Bounce back win: Dragons get back on track with 13-3 win over Arabians

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New Palestine's Mathew Brown, left, and Hunter Burks celebrate a defensive play against Pendleton Heights on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. (Tom Russo | Daily Reporter)

PENDLETON — It was a different week for the New Palestine football program.

For the first time in Kyle Ralph’s eight seasons as the Dragons head coach, New Palestine was preparing for a game the week after a loss.

Last week at Mt. Vernon, the Dragons’ 65-game regular season winning streak came to an end. All previous losses during Ralph’s tenure have been in the postseason.

On Friday, at Pendleton Heights, the Dragons got back on the winning side of the scoreboard with a 13-3 victory over the Arabians at John Broughton Field.

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“I told the guys on Saturday the difference between that loss and the other four that we have, the other four were, ‘goodbye’,” Ralph, who is 91-5 with the Dragons, said. “That’s not easy. It’s a season over, it’s goodbye to the seniors and it’s a get back in the weight room.

“The loss last week, there was no finality to that. You get another opportunity to come back out this week and compete. I was really proud of how our kids responded to that.”

The kids that were available to play, at least.

Ralph’s Dragons were down 10 starters due to injury and he thinks two others may miss time after Friday’s game. Two freshmen started and the Dragons had just 33 players in uniform.

“With the amount of injuries we came out of (from the Mt. Vernon game) and having to replace another three starters, you have to get those young kids ready to go in a really short period of time,” Ralph added. “We’ve just been banged up all year, but I think our kids responded well to that. The loss, while tough, is an opportunity for us to continue to go and grow and get better the following weeks. The previous losses, it’s thanks for your time here. Dragon football is over for this season.”

In a game led by both defenses, New Palestine had the biggest offensive play of the game.

The Dragons had the ball for just 5:39 of the first half, but they made good use of their brief ownership. In fact, their first play from scrimmage after Pendleton Heights took a 3-0 lead on a Nick Taylor 23-yard field-goal, they answered big.

Senior quarterback Lincoln Roth hit senior wide receiver Blake Austin in stride for a 70-yard touchdown pass. It was not only the Dragons first score, it was their first first down of the game. The point-after was missed, but the Dragons had a 6-3 lead with 4:08 remaining in the first half.

The Dragon defense was in command in the second half. For the second straight season against the Arabians, New Palestine kept the Pendleton Heights offense from a second-half first down.

New Palestine gave itself a two-score lead after a fourth-quarter 11-play, 48-yard drive. Freshman running back Grayson Thomas finished it off with a nine-yard touchdown run. Brandon Tanksley hit the PAT for a 13-3 lead with 8:06 remaining.

Thomas finished the game with a game-high 86 rushing yards on 19 carries. David Spegal had eight carries for 60 yards and Roth ran 13 times for 52 yards. Austin had four catches for 109 yards.

The Dragon defense helped hold Pendleton Heights’ passing game to 2-of-16 accuracy for 18 yards. Running back Caden McClain had seven carries for 81 yards.

“That’s a really good football team,” Pendleton Heights coach Jed Richman said of the Dragons. “I don’t care how many guys they have out. I don’t care what coach says, that guy can coach. You don’t lose five games in eight years and just roll the dice and figure out what you’re doing.

“That’s a great program, not a good one, that’s a great program. I’ve coached some ball now for 20 years. I’ve seen some good ones and that’s as good as I’ve ever coached against. They adjusted very well. Their kids are extremely well-coached and we have nothing but respect for those guys.”

New Palestine won last year’s game 47-6 and have beaten Pendleton Heights nine straight times. The Arabians last win was a 43-13 victory in 2012.

The 13 points are the least in a win for the Dragons since a 7-0 victory over Mt. Vernon in 2010.

New Palestine is 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. Pendleton Heights lost for the first time this season. They are 4-1 and 2-1 in the HHC.

Pendleton Heights had started 4-0 in both 2017 and 2018, but both winning streaks ended with losses to the Dragons.

It was the second of three straight games against Hancock County opponents for the Arabians. Pendleton Heights visited Greenfield-Central last week and went home with a 35-18 win. Next week, the Arabians host Class 4A No. 1 Mt. Vernon.

New Palestine plays host to Greenfield-Central next week.

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New Palestine 13, Pendleton Heights 3

New Palestine (2-1, 1-1);0;6;0;7;-;13

Pendleton Heights (4-0. 2-0);0;3;0;0;-;3

Scoring Summary

2nd Quarter

PH – Nick Taylor 23 FG, 4:20

NP – Blake Austin 70 yd pass from Lincoln Roth (kick failed), 4:08

4th Quarter

NP – Grayson Thomas 9 yd run (Brendan Tanskley kick), 8:06

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