoring 28 points in the game’s first 13:05 in a 42-6 victory. Quarterback Alex Neligh had 224 passing yards, including “bigplay” strikes to Noah Grable, Duke Blackwell, James Young and Logan Greene. In addition, Young had three touchdowns in the rushing game. On defense, Grable had 11 tackles and Sterling Curran had three sacks. Where the Dragons shone was in special teams. The PAT team was a perfect 6-6 on the foot of Spencer Corey. On the opening drive, Chaz Hill had a 39-yard TD run on a fake punt -- giving Hill two TDs on two carries this season. And in the third quarter, Adam Kincaid blocked a Richmond punt and recovered it in the end zone to stunt the Red Devils’ momentum and give the Dragons a four-touchdown lead.
Sagarin says Class 4A polls AP IFCA 1. Columbus East 1. Columbus East 2. Chatard 2. Chatard 3. New Palestine 3. FW Dwenger 4. FW Dwenger 4. New Palestine 5. Jasper 5. Evansville Reitz 6. New Haven 6. Jasper 7. Evansville Reitz 7. SB St. Joseph 8. Roncalli 8. Plymouth 9. SB St. Joseph 9. New Haven 10. Plymouth 10. Hammond Morton Other HHC teams Yorktown (Class 3A): AP No. 5, IFCA No. 5 Delta (Class 3A): AP Rec. Votes, IFCA No. 10
Tonight’s opponent
The Dragons open HHC play against a Yorktown squad that features one of the top attacks in the state. QB Riley Neal, a Ball State commit, has thrown for 213 yards per game and seven touchdowns in the first two games, wins over Indianapolis Marshall and Muncie Central. Sophomore RB Dawson Allen averages 84 yards per game rushing. As a team, Yorktown averages more than 400 yards per game. Last week, Neal compled 24-of-36 for 280 yards in a 33-6 victory over Muncie Central. New Palestine is 13-5 overall against Yorktown, including a 35-14 victory last season. Yorktown is coached by Mike Wilhelm, who is 55-45 in 10 years with the Tigers.
Looking ahead
The Dragons’ next game will be the Boundary Rail game at Mt. Vernon next Friday. The next home game will be the homecoming game, Sept. 26 against Greenfield-Central.
Quest for 300
The New Palestine football program is in its 47th varsity season, and is four wins away from hitting a milestone -- 300 wins. Last week’s win over Richmond was the 297th in school history.
Elsewhere at NPHS
The CC teams finished fourth at the Noblesville Hokum Karem last weekend. ... The boys soccer team has opened 2-1-1 with wins over Whiteland and Lawrence Central. Matt Ernster had a goal and an assist in the LC win. ... The tennis team opened the year with a 5-1 mark, including 2-1 in the HHC.
On the air
Listen to all New Palestine football games on Dragon Radio. Join Andrew Smith and Mike Jackson for the play-by-play of NPHS football. Access Dragon Radio by clicking “Dragon HQ” on the athletics website.
JV update
The Dragon football teams are all 2-0. The JV beat Richmond 22-6 and the freshmen beat the Red Devils 26-0 on Saturday. Both teams meet Yorktown on Monday.
Around the HHC STANDINGS New Palestine Greenfield-Central Pendleton Heights Yorktown Delta Mt. Vernon New Castle Shelbyville This week’s games Yorktown at New Palestine, 7:30 Pendleton Heights at New Castle, 7:30 Sept. 12 games New Palestine at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 Delta at Yorktown, 7:30
Conf. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
GB -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Overall 2-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1
Greenfield-Central at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 Shelbyville at Delta, 7:30 New Castle at Shelbyville, 7 Pendleton Hts. at Greenfield-C., 7:30
New Palestine Athletics Commitment s Character s Class
The schedules
NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (2-0) 8/22 DANVILLE 8/29 at Richmond 9/5 YORKTOWN* 9/12 at Mt. Vernon* 9/19 at Pendleton Heights* 9/26 GREENFIELD-CENTRAL* 10/3 at Shelbyville* 10/10 at New Castle* 10/17 DELTA* *-Hoosier Heritage Conference game YORKTOWN TIGERS (2-0) 8/22 MARSHALL 8/29 MUNCIE CENTRAL 9/5 at New Palestine* 9/12 DELTA* 9/19 at New Castle* 9/26 SHELBYVILLE* 10/3 at Greenfield-Central* 10/10 at Pendleton Hts.* 10/17 MT. VERNON* *-Hoosier Heritage Conference game
Reigning HHC champs W 61-0 W 42-6 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:00 7:30 7:30 W 47-6 W 33-6 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30
Projected starters
NEW PALESTINE OFFENSE WR: 6 Duke Blackwell WR: 7 Adam Kincaid WR: 10 Logan Greene TE: 22 Noah Grable LT: 62 Nick Derheimer LG: 63 David Judy C: 65 Andrew Yazel RG: 70 Matt Moeller RT: 50 Michael Woodall QB: 11 Alex Neligh RB: 32 James Young SPECIALISTS KO: 18 Spencer Corey PK: 18 Spencer Corey/30 Kyle Barton
Series history
DEFENSE DE: 76 Alex Barnes DT: 74 Thaddeus Muse DE: 65 Andrew Yazel LB: 42 Joe Izbicki LB: 44 Sterling Curran LB: 22 Noah Grable CB: 12 Chaz Hill CB: 14 Kyle Zehner S: 9 Nick Brickens S: 7 Adam Kincaid S: 21 Jeff Wilcher P: 9 Nick Brickens Ret: 6 Blackwell/9 Brickens
The Dragons and TIgers have played annually since Yorktown joined the HHC in 1999. New Palestine has a 13-5 record in the series, including wins in four of the last five meetings and 12 of the last 14 dating back to 2001. A year ago, NP won 35-14 behind 224 passing yards and 106 rushing yards from Blake Luker. SERIES HISTORY New Palestine leads 13-5 Regular season: New Palestine leads 11-4 At New Palestine: Yorktown leads 4-3 9/27/13: NP 35-14 (at Y) 11/5/04: NP 37-20 (sect at Y) 9/22/12: Y 27-20 (at NP) 9/24/04: NP 34-9 (at NP) 9/23/11: NP 49-14 (at Y) 9/27/03: NP 26-21 (at Y) 9/24/10: NP 49-6 (at NP) 9/27/02: NP 24-6 (at NP) 9/25/09: NP 35-12 (at Y) 9/21/01: NP 14-10 (at Y) 9/26/08: Y 37-0 (at NP) 9/22/00: Y 12-0 (at NP) 9/21/07: NP 20-14, OT (at Y) 9/24/99: Y 15-12 (at Y) 9/23/06: NP 28-14 (at Dome) 10/27/89: NP 21-0 (sect at Y) 9/24/05: NP 51-14 (at Y) 10/28/83: Y 14-7 (sect at NP)
HHC lookahead
The Hoosier Heritage Conference is one of the state’s top leagues, and has proven so again. HHC teams went 12-4 during the two weeks of nonconference play, with four teams -- New Palestine, Yorktown, GreenfieldCentral and Pendleton Heights -- all going 4-0. In addition, the HHC is 5-1 against the North Central Conference, with both New Palestine (42-6 vs. Richmond) and Yorktown (33-6 vs. Muncie Central) contributing to a 4-0 week in HHC vs. NCC play last week. Mt. Vernon (42-9 vs. Marion) and Pendleton Heights (19-7 vs. Anderson) also led the sweep. In addition, new HHC member New Castle snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 17-14 OT win over Rushville. This week, New Castle hosts Pendleton Heights in the Trojans’ first-ever HHC game; Delta hosts Shelbyville and Mt. Vernon hosts Greenfield-Central.
New Palestine is the defending Hoosier Heritage Conference champion, having run the table with a 6-0 record last season. The Dragons have now won five conference titles, tying them with Mt. Vernon for second-most in the league’s 20-year history. NP has won three of the last four championships and has won five titles since 2005, most among HHC schools. HHC HISTORY Most HHC titles (*-shared title) 7: Delta (2000, 2001*, 2002*, 2004, 2005*, 2008, 2009) 5: New Palestine (2005*, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) 5: Mt. Vernon (1997*, 1999*, 2001*, 2003, 2012) 4: Hamilton Southeastern (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997*) 3: Pendleton Heights (1997*, 1998, 2002*) 1: Shelbyville (2007) 1: Greenfield-Central (2002*) 1: Yorktown (1999*) HHC champions by year 2003: Mt. Vernon 2013: New Palestine 2012: Mt. Vernon 2002: Delta/G-C/PH 2011: New Palestine 2001: Delta/Mt. Vernon 2010: New Palestine 2000: Delta 2009: Delta 1999: Mt. Vernon/Yorktown 2008: Delta 1998: Pendleton Heights 2007: Shelbyville 1997: HSE/MV/PH 2006: New Palestine 1996: Hamilton Southeastern 2005: New Palestine/Delta 1995: Hamilton Southeastern 2004: Delta 1994: Hamilton Southeastern
Rankings
New Palestine broke into the Top 10 during Week 4 of the 2013 season and has been there since. The Dragons started the year ranked No. 3 in each poll, and are currently No. 4 in the IFCA and No. 3 in the AP. CLASS 4A POLL RANK BY WEEK 2014 Preseason (8/19): IFCA No. 3, AP No. 3 Week 1 (8/26): IFCA No. 4, AP No. 3, Sagarin No. 1 Week 2 (9/2): IFCA No. 4, AP No. 3, Sagarin No. 4
Follow the traveling trophies
New Palestine regained the HHC’s Helmet trophy with a 35-14 victory at Yorktown on Sept. 27, 2013. The Dragons have successfully defended the Helmet three times since -- against Shelbyville (44-0), Greenfield-Central (51-7) and Mt. Vernon (20-0) in the 2013 season. The first Helmet game will be against Yorktown on Sept. 5 at Kelso Stadium. The Dragons held the Helmet for an HHC record 14 consecutive weeks in 2010-11, taking it with a 24-14 win over Delta on Aug. 27, 2010 and holding it until a 43-13 loss to PH on Aug. 31, 2012. In the interim, the lraveling leather helmet passed through five different schools’ hands. NP and Mt. Vernon also play for the Boundary Rail, which the Dragons held for seven consecutive years before surrendering it to MV last season. The piece of interurban track ran close to the rough boundary between the two school districts. NP regained the Rail with a 20-0 victory on Oct. 18 last season. This year’s meeting is Sept. 12 at Mt. Vernon.
Dragon streaks
New Palestine is in the midst of several streaks right now, having won 11 consecutive regular-season games, seven straight home games and six straight HHC contests. New Palestine records MOST CONSECUTIVE REGULAR-SEASON WINS 21: Aug. 19, 1983-Aug. 30, 1985 17: Aug. 27, 2010-Oct. 14, 2011 11: Aug. 23, 2013-present MOST CONSECUTIVE HHC WINS 20: Sept. 4, 2009-Oct. 14, 2011 (HHC record) 6: Sept. 6, 2013-present MOST CONSECUTIVE HOME WINS 38: Sept. 12, 1986-Oct. 2, 1992 7: Aug. 30, 2013-present
20 in 12
The Dragons’ potent offense also made a habit of scoring in bunches in 2013. They carried over the penchant for 20-point quarters into 2014, starting the season with two against Danville. The Dragons added a third against Richmond. 20-point quarters in 2014 21 points, 8/29 at Richmond (1st quarter) 26 points, 8/22 vs. Danville (2nd quarter) 21 points, 8/22 vs. Danville (1st quarter)
Mr. TD
Running back James Young has been the Dragons’ closer this season. Young has six touchdowns in the first two games of the 2014 season, rushing for three TDs in each contest.
New Palestine Athletics Commitment s Character s Class
Coming off perfection
The 2013 season marks the fifth undefeated regular season in school history, the best start in school history and the most wins in school history. Undefeated regular seasons in New Palestine history 13 games: 2013. Final record 13-1 (HHC, sectional champs) 11 games: 2011. Final record 11-1 (HHC champs) 10 games: 1988. Final record 10-1 (BBRC champs) 10 games: 1984. Final record 10-1 (BBRC, cluster champs) 10 games: 1983. Final record 10-1 (BBRC, cluster champs)
Fast starts
The 2014 start marked the second-most points scored in the first two games in school history -- only eclipsed by the 2013 start to the season. Not only that, but the 103 points scored in the first two games are the seventhmost in back-to-back games. In addition, the 61-0 win over Danville was the third-biggest margin and seventh-biggest scoring game in school history. MOST POINTS, 1st 2 GAMES OF A SEASON 110: 2013 (64-8 Danville, 46-2 Richmond) 103: 2014 (61-0 Danville, 42-6 Richmond) 97: 1984 (48-0 Tri, 49-6 Beech Grove) 81: 1988 (47-0 Tri, 34-13 Mt. Vernon) 72: 1989 (32-0 Tri, 40-6 Mt. Vernon) MOST POINTS, 1st 3 GAMES OF A SEASON 156: 2013 (64-8 Danville, 46-2 Richmond, 46-7 Pendleton Heights) 139: 1984 (48-0 Tri, 49-6 Beech Grove, 42-0 South Decatur) 105: 1988 (47-0 Tri, 34-13 Mt. Vernon, 24-16 Shenandoah) 103: 2014 (61-0 Danville, 42-6 Richmond) 101: 1987 (36-16 Tri, 24-8 Mt. Vernon, 41-0 Shenandoah) BIGGEST VICTORY MARGIN 64, 10/24/86 vs. Whiteland (64-0) 62: 9/19/03 vs. Rushville (62-0) 61: 8/22/14 vs. Danville (61-0) 57: 10/15/82 vs. Tri (57-0) 56: 8/23/13 at Danville (64-8)
Play fast, score faster
New Palestine has made a habit of scoring quick TDs under coach Kyle Ralph. The opener against Danville was no exception. The Dragons tallied three touchdowns in just 3:21, and had seven touchdown drives of two minutes or less. FASTEST 2 TDs by NEW PALESTINE 2014 1:32: 8/22 vs. Danville. Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q; Alex Neligh 41 run, 6:08 2Q 1:49: 8/22 vs. Danville James Young 2 run 9:29 2Q; Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q 2:28: 8/29 at Richmond. James Young 1 run 1:23 1Q; James Young 1 run 10:55 2Q 2:30 8/29 at Richmond. Chaz Hill 39 run 9:49 1Q; Joe Izbicki 4 pass from Alex Neligh 7:19 1Q FASTEST 3 TDs by NEW PALESTINE 2014 3:21: 8/22 vs. Danville. James Young 2 run 9:29 2Q; Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q; Alex Neligh 41 run, 6:08 2Q.
Grable the sack king
Senior Noah Grable is the team’s sack king. He and teammate Brian Wagner had 18 sacks each last season, setting a school record for sacks in a single season. He added three to the total in Week 1 for 21. Sterling Curran had three sacks in the Week 2 win at Richmond.
Almost a double-century
Junior Alex Neligh becomes the Dragons’ starting quarterback this season. He nearly equaled a rare feat in his first start, running for 98 yards and throwing for 187 against Danville. 2013 senior Blake Luker hit the 100/100 milestone several times a year ago. Neligh had his first 200-yard passing game with 229 yards on 14-of-24 passing against Richmond. That game featured several explosive plays -- a 45-yard pass to Duke Blackwell, a 41-yard pass to Noah Grable, and a 30-yard pass to Logan Greene.
Milestones
The Dragons have 297 wins in school history, three away from 300 in the program’s 47-year history. The first varsity football season came in 1968, and coach Marvin Shepler coached the first 34 seasons and 200 wins. The 250th win came in 2009 under the direction of coach Tim Able. Milestone wins 50: 9/22/78: New Palestine 20, Mt. Vernon 14 100: 10/25/85: New Palestine 21, Brookville 0 (sectional) 150: 11/9/90: New Palestine 20, Chatard 12 (regional) 200: 9/21/01: New Palestine 14, Yorktown 10 250: 8/22/09: New Palestine 22, Whiteland 16, OT
A Young millenium
Senior running back James Young hit the millenium mark a year ago, rushing for 1,250 yards over the season. It was the largest total for a New Palestine back since Eric Alcorn ran for 1,629 yards in 2005. Young topped the 100-yard mark five times in the last six games last season, and six times overall in 2013. His 266-yard game against Pendleton Heights in the sectional was the most since Nick Survant ran for 236 on Oct. 5, 2012 against Greenfield-Central. In the Dragons’ four tournament wins last season, Young averaged 182 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns. As a team, the Dragons had a rusher break the century mark 10 times in 2013, as Blake Luker did it three times and Nolan Hill once. Young has been Mr. Touchdown this year for the Dragons, scoring six times in the first two games. He has accounted for six of the team’s 15 TDs so far on the young season. James Young’s 100-yard rushing games 266 yards, 10/25/13 at Pendleton Heights (29 carries) 187 yards, 11/1/13 at Muncie South (25 carries) 159 yards, 9/6/13 vs. Pendleton Heights (24 carries) 153 yards, 11/15/13 vs. Chatard (14 carries) 120 yards, 11/8/13 vs. Mt. Vernon (26 carries) 110 yards, 10/11/13 at Greenfield-Central (11 carries)
Record-toppers
Last year’s Dragons rewrote the school’s record book. Among the records set in 2013 Tyler Walden: Career (2,134), single-season (1,231) and single-game (212) receiving yards; caeer (138), season (86) and single-game (14) receptions; career (22) touchdown receptions. Blake Luker: Career (4,494), single-season (3,761) and single-game (471) total offense; career (64) and single-season (54) total offense touchdowns. Career touchdown passes (40). Career (239) and single-season (176) completions. Noah Grable/Brian Wagner: Single-season sacks (18) Team: Most points, single-season (571); Most points in a game, both teams (102, 62-40 win over Pendleton Heights 10/25/13); most consecutive wins (13), most wins in a season (13), most total yards (6,230), single-game total yards (744 vs. Pendleton Heights)
Safety Touchdown dance
The New Palestine defense and special teams have managed to get 2 scores already this season, with a fake punt & a blocked punt TD vs. Richmond. That builds off a 2013 season in which the Dragons had four return touchdowns and four safeties. 2014 defensive/special teams scores Touchdown: 8/29 at Richmond. Chaz Hill 39-yard run on fake punt Touchdown: 8/29 at Richmond. Adam Kincaid recovered blocked punt in end zone 2013 defensive/special teams scores Touchdown: 11/22 vs. Columbus East. Garrett Kuhn 65 blocked FG Safety: 10/11 vs. Greenfield-Central. Nick Buckhorn tackled runner Touchdown 10/11 vs. Greenfield-Central. Nick Brickens 60 INT return Safety: 10/4 vs. Shelbyville. Nick Brickens tackled runner in end zone Touchdown: 8/30 vs. Richmond. Gabe Estes 35 fumble return Touchdown: 8/30 vs. Richmond. Garrett Kuhn 61 interception return Safety: 8/23 at Danville. Noah Grable sacked quarterback in end zone Safety: 8/23 at Danville. Nick Derheimer sacked QB in end zone
Red Rage pitching donuts
New Palestine’s defense earned the team’s first shutout in a season opener since the 1989 season, when the Dragons blanked Tri 32-0. That gave NP a run of five shutouts in its last nine games. The four shutouts put up by the 2013 team (vs. Shelbyville Oct. 4, Mt. Vernon Oct. 18, Muncie South Nov. 1, Mt. Vernon Nov. 8) are the most since the 2011 team hs three shutouts in a season. The school record for shutouts in a season is six, set by the 1990 state runner-up team. Most shutouts in a season 1990: 6 (9/14 vs. Zionsville, 9/21 at Beech Grove , 9/28 vs. Triton Central, 10/5 at Eastern Hancock, 10/12 vs. Franklin, 10/26 vs. Alexandria) 1983: 5 (8/26 at Lapel; 9/2 vs. Beech Grove, 9/9 vs. South Decatur, 10/7 vs. Eastern Hancock, 10/19 vs. Morristown) 1982: 5 (8/28 at Covington, 9/10 at Eastern Hancock, 10/8 at Wes-Del, 10/15 vs. Tri, 10/22 vs. Morristown) 1973: 5 (8/30 vs. Edinburgh, 9/13 vs. Eastern Hancock, 9/27 at South Decatur, 10/26 at Mt. Vernon, 11/2 vs. North Decatur) 2013: 4 (10/4 vs. Shelbyville, 10/18 vs. Mt. Vernon, 11/1 at Muncie South, 11/8 vs. Mt. Vernon) 1986: 4 (9/12 vs. Shenandoah, 9/19 vs. Knightstown, 10/3 vs. Triton Central, 10/24 vs. Whiteland)
New Palestine Athletics Commitment s Character s Class
High-scoring streak
New Palestine started the 2013 season with 40+ points in four straight games. It’s the first such streak to start a season, and the second such streak the school has had, equaling a four-game stretch in 1987. If New Palestine can score 40+ tonight, it will mark the seventh time in school history it has tallied at least 40 in three consecutive games. 40 points in back-to-back-to-back games 1987 vs. Eastern Hancock (40-13), Lapel (49-7), Batesville (48-0), Whiteland (42-8) 2013 vs. Danville (64-8), Richmond (46-2), Pend. Hts (46-7), Delta (41-14) 2011 vs. Rushville (53-0), Yorktown (49-14), Shelbyville (49-13) 1987 vs. Shenandoah (41-0), Knightstown (50-0), Beech Grove (52-9) 1984 vs. Tri (48-0), Beech Grove (49-6), South Decatur (42-0) 1982 vs. Wes-Del (48-0), Tri (57-0), Morristown (55-0)
Meet Coach Ralph
Second-year NPHS head coach Kyle Ralph is the fifth head coach in NPHS history, and the third to lead the Dragons to an undefeated regular season, joining Marvin Shepler and Tim Able. He is the first to win his first 13 games as a Dragons head coach. Coach Ralph is a 2002 graduate of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, where he was a standout offensive lineman. He played collegiately at the University of North Carolina for head coach John Bunting, where he was a two-time First Team All-ACC performer. In 2005, his senior season, he was the ACC’s Coastal Division Offensive Lineman of the Year. He has also participated in NFL training camps with the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers. He began his coaching career at St. Xavier in 2007, then became the co-offensive coordinator at Oak Hills High School near Cincinnati in 2008. He served there for three seasons, before becoming the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Withrow University High School in Cincinnati in 2011 and 2012. At Withrow, Ralph’s team averaged 34.4 points and 335 total yards per game in 2012. In two years there, his teams went 14-6 overall. At Oak Hills, his 2010 offense broke or tied five school rushing records. His first New Palestine team rewrote the school record book, averaging more than 40 points per game and gaining 6,230 yards. Under his tutelage, the team produced its career and single-season total offense (Blake Luker) and receiving (Tyler Walden) leaders. In 2013, Luker, Walden and James Young became the first trio in NP history to give the team a 2,000-yard passer and a 1,000 yard rusher and receiver in the same season. Coach Ralph also has seven seasons of experience coaching track and field. He teaches world history and advanced PE at NPHS. New Palestine’s head coaches Kyle Ralph (2013-) 15-1 Charlie Hill (2012) 3-7 Tim Able (2009-11) 30-6 Doug Armstrong (2002-08) 49-31 Marvin Shepler (1968-2001): 200-146-2
Record when
Home: 1-0 Road: 1-0 vs. 5A: 1-0 vs. 4A: 1-0 Scoring at least 20: 2-0 30: 2-0 Allowing less than 30: 2-0 20: 2-0 300 yds offense: 2-0 400: 1-0 Allowing
Commitment, Character, Class Friday, September 5 vs. Yorktown, 7:30 p.m. The schedule Date Opponent Time/Score F 8/22 DANVILLE W 61-0 F 8/29 at Richmond W 42-6 F 9/5 YORKTOWN* 7:30 F 9/12 at Mt. Vernon* 7:30 F 9/19 at Pendleton Hts.* 7:30 F 9/26 GREENFIELD-C.* 7:30 F 10/3 at Shelbyville* 7:00 F 10/10 at New Castle* 7:30 F 10/17 DELTA* 7:30 *-HHC game All games broadcast by Dragon Radio access at NewPalestineAthletics.com
The planner Saturday, Sept. 6 CC: at Marion Invitational, 9 a.m. TE: vs. Silver Ck/University, 10 a.m. GSOC: vs. Columbus E., noon/1:30 GO: at Shelbyville Inv., 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 FB: JV at Yorktown, 6 p.m. FB: 9th vs. Yorktown, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 BSOC: at New Castle, 5:30/7 p.m. VB: vs. Eastern Hancock, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 GO: at HSE/Westfield, 4 p.m. TE: at Lawrence Central, 5 p.m. GSOC: vs. Mt. Vernon, 5:30/7 p.m.** VB: vs. Lutheran, 5:30/7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 GO: vs. Shelbyville, 4 p.m. BSOC: at Shelbyville, 5:30 p.m. VB: vs. Brebeuf, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 FB: at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 p.m.** Saturday, Sept. 13 CC: at Whiteland Inv., 8:30 a.m. TE: County at EH, 9 a.m. VB: at Greenwood Inv., 9 a.m. GO: HHC meet, 9 a.m. BSOC: vs. Franklin, noon/1:30 p.m. **-Broadcast by Dragon Radio (access via Dragon HQ page at NewPalestineAthletics.com)
Find us online! New Palestine Athletics is online! Keep up with the Dragons at your fingertips every day with the latest news and information! Athletics website: NewPalestineAthletics.com Facebook: New Palestine Dragons athletics Twitter: @NPHSDragons
Helmet on the line
3A #5/5 YORKTOWN TIGERS (2-0) at 4A #3/4 NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (2-0) Kelso Stadium, New Palestine, IN Broadcast: Dragon Radio Tonight, the New Palestine Dragons return home to open HHC play with a lot on the line. First of all, tonight’s game is a matchup of the HHC’s top two teams from last season, both of which are ranked in their classes’ respective Top 10s this week, so the winner will have an early upper hand in the HHC race. Secondly, the Dragons are currently in possession of the HHC traveling Helmet Trophy, Hill which they seized Neligh from Yorktown a year ago and have successfully defended four times since. The trophy is again on the line tonight. New Palestine enters with its second-biggest start in school history -- and its second-biggest in two years. The Dragons have outscored two foes 103-6 in beating Danville and Richmond. Last week, the aerial attack and big plays were key in scoring 28 points in the game’s first 13:05 in a 42-6 victory. Quarterback Alex Neligh had 224 passing yards, including “bigplay” strikes to Noah Grable, Duke Blackwell, James Young and Logan Greene. In addition, Young had three touchdowns in the rushing game. On defense, Grable had 11 tackles and Sterling Curran had three sacks. Where the Dragons shone was in special teams. The PAT team was a perfect 6-6 on the foot of Spencer Corey. On the opening drive, Chaz Hill had a 39-yard TD run on a fake punt -- giving Hill two TDs on two carries this season. And in the third quarter, Adam Kincaid blocked a Richmond punt and recovered it in the end zone to stunt the Red Devils’ momentum and give the Dragons a four-touchdown lead.
Sagarin says Class 4A polls AP IFCA 1. Columbus East 1. Columbus East 2. Chatard 2. Chatard 3. New Palestine 3. FW Dwenger 4. FW Dwenger 4. New Palestine 5. Jasper 5. Evansville Reitz 6. New Haven 6. Jasper 7. Evansville Reitz 7. SB St. Joseph 8. Roncalli 8. Plymouth 9. SB St. Joseph 9. New Haven 10. Plymouth 10. Hammond Morton Other HHC teams Yorktown (Class 3A): AP No. 5, IFCA No. 5 Delta (Class 3A): AP Rec. Votes, IFCA No. 10
Tonight’s opponent
The Dragons open HHC play against a Yorktown squad that features one of the top attacks in the state. QB Riley Neal, a Ball State commit, has thrown for 213 yards per game and seven touchdowns in the first two games, wins over Indianapolis Marshall and Muncie Central. Sophomore RB Dawson Allen averages 84 yards per game rushing. As a team, Yorktown averages more than 400 yards per game. Last week, Neal compled 24-of-36 for 280 yards in a 33-6 victory over Muncie Central. New Palestine is 13-5 overall against Yorktown, including a 35-14 victory last season. Yorktown is coached by Mike Wilhelm, who is 55-45 in 10 years with the Tigers.
Looking ahead
The Dragons’ next game will be the Boundary Rail game at Mt. Vernon next Friday. The next home game will be the homecoming game, Sept. 26 against Greenfield-Central.
Quest for 300
The New Palestine football program is in its 47th varsity season, and is four wins away from hitting a milestone -- 300 wins. Last week’s win over Richmond was the 297th in school history.
Elsewhere at NPHS
The CC teams finished fourth at the Noblesville Hokum Karem last weekend. ... The boys soccer team has opened 2-1-1 with wins over Whiteland and Lawrence Central. Matt Ernster had a goal and an assist in the LC win. ... The tennis team opened the year with a 5-1 mark, including 2-1 in the HHC.
On the air
Listen to all New Palestine football games on Dragon Radio. Join Andrew Smith and Mike Jackson for the play-by-play of NPHS football. Access Dragon Radio by clicking “Dragon HQ” on the athletics website.
JV update
The Dragon football teams are all 2-0. The JV beat Richmond 22-6 and the freshmen beat the Red Devils 26-0 on Saturday. Both teams meet Yorktown on Monday.
Around the HHC STANDINGS New Palestine Greenfield-Central Pendleton Heights Yorktown Delta Mt. Vernon New Castle Shelbyville This week’s games Yorktown at New Palestine, 7:30 Pendleton Heights at New Castle, 7:30 Sept. 12 games New Palestine at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 Delta at Yorktown, 7:30
Conf. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
GB -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Overall 2-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1
Greenfield-Central at Mt. Vernon, 7:30 Shelbyville at Delta, 7:30 New Castle at Shelbyville, 7 Pendleton Hts. at Greenfield-C., 7:30
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The schedules
NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (2-0) 8/22 DANVILLE 8/29 at Richmond 9/5 YORKTOWN* 9/12 at Mt. Vernon* 9/19 at Pendleton Heights* 9/26 GREENFIELD-CENTRAL* 10/3 at Shelbyville* 10/10 at New Castle* 10/17 DELTA* *-Hoosier Heritage Conference game YORKTOWN TIGERS (2-0) 8/22 MARSHALL 8/29 MUNCIE CENTRAL 9/5 at New Palestine* 9/12 DELTA* 9/19 at New Castle* 9/26 SHELBYVILLE* 10/3 at Greenfield-Central* 10/10 at Pendleton Hts.* 10/17 MT. VERNON* *-Hoosier Heritage Conference game
Reigning HHC champs W 61-0 W 42-6 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:00 7:30 7:30 W 47-6 W 33-6 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30
Projected starters
NEW PALESTINE OFFENSE WR: 6 Duke Blackwell WR: 7 Adam Kincaid WR: 10 Logan Greene TE: 22 Noah Grable LT: 62 Nick Derheimer LG: 63 David Judy C: 65 Andrew Yazel RG: 70 Matt Moeller RT: 50 Michael Woodall QB: 11 Alex Neligh RB: 32 James Young SPECIALISTS KO: 18 Spencer Corey PK: 18 Spencer Corey/30 Kyle Barton
Series history
DEFENSE DE: 76 Alex Barnes DT: 74 Thaddeus Muse DE: 65 Andrew Yazel LB: 42 Joe Izbicki LB: 44 Sterling Curran LB: 22 Noah Grable CB: 12 Chaz Hill CB: 14 Kyle Zehner S: 9 Nick Brickens S: 7 Adam Kincaid S: 21 Jeff Wilcher P: 9 Nick Brickens Ret: 6 Blackwell/9 Brickens
The Dragons and TIgers have played annually since Yorktown joined the HHC in 1999. New Palestine has a 13-5 record in the series, including wins in four of the last five meetings and 12 of the last 14 dating back to 2001. A year ago, NP won 35-14 behind 224 passing yards and 106 rushing yards from Blake Luker. SERIES HISTORY New Palestine leads 13-5 Regular season: New Palestine leads 11-4 At New Palestine: Yorktown leads 4-3 9/27/13: NP 35-14 (at Y) 11/5/04: NP 37-20 (sect at Y) 9/22/12: Y 27-20 (at NP) 9/24/04: NP 34-9 (at NP) 9/23/11: NP 49-14 (at Y) 9/27/03: NP 26-21 (at Y) 9/24/10: NP 49-6 (at NP) 9/27/02: NP 24-6 (at NP) 9/25/09: NP 35-12 (at Y) 9/21/01: NP 14-10 (at Y) 9/26/08: Y 37-0 (at NP) 9/22/00: Y 12-0 (at NP) 9/21/07: NP 20-14, OT (at Y) 9/24/99: Y 15-12 (at Y) 9/23/06: NP 28-14 (at Dome) 10/27/89: NP 21-0 (sect at Y) 9/24/05: NP 51-14 (at Y) 10/28/83: Y 14-7 (sect at NP)
HHC lookahead
The Hoosier Heritage Conference is one of the state’s top leagues, and has proven so again. HHC teams went 12-4 during the two weeks of nonconference play, with four teams -- New Palestine, Yorktown, GreenfieldCentral and Pendleton Heights -- all going 4-0. In addition, the HHC is 5-1 against the North Central Conference, with both New Palestine (42-6 vs. Richmond) and Yorktown (33-6 vs. Muncie Central) contributing to a 4-0 week in HHC vs. NCC play last week. Mt. Vernon (42-9 vs. Marion) and Pendleton Heights (19-7 vs. Anderson) also led the sweep. In addition, new HHC member New Castle snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 17-14 OT win over Rushville. This week, New Castle hosts Pendleton Heights in the Trojans’ first-ever HHC game; Delta hosts Shelbyville and Mt. Vernon hosts Greenfield-Central.
New Palestine is the defending Hoosier Heritage Conference champion, having run the table with a 6-0 record last season. The Dragons have now won five conference titles, tying them with Mt. Vernon for second-most in the league’s 20-year history. NP has won three of the last four championships and has won five titles since 2005, most among HHC schools. HHC HISTORY Most HHC titles (*-shared title) 7: Delta (2000, 2001*, 2002*, 2004, 2005*, 2008, 2009) 5: New Palestine (2005*, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) 5: Mt. Vernon (1997*, 1999*, 2001*, 2003, 2012) 4: Hamilton Southeastern (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997*) 3: Pendleton Heights (1997*, 1998, 2002*) 1: Shelbyville (2007) 1: Greenfield-Central (2002*) 1: Yorktown (1999*) HHC champions by year 2003: Mt. Vernon 2013: New Palestine 2012: Mt. Vernon 2002: Delta/G-C/PH 2011: New Palestine 2001: Delta/Mt. Vernon 2010: New Palestine 2000: Delta 2009: Delta 1999: Mt. Vernon/Yorktown 2008: Delta 1998: Pendleton Heights 2007: Shelbyville 1997: HSE/MV/PH 2006: New Palestine 1996: Hamilton Southeastern 2005: New Palestine/Delta 1995: Hamilton Southeastern 2004: Delta 1994: Hamilton Southeastern
Rankings
New Palestine broke into the Top 10 during Week 4 of the 2013 season and has been there since. The Dragons started the year ranked No. 3 in each poll, and are currently No. 4 in the IFCA and No. 3 in the AP. CLASS 4A POLL RANK BY WEEK 2014 Preseason (8/19): IFCA No. 3, AP No. 3 Week 1 (8/26): IFCA No. 4, AP No. 3, Sagarin No. 1 Week 2 (9/2): IFCA No. 4, AP No. 3, Sagarin No. 4
Follow the traveling trophies
New Palestine regained the HHC’s Helmet trophy with a 35-14 victory at Yorktown on Sept. 27, 2013. The Dragons have successfully defended the Helmet three times since -- against Shelbyville (44-0), Greenfield-Central (51-7) and Mt. Vernon (20-0) in the 2013 season. The first Helmet game will be against Yorktown on Sept. 5 at Kelso Stadium. The Dragons held the Helmet for an HHC record 14 consecutive weeks in 2010-11, taking it with a 24-14 win over Delta on Aug. 27, 2010 and holding it until a 43-13 loss to PH on Aug. 31, 2012. In the interim, the lraveling leather helmet passed through five different schools’ hands. NP and Mt. Vernon also play for the Boundary Rail, which the Dragons held for seven consecutive years before surrendering it to MV last season. The piece of interurban track ran close to the rough boundary between the two school districts. NP regained the Rail with a 20-0 victory on Oct. 18 last season. This year’s meeting is Sept. 12 at Mt. Vernon.
Dragon streaks
New Palestine is in the midst of several streaks right now, having won 11 consecutive regular-season games, seven straight home games and six straight HHC contests. New Palestine records MOST CONSECUTIVE REGULAR-SEASON WINS 21: Aug. 19, 1983-Aug. 30, 1985 17: Aug. 27, 2010-Oct. 14, 2011 11: Aug. 23, 2013-present MOST CONSECUTIVE HHC WINS 20: Sept. 4, 2009-Oct. 14, 2011 (HHC record) 6: Sept. 6, 2013-present MOST CONSECUTIVE HOME WINS 38: Sept. 12, 1986-Oct. 2, 1992 7: Aug. 30, 2013-present
20 in 12
The Dragons’ potent offense also made a habit of scoring in bunches in 2013. They carried over the penchant for 20-point quarters into 2014, starting the season with two against Danville. The Dragons added a third against Richmond. 20-point quarters in 2014 21 points, 8/29 at Richmond (1st quarter) 26 points, 8/22 vs. Danville (2nd quarter) 21 points, 8/22 vs. Danville (1st quarter)
Mr. TD
Running back James Young has been the Dragons’ closer this season. Young has six touchdowns in the first two games of the 2014 season, rushing for three TDs in each contest.
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Coming off perfection
The 2013 season marks the fifth undefeated regular season in school history, the best start in school history and the most wins in school history. Undefeated regular seasons in New Palestine history 13 games: 2013. Final record 13-1 (HHC, sectional champs) 11 games: 2011. Final record 11-1 (HHC champs) 10 games: 1988. Final record 10-1 (BBRC champs) 10 games: 1984. Final record 10-1 (BBRC, cluster champs) 10 games: 1983. Final record 10-1 (BBRC, cluster champs)
Fast starts
The 2014 start marked the second-most points scored in the first two games in school history -- only eclipsed by the 2013 start to the season. Not only that, but the 103 points scored in the first two games are the seventhmost in back-to-back games. In addition, the 61-0 win over Danville was the third-biggest margin and seventh-biggest scoring game in school history. MOST POINTS, 1st 2 GAMES OF A SEASON 110: 2013 (64-8 Danville, 46-2 Richmond) 103: 2014 (61-0 Danville, 42-6 Richmond) 97: 1984 (48-0 Tri, 49-6 Beech Grove) 81: 1988 (47-0 Tri, 34-13 Mt. Vernon) 72: 1989 (32-0 Tri, 40-6 Mt. Vernon) MOST POINTS, 1st 3 GAMES OF A SEASON 156: 2013 (64-8 Danville, 46-2 Richmond, 46-7 Pendleton Heights) 139: 1984 (48-0 Tri, 49-6 Beech Grove, 42-0 South Decatur) 105: 1988 (47-0 Tri, 34-13 Mt. Vernon, 24-16 Shenandoah) 103: 2014 (61-0 Danville, 42-6 Richmond) 101: 1987 (36-16 Tri, 24-8 Mt. Vernon, 41-0 Shenandoah) BIGGEST VICTORY MARGIN 64, 10/24/86 vs. Whiteland (64-0) 62: 9/19/03 vs. Rushville (62-0) 61: 8/22/14 vs. Danville (61-0) 57: 10/15/82 vs. Tri (57-0) 56: 8/23/13 at Danville (64-8)
Play fast, score faster
New Palestine has made a habit of scoring quick TDs under coach Kyle Ralph. The opener against Danville was no exception. The Dragons tallied three touchdowns in just 3:21, and had seven touchdown drives of two minutes or less. FASTEST 2 TDs by NEW PALESTINE 2014 1:32: 8/22 vs. Danville. Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q; Alex Neligh 41 run, 6:08 2Q 1:49: 8/22 vs. Danville James Young 2 run 9:29 2Q; Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q 2:28: 8/29 at Richmond. James Young 1 run 1:23 1Q; James Young 1 run 10:55 2Q 2:30 8/29 at Richmond. Chaz Hill 39 run 9:49 1Q; Joe Izbicki 4 pass from Alex Neligh 7:19 1Q FASTEST 3 TDs by NEW PALESTINE 2014 3:21: 8/22 vs. Danville. James Young 2 run 9:29 2Q; Noah Grable 27 pass from Alex Neligh, 7:40 2Q; Alex Neligh 41 run, 6:08 2Q.
Grable the sack king
Senior Noah Grable is the team’s sack king. He and teammate Brian Wagner had 18 sacks each last season, setting a school record for sacks in a single season. He added three to the total in Week 1 for 21. Sterling Curran had three sacks in the Week 2 win at Richmond.
Almost a double-century
Junior Alex Neligh becomes the Dragons’ starting quarterback this season. He nearly equaled a rare feat in his first start, running for 98 yards and throwing for 187 against Danville. 2013 senior Blake Luker hit the 100/100 milestone several times a year ago. Neligh had his first 200-yard passing game with 229 yards on 14-of-24 passing against Richmond. That game featured several explosive plays -- a 45-yard pass to Duke Blackwell, a 41-yard pass to Noah Grable, and a 30-yard pass to Logan Greene.
Milestones
The Dragons have 297 wins in school history, three away from 300 in the program’s 47-year history. The first varsity football season came in 1968, and coach Marvin Shepler coached the first 34 seasons and 200 wins. The 250th win came in 2009 under the direction of coach Tim Able. Milestone wins 50: 9/22/78: New Palestine 20, Mt. Vernon 14 100: 10/25/85: New Palestine 21, Brookville 0 (sectional) 150: 11/9/90: New Palestine 20, Chatard 12 (regional) 200: 9/21/01: New Palestine 14, Yorktown 10 250: 8/22/09: New Palestine 22, Whiteland 16, OT
A Young millenium
Senior running back James Young hit the millenium mark a year ago, rushing for 1,250 yards over the season. It was the largest total for a New Palestine back since Eric Alcorn ran for 1,629 yards in 2005. Young topped the 100-yard mark five times in the last six games last season, and six times overall in 2013. His 266-yard game against Pendleton Heights in the sectional was the most since Nick Survant ran for 236 on Oct. 5, 2012 against Greenfield-Central. In the Dragons’ four tournament wins last season, Young averaged 182 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns. As a team, the Dragons had a rusher break the century mark 10 times in 2013, as Blake Luker did it three times and Nolan Hill once. Young has been Mr. Touchdown this year for the Dragons, scoring six times in the first two games. He has accounted for six of the team’s 15 TDs so far on the young season. James Young’s 100-yard rushing games 266 yards, 10/25/13 at Pendleton Heights (29 carries) 187 yards, 11/1/13 at Muncie South (25 carries) 159 yards, 9/6/13 vs. Pendleton Heights (24 carries) 153 yards, 11/15/13 vs. Chatard (14 carries) 120 yards, 11/8/13 vs. Mt. Vernon (26 carries) 110 yards, 10/11/13 at Greenfield-Central (11 carries)
Record-toppers
Last year’s Dragons rewrote the school’s record book. Among the records set in 2013 Tyler Walden: Career (2,134), single-season (1,231) and single-game (212) receiving yards; caeer (138), season (86) and single-game (14) receptions; career (22) touchdown receptions. Blake Luker: Career (4,494), single-season (3,761) and single-game (471) total offense; career (64) and single-season (54) total offense touchdowns. Career touchdown passes (40). Career (239) and single-season (176) completions. Noah Grable/Brian Wagner: Single-season sacks (18) Team: Most points, single-season (571); Most points in a game, both teams (102, 62-40 win over Pendleton Heights 10/25/13); most consecutive wins (13), most wins in a season (13), most total yards (6,230), single-game total yards (744 vs. Pendleton Heights)
Safety Touchdown dance
The New Palestine defense and special teams have managed to get 2 scores already this season, with a fake punt & a blocked punt TD vs. Richmond. That builds off a 2013 season in which the Dragons had four return touchdowns and four safeties. 2014 defensive/special teams scores Touchdown: 8/29 at Richmond. Chaz Hill 39-yard run on fake punt Touchdown: 8/29 at Richmond. Adam Kincaid recovered blocked punt in end zone 2013 defensive/special teams scores Touchdown: 11/22 vs. Columbus East. Garrett Kuhn 65 blocked FG Safety: 10/11 vs. Greenfield-Central. Nick Buckhorn tackled runner Touchdown 10/11 vs. Greenfield-Central. Nick Brickens 60 INT return Safety: 10/4 vs. Shelbyville. Nick Brickens tackled runner in end zone Touchdown: 8/30 vs. Richmond. Gabe Estes 35 fumble return Touchdown: 8/30 vs. Richmond. Garrett Kuhn 61 interception return Safety: 8/23 at Danville. Noah Grable sacked quarterback in end zone Safety: 8/23 at Danville. Nick Derheimer sacked QB in end zone
Red Rage pitching donuts
New Palestine’s defense earned the team’s first shutout in a season opener since the 1989 season, when the Dragons blanked Tri 32-0. That gave NP a run of five shutouts in its last nine games. The four shutouts put up by the 2013 team (vs. Shelbyville Oct. 4, Mt. Vernon Oct. 18, Muncie South Nov. 1, Mt. Vernon Nov. 8) are the most since the 2011 team hs three shutouts in a season. The school record for shutouts in a season is six, set by the 1990 state runner-up team. Most shutouts in a season 1990: 6 (9/14 vs. Zionsville, 9/21 at Beech Grove , 9/28 vs. Triton Central, 10/5 at Eastern Hancock, 10/12 vs. Franklin, 10/26 vs. Alexandria) 1983: 5 (8/26 at Lapel; 9/2 vs. Beech Grove, 9/9 vs. South Decatur, 10/7 vs. Eastern Hancock, 10/19 vs. Morristown) 1982: 5 (8/28 at Covington, 9/10 at Eastern Hancock, 10/8 at Wes-Del, 10/15 vs. Tri, 10/22 vs. Morristown) 1973: 5 (8/30 vs. Edinburgh, 9/13 vs. Eastern Hancock, 9/27 at South Decatur, 10/26 at Mt. Vernon, 11/2 vs. North Decatur) 2013: 4 (10/4 vs. Shelbyville, 10/18 vs. Mt. Vernon, 11/1 at Muncie South, 11/8 vs. Mt. Vernon) 1986: 4 (9/12 vs. Shenandoah, 9/19 vs. Knightstown, 10/3 vs. Triton Central, 10/24 vs. Whiteland)
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High-scoring streak
New Palestine started the 2013 season with 40+ points in four straight games. It’s the first such streak to start a season, and the second such streak the school has had, equaling a four-game stretch in 1987. If New Palestine can score 40+ tonight, it will mark the seventh time in school history it has tallied at least 40 in three consecutive games. 40 points in back-to-back-to-back games 1987 vs. Eastern Hancock (40-13), Lapel (49-7), Batesville (48-0), Whiteland (42-8) 2013 vs. Danville (64-8), Richmond (46-2), Pend. Hts (46-7), Delta (41-14) 2011 vs. Rushville (53-0), Yorktown (49-14), Shelbyville (49-13) 1987 vs. Shenandoah (41-0), Knightstown (50-0), Beech Grove (52-9) 1984 vs. Tri (48-0), Beech Grove (49-6), South Decatur (42-0) 1982 vs. Wes-Del (48-0), Tri (57-0), Morristown (55-0)
Meet Coach Ralph
Second-year NPHS head coach Kyle Ralph is the fifth head coach in NPHS history, and the third to lead the Dragons to an undefeated regular season, joining Marvin Shepler and Tim Able. He is the first to win his first 13 games as a Dragons head coach. Coach Ralph is a 2002 graduate of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, where he was a standout offensive lineman. He played collegiately at the University of North Carolina for head coach John Bunting, where he was a two-time First Team All-ACC performer. In 2005, his senior season, he was the ACC’s Coastal Division Offensive Lineman of the Year. He has also participated in NFL training camps with the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers. He began his coaching career at St. Xavier in 2007, then became the co-offensive coordinator at Oak Hills High School near Cincinnati in 2008. He served there for three seasons, before becoming the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Withrow University High School in Cincinnati in 2011 and 2012. At Withrow, Ralph’s team averaged 34.4 points and 335 total yards per game in 2012. In two years there, his teams went 14-6 overall. At Oak Hills, his 2010 offense broke or tied five school rushing records. His first New Palestine team rewrote the school record book, averaging more than 40 points per game and gaining 6,230 yards. Under his tutelage, the team produced its career and single-season total offense (Blake Luker) and receiving (Tyler Walden) leaders. In 2013, Luker, Walden and James Young became the first trio in NP history to give the team a 2,000-yard passer and a 1,000 yard rusher and receiver in the same season. Coach Ralph also has seven seasons of experience coaching track and field. He teaches world history and advanced PE at NPHS. New Palestine’s head coaches Kyle Ralph (2013-) 15-1 Charlie Hill (2012) 3-7 Tim Able (2009-11) 30-6 Doug Armstrong (2002-08) 49-31 Marvin Shepler (1968-2001): 200-146-2
Record when
Home: 1-0 Road: 1-0 vs. 5A: 1-0 vs. 4A: 1-0 Scoring at least 20: 2-0 30: 2-0 Allowing less than 30: 2-0 20: 2-0 300 yds offense: 2-0 400: 1-0 Allowing
