New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys soccer team kept battling from behind Thursday, but eventually fell 4-3 to East Central in a high-scoring game at Kelso Stadium. The Dragons conceded a penalty five minutes into the game, but they responded when Zach Holmes took a long ball over the top, dribbled in and beat the keeper 1v1 in the 21st minute to knot the game. In the second half, East Central again drew a penalty kick and converted in the 41st minute. The Dragons again responded in the 50th minute. Holmes beat two defenders in the corner, dribbled along the end line and crossed the ball to the goalmouth. Jonah Smith touched it to Hudson Hughes at the far post, who buried it into the open side for the equalizer. EC added two goals out of the run of play, one on a 1v1 with the keeper in the 68th minute. The Trojans extended their lead to 4-2 in the 73rd minute on a far-post cross that was put into the net. The Dragons continued to respond. Noah Diaz De Leon buried a 25-yard shot from beyond the box in the 75th minute to draw the Dragons within one. The Dragons had a couple of chances to draw the equalizer, one by earning a free kick beyond the top of the box, the other when a ball was played into the mixer in the final 40 seconds, but East Central's keeper secured the ball and cleared it after a lot of contact in the box. The Dragons are now 1-7 on the season. They next play Tuesday at home against Greenwood.