New Palestine High School

For the 13th time, the New Palestine football team enters regional play this week as the No. 1 Dragons travel to No. 2 Roncalli. It's the first 1-2 matchup in the state tournament for a Dragons team since facing Cathedral in the 2019 regional. It's the first meeting with Roncalli since a 44-13 victory for the Dragons in the 2014 regional en route to the program's first state championship. Game info 4A #1/1 New Palestine Dragons (11-0, 7-0 HHC) at 4A #2/2 Roncalli Royals (11-1, 2-1 Circle City) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 (gates open 6 p.m.) Site: Bob Tully Field, Roncalli HS, Indianapolis (directions: https://goo.gl/maps/Y74LV2ogaBTPyabr8) Tickets: $10, cash only, available at the gate Broadcast audio: NewPalRadio.com (pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m.) Broadcast video: IHSAAtv.org (Roncalli-produced broadcast) PARKING: Dragons fans are being asked to park at St. Jude Catholic Church at 5353 McFarland Road, which sits in front of Roncalli High School. There will be a designated visitors' entrance near the parking lot at St. Jude. (A map is attached) SETTING THE SCENE For the 13th time in school history and the seventh in the last 10 years, the Dragons are competing in the regional. This matches up the top two teams in Class 4A. This is the seventh meeting between the schools, all of which have come in the postseason. The Dragons won the most recent meeting 44-13 in the 2014 regional en route to the program’s first state championship. The Dragons are 7-5 all-time in regional games. Under head coach Kyle Ralph, they are 5-1 in the regional, winning titles in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019. This is the Dragons’ first No. 1 vs. No. 2 tournament game since a 35-10 victory over Cathedral in the 2019 Class 5A regional. The Dragons were ranked No. 1, the Irish No. 2 going into that contest. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons completed their 13th sectional championship last week with a 43-14 victory over Connersville. The Dragons had the most difficult path through a sectional rated by Sagarin as the toughest in 4A, as the combined records of their opponents was 20-10. The Dragons’ offense was at maximum efficiency last week, tallying 43 points on six possessions and needing just 24 plays to score six touchdowns. The Dragons amassed 359 yards, averaged 15.5 yards per play and tallied 15 first downs in those 24 plays. Last week’s victory marked the third time in four weeks the Dragons have had a 200-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver. Last week, senior QB Daniel Tippit threw for 224 yards, completing 11-of-14. Senior WR Isaiah Thacker had four catches for 109 yards, while junior RB Kyler Kropp tallied 112 yards and three TDs on eight carries. Senior WR Blaine Nunnally had two touchdowns in the receiving game, with his two catches going for 54 yards. Kropp’s game came in his first career start at running back. He moved over to RB during the sectional semifinal against Greenfield-Central and ran for 149 yards in that contest. The Dragons have had a 100-yard rusher in 10 of their 12 games this season. Tippit has 2,437 passing yards this season. He needs 63 yards for the fifth 2,500-yard season in school history. He is also eighth on the Dragons’ career passing yards list. With 81 catches for 1,515 yards, Isaiah Thacker ranks fourth in career receptions and receiving yards. His 822 yards are eighth on the single-season list. Blaine Nunnally is eighth with 1,120 career yards. The Dragons started fast again last week, outscoring Connersville 29-0 in the first quarter. They have outscored teams 181-6 in the opening quarters this season, surrendering only two field goals. Sophomore DL Michael Thacker has 12 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. Senior LB Eli Hook led the Red Rage with eight tackles last week against Connersville. He has 103 tackles to lead the Dragons this season. The Dragons are plus-23 in turnover ratio, with 29 takeaways and six giveaways. Two of New Palestine’s regular season foes - Yorktown and Westfield - are still alive. SCOUTING THE ROYALS Roncalli enters 11-1, with the lone blemish a 24-23 loss to Cincinnaty Elder in Week 8. The Royals advanced with a 21-14 come-from-behind victory over Brebeuf, fueled by a pick-6 by J.J. Prendergast. RB Luke Hansen ran for 139 yards and WR Nolan Tunny had 109 yards receiving and two TDs. The Royals outgained Brebeuf 282-244 in a defensive tussle. Hansen is the state’s second-leading rusher, having run for 2,681 yards and 31 TDs. He averages 7.6 yards per carry and has eclipsed the 300-yard mark three times. LOOKING AHEAD The winner of this game will face either East Central or Evansville Memorial in the semistate. If the Dragons win this week, the semistate will be at Kelso Stadium. 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).