Cardinals Cruise to Win Against Highland

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By Mark Requet

The South Shelby Cardinals hosted the Highland Cougars on Friday, January 30, 2026, in the first Clarence Cannon Conference game of the year and won 57-32.

South Shelby started off hot. Logan Beasley scored, followed by a three from Jace McWilliams. A basket by Colt Schmitz gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead with 5:09 left in the first quarter.

Brighton Johnson scored the only two points for Highland in the first quarter with 4:41 on the clock.

Two free throws by McWilliams and back-to-back threes by Schmitz gave South Shelby a 15-2 lead with 2:41 remaining.

Kole Lanpher scored, followed by four points from Cooper Seaton giving the

Cardinals a 21-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Highland started to creep closer in the second quarter, outscoring South Shelby 11-9. Highland’s Cason Bliven scored four points in the quarter.

A three by Casey Declue at the buzzer pulled the Cougars closer.

Peyson Larrick scored four points in the second quarter for the Cardinals as South Shelby led 29-13 at the half.

Schmitz scored the first four points in the second half to push the South Shelby lead to 33-13 with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

A three by Cason Bartz pulled Highland to within 33-16.

Free throws by Beasley and a basket by Lanpher gave the Cardinals a 17-point lead, but Highland answered with five straight points, including a three by Brock Schneider. South Shelby led 37-25 with 1:54 left in the third quarter.

South Shelby closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to grab a 45-25 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Larrick scored to give South Shelby a 47-25 lead with 5:19 left in the game. Lanpher added five points in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals cruised to a 57-32 win.

Schmitz led the Cardinals with 14 points, followed by Lanpher with 11 points. Larrick added 10 points.

The Cardinals, 6-13 overall and 1-0 in the CCC, travel to Monroe City on Tuesday, February 3, to Cairo on Wednesday, February 4, and to Palmyra on Friday, February 6.