NEW PALESTINE — A 73-yard return on the opening kickoff set up New Palestine’s first touchdown of the game just 18 seconds into the first quarter, and the Dragons never looked back as they ended Highland’s hopes for winning a sectional championship with a 48-22 defeat.
New Palestine put its stamp on the game from the opening whistle as Pat Feeney scored on the game’s first offensive play on a 3-yard run to give the hosts a 7-0 lead. Feeney was who the Scots were worried about heading into the game and with good reason. The senior slot back ran the ball only eight times but racked up a game-high 201 yards and four touchdowns. All four of the senior’s scores came in the first quarter.
After Feeney scored his second touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Brett Jackson, New Pal fullback Austin Cahoy broke up the Feeney scoring parade with a 3-yard run. Feeney would break long runs of 61 and 46 yards to put the home team well in command with a 35-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Highland’s opening drive of the game appeared to be moving right along until back-to-back false starts on the Scots killed any momentum they might have had at that point as they only trailed 7-0.
“They started fast and we botched everything we did,” said Scots coach Randy Albano. “(Feeney) is a real good football player. He hurt us real bad.”
Prior to the game, Albano predicted that if the Dragons got the lead they would go to a ball-control attack on the ground and run the clock. That’s exactly what happened as New Pal scored just once in the second period on a 3-yard run by Jackson to give the Dragons a 41-0 lead at halftime.
Highland compounded their fate in the first half by fumbling the ball away on two straight possessions.
“We had too many mistakes tonight to win the football game,” said Albano. “They whooped us. We looked like we’d never been there before.”
Highland would get on the board in the third quarter with 7:34 remaining in the frame. The Scots got the kickoff to open the second half and engineered a 9-play 76-yard drive that was capped off by Derrick Hill taking and end-around handoff 17 yards for the score.
In the press box WHBU’s Dan Ross then told the New Palestine game crew “That’s the team we’re used to seeing this season.”
Unfortunately for Highland fans, that was their last score until there were under five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Senior fullback Jordan Segner got the Scots back into the end zone on a 3-yard plunge with 4:45 remaining. On the extra point attempt, the Scots were called for another false start. But before the whistle could stop the play, quarterback/holder Brad Kindred was injured when his ankle was rolled under a Dragon defender attempting to block the kick.
Backup QB Shannon Swain then came on and completed a hot-read pass to Segner for a 2-point conversion.
The Scots would get the ball back one more time in the 2009 season as they recovered a Dragon fumble at the New Pal 29-yard line. Five plays later Swain again connected with Segner this time on a 10-yard scoring play to account for the final score.
The Scots were led by junior tailback Isiah Johnson who ran the ball 15 times for 127 yards. Segner ended his prep career with 77 yards on 12 attempts and was the Scots leading receiver with four catches for 35 yards. Hill finsihed the season with 21 rushing yards on four tries and 33 yards on five receptions.
Highland ends the year at 7-5.
“Highland football has set a foundation that we’re gonna strive to get to this point every year,” said Albano. “We’re gonna win some,we’re gonna lose some. Tonight we lost but you’re gonna see us pull one of these out.”
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