New Palestine High School

The New Palestine football team returns to Kelso Stadium for a highly-anticipated matchup against a nationally-ranked opponent, as IMG Academy - the nation's No. 4 team - visits New Palestine. (USAT 2) IMG ACADEMY (FL) ASCENDERS (6-0) at (5A 2/4) NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (5-2, 4-0 HHC) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 Location: Kelso Stadium Tickets: $7, at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=209869 Audio: NewPalRadio.com Video: IHSAAtv.org ($) SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons’ top schedule continues this week, as they welcome nationally-ranked IMG Academy to Kelso Stadium. IMG, a prep school in Bradenton, Florida, is ranked second nationally in the USA Today poll. This is the second meeting this week between the Dragons and an out-of-state opponent, as they beat Wheaton (Ill.) St. Francis 28-17 in Week 1. These are New Palestine’s first-ever games against out-of-state teams. IMG is the sixth ranked team - in eight weeks - the Dragons will have faced this year. Nationally, it is New Palestine’s highest-ranked opponent in school history. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons had a solid defensive game last week against Roncalli, holding the Royals to 214 total yards, but the hosts were able to take advantage of three short fields to build a 20-0 lead. The Dragons put together a late 80-yard touchdown drive, with Cael Butler catching a four-yard pass from Rhys Ragan on the game’s last play. Butler had a 38-yard catch earlier in the drive to set up the score. The Dragons were held to a season-low 178 yards last week. They average 389 yards per game. RB Logan Parks crossed the 1,000-yard barrier last week. He now has 1,016 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season and is 16th in the state in rushing yards. Ragan passed the 3,500-yard mark for his career in Week 6 against Greenfield-Central, when he threw for a season-high 204 yards and four TDs. He now has 3,615 passing yards and 46 career TDs. He has spread the ball around - Ryder Gardner has 326 yards, Butler 315, Mason Oglesby 287 and Landon Maddox 187. All have at least 16 catches. Oglesby moved into third place on the NPHS all-time receptions list with his 97th career catch. He can join Tyler Walden and Duke Blackwell as the only Dragons with 100 career receptions with three more catches. Oglesby also passed Blaine Nunnally into eighth place on the all-time receiving yards list with 1,196. He needs 74 yards to catch Jay Ehle in seventh place. Junior linebacker Evan Walker had another big day in the middle of the Dragons’ defense. For the second straight week, he was involved a takeaway on the opening drive - forcing a fumble Xavier Harmon recovered. Walker, Andrew Davis and Cohen Wuethrich all had 13 tackles last week. Wuetrhich also had two TFLs and a sack. It was Walker’s fourth double-digit tackle game this season. Walker leads the Dragons with 72 tackles and 7.5 TFL. The Dragons rank fifth in Class 5A in scoring defense (15.4) and margin (15.9). SCOUTING THE ASCENDERS IMG beat St. James Academy (Va.) - a fellow prep academy - last week. After giving up a go-ahead score in the final minute, a long kickoff return by Osani Gayles (Alabama) set up a 47-yard field goal by Zach Brien (California) to win. DB Censere Gaylord (Washington) had two interceptions, including a pick-6. The Ascenders have 19 four-star players on their roster. IMG has scored at least 40 points in every game and average 51.3 ppg. Edge Jackson Vaughn (Notre Dame) has 15 TFL and five sacks to lead IMG’s defense. QB Jayden Wade (Georgia) is the top-rated QB in the junior class by 247. He threw for 348 yards last week. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons will welcome Delta for Senior Night next week. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. A win would clinch NP’s fifth straight outright HHC title. They will learn their sectional draw as they look to begin their title defense Sunday evening. The pairings show is scheduled for 7 p.m. at IHSAAtv.org. FOLLOW US All New Palestine games are broadcast free-to-listen at NewPalRadio.com. Home games are also available pay-per-view at IHSAAtv.org. NPHS Athletics are on Facebook and Instagram (@NewPalestineDragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com).