Victory enables QHS girls to finish regular season with one of best records in program history

MOLINE, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a cap on one of the best regular seasons in program history.

The Blue Devils limited Moline to 10 first-half points Thursday night and rolled to a 56-33 victory in Western Big 6 Conference play at Wharton Field House. Coupled with Rock Island Alleman’s victory over Galesburg, the road win leaves Quincy alone in second place in the WB6 standings with an 11-3 mark.

It also punctuates a 24-6 regular season, which ties the 1995-96 team for the second most wins in a single season. The 1997-98 team, which reached the Class AA state quarterfinals, owns the best record in program history at 25-6.

“From where we started to where we’re at, I think the girls are doing a heck of a job,” Quincy coach Brad Dance said. “They’re pretty proud of where we’re at.”

Quincy is seeded third in the Class 4A Normal Community sub-sectional and will open postseason play at 6 p.m. Monday against sixth-seeded Belleville East in the O’Fallon Regional. A victory would send the Blue Devils to next Thursday’s regional title game, likely against second-seeded O’Fallon.

“Defensively, we guard,” Dance said. “We make it difficult for people to score.”

That was the case against Moline, which tried to use its physicality and toughness to stay close.

“We had to battle through that,” Dance said.

Cutting down on turnovers in the second quarter enabled the Blue Devils to build a 19-point edge by halftime. Freshman forward Jada Brown, the team’s leading scorer, suffered a calf injury near the end of the second quarter and did not play in the second half.

“With her not on the court, we had to change some things up and the girls adjusted,” Dance said. “We still defended.”

The offense continued to create quality scoring opportunities. Senior forward Taylor Fohey led the Blue Devils with 15 points, and freshman guard Myley Longcor added 14.

Dance expects Brown to return to the lineup Monday and believes the Blue Devils are prepared for any challenges the postseason brings.

“There’s nothing that we haven’t really seen throughout the year,” Dance said. “For having young kids, we’re pretty weathered.”