Dawn of A New Era 2018 New Palestine Dragons Football Media Guide 2018 NEW PALEESTINE DRAGONS FOOTBALL Aug. 17 KOKOMO 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24 CENTER GROVE 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at Yorktown* 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Mt. Vernon* 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Pendleton Heights* 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 GREENFIELD-CENTRAL* 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Shelbyville* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at New Castle* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 DELTA* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 26; Nov. 2: Sectional 7 p.m. Nov. 9 Regional 7 p.m. Nov. 16 Semistate 7 p.m. Nov. 24 5A State Finals at Lucas Oil 7 p.m. 2018 DRAGON FOOTBALL RB Luke Canfield outruns three Yorktown defenders Photo by Shelby Horsley TABLE OF CONTENTS 2018 SCHEDULE NPHS athletics/media info ................................. 2 Aug. 17 KOKOMO 7:30 p.m. Kelso Stadium ................................................... 3 Aug. 24 CENTER GROVE 7:30 p.m. 2018 season preview ........................................ 4 Coach Kyle Ralph bio ........................................ 6 Aug. 31 at Yorktown* 7:30 p.m. Meet the Dragons .............................................. 7 Sept. 7 at Mt. Vernon* 7:30 p.m. Dragon opponents ............................................. 13 Sept. 14 at Pendleton Heights* 7:30 p.m. 2017 in review ................................................... 20 Sept. 21 GREENFIELD-CENT.* 7:30 p.m. History and records ........................................... 23 Sept. 28 at Shelbyville* 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at New Castle* 7:30 p.m. FAST FACTS New Palestine High School Oct. 12 DELTA* 7:30 p.m. Nickname: Dragons *-HHC game Colors: Red and white IHSAA TOURNAMENT Town: New Palestine Oct. 19, 26; Nov. 2: Sectional 7 p.m. Hancock County: Nov. 9 Regional 7 p.m. School district: CSC Southern Hancock County (Sugar Creek & Brandywine Townships) Nov. 16 Semistate 7 p.m. Enrollment: 1,178 (2017-18) Nov. 24 5A State Finals at Lucas Oil 7 p.m. Conference: Hoosier Heritage IHSAA member since: 1916 FOOTBALL INFO Varsity football began: 1968 Head coach: Kyle Ralph (Cincinnati St. Xavier ‘02, All-time record: 342-194-2 North Carolina ‘06) Home stadium: Kelso Stadium (since 1968) Career record: 60-4 (5 years, all at NPHS) Field: Shepler Field 2017 record: 10-1 (7-0 HHC) Playing surface: Sprinturf (installed 2018) Offense: Power spread Defense: 3-3 stack ADMINISTRATION Superintendent: Dr. Lisa Lantrip FOOTBALL HISTORY Principal: Keith Fessler State championships: 1 (2014) Assistant principal: Adam Barton State Finals appearances: 3 (1990, 2014, 2015) Dean of students: Julie Young Regional championships: 5 (1987, 1990, 2013, 2014, Athletic director: Allen Cooper 2015) Assistant athletic director: Jeff Wright Sectional championships: 9 (1987, 1989, 1990, 2004, Athletic secretary: Melissa Tillage 2005, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015) Sports information director: Andrew Smith Conference championships: 18 Hoosier Heritage Conference: 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, MEDIA 2013, 2014, 25015, 2016, 2017 Online: NewPalestineAthletics.com Rangeline Conference: 1992 Twitter: @NPHSDragons Big Blue River Conference: 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, Broadcast: All games are broadcast online by New 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988 Pal Radio, with Andrew Smith and Mike Jackson on the play-by-play. Listen by logging onto TuneIn.com or the Tune In App and searching/bookmarking New Pal Radio. Coverage begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff each week. 1 ABOUT NPHS COVERING ATHLETIC DIRECTOR THE DRAGONS Allen Cooper The NPHS athletic department has seen much success under The New Palestine High School athletic Allen Cooper’s tutelage. In his seven seasons as athletic director, department welcomes media coverage of NPHS athletes have won three team state titles and six individual all of our athletic programs throughout the state championships. In addition, he has led significant upgrades to season and school year. Please contact Sports several athletic facilities, including this summer’s Kelso Stadium Information Director Andrew Smith (asmith@ renovation. Cooper has been honored as the IIAAA District 4 Athlet- newpal.k12.in.us or 317-861-4417 x2132) with ic Director of the Year in 2017. all media requests. Email is preferred. Cooper is a 1979 graduate of NPHS, where he was a three-sport athlete. He went on to play baseball collegiately at Indiana Central Credentials: Credentials will be issued (now the University of Indianapolis). He coached girls basketball to media covering games for a newspaper, at NPHS from 1988-2005, winning 228 games and four sectional radio or television station. Please contact titles. In 10 seasons as baseball coach from 2002-11, his teams went Andrew Smith at least five days in advance of 242-56 and won five sectional titles. He led the Dragons to the 2003 the game. Credentialed media members will baseball State Finals, and the 2004 state championship. Prior to have access to the Kelso Stadium press box being named the school’s athletic director in 2011, he taught English and the sidelines. The pass gate is on the west at NPHS. side of Kelso Stadium, just south of the home bleachers. All spaces in the Kelso Stadium press box are reserved. Each credentialed media member will receive pregame media notes and access to a pregame hospitality area. Internet will also be available to media members covering games. Please note the press box is a working area that includes game workers, broadcasters and print reporters and no cheer- ing is allowed. Broadcasts: All stations wishing to originate live or tape-delayed broadcasts of NPHS athletic events (radio, television or internet streaming) must request permission Jeff Wright Melissa Tillage Andrew Smith to broadcast regular season games through the ASST. ATHLETIC ATHLETIC SPORTS athletic office at least seven days in advance of DIRECTOR SECRETARY INFORMATION the contest. IHSAA Tournament rights must be arranged through 360 Group. There is one courtesy telephone line in the NPHS ADMINISTRATION press box for visiting radio stations, available on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting Andrew Smith in advance of the game. Internet connections are available, and cellular service is strong if those are needed. Interviews: Please contact Andrew Smith with any midweek or pregame interview requests. We will try to accommodate all reasonable requests. Coach Ralph will be available to media in the press box approxi- mately 10 minutes after each game, after his live interview with New Pal Radio. Pregame notes: Pregame notes are emailed to media during the week prior to each game. Please contact Andrew Smith to be Keith Fessler Adam Barton Julie Young added to the weekly distribution list. PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT DEAN Directions/parking: To access Kelso PRINCIPAL OF STUDENTS Stadium on game days, please enter from Gem Road (CR 500W). The school entrance off U.S. 52 is closed to thru traffic three hours prior to NEW PALESTINE HIGH SCHOOL each home game. New Palestine High School has been a mem- nity School Corporation of Southern Hancock From the west (I-465) or east (IN 9, U.S. ber of the IHSAA since 1916, on property that County, which covers Sugar Creek and Brandy- 52): Take U.S. 52 to Gem Road (CR 500W). has housed a school since 1884 and high school wine Townships in Hancock County. includes Turn south onto Gem Road at the stoplight. classes since 1895. Located in Hancock County three elementary schools, one intermediate and Turn left at the entrance between New Pales- in the southeast suburbs of Indianapolis, New one junior high school. tine Elementary and the Southern Hancock Palestine has received many awards for academic Among New Palestine’s notable alumni are administration building. excellence – including a U.S. News and World Apple senior vice president Angela Ahrendts, From the north (I-70): Exit I-70 at Mt. Report “Best Buy” High School and many “A” Super Bowl champion and NFL veteran Todd Yo- Comfort Road. Follow south to U.S. 52, then and Four-Star ratings from the Indiana Depart- der, longtime college football coach and current turn left (east). Follow for 1.1 miles to Gem ment of Education. In 2012, New Palestine was Maryland head coach Matt Canada, track and Road, then turn south to the entrance between named a National Blue Ribbon School by the US field world champion Pat Feeney and undefeated NPE and the administration building. Department of Education. four-time state wrestling champion Chad Red. NPHS is the lone high school in the Commu- 2 KELSO STADIUM The Dragons’ home turf Is named for two New Palestine luminaries. Kelso The stadium underwent its most significant facelift in 2018. An artificial Stadium was dedicated in honor of former NPHS principal Robert Kelso shortly playing surface replaced the old grass field, allowing Shepler Field to be used after he passed away in 1983. year-round by multiple sports and activities. In addition, a new concession The playing field is named Shepler Field. Its namesake is Hall of Fame building opened and two sections of bleachers were installed in the south end football coach Marvin Shepler. The team’s first varsity coach, Shepler led New zone. Palestine to three sectional titles and the 1990 State Finals. Between 1986-92, Entering 2018, the Dragons are 175-90-1 all-time at Kelso Stadium. The the Dragons won 38 consecutive home games on what would become Shepler Drgons have two long winning streaks on the turf. They won 38 consecutive Field. Shepler coached the Dragons from 1968-2001 and taught at NPHS for 49 home games from Sept. 12, 1986-Oct. 2, 1992, and 21 consecutive games on years, retiring in 2017. the Kelso Stadium turf from Aug. 30, 2013 through Oct. 14, 2016. The stadium The stadium has been the home of NPHS football since its inception as a has been host to 18 conference champions, nine sectional champions, five varsity program in 1968.