HANCOCK COUNTY — The last time Class 4A’s No. 1 ranked New Palestine Dragons participated in the Class 4A tournament they won it.
The Dragons first-round opponent can say the same thing.
Oh, and the schools are each other’s biggest rival.
Tonight’s first round meeting between the Dragons and defending state champion Mt. Vernon is why many clamor for seeding in the IHSAA tournament series. Instead, it’ll lead off as one of the state’s most intriguing opening round contests.
“With the rivalry, being in the same conference, a common opponent, they’re the defending champions, we’re ranked No. 1 right now in 4A, there are a bunch of storylines to it,” New Palestine head coach Kyle Ralph said. “At the end of the day, it’s about going out playing football. All that stuff doesn’t matter quite as much.”
It’s expected to be an ideal atmosphere tonight when the Dragons and Marauders kickoff Class 4A Sectional 22 at Mt. Vernon’s Hancock Health Stadium.
It’s New Palestine’s return to Class 4A after playing in Class 5A due to the IHSAA’s Tournament Success Factor rule.
The teams met in a regular season game in September with the Dragons winning 42-6.
“The crowd back in Week 4 was amazing,” Mt. Vernon coach Vince Lidy said. “(For tonight) nobody is on fall break, everyone is in school. It’s going to be a packed house.
“I told (our players) — and we’re going to follow our captains out from the end zone — when you’re running over to our sideline, take a peak up and take it in. All of you guys that have grown up in this community, this is what you’ve grown up wanting to play for. You are going to have a packed stadium. And it should be a great night weather-wise. It’s everything you want for a football game.”
It’s the first time the two teams have met in the postseason since 2013. The Dragons won that matchup 33-0. In 2012, Mt. Vernon ended New Palestine’s season in the first round of the sectional 40-21.
“When we played in the sectional championship in 2013 (at New Palestine), it was an incredible atmosphere,” Ralph recalled. “I think both of us were in the Top 10 at the time, it was a wild atmosphere. I’m sure it will be crazy and wild and jam-packed (tonight) just like it would be for a championship game. If you’re going to be good and play late in the tournament you have to beat good teams at some point.”
Whether it’s an October quarterfinal matchup or a November sectional title game, the matchup pits the two hottest teams in the sectional and two of the best in Class 4A.
The Dragons are 9-0 and Hoosier Heritage Conference champions. They average 48.1 points per game, best in Class 4A and fifth in the state. Their 38.4 average margin of victory is also best of class and fourth overall.
Defending state champion Mt. Vernon has a high-powered attack, too. The Marauders are 6-3, receiving votes in Class 4A polls, and have won five straight since the loss to the Dragons. In that game, New Palestine won back the Boundary Rail traveling trophy and the Hoosier Heritage Conference Helmet.
The Marauders average 37.1 points per game on the season and 49.8 during their five-game winning streak.
“Statistically, you have two good offenses,” Lidy said. “Their defense has been stout. It’s going to come down to a game of matchups. They made plays the first game, and those same kids have made plays all year long for them. We didn’t make any plays (in Week 4). I challenged our guys on both sides of the ball. At some point, both teams should make plays because we’re both good football teams. You have to be able to handle that. We made no plays last time. We’ve got to make plays.”
“You want to see teams peaking at the right time and I think they have done that,” Ralph said of the Marauders. “They’ve done a nice job finishing their season out and had a lot of convincing wins and putting up a whole bunch of points. They’re really rolling. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a team that made an incredible run last year.
“They’re a veteran bunch, experienced and know what playoff football is all about. These seasons aren’t sprints, they’re marathons …. They’re not the same team you would have seen Week 4 for sure.”
Tonight’s winner will move on to the sectional semifinal and will take on either another county rival (Greenfield-Central) or nearby conference comrade (Pendleton Heights). The Cougars (6-3) host the Arabians (5-4) in the other matchup in the bottom half of the Sectional 22 bracket. Greenfield-Central won the regular-season matchup 35-0.
In the other tournament game involving a Hancock County team, Eastern Hancock (4-5) travels to Liberty to take on Union County (4-5) with the winner facing the survivor of the Winchester (4-5) at Lapel (4-5) contest. Eastern Hancock beat Lapel 29-22 last Friday.
“Now that it’s playoff time you lose you’re done,” Ralph added. “Every week takes your absolute best focus or your season is over with. It could literally be anybody. I guarantee they are the same way. It’s not that they are going against New Pal. It’s if you lose your season’s over.
“Your kids and coaches are going to give their absolute best to make sure you preserve your season and continue to play… Everyone will be giving their absolute best.”
