New Palestine High School

The defending Class 4A state champion New Palestine football team travels to Kokomo to kick off the 2025 season against the Wildkats. 5A 1/1 NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (2024: 14-0) at 5A RV/-- KOKOMO WILDKATS (2024: 5-5) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22 Site: Walter Cross Field, Kokomo (directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tQ98oPmYcYLqshNb9) Tickets: $7: cash at gate or online https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=134420 Audio: NewPalRadio.com (coverage begins at 6 p.m.) SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons open their 58th season of varsity football with a trip to Kokomo to face the Wildkats. The only other time the Dragons visited Walter Cross Field, in 2019, they were also coming off a state title. New Palestine and Kokomo have played three times, with the Dragons winning all three. Last year, they won a 35-14 game at Kelso Stadium, in which Jacob Davis threw for a career-high 208 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a TD. NP also won meetings in 2018 and 2019. The Dragons are again in Class 5A due to the success factor. NP competed in 5A from 2015-21, winning two state championships in three State Finals appearances. The Dragons are 16-0 all-time against the North Central Conference. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons are looking to defend their fourth state championship in the last 11 seasons, and return eight players on offense and 10 on defense who started games in 2024. The Dragons have four returning IFCA All-State players - QB Jacob Davis, RB/LB Josh Ranes, OL/DL Brock Brownfield and OL/DL Abe Walling - and six returning All-HHC performers, as DB Desmond Palmer and LB Garrett Ranes were also also honored in addition to the first four. Davis (Towson), Brownfield (Purdue), Walling (Army West Point) and Palmer (Indiana State) have committed to play at Div. I colleges next year. The Dragons return 13 of the top 15 tacklers from a defense that allowed 182 yards and 10.7 points per game a year ago, including Garrett Ranes (92 tackles, 3.5 sacks) and Brownfield (56 tackles, 7 sacks). Connor Jacobia led the team with four interceptions, while Caden Jacobia and Aalijah Lissade had three each. Offensively, Davis returns to lead an offense that averaged 403 yards and 40.1 points per game last season. He completed 68% of his passes for 1,949 yards - the seventh-highest single-season total in school history. Josh Ranes ran for 2,238 yards - the fourth-highest single-season total - and 30 touchdowns. Mason Oglesby (364 yards) and Cameron Rollyson (283 yards) are the top returning receivers. Brownfield and Walling are returning as third-year starters bookending the offensive line. Last week, the Dragons outgained Columbus North 209-120 in the 27-play varsity segments of the scrimmage, outscoring the Bull Dogs 18-6. Davis completed 5-of-7 passes for 62 yards and a 31-yard TD to Landon Maddox. Caden Jacobia and Josh Ranes combined for 66 rushing yards on five carries. Lissade had a 38-yard TD catch from Ryder Gardner. Connor Jacobia led the Red Rage with an interception. SCOUTING THE WILDKATS Kokomo is coming off a 5-5 season, but will be featuring a new coach, as Caleb Small comes over from Northwestern, where he led the Tigers to a 9-2 record last season, their best year since 2011. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator at Ben Davis, where he helped lead the Giants to a state title in 2023. He was a standout QB at Hamilton Heights, and later at Marian, where he won an NAIA title. The Wildkats will have a new look, as they will run a spread attack instead of the tight run-heavy double-wing they had run under previous coach Austin Colby. Senior Brandon Humphries was handling QB duties last week, while senior Derrick Ross the lead running back. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons travel to Decatur Central for the final non-conference game of the year next week. The home opener will be Sept. 5 against Yorktown. 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 and Instagram (@NewPalestineDragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com).