New Palestine High School

The New Palestine football team finishes the regular season tonight at Delta. (5A 1/1) NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (8-0, 6-0 HHC) at DELTA EAGLES (3-5, 3-3 HHC) Time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 Location: Delta High School, Muncie (directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DtE8tTzj1L8i5ksD8) Tickets: $6, cash at gate Audio broadcast: NewPalRadio.com Video broadcast: https://www.ihsaatv.org/?B=2618240 (produced by Woofboom Radio) SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons travel to Delta for the regular season finale, seeking their second consecutive unbeaten regular season and the 14th in school history. A Dragons victory would give them their 10th unbeaten regular season under coach Kyle Ralph. The Dragons lead the all-time series with Delta 17-15. The Dragons have won 12 straight meetings and are 15-1 against the Eagles since 2010. NP won last year’s meeting 38-0 behind 235 rushing yards from Josh Ranes and Jacob Davis’ 138 passing yards. The Dragons enter the week with a 32-game conference winning streak. They are 87-2 in HHC games under Ralph’s tutelage. NP’s 22-game winning streak is tied for the longest active streak in the state. The Dragons have won 23 consecutive regular-season games, the second-longest active streak in the state. A win would clinch at least a the Dragons’ fourth straight outright Hoosier Heritage Conference title and 25th overall conference title - including the 15th in the HHC. The Dragons’ next win will be Ralph’s 150th career win. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons posted a 36-point second quarter for the second straight week in a 70-0 win over New Castle. The 70 points were the sixth-most in school history. For the third straight week, the Dragons scored on offense, defense and special teams. The Dragons have 10 return touchdowns this season - two blocked punts, a blocked field goal, one kickoff, one punt, three fumbles and two interceptions. Last week, Colin Whetsel had a 31-yard fumble return and Cameron Rollyson a 66-yard punt return. Rollyson’s punt return TD was the Dragons’ first since 2015. Mason Oglesby’s 88-yard TD run was his first rushing touchdown and the Dragons’ longest play from scrimmage this season. He tallied 101 yards on two carries, the first 100-yard rushing game of his career. The Red Rage has held four of its last five opponents to below 65 yards of total offense. New Castle gained 34 yards last week - 2 on the ground. The Dragons have allowed 25 points total this season. That’s the fewest points allowed by any team in the state this season. If the Dragons allow 17 or fewer points, it will set a school record for fewest points allowed in a season. The No. 1 defense has allowed nine points - one touchdown and one field goal - in eight games. Senior QB Jacob Davis has 1,258 passing yards this season and 4,176 his career. Davis has completed 43-of-54 passes for 760 yards and nine touchdowns over the last four games. He also has 5,431 yards of total offense in his career. He is currently sixth on the NPHS all-time passing list. He needs 75 yards to catch Blake Luker for fifth and 82 yards to pass Connor Simmons for fourth. His 39 career passing TDs are tied with Simmons for third-most in school history. He will tie Luker in second place with one more TD pass. He needs 90 yards total offense to tie Luker in fifth place on the NPHS all-time list. The Dragons have 19 sacks this season - led by Sam Hirschy’s four - and 12 takeaways. Garrett Ranes has two INTs and two fumble recoveries. SCOUTING THE EAGLES Delta looks to snap a two-game skid. The Eagles are led by first-year head coach Billy Lynch, a former standout player for Delta and Ball State. The Eagles have used two QBs - Deacon Blevins and Ryan Lynch - who have combined for 990 passing yards. Junior Aven Thomas averages 6.3 yards per carry and has rushed for 105 yards per game. Linebacker Cole Mynett has 70 total tackles to lead Delta’s defense. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons have a bye week next week, then open sectional play Oct. 31 at Plainfield. Three of the four teams in Sectional 13 are in the 5A Top 10. 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: Molly Dunn