New Palestine High School

For the 22nd time in school history and the ninth time in 10 years, the New Palestine football team will compete for a sectional championship this week, as the Dragons host Connersville at Kelso Stadium. The Dragons are 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in Class 4A. Connersville is 7-4. Game info 4A #1/1 New Palestine Dragons (10-0, 7-0 HHC) vs. Connersville Spartans (7-4, 1-2 EIAC large school division) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 (gates open 6 p.m.) Site: Kelso Stadium, New Palestine Tickets: $7, available at the gate and at https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=22455 Broadcast audio: NewPalRadio.com (pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m.) Broadcast video: IHSAAtv.org/NewPalestine (coverage begins at 6:55 p.m.) SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons play in their 22nd sectional championship game in school history tonight, seeking their 13th sectional title. NP has won six sectional championships in the last nine seasons. This is the first-ever meeting between the Dragons and Connersville. The Dragons’ last matchup against an EIAC school was in 2015, when they opened the year with a 56-14 victory at Lawrenceburg. Connersville is in a sectional title game for the second consecutive year and the second time in school history. The Dragons return to Class 4A for the first time since 2014, when they won their first state title. They were in 5A from 2015-21, winning four titles, three regional and semistate titles and the 2018 and 2019 state championships in that seven-year span. DRAGONS NOTES After finishing their 12th unbeaten regular season in school history, the Dragons opened sectional play with two wins against Hoosier Heritage Conference foes, eating Mt. Vernon 35-24 in the opening round and Greenfield-Central 33-9 last week. Last week’s win over Greenfield-Central was spurred by a defense that allowed 3.8 yards per play and forced four turnovers - a strip-and-recovery by Blaine Nunnally on the Dragons’ 1 that set up a 99-yard drive in the third quarter. Eli Hook and Daniel Thacker had interceptions that set the Dragons up in the red zone for TD drives. Isaiah Thacker also had an interception. Offensively, junior Kyler Kropp moved over to running back after an injury to a teammate and carried 24 times for 149 yards and a score. Five different Dragons scored in the game, including four with rushing TDs - Kropp, Grayson Thomas, Blaine Nunnally and Eian Roudebush. QB Danny Tippit hit Isaiah Thacker for a 16-yard TD in the passing game. Tippit completed 7-of-14 for 91 yards. Against MV, the Dragons rallied from their first deficit of the season to outscore the Marauders 14-0 in the fourth quarter. The Dragons’ lone deficit of the season, at 28-24, lasted 4:22 before Grayson Thomas and Danny Tippit had rushing touchdowns sandwiched around the first of Blaine Nunnally’s two fourth-quarter interceptions. The Dragons started fast again last week, outscoring G-C 13-3 in the first quarter. They have not surrendered a first-quarter touchdown this season and have outscored teams 52-6 in the opening quarters this season. Last week, Thomas posted the 12th 1,500-yard rushing season in school history. He now has 1,509 yards for the year and 4,090 yards from scrimmage for his career, including 3,898 on the ground. Thomas needs 65 yards to move into second place on the school’s career rushing list. Sophomore DL Michael Thacker has 12 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. He had 2.5 sacks last week. The Dragons had five players with double-digit tackles last week. Michael Thacker had 17, Mason Hiatt 15, Blaine Nunnally 15, Eli Hook 13 and A.J. Reierson 11. Tippit’s 2,213 yards comprise the sixth 2,000-yard passing season in NPHS history. He is ninth all-time in passing yardage. The Dragons are plus-23 in turnover ratio, with 29 takeaways and six giveaways. They were plus-3 last week. SCOUTING THE SPARTANS Connersville is experiencing its first seven-win season since 2012. The Spartans are led by WR Braxton Myers (63.3 ypg), RB Chance Bentley (64.8 ypg) and QB Gavin Pearson (91.1 ypg). Connersville averages 25.7 ppg and allows 26.9 ppg. LOOKING AHEAD The winner of this game will travel to face either Roncalli or Brebeuf - the Sectional 21 championship game finalists - in next week’s regional 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).