PENDLETON — The Arabians were in the game and had a real shot at knocking off the top-ranked Dragons, but turnovers and a resilient New Palestine team dashed the hopes of Pendleton Heights in the Hoosier Heritage Conference battle of unbeaten teams.
The Dragons scored 15 points in the opening minutes of the third quarter to turn a six-point halftime lead into a three-touchdown edge, taking control in a 42-21 victory at Pendleton Heights.
The loss, the first of the year, dropped the Arabians to 4-1 on the season (2-1, Hoosier Heritage Conference) heading into the 7:30 p.m. Friday homecoming showdown against conference rival Mt. Vernon.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“Mt. Vernon is a very dangerous team, with a lot of weapons,” head coach Jed Richman said. “They are extremely well coached, and we expect a battle Friday.”
In the match-up against the Dragons, who became the fifth team in state history to win 50 consecutive regular-season games, the Arabians had their chances.
Pendleton Heights tried to slow the game down in the opening half, taking more than six and a half minutes on the opening possession of the game, before Dragons defender Ryker Large picked off a Christian Conkling pass to end the drive.
The Arabians’ slow tempo — often running the play clock down to one or two seconds on each play — shortened the game and limited possessions.
“We ran the game plan we wanted to run — I was very proud of how physical we played,” Richman said. “They are very disciplined and execute very well.”
New Palestine got on the board first when quarterback Zack Neligh hit receiver Colby Jenkins on a 40-yard touchdown pass play. The Arabians blocked the extra point, but New Pal had a 6-0 lead in the first.
The Dragons made it 13-0 on a Charlie Spegal eight-yard touchdown run at 9:13 of the second quarter, but the Arabians got in the game.
Conkling hit receiver Anakin Allison on a four-yard touchdown pass, and the Arabians were right back in it 13-7 with 5:25 left in the second quarter.
The Dragons took the second-half kickoff and went 80 yards in seven plays, keyed by Neligh’s 42-yard scamper down the left sideline. It set up a three-yard touchdown run by Spegal.
On the first play of the Arabians’ ensuing possession, New Palestine forced and recovered a fumble, setting up another short field and a TD run by Neligh. A two-point conversion extended the lead to 28-7 with 7:43 to go in the third quarter.
The Arabians had a chance to make it a 28-14 game in the third but fumbled on the one yard line, killing an impressive drive.
“Take nothing away from New Pal, we beat ourselves with missed opportunities and two costly turnovers Friday,” Richman said.
New Palestine extended the lead to 35-7 on a 50-yard TD run by Spegal early in the fourth quarter in which he found a hole, cut right and outran the Arabians to the pylon to put the game away.
Pendleton Heights answered, when Conkling hit David Stahly for on a 51-yard touchdown pass, but it was too little too late with 8:57 left in the fourth.
Spegal and Neligh carried the load on a mammoth six-minute touchdown drive that put an exclamation point on the victory.
Conkling hit Allison on a nine-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game to top off the scoring.
Conkling threw for 297 yards — 102 and two scores to Allison. Conkling was also sacked five times. New Palestine held Pendleton Heights’ standout receiver Eli Pancol in check, as the Duke recruit had three catches for 35 yards.
Allison was all over the field for the Arabians with 27 tackles (nine solo), eight catches for 103 yards, two touchdowns, and an average 43 yards on three punts.
