FAUCETT, Mo. --It went down to the wire between visiting South Shelby and Mid-Buchanan in the Class 2 state quarterfinal on Saturday afternoon.
South Shelby was able to withstand a late Mid-Buchanan challenge to hold on for a 28-26 win and advance the Cardinals to their first state semifinals since 2011.
The Cardinals were able to stop the Dragons in their opening drive at the 28-yard line and kept that momentum to march down the field on a 10-play drive that ended with a pitch to Pryce Eagen for a eight-yard touchdown run.
South Shelby added another score later in the first quarter on another long drive that culminated with a one-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak by Chase Moellering.
Moellering threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Eagen late in the second quarter to give South Shelby a 20-0 lead going into halftime.
South Shelby got the ball to start the second half, but Mid-Buchanan intercepted a Moellering pass to gain some momentum and then later scored on a 14-yard touchdown run by Raife Smith.
Mid-Buchanan scored again in their next possession when Smith connected with Nolan McGarry for a 84-yard touchdown pass to narrow South Shelby's lead to 20-14 midway through the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals went on a 92-yard drive that lasted almost seven minutes and finished with a two-yard touchdown run by Moellering, putting South Shelby up 28-14 after a two-point conversion.
With just 5:22 remaining in the game, the Dragons kept fighting and went on a drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Smith to narrow the Cardinals lead to 28-20.
The Dragons then recovered an onside kick with 2:25 to go and took just 59 seconds to score again, this time with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Zander Brown. South Shelby stuffed the two-point conversion try to stay ahead by two points.
Moellering completed 4-of-10 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 12 times for 72 yards and a pair of scores.
Eagen had 16 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, while catching two passes for 65 yards and a score.
Preston Elsen had 14 carries for 52 yards, while Payton Hetheriton had five carries for 42 yards and Gabe Bowen had six carries for 28 yards.
Up next for South Shelby (11-1) is the Class 2 state semifinal against Fair Grove (13-0) at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Shelbina.
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