Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Welcome to the newest podcast on the Muddy River Sports platform. Each week, Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman and a guest will tackle a top-10 list on a topic related to the sports realm. This week, with the University of Illinois men’s basketball team in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament,…
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INDIANAPOLIS — The wait was excruciating. “Extremely nerve-racking,” Arriana Benjamin said. The first to throw in the final round of the shot put at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships, the Quincy native and Marian University senior unleashed a season-best toss of 14.97 meters. It vaulted her from ninth place to first place…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Mathew Kirby’s caring, compassionate and friendly disposition can only be rivaled by his passion for his hometown and his hobby. Yet, to call his photography a hobby might be a disservice. The time, effort and detail he puts into capturing the moments that highlight Hannibal High School athletics and community events is…
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QUINCY — Sunday looked more like the team Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel expected to see, not the team that has endured too many ups and downs so far. Seth West allowed one run over five innings, the offense drove the ball into gaps and moved runners, and the defense didn’t commit an error…
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QUINCY — The first time I told my co-workers I was going home to cuddle up to something warm and fuzzy, they flashed that “you did not just say that” look at me and assumed I was making some sort of sarcastic reference to my wife. They soon learned who I meant every time I…
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QUINCY — The end of the prep basketball season turns into awards season the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association announcing their all-state honors and local media outlets all-area teams. Or in the case of KHQA Sports Director Chris Duerr, he unveils his All-Do or Die teams. Duerr joined Muddy River…
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QUINCY — Friday night felt more like November football weather than the spring soccer season at Flinn Stadium with temperatures dipping close to the freezing mark and wind chills falling below 30 degrees. It didn’t put a chill on the fervor of a cross-river rivalry. The Quincy High School girls soccer team built a one-goal…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School and Hannibal girls soccer teams played to a 2-2 draw Friday night at Flinn Stadium, while Quincy Notre Dame beat West Plains (Mo.) 6-0 on the opening night of the QHS Kickoff Showcase. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent time at Flinn Stadium and put together this photo…
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QUINCY — Film study paid off. In the days leading up to Friday’s start against Rockhurst, Quincy University left-handed pitcher Griffin Kirn reviewed as much video as possible of his previous starts this season and past seasons, looking for any mechanical tweak that could give him an edge. Whatever he found worked wonders. The Quincy…
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QUINCY — Griffin Kirn was nearly unhittable. Brock Boynton put a charge into the offense. And the Quincy University baseball team survived a rain delay and a Rockhurst rally to come up with a 10-9 victory in the first game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference weekend series. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent…
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QUINCY — The disappointment on Bradley Longcor III’s face was present, but the determination trumped it all. When the Quincy High School boys basketball players took the court at 5:30 a.m. on the first day of practice, Longcor stayed on the sideline. An offseason knee injury left him working individually with a trainer instead of…
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QUINCY — From victories over nationally ranked foes and upsets of state title favorites to heartbreaking endings, the area boys basketball scene provided all the drama and intrigue hoops fans desired. It was accompanied by some stellar individual efforts as well. With that in mind, here is the 2023-24 boys basketball all-area team with players…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Josh Pickett has never forgotten what it felt like to represent Hannibal on the hardwood. “Every time I go into Korf Gym, it brings back memories,” he said. The time has come for Pickett to help the Pirates recreate those moments. Thursday, Pickett was introduced as the new Hannibal boys basketball coach,…
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QUINCY — Danielle White has watched enough of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team play from afar to understand the kind of drive and determination the Raiders possess. “Knowing their talent matches their competitiveness is exciting, so is knowing those kids want to be great and work at it,” White said. It’s done with one…
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QUINCY — Brooke Boden hasn’t forgotten just how close the Quincy Notre Dame softball team came to winning a state trophy last season. “I’ll be sitting in class and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, man,’” the senior third baseman said. “I just look back on it and think, ‘Wow, we were there.’” The Raiders’ epic postseason…
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QUINCY — Kyle Taylor sensed a lack of enthusiasm. “It felt like another Tuesday at the ballpark, not a game day,” the Quincy High School baseball team’s senior shortstop said. A five-run deficit after the first inning made it even worse. “When I looked across the diamond, there were guys with their heads down early,…
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QUINCY — The Belleville West baseball team scored five runs in the first inning and hit three home runs on a somewhat blustery day to spoil Quincy High School’s home opener, winning 13-3 on Tuesday afternoon at the QHS field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman put together this photo gallery from the game:
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — As good as Lauren Miller’s statistical resume is, the numbers alone don’t set her apart. Nor do the postseason accolades, which proved be across-the-board impressive when you realize the Central-Southeastern junior forward was considered one of the 10 best Class 2A girls basketball players in the state by two different organizations.…
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QUINCY — From freshmen making an immediate impact to seniors leaving a lasting legacy, the area girls basketball scene featured remarkable individual performances that led to widespread team success. Eleven players earned all-state honors while six teams won at least 20 games with two regional titles, one district championship and two sectional crowns. It made…
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QUINCY — A pair of former Quincy University baseball players are off to sizzling starts after transferring to NCAA Division I programs. Gino D’Alessio, an All-Midwest Region shortstop last spring for the Hawks, was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week after hitting .600 over four games as Abilene Christian went 3-1 with…
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QUINCY — The leading scorer in the history of the Quincy University women’s basketball program is headed to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant coach, and following Nebraska’s effort against Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament championship game, anything is possible for the Huskers. Jessica Keller is in her second season on the Nebraska coaching…
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QUINCY — Perfecting set pieces became a point of emphasis during the lead-up to the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s season opener. “For the past three days, we’ve worked on them every day,” junior midfielder Lilly Schuette said. “Even in walk-throughs.” The reason why became obvious 12 minutes into Saturday’s game against Jefferson City…
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QUINCY — Lilly Schuette’s second-half penalty kick and a stout defensive effort over the final 40 minutes enabled the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team to open its season Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon next to…
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QUINCY — Tears were expected Friday afternoon, but the smiles elicited by the memories of Tucker Tollerton and the embrace his family received balanced everything out. That was as much of a tribute to Tollerton as seeing his jersey number retired. Anyone who accompanied the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team on last season’s record-setting journey…
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QUINCY — There is likely to be one word the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players are going to hear in the days to come. It’s going to be details, details, details. Or it may be fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. Better attention to details and a better performance fundamentally may have altered an exasperating outcome in Friday’s…
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QUINCY — With most of Tucker Tollerton’s extended family, friends and his entire college team in attendance Friday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, the Quincy Notre Dame baseball program retired No. 5 in honor of the Raiders’ former center fielder, who was killed last May in an auto accident. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s youth and inexperience showed in a season-opening 10-0 loss to Sherrard on Friday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the sunny afternoon at the Ferd and put together this photo gallery:
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QUINCY — Owen Zanger looks around the diamond and sees the bond the game has created among the Quincy High School baseball players. “We’re all great friends,” he said. “I think that comes with every successful team.” For this group, though, it doesn’t come with an air of indifference for those not performing or not…
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QUINCY — Come Friday, when the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team opens its season, there will be an angel in the outfield looking over the Raiders and every day moving forward. The school will retire the No. 5 worn by Tucker Tollerton, the starting center fielder on last year’s Class 2A third-place state team who…
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A pair of area Clarence Cannon Conference standouts received all-state honors from the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. Palmyra senior Candra King and South Shelby junior Callie McWilliams were named to the 20-player Class 3 team. Also receiving all-state nods from the CCC were the Centralia duo of Braylin Brunkhorst and Ryenn…
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