New Palestine High School

The 4A No. 2 Dragons football team opens the 2023 season Friday with a trip to 6A No. 7 Westfield. It is the fourth all-time meeting between the Dragons and Shamrocks, with the Dragons having won the previous three - including a 42-28 decision last year. Game info 4A #2 New Palestine Dragons (2022: 12-1) at 6A #7 Westfield Shamrocks (2022: 8-4) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 Site: Riverview Stadium, Westfield (directions: https://goo.gl/maps/47TRKfnaaTcgHRfY8) Tickets: $7, ONLINE ONLY at https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=37388 Broadcast audio: NewPalRadio.com (pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m.) SETTING THE SCENE Two powerhouses meet to open the 2023 season, as 4A No. 2 New Palestine visits 6A No. 7 Westfield. Both teams are defending sectional champions in their respective classes. Westfield has played in the State Finals two of the last three seasons. Both coaches are no strangers to success. The Dragons have three state titles (2014 - 4A, 2018 & 2019 - 5A) in four State Finals appearances under coach Kyle Ralph. The Shamrocks won the Class 5A championship in 2015 and have been runners-up in 5A (2013) and 6A (2020, 2021) under coach Jake Gilbert. The Dragons and Shamrocks have met three times, with New Palestine winning all three - in 1991, 1992 and a 42-28 victory last season. Grayson Thomas ran for 187 yards and three touchdowns last season as the Dragons outgained Westfield 449-347. Kyler Kropp added 44 yards rushing, including an 18-yard touchdown. This will be New Palestine’s fourth all-time game against a Class 6A program. The Dragons beat Center Grove 31-9 in 2018 and 28-9 in 2019 and Westfield 42-28 last season. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons will deploy a young team to open the season this weekend. They return three defensive starters - two on the defensive line - and five offensive starters from the 2022 squad that went 12-1 and won the program’s second straight sectional title. One of those returning starters is senior Grayson Thomas. He is starting his fourth consecutive season opener and is closing in on becoming the second Dragon to rush for 4,000 yards. Thomas needs 102 yards to break the 4,000 mark for his career, and 65 yards to pass Jeff Miles for second place on the NPHS all-time rushing list. He is the only back to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in school history. Thomas rushed for 1,509 yards and 26 touchdowns last season and was named to the All-Hoosier Heritage Conference team. The Dragons’ offensive line is anchored by senior Ian Moore. The Ohio State commit is the No. 2-ranked offensive lineman nationally by Rivals. He will be a two-way starter. Defensively, Michael Thacker returns for his third season as a starter after posting a sophomore season with 13 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. Both were named IFCA Top 50 All-State players in 2022. This is the Dragons 56th season of varsity football. They enter this week with 398 total wins and need two to reach the 400 mark. Of those, 116 wins have come under Kyle Ralph and 200 under Hall of Famer Marvin Shepler. The Dragons scrimmaged Scecina and Whiteland last week. They spread the ball around, as Thomas had 25 yards on three carries and Kyler Kropp 40 yards on three carries. Gavin Neal completed 4-of-8 passes, including a 38-yard touchdown to Kropp. Brady Armstrong was 4-for-4 passing. SCOUTING THE SHAMROCKS The Shamrocks return leading rusher Kendall Garnett (835 yards, 12 TDs) and their top five receivers from last season, including junior Gabe Aramboles (500 yards) and senior tight end Max Nosler (454 yards). Senior safety Andrew Lieskie (87 tackles, 3 INTs), senior linebacker Anthony Feltrinelli (80 tackles) and senior DE Coleton Vondersaar (4 sacks) lead the Shamrocks’ defense. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons travel to Decatur Central next week to conclude a two-game road swing to start the season. HHC play begins Sept. 1 at Kelso Stadium against Yorktown. FOLLOW US All New Palestine games are broadcast free-to-listen at NewPalRadio.com. All home games are also video streamed at IHSAAtv.org on a pay-per-view basis. NPHS Athletics is on Facebook (NewPalestineDragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com).