Pendleton Heights’ Isaac Wilson gets ready to throw a pass during their game against New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Caden Sims makes a catch along the sidelines for a first down in their game against New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Colton Frank throws a pass during the second half of their game against New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Isaac Wilson turns the corner on as he gets close to a first down against New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
New Palestine’s Ian Moore(l) and Pendleton Heights’ Luke Graham(r) battle it out on the line of scrimmage in their game at New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
New Palestine’s Kyler Kropp dives over Pendleton Heights’ Drake Stevens(12) into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night to make the score 14-0.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
New Palestine’s Grayson Thomas(4) tries to go get away from a diving Pendleton Heights’ Isaac Hill during their game at New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Nate Walls(78) battles with New Palestine’s Ian Moore during their game at New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
New Palestine’s Micah Clark in red tries to take the ball away after an interception by Pendleton Heights’ Nolan Souders during their game at New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Isaac Wilson(13) runs behind the block of Pendleton Heights’ Isaac Hill as he tries to get around the corner in their game against New Palestine.
Rob Baker | For The Times-Post
NEW PALESTINE — From the kickoff, Pendleton Heights was fighting from behind against New Palestine.
The Dragons’ Kyler Kropp ran the opening kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown and then punctuated the next drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to kickstart the loss for Pendleton Heights.
The Arabians fell 34-14 to New Palestine to drop to 3-2 on the season, and 1-2 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.
The Dragons led 20-0 at halftime and extended it when the New Palestine defense forced a three-and-out and running back Grayson Thomas took the first snap up the middle for a 56-yard touchdown.
Brady Armstrong added a 50-yard interception return for a score, one of three picks by the Dragons in the game.
The first Arabians score came following a bad snap by New Palestine on a punt attempt near the end of the third quarter. The miscue set Pendleton Heights up at the 11, and they were able to capitalize.
In the fourth, the Arabians added one more score but couldn’t erase the 20-point halftime deficit.
Pendleton Heights was limited offensively on the night to just 178 total yards, including 66 in the first half.
Isaac Wilson led the Arabians with 40 rushing yards. Through the air, he completed seven of his 17 pass attempts for 59 yards and one touchdown while throwing two interceptions.
Colton Frank completed five of his 13 passes for 63 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Nate DeRolf hauled in four passes for 39 yards and one touchdown for the Arabians, while Caden Sims added 39 yards of his own.
Defensively the Arabians were led by Nick Trout with 13 tackles and one tackle for loss.
Clint Miller and Garrett Pederson each added nine tackles. Miller had two tackles for loss, and Pederson had a team-leading three, and the team’s lone sack.
Senior defensive back Nolan Souders intercepted his third pass of the season.
The Arabians travel to Mt. Vernon (2-3, 1-2) tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 22, for another HHC contest with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.