New Palestine High School

New Palestine hosts its 58th homecoming tonight as the Dragons face Shelbyville. SHELBYVILLE GOLDEN BEARS (3-3, 1-3 HHC) at (5A 1/1) NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (6-0, 4-0 HHC) Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3 Location: Kelso Stadium, New Palestine Tickets: $7, cash at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=144631 Audio broadcast: NewPalRadio.com Video broadcast: IHSAAtv.org/NewPalestine SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons return home for the 58th New Palestine Homecoming game, as they face Shelbyville. The Dragons are seeking their 17th straight Homecoming victory. The Dragons lead the all-time series with Shelbyville 20-9, with 12 straight wins and victories in 15 of the last 16 meetings. NP has posted shutouts in five of the last six meetings, outscoring the Golden Bears 297-7 since 2019. This will be the final game in the series, which has been played annually since 1997, as Shelbyville is leaving the Hoosier Heritage Conference after this season. The Dragons won last year’s meeting 35-0, as Josh Ranes and Caden Jacobia ran for two touchdowns each and Jacob Davis threw for 147 yards and a TD. The Dragons enter the week with a 30-game conference winning streak. They are 85-2 in HHC games under Kyle Ralph’s tutelage. NP’s 20-game winning streak is tied for the longest active streak in the state. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons remained unbeaten with their third shutout of the season last week. The Red Rage held Greenfield-Central to 47 total yards in the victory, marking the second time in three weeks they’ve held a team below 60 total yards. NP scored in all three phases last week. Brock Brownfield scooped up Sam Hirschy’s blocked punt for a first-quarter TD. In the fourth quarter, Bryan Caldwell returned a fumble for a score. The Dragons have returned three blocked kicks for scores this year, and Caldwell’s scoop-and-score was their second defensive TD. Senior QB Jacob Davis has 904 passing yards after completing 11-of-12 for 185 yards and three touchdowns last week. He needs 182 yards to pass the 4,000-yard passing mark for his career. Davis has completed 24-of-27 passes for 406 yards and five touchdowns over the last two games. The Dragons had three TDs from 40+ yards last week - Caden Jacobia had a 64-yard TD run, while Davis threw a 53-yard TD to Cael Butler and a 48-yarder to Landon Maddox. The Dragons have 11 TDs of 40+ yards in six games this season. Davis moved into seventh place on the NPHS career passing list with 2,853 yards at New Palestine. He needs 154 yards to catch Lincoln Roth in sixth place. The Dragons have spread the ball around in the passing game. They have had seven different players catch a pass in each of the last two games. Eight different Dragons have caught a touchdown pass this season. Sophomore LB Evan Walker led the Dragons with seven tackles last week. The Red Rage posted its third shutout of the season - the 18th time the Dragons have posted at least three shutouts in a year. The school record is six, set in 1983 and 1990. The Dragons have allowed 22 total points in six games, with the starers having allowed one touchdown this season - on the opening drive at Decatur Central. 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 GOLDEN BEARS Shelbyville’s 3-3 start matches its best start since 2017. The Bears’ next win would would give them their best record since that season. Shelbyville has been a run-heavy team, led by Donaven Martin (134 ypg). Freshman QB Layden Fitzgerald is throwing for 117 ypg. Grantland Fitzgerald averages 109 yards from scrimmage per game as a rushing/receiving threat. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons host New Castle for Senior Night next week. 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). Photo credit: Molly Dunn