New Palestine High School

The Dragons host Greenfield-Central for the 59th annual Homecoming game at NPHS. GREENFIELD-CENTRAL COUGARS (1-4, 0-2 HHC) at 5A 1/2 NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (4-1, 3-0 HHC) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 Location: Kelso Stadium Tickets: $7, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=205739 Audio: NewPalRadio.com Video: IHSAAtv.org ($) SETTING THE SCENE After a three-week road swing, the Dragons return to Kelso Stadium for the 59th annual Homecoming game. We welcome the alumni with a county rivalry matchup against Greenfield-Central. The Dragons can clinch a share of their fifth straight HHC title and their 12th in the last 14 years with a victory. They are 91-2 in HHC games under coach Kyle Ralph. This is the 36th meeting between the Dragons and Cougars. NP holds a 30-5 edge in the series, having won 17 straight games dating to 2011, and 18 straight regular season meetings dating to 2008. The Dragons won last year’s meeting 49-0, outgaining the Cougars 434-47. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons swept the three-game road swing with a 38-21 victory at Pendleton Heights last week. They fell behind 14-0, and then rallied to score 38 consecutive points to take command. A big running game - 340 of the Dragons’ 470 yards came on the ground - helped NP take control. For the third straight week, junior RB Logan Parks broke the 250-yard mark, as he ran for a career-high 285 yards and four touchdowns. The 285 yards were the largest rushing total since Grayson Thomas ran for 285 in 2023 against Mt. Vernon. He ranks sixth in the state and leads Class 5A with 821 rushing yards. He also leads the HHC and Class 5A with 12 touchdowns. Parks’ 285 yards came on 35 carries last week. He was the first to tally 30 carries in a game since Thomas did so in 2023 against New Castle. He needs 179 yards to reach the 1,000 yard mark for the season. Parks is the second back in Dragons football history to rush for 250 yards in three consecutive games. He ran for 267 vs. Yorktown and 263 vs. Mt. Vernon. He joins Charlie Spegal, who did so in 2018, as Dragons to rush for 250 yards in three straight. Quarterback Rhys Ragan had another efficient day. He was 8-of-11 for 130 yards and a touchdown - a 35-yard aerial to Ryder Gardner. Ragan has completed 23-of-28 passes the last two weeks. Quarterback Rhys Ragan was 15-of-17 for 193 yards and a touchdown against MV, giving him a QB rating of 191.25 for the game. Ragan needs one completion to reach 200 for his career. He has 3,314 passing yards over two varsity seasons. Junior linebacker Evan Walker had another big day in the middle of the Dragons’ defense, as he had a career-high 16 tackles - four solos and 12 assists - at PH. Cael Butler had a forced fumble that Brayden Newsom recovered in the fourth quarter. Senior SL/LB Mason Oglesby tied Blaine Nunnally for ninth place on the career receiving yards list lastweek with 1,120. He needs 54 yards to catch Brandon Collins in eighth place. With 92 career catches, he needs three to tie Colby Jenkins for third on the NPHS career list. SCOUTING THE COUGARS An injury-depleted Greenfield-Central squad looking to snap a four-game skid after a 54-0 loss to Bloomington South last week. Junior QB Carson Antle leads G-C with 349 passing yards (44% completion rate) and 136 rushing yards. Trenton Smith has 130 rush yards and Kyson Nicholson 128. Brady Martin (9-156) is the Cougars’ top receiver. G-C scores 13.4 ppg and allows 36.2 ppg. FOLLOW US All New Palestine games are broadcast free-to-listen at NewPalRadio.com. All home games are also simulcast pay-per-view on IHSAAtv.org. NPHS Athletics are on Facebook and Instagram (@NewPalestineDragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com).