Cardinals Finish Out Regular Season with Win Over Palmyra

By Editor | October 31, 2024

By Mark Requet

The South Shelby Cardinals finished the regular season with a 44-0 win over the Palmyra Panthers on Friday, October 25, 2024.

Palmyra started the game with the ball and punted on its first possession.

South Shelby’s Payton Hetheriton returned the punt 38 yards to the Palmyra 31-yard line. On the third play of the drive, quarterback Chase Moellering completed a pass to Pryce Eagan who went 26 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick by Pedro Romanichen was good and the Cardinals led 7-0 with 7:09 left in the first quarter.

Palmyra was once again forced to punt on its next possession, but the Cardinals threw an interception on the first play of their drive to give it back to the Panthers.

The Panthers moved the ball to midfield, but the drive quickly ended when South Shelby’s Gabe Bowen intercepted a pass while falling out of bounds.

Both teams traded punts, and then on back-to-back plays, the Cardinals fumbled to the Panthers, and then the Panthers fumbled back to the Cardinals.

South Shelby took over on the Palmyra 22-yard line. Romanichen finished the drive with a 35-yard field goal, tying the school record. The Cardinals led 10-0 with 10:35 in the second quarter.

The Cardinals forced another punt and took over at the Palmyra 46-yard line. Moellering opened the drive with a 12-yard run to the Panther 33-yard line. A pass interference by Palmyra gave the Cardinals a first down at the Panthers 20-yard line. The drive concluded with a one-yard touchdown run by Daniel Timbrook. The extra point kick by Romanichen was good and the Cardinals led 17-0 with 5:04 left in the first half.

In South Shelby’s next possession, starting at their own 46-yard line, the Cardinals quickly moved the ball down the field. On the fourth play of the drive, Moellering rushed for 30 yards to the Panthers 17-yard line. Two plays later Moellering rushed 17 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick by Romanichen was good and the Cardinals led 24-0 with 1:45 left in the first half.

Palmyra threw three incomplete passes and punted back to the Cardinals with 1:16 left in the first half.

On the third play, Moellering completed a pass to Preston Elsen for 40 yards. Elsen fumbled the ball, which was picked up by Tucker Elliott, who ran it in for a touchdown. The extra point kick by Romanichen was good and the Cardinals led 31-0 with 47 seconds left in the first half.

South Shelby opened the second half with the ball and used five plays to get on the scoreboard once again. Elsen broke loose for a 38-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Romanichen was good and the Cardinals led 38-0 with 8:58 left in the third quarter.

On Palmyra’s first possession of the second half, the Panthers were forced to punt, but the ball was hiked over the punter’s head and was recovered at the Panther 11-yard line.

Two plays later, the Cardinals added to its lead with 13-yard touchdown run by Hetheriton. The extra point kick was blocked and the Cardinals led 44-0 with 3:45 left in the third quarter.

In a scoreless fourth quarter, Elsen intercepted a pass and Ethan Owings recovered a fumble for the Cardinals.

Moellering led the Cardinals with 60 yards, including one touchdown, on eight carries. Elsen added 50 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

Moellering completed 4-of-7 passes for 75 yards, including one touchdown. He also threw an interception.

Elsen caught three passes for 49 yards, while Eagan caught one touchdown pass for 26 yards.

The Cardinals, 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Clarence Cannon Conference, earned a first-round bye in the district tournament. The Cardinals will host the winner of the Macon/Mark Twain game on Friday, November 8.

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