Bloomington High School South’s playoff run came to an end in the Indiana High School Athletic Association Semi-State Championship. The Panthers fell to New Palestine High School in a convincing 42-0 loss Friday night in New Palestine, Indiana.
Bloomington South was shut out for the first time since the 2020 season.
New Palestine started the game on offense, flexing its running game to drive down the field. On a fourth and 3 inside Bloomington South territory, senior quarterback Jacob Davis broke away on a run toward the endzone, stumbling inside the Panthers’ 15-yard line.
The Dragons would not be denied, however. Two plays later, Davis found junior receiver Landon Maddox in the corner of the endzone to give New Palestine a 7-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.
Bloomington South, by contrast, struggled on offense to start the game. A high snap bounced off senior running back Braylen Townsend, which was recovered by New Palestine in Panther territory only a minute after Maddox’s touchdown.
Davis continued to churn yards on the ground, making multiple Bloomington South defenders miss in the backfield before exploding for a run down to the 2-yard line. Davis finished the drive off with a 1-yard quarterback sneak to double New Palestine’s lead with two minutes left in the first quarter.
Bloomington South ended the first quarter with a punt. Two plays later, the Dragons created a 21-0 lead just a minute into the second quarter, as junior tight end Mason Oglesby broke away for a 92-yard touchdown.
The Panthers’ responded immediately, as junior quarterback Duncan Combs found senior tight end Jalen Williams on a deep bomb for 53 yards to the New Palestine 2-yard line. However, an offensive holding call wiped out the subsequent touchdown run.
That holding penalty came back to bite Bloomington South. The Panthers were forced to settle for a field goal that ultimately missed wide right.
Even after a three and out and poor punt from New Palestine gave Bloomington South the ball in opposition territory, the Panthers could do nothing with it. Combs overthrew his receiver on fourth and 4 for a turnover on downs.
That turnover ultimately proved the nail in the coffin for Bloomington South’s chances, as New Palestine senior running back Caden Jacobia ran in a 6-yard touchdown before halftime.
Bloomington South found themselves down 27-0 at halftime after a missed extra point from New Palestine, flipping the script from when the Panthers led Floyd Central High School by 27 points at halftime last weekend.
As both teams started the second half with punts, Bloomington South found itself pinned on its own 1-yard line. Despite avoiding the safety and driving down the field, Combs threw a sideline interception to senior defensive back Connor Jacobia to kill all momentum.
Even as New Palestine punted for the second straight time to start the second half, Combs threw another interception, this time to senior cornerback Cameron Rollyson.
A second rushing touchdown for Caden Jacobia put the result beyond any doubt. Davis ran in for a 2-point conversion to make the score 35-0, implementing a running clock for the rest of the game.
The fourth quarter trickled by as the result was all but confirmed. New Palestine scored one final time in the fourth quarter as senior running back Rudy Hubbard broke away for a 48-yard touchdown.
In the end, the Dragons romped to a 42-0 win over Bloomington South, meaning the Panthers’ 2025 IHSAA Class 5A Football State Tournament run came to a screeching halt.
“They’re a really good football team,” Bloomington South head coach Gabe Johnson said. “They’re where they are for a reason. We struggled with it today, obviously, on all sides.”
It was a wet, cold Friday in New Palestine, with rain showering the field all game. It was a night meant for ponchos and wet socks. Johnson, however, was adamant the elements didn’t affect the team’s performance.
“We got beat up, that’s how it happened,” Johnson said. “We just got beat, and I don’t think rain was an issue.”
Bloomington South’s defense allowed 42 points, its highest mark of the season. Even against 6A opposition in Center Grove High School, the Panthers conceded 33 points.
Besides the 12 points put up against Center Grove, the Panthers’ previous low in points was 31 points in a 31-28 victory against rival Bloomington High School North in the sectional championship round Nov. 7.
For now, Bloomington South’s journey for its first 5A state championship title since 1998 continues. The Panthers’ last championship winning quarterback remains Rex Grossman, who was the 1998 Indiana Mr. Football.
Now that its season is over, Bloomington South can only look to the future.
“We will lick our wounds a little bit,” Johnson said. “And then we have to get back to work, right? That’s just all that you can do.”
