crimsonace1

If you go back to when the MIC was formed, Ben Davis, Carmel, Warren Central and North Central were all independents, and so it largely fit. The Terre Haute schools struggled to find teams to play, so they fit into that group. Lawrence North was in the CSAC (with Pike, Decatur Central, Franklin Central and LC), which later became part of Conference Indiana. Center Grove had been nomadic - CSAC to South Central to MIC - and didn't really "fit" in a conference. At the time, Pike, Franklin Central and Decatur Central were smaller schools (Pike & FC had just moved from 4A to 5A and DC was still 4A). LC didn't quite have the athletic profile of its township neighbor. Southport & Perry Meridian moved into CSAC to replace the loss of LN, Brownsburg & CG. Of course, the MIC's formation and CG bolting the South Central led to the merger of the remnants of CSAC and the SCC into Conference Indiana (and later, the MIC & Conference Indiana swapped the TH schools with Pike & LC, which had grown into mega-schools).

Let's face it. You're completely off-base and uninformed. Again. There is more than one sport in Indiana HS athletics, and the Lawrence schools are more than competitive. LC has played in a football State Finals in the last decade and is one of the top boys basketball teams in the state this year. LN has struggled but has historically had a decent program - if not a state-level one. LN has won multiple state championships in boys basketball and was a state finalist in girls hoops last year. Both have had really good baseball teams in recent years. And, demographically, they're two large Marion County township schools, and fit very well in a league that includes *six* large Marion County township schools, all of whom are contiguous to each other. I'm sure there was a "kick North Central out of the MIC" thread, but the Panthers have turned it around. The MIC is a very good conference. LC and LN fit very well in it. I know you have a fetish for the HCC, but the HCC is - outside of Franklin Central - a league of large suburban schools outside of Marion County. Brownsburg, Zionsville, Avon, Noblesville, Westfield ... if there's a MIC team which fits in that league geographically, it's Carmel, but Carmel does fine in a league with its rivals Ben Davis and Center Grove.

New Pal has never played Noblesville. And the last game they lost - two years ago against Zionsville - was with a team full of sophomores in a rebuilding year to a very good program that just won a 6A sectional. Decatur Central *never* led against New Palestine, and trailed 28-6 at half. There was never a chance to go in for a "multiple TD lead." With regards to Michigan City, MC dominated the first quarter, NP hit a big 77-yard passing TD, and the Dragons seized control, took a lead going into halftime and then pulled away in the second half. While New Palestine has a number of two-way players, understand they condition to play four quarters. Against Center Grove, Whiteland, Cathedral - all teams who have huge rosters and no two-way players - NP has a 70-3 second-half scoring advantage (21-0 against Whiteland, 28-0 against Cathedral, 21-3 vs. Center Grove). Spegal is an X-factor, as he's a punishing runner and a difficult guy to tackle 30 times a game. His best work comes late in games. These teams are very evenly matched. Both have great OLs, really defensive fronts, aggressive defenses, good running backs, QBs who can make plays. It's going to come down to the fourth quarter. Hook, Spegal, King, Jones, Dingman ... lots of great players and difference-makers on the field.

I'm not sure NP would dominate Carmel, but it would be a competitive game. Same with Valpo-Carmel (which was a competitive game last year). And NP did beat the other 6A finalist 28-9.

Coach Ralph oversees the softball team's weight training and has been recognized with some bling from their championships, too. The football program's weight room culture is insane. Probably my favorite story from this entire run was the day after they won the state title in 2014, the guys were lined up at the weight room door ready to lift. Coach had to tell them to go home, relax and take a few days off. This group is a really special one. Their work ethic is unbelievable. Combine that with a talented group coming through, and you have a 4A team capable of competing for 5A state championships. This should be a good matchup. IMO, the score predictions are a bit high. These two teams have incredible defenses. It should be a closely-matched, low-scoring game.

Geography. There aren't a lot of 3A teams in the northern half of the state, so the Indy teams got routed through the northern semistate. Last year, Marion played in a southern semistate in Class 4A because that class is very north-heavy. If you look at the 3A map, the north/south dividing line goes right through the middle of Indianapolis. For those who want to question the geography, here are the maps, color-coded by sectional.

Of note: Roden had previously coached at Oak Hills, so he has a pretty strong connection to the program and community.

I'm never going to take a Mo Moriarity-coached team lightly. And that was the first thing Coach Ralph said to us on our postgame when we brought it up - Mo is a great coach who has been successful at the HS level and coached in the Big Ten. They've gotten to know each other fairly well recently. BHSS is in the semistate for a reason. Very good running game. They're going to be well-prepared. I would expect NP will be, too. Coach Ralph is extremely detail-oriented and his players buy in.

Once again, DT confuses college and pro sports with high school athletics, and once again speaks about things he knows little about. The missions of high school and college sports are different. The transfer had nothing to do with competitiveness and everything to do with his the family business moving from Muncie to the Indianapolis area, where there are more business opportunities. This was very well-documented two years ago (https://www.thestarpress.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/04/05/delta-star-running-back-charlie-spegal-transfers-new-palestine/486430002/). The IHSAA approves all transfers unless it is for athletic reasons (this wasn't) or undue influence was used (which didn't happen). It's what's in the best interest of the student. Students move all the time because their parents move without anyone batting an eye. It's not different because one student is an elite athlete.

Only time I saw them was a 49-7 game against the top team in 5A, so it's difficult to get a really fair read, but they do a nice job mixing the run and the pass. Their QB, who started last year as a freshman at Greenfield-Central, throws it well. They use a second QB who is more of a runner, and will put both in formation (one as a QB, one as a slot). Their RBs - Cole and Labelle - are solid if not flashy. Have a solid group of DBs. They don't score a ton of points, but their defense is pretty good.

Yes. 6 rounds of the tournament (so a state + regional or two semistates in a two-year span) would bump them up to 6A. As of now, NP is guaranteed to be in 5A through at least the 2022 season. By then, given the way the New Palestine school district is exploding in population, NP might be 5A by enrollment (neighboring Mt. Vernon will be, too, and I wouldn't be shocked to see Pendleton Heights join them).

"Larry" appears to be a NP student who's just posting dumb stuff on social media to rile people up (one of his posts was "everyone's trying to figure out who I am"). Every school has that person. The best thing to do is ignore them. The poster who was making false accusations appears to live in New Pal and sent his kids to Cathedral and appears to be a bit sore over the loss, and had a bit of a hostile response when that was pointed out to him by someone. Classy response by the official Cathedral account, which is a great program.

He played some LB at Delta. Last year, he rotated in at nose tackle last year when NP played Center Grove. Did a good job, too.

Ran for 1958 yards and 17 TDs as a freshman for Delta. He's being recruited by a number of schools but only has a couple of offers (and a PWO from Tennessee).

10,445 yards - most in state history (Mireles 8,110), 6th all-time nationally 1,024 points - most in state history, 4th all-time nationally 170 touchdowns - most in state hitory

Kyle King has done some incredible things on the football field, but went four quarters toe-to-toe with Dawand Jones last year in the regional despite Jones being six inches and about 100 pounds bigger.

NP got it at the 20 (touchback after a missed FG). Next play was a sack to the 14, then a 35-yard pass to Roudebush to midfield (IMO, the real turning-point play of the game), then Spegal's 50-yard run after a short gain.

Don't forget "urban sprawl"

I climbed on this soapbox in our postgame show tonight as we waited for our postgame interview ... but for those who want to downplay New Palestine's schedule, the Dragons have beaten two regional champs this regular season (6A Center Grove 28-9 & 4A Mt. Vernon 49-7). There was another win against Pendleton Heights, a team that beat regional champ MV in the regular season and played them to the wire in the sectional final. I'm not sure too many teams in the state have two wins vs. semistate participants.

The New Palestine O-Line has been the key to the Dragons' offensive success for years, and a key starter returned this week in Jacob Brittsan. He & Kyle King form a formidable right side, Noah Mack is a three-year starter at C and is a junior. Those guys live in the weight room and it pays dividends on Friday nights. Put a running back like Spegal behind a relentless, strong line and they can be good. In every close game this year - CG, Pendleton Heights, Whiteland, Cathedral - they've taken over in the second half.

Two things he mentioned in pregame interviews - three turnovers a game (he reminded me of that in our postgame conversation tonight, as they got three), and Charlie Spegal's is best when he gets to carry 20+ as he's such a load to bring down, he can wear down a defense. Tonight, carries 1-19 for Spegal: 97 yards, 1 TD Carries 20-30: 188 yards, 3 TD with runs of 50, 31 and 64.

That sequence ... Irish 2nd-and-2 from the 3, get stopped twice then miss a field goal. Right after: 35-yard pass to Eric Roudebush on 2nd-and-15, then 50-yard TD run by Charlie Spegal two plays later, 14-10 Dragons Maxen Hook forces a fumble, Aven Jones recovers on the next play. Spegal +30 (plus a penalty) to the Irish 5 ... in the EZ three plays later, 21-10 Cathedral punt, Charlie Spegal 64-yard run on 3rd-and-6 ... 28-10 Next snap, Hook pick-6 ... 35-10. The game completely flipped in about seven and a half minutes of clock time from late 3rd to early 4th quarter. But that's what Kyle Ralph's teams have done - they can overwhelm with quick turnarounds.

Let me say unequivocally that this person doesn't speak for any of us at NP. Cathedral is a class program with a great fanbase. Tip of the cap to them. Tonight was two good football teams playing a game where the score belied how it was played. Congrats to Cathedral on a great year. That program will be back. Considering the caliber of opponent and the final score, this might be the most impressive win in NP football history.

Video: IHSAAtv.org Audio: NewPalRadio.com To say these two schools have incredible tailgating scenes would be an understatement.

Back to football ... the more I look at these two teams, I don't see a lot of difference. Cathedral has a good QB, a solid 1-2 punch in the running game and big-play receivers. It also has a really good defensive front/LB group that's great at stopping the run. New Pal has a good QB, several good receivers, the state's all-time rushing leader and scorer running behind an All-State lineman and a really good defensive front/LB group that's great at stopping the run. The teams' schedules can be the the talk of things every Friday, but schedules are not on the field Friday night. NP played the exact same schedule last year, then tore through the 5A field to win the state title, with the closest game being 12 points. Columbus East used to have the same criticisms lobbed at its schedule, but the Olympians have made multiple deep tourney runs in 4A and 5A over the last several years (and is a program I have the utmost respect for). Both teams have earned the right to be there. They're both great football teams. They're evenly matched. The tailgating and atmosphere will be off the charts, as you've got two football-crazed schools with great fan bases matching up on a crisp November Friday.