New Palestine High School

The New Palestine football team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Dragons travel to Yorktown to face their third consecutive ranked team. 5A 1/2 NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (1-1, 0-0 HHC) at 4A 6/7 YORKTOWN TIGERS (2-0, 0-0 HHC) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 Location: Tiger Stadium, Yorktown Tickets: $6, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=202226 (limited cash sales at the gate, fans are STRONGLY encouraged to purchase tickets early) Audio: NewPalRadio.com Video: IHSAAtv.org (via Yorktown) SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons open conference play with a trip to Yorktown and their third consecutive game against a ranked opponent. Eight of the Dragons’ nine regular-season opponents has either been ranked or received poll votes this season. Yorktown held station at No. 6 (IFCA)/No. 7 (USA Today Network) in Class 4A this week. The Dragons are looking to bounce back from their first loss in a 30-game stretch spanning three seasons, as they fell to 4A No. 1 East Central last week. Yorktown enters this game 2-0 for the 10th consecutive season after wins over Anderson and Muncie Central. The Dragons hold a 26-5 record in the all-time series against the Tigers. NP has won 14 consecutive meetings dating to 2013, including a 35-10 win last season. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons look to bounce back from a 14-6 defeat in a matchup of top-ranked teams in Classes 4A and 5A. The Dragons outgained the Trojans 302-222, and doubled them up in yardage in the second half, but were scoreless in the second half despite having three drives into the red zone. RB Kade Stephens ran for a career-high 127 yards against East Central, leading a rushing attack that gained 163 yards on the ground. It marked Stephens’ first career 100-yard game. His previous career high was 89 yards, set last season against Mt. Vernon. QB Rhys Ragan spread the ball around to five different receivers, throwing for 139 yards. Cael Butler had 60 receiving yards, while Mason Oglesby tallied five catches for 49 yards. Ragan hooked up with Landon Maddox for an 11-yard touchdown in the first quarter, one play after hitting Butler for a 19-yard pass on fourth down. Safety Andrew Davis led the Red Rage with 14 tackles, while cornerback Xavier Harmon tallied 13 tackles. They became the second and third players to tally double-digit tackles in a game this season. LB Evan Walker had 15 tackles in the opener against Wheaton St. Francis. Junior DL Sam Hirschy has a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hurries. He tallied 20.5 TFL and 8.5 sacks a year ago. A three-star prospect, Hirschy currently has 23 FBS offers. After a 49-yard receiving game last week, Oglesby needs 36 yards to become the 12th 1,000-yard receiver in school history. The University of Kansas commit is also seventh on the all-time receptions list with 79. Dragons head coach Kyle Ralph is one of three coaches in IHSAA history to coach five unbeaten state championship teams, joining Hall of Famers Dick Dullaghan and Bud Wright. SCOUTING THE TIGERS Yorktown welcomes the Dragons with a 2-0 record and a strong offensive game. Senior QB Sam Tokar, a three-year starter, has thrown for 278 yards and five touchdowns in two games this season. He has thrown for more than 3,500 career yards and helped lead Yorktown to its first-ever 4A sectional title last season. His top receiver is senior Kaden Crumes (10 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD). Yorktown has spread its running game around. Nine different players combine to average 122.5 yards per game. Defensively, Yorktown has allowed seven points this season. Senior Diezel Walker leads the Tigers in tackles with 16. Crumes had two interceptions. FOLLOW US All New Palestine games are broadcast free-to-listen at NewPalRadio.com. Home games are also simulcast at IHSAAtv.org. NPHS Athletics are on Facebook and Instagram (@NewPalestineDragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com).