New Palestine High School

The Dragons football team returns to Kelso Stadium to face Pendleton Heights in a matchup of unbeaten ranked teams. (4A 6/6) PENDLETON HEIGHTS ARABIANS (4-0, 2-0 HHC) at (5A 1/1) NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (4-0, 2-0 HHC) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 Location: Kelso Stadium Tickets: $7, at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=140189 Audio broadcast: NewPalRadio.com Video broadcast: IHSAAtv.org/NewPalestine ($) Promotion: NPJH Night SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons hit the midpoint of the regular season with a contest for Hoosier Heritage Conference supremacy, as they face Pendleton Heights in a matchup of ranked teams. This is the Dragons’ first game against a team ranked in the Top 10 at the time of the game since last year’s state title contest. The Dragons lead the all-time series with PH 26-13. PH won three of four meetings from 1968-71. When the current series began in 1994, the Dragons won the first meeting, then lost the next eight. Since 2003, NP is 24-2, with 14 straight wins. The Dragons swept two meetings last season, 56-17 in the regular season and 41-7 in the sectional championship. Josh Ranes ran for 268 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season game, and 134 in the postseason tilt. The Dragons enter the week with a 28-game conference winning streak. They are 83-2 in HHC games under Kyle Ralph’s tutelage. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons posted their most dominant victory since 2018 Friday, scoring 58 first-half points en route to a 71-0 victory over Mt. Vernon. The Dragons outgained MV 529-59, with Jacob Davis throwing for 144 yards and three TDs, while Caden Jacobia had 125 yards and two touchdowns rushing, and totaled 160 yards from scrimmage and three TDs on six touches. Four of the Dragons’ nine offensive touchdowns were on plays of 30 or more yards last week. Jacobia had a 78-yard ruh, while Kade Stephens had a 77-yard TD run. Davis’ longest pass was a 55-yarder to Cameron Rollyson that set up a field goal. Jacobia is averaging 14.9 yards per carry, with 349 rushing yards and four TDs this season on 24 carries. The Dragons spread the ball around last week - eight players had a carry and four had a reception. Mason Oglesby reeled in two TD passes from Davis, while Jacobia had one. Garrett Ranes had a big day in a quarter and a half. He had a 15-yard pick-six on the Dragons’ second defensive snap, then added a blocked punt and three tackles for loss. His pick-six was the Dragons’ first defensive score of the year. The Dragons’ first-unit defense has allowed just one touchdown through four games. The Red Rage defense had 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and held MV to 59 total yards last week, including minus-5 on the ground. It was the first time since 2023 the Dragons have held a team to negative rushing yards. The Dragons are ranked No. 1 overall in the state in the Sagarin computer rankings. Davis (Towson), Brownfield (Purdue), Abe Walling (Army West Point) and Palmer (Indiana State) have committed to play at Div. I colleges next year. SCOUTING THE ARABIANS PH is 4-0 for the first time since the 2020 season and for the third time since coach Jed Richman took over in 2016. They’ve done so with a defense that’s posted two shutouts and has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season, led by Rylan Keesling (26 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery). Offensively, QB Brandt Gray is completing 70% of his passes for 480 yards through four games. His top targets are junior C.J. Mitchem (8-151) and junior Lowan Beal (10-112). Sophomore Joel Weaver has 370 yards, leading a rushing attack that’s averaging 198 yards per contest. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons head to Greenfield-Central next week for their lone road game in a six-week span. They return home Oct. 3 to face Shelbyville for Homecoming. 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).