The final IFCA coaches poll puts Cathedral first and New Palestine second in Class 5A. The IHSAA bracket puts both in Sectional 13.
Neither gets the other in the opening round. New Palestine must travel to Pendleton Heights, while Cathedral opens against the winner of Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon. Win twice, and the two programs could meet for the sectional title.
That possibility gives this five-team field its central storyline. Cathedral and New Palestine have both earned serious consideration, but they arrive with different resumes, different offensive strengths and different questions to answer. The poll establishes an order. It does not settle which team is best positioned to survive the next three Fridays.
For Cathedral, the case starts with the level of competition it has faced. For New Palestine, it starts with an offense that can make a game get out of hand quickly. Neither argument matters much if the other teams in the bracket find a way to disrupt it.
Cathedral’s Resume Goes Beyond The Record
Cathedral’s season has included games against established programs from beyond the state, along with some of Indiana’s most demanding competition. The Irish beat St. Xavier 30–21, edged Bishop Chatard 16–14 and closed the regular season with a 38–16 victory over Archbishop Hoban. They also lost to Trotwood-Madison, 17–10 in overtime.
Those results make Cathedral difficult to evaluate through its record alone. The wins show the Irish can compete against quality opponents; the losses show that a strong schedule does not automatically translate into control of every close game.
The Chatard matchup offers a useful example of how Cathedral can win. The Irish led 13–0 at halftime, then watched the Trojans take a 14–13 lead in the third quarter. Cathedral responded with a field goal and held Chatard scoreless in the fourth to secure the 16–14 result.
Running back Telli McCullough credited the team’s early execution and the physical work of its offensive line. He also described how the offense stayed committed to its approach when Chatard seized momentum.
That matters because Cathedral’s ground game is more than a way to run out the clock. It gives the Irish a means of controlling possession and continuing to attack when a game becomes uncomfortable. The question against sectional opponents is whether that approach can remain productive when defenses are prepared to take it away.
The Trotwood-Madison loss provides the counterpoint. Cathedral held a two-score advantage in the third quarter, but the Rams fought back and won in overtime. The Irish have already experienced the difference between building a lead and finishing a game. In a single-elimination bracket, that difference becomes decisive.
New Palestine Brings a Different Kind of Pressure
New Palestine’s most recent performance made its offensive potential difficult to ignore.
The Dragons beat Delta 63–7 on October 16 to clinch the Hoosier Heritage Conference title. They totaled 466 yards, including 243 rushing and 223 passing, and forced four takeaways. Kade Stephens ran for 131 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries, while quarterback Rhys Ragan completed 16 of 22 passes for 223 yards and 4 Touchdowns.
The significance goes beyond the score. New Palestine produced its damage in multiple ways. Stephens helped establish the ground game, and Ragan spread the ball among the Dragons’ senior receivers. An opponent cannot focus exclusively on stopping one part of the offense without leaving another option available.
That balance gives New Palestine a compelling case for the No. 2 spot. It also creates a challenge for defenses trying to keep the Dragons from dictating the terms of a game.
But the Delta result is one performance, not a guarantee of what comes next. New Palestine’s earlier 20–6 loss to Roncalli showed that its offense can be contained. The sectional question is whether the Dragons can make the necessary adjustments when an opponent limits their preferred approach and forces them to win in a different way.
That is where the comparison with Cathedral becomes interesting. The Irish have faced a varied schedule that has tested them against different styles and levels of competition. New Palestine has demonstrated the ability to generate explosive production when its offense is clicking. Both have strengths; both have also shown that a strong team can be made uncomfortable.
The Bracket is The Story—Not a Guaranteed Showdown
Sectional 13 has five teams: Cathedral, New Palestine, Pendleton Heights, Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon. The first round is scheduled for October 23, with the semifinals on October 30 and the championship on November 6. New Palestine opens at Pendleton Heights on October 30, while Cathedral faces the Greenfield-Central–Mt. Vernon winner.
The separate paths matter. New Palestine must handle a Pendleton Heights team it beat 38–21 during the regular season. Cathedral must prepare for whichever opponent emerges from the first-round game. Neither can afford to plan its postseason around a matchup that has not been earned.
If both advance, the sectional championship would put the poll’s top two Class 5A teams directly against each other with a trophy and a regional berth on the line. Until then, the rankings are a point of comparison—not a prediction.
Cathedral has a resume built on challenging competition and the ability to survive difficult stretches. New Palestine has an offense capable of overwhelming opponents when its run-pass balance is working. The difference will come down to whether those strengths hold up against the teams standing in their way.
The poll has Cathedral first and New Palestine second. Sectional 13 gives both a chance to prove what those rankings mean. But first, they have to get there.
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