HIGH SCHOOL

New Palestine seeks second title in a row; big, physical Valparaiso stands in the way

Throughout New Palestine’s seven-year run under Kyle Ralph, the Dragons have run into teams of all shapes and sizes. On Friday night, in the Class 5A championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium, Ralph knows his team will not win the size comparison – in individual players or rosters.

Second-ranked Valparaiso (13-0) played in Class 6A the previous six seasons and has an enrollment of 1,994 students. New Palestine has an enrollment of 1,173 and is a 4A program playing up a class due to the tournament success factor. And it's not only that, Ralph said. The Vikings are huge.

Valparaiso’s starting offensive tackles are 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds (senior Ben Scott) and 6-6 and 300 pounds (junior John Hofer). The defensive ends are not quite as big – junior Cooper Jones is 6-5 and 250 pounds and junior Dylan Dingman is 6-2 and 250 pounds – but are just as destructive. 

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“They look like refrigerators with arms and legs out there,” Ralph said. “They’re huge.”

Not that Ralph is feeling sorry for himself – nor should anybody else. In Ralph’s seven seasons, New Palestine has won 96 percent of its games. The Dragons have punched above their weight before and fared just fine, including two victories over 6A state finalist Center Grove the past two regular seasons.

New Palestine, a two-time state champion under Ralph, winning Class 4A in 2014 and 5A last season, might have its best team. The top-ranked Dragons (13-0) have been challenged three times this season, by Center Grove in Week 2, Whiteland in the first round of the sectional and Cathedral in the regional. But the final scores in all of those games – 28-9 over Center Grove, 35-7 over Whiteland and 35-10 over Cathedral – show how difficult it is to stay with the Dragons for all four quarters.

“It is just a great program in general,” Valparaiso coach Bill Marshall said. “When we break down film and see their roster, they are not outlandishly large or big like some of the (Duneland Athletic Conference) schools we see, like Merrillville. But what they do, they do it very well and make teams pay for it.”

Jacob Brittsan (55) helped clear the way for Charlie Spegal (32) and the New Palestine offense in their regional win over Cathedral.

The marquee matchup in the 5A game may be Valparaiso’s defense, led by defensive ends Jones and Dingman, against the state’s all-time leading rusher in New Pal senior Charlie Spegal (3,008 rushing yards, 54 touchdowns). Jones is a big-time prospect with offers from Indiana, Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State. Valpo has allowed just 9.0 points and 171 yards of total offense per game this season.

Jones (46 tackles and 6 ½ sacks) is a long and rangy athlete, while Dingman (11 sacks) is more of a powerful end who could play defensive tackle. Marshall said Jones typically draws more attention from opposing offenses, which has helped to free Dingman to make plays.

“Dylan in his own right has been phenomenal,” Marshall said. “He’s very good at playmaking, getting in the backfield and being disruptive. They are like a black and white difference. Cooper has the length, speed and size of a Big Ten school recruit. Dylan is more compact and probably a little more physical up front. He could be a defensive tackle as well. They both have really worked hard and play off each other’s strengths as well.” 

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But just as intriguing as Jones, Dingman and Co. against Spegal and the New Pal offense will be the Dragons’ outstanding defense, which has allowed just 8.0 points and 170 yards per game (nearly identical to Valpo) against the Vikings’ offense.

Valparaiso prefers the ground game with its big offensive line and junior Tommy Burbee (1,661 rushing yards, 22 TDs) and sophomore Hayden Vinyard (711 rushing yards, seven TDs). New Pal’s defense, led by seniors Aven Jones, Kyle King and Maxen Hook and junior Richard Clevenger, is allowing just 69 rushing yards per game.

“I think their whole team is on par with Center Grove, Cathedral and the best teams we’ve played,” Ralph said. “They are really big, really well-coached and incredibly physical. They have a lot of Division I talent and are one of the best teams you’ll find in the state, period. Fortunately, we’ve played teams like that. We’ve seen multiple Division I linemen and gone against Cathedral’s 300 pounders. We’ll see what we’re made of. This is one of the best teams we’ll see.”

Valparaiso was one step away from making it to Lucas Oil Stadium last year in 6A, falling 14-10 to Carmel in the semistate. Neither team should be overwhelmed by the moment.

“(The senior class) has been through a lot of ups and downs that football presents,” Ralph said, referring to sectional losses to Columbus East in 2016 and Zionsville in 2017 in addition to last year’s state championship. “They don’t get rattled by too much.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

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Class 5A state championship

Matchup: No. 1 New Palestine (13-0) vs. No. 2 Valparaiso (13-0)

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Notable: New Palestine is seeking its third state championship and making its fifth overall appearance. Valparaiso is playing in its fourth football state championship and seeking its first state title since winning the 1975 Class 3A crown. … This is the only state championship game featuring two undefeated teams. … New Palestine senior Charlie Spegal has state records for rushing yards (10,707), touchdowns (174), rushing touchdowns (172) and points (1,048).