INDIANAPOLIS — For much of the night, the New Palestine football team had a lead over Decatur Central and had multiple opportunities to put the game away.
But the 4A No. 5 Dragons surrendered 10 points over the final 5:13 to drop a 43-42 decision to Class 5A No. 8 Decatur Central.
The Dragons fall to 0-2 for the second time in 11 years, while DC improves to 2-0 after its second rally from two scores down to win in as many weeks.
“We did as many poor things as you could put into a game of football tonight,” NP coach Kyle Ralph said of the Dragons’ contest.
The Dragons appeared to be in the clear when Grayson Thomas took a third-down run 52 yards for his fourth touchdown to put them up 42-33 with 5:50 left.
But DC responded with a long pass to K.C. Berry, which set up Ashton Vogel’s 46-yard field goal with 5:13 remaining to cut the lead to six. The Dragons drove to midfield and Thomas appeared to be close to a first down on a third-down run, but was ruled a yard short. On the next play, he was stuffed by the blitzing Hawks. DC then converted its own fourth-and-one — the 11th pass completion to wideout Fa’Rel Carter — and then tossed a 26-yard pass to Chris Richmond on the next play. That set up quarterback James Polston’s game-winning score, a 7-yard run with 42 seconds left.
Polston threw for 348 yards — including 150 and two touchdowns to Richmond, who had scoring grabs of 48 and 38 yards.
The first gave the Hawks an early lead, but NP responded with three straight drives that ended in Thomas touchdowns to go up 21-7 after a quarter. DC responded with a touchdown after facing second-and-14 on the second scoring play to Richmond, and tied the game on the next possession. Vogel hit a 40-yard field goal at the end of the half to give the Hawks the lead.
The Dragons again appeared poised to put the game away early in the third. Thomas took the first play 76 yards, setting up a 4-yard run by Gavin Neal to put NP up 28-24. After a three-and-out, the Dragons scored again on a 13-yard run by Kyler Kropp.
But DC responded with a 12-play, 82-yard drive to cut the lead to 35-30. Vogel then hit a 44-yard field goal to cut the lead further. The Hawks scored or had a field goal attempt on their final five drives.
Thomas had a career-high 234 yards and four touchdowns to lead a Dragons offense that tallied 419 yards. Kropp ran for 57 yards and had 100 receiving yards.
The Dragons open conference play next Friday at home against Yorktown.
–
Decatur Central 43, New Palestine 42
New Palestine (0-2);21;0;14;7;-;42
Decatur Central (2-0);7;17;6;13;-;43
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
DC – Chris Richmond 38 pass from James Polston (Ashton Vogel kick), 8:37
NP – Grayson Thomas 5 run (Jake Wells kick), 5:30
NP – Thomas 22 run (Wells kick), 4:19
NP – Thomas 1 run (Wells kick), :41
2nd Quarter
DC – Richmond 48 pass from Polston (Vogel kick), 9:54
DC – Npo Dodo 27 run (Vogel kick), 5:54
DC – Vogel 40 FG, :00
3rd Quarter
NP – Gavin Neal 4 run (Wells kick), 11:35
NP – Kyler Kropp 13 run (Wells kick), 8:19
DC – Dodo 1 run (pass failed), 2:53
4th Quarter
DC – Vogel 44 FG, 9:00
NP – Thomas 52 run (Wells kick), 5:50
DC – Vogel 46 FG, 5:13
DC – Polston 7 run (Vogel kick), :42
