Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
February 2, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Crunching some numbers as the Quincy High School boys basketball players continue to reach milestones … • When Bradley Longcor III passed Jeff Klingler for third place on the program’s all-time scoring list, someone noticed and asked about Jack Kramer’s point total at No. 2. There was a discrepancy between Kramer’s Hall of…
Read Full Article February 1, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The voice of the Chicago Cubs will be the voice of winter baseball in the Gem City. Cubs play-by-play broadcaster Pat Hughes will be the featured guest at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Quincy Baseball Club holds its Hot Stove Social at Dick Brothers Brewery at 929 York Street, Suite B, in Quincy.…
Read Full Article February 1, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Every contender wants a shot at the title. So as both the reigning Western Big 6 Conference champion and the No. 2-ranked team in the state in Class 4A, the Quincy High School boys basketball squad has to be prepared to make sure a prize fight doesn’t turn into a back-alley brawl. “Everybody…
Read Full Article February 1, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team improved to 10-0 in the Western Big 6 Conference with Friday night’s 84-45 victory over Sterling at Blue Devil Gym, giving the Blue Devils a two-game lead in the league standings. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article January 31, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — A visual inspection of facilities and a phone call from a concerned neighbor put the process in motion that resulted in the lights coming down at both the Quincy High School baseball and softball fields. Neither facility will have lights for the spring season, news that became public last week as the light…
Read Full Article January 30, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Titus Petty takes center stage — or in this case, center court — on Friday nights. The Quincy High School senior, who played defensive back on the record-setting football team, was selected to be this year’s Blue Devil mascot for the boys basketball team. That means he gets to wear the tights and…
Read Full Article January 30, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Ryan Snow had been a man without minutes, but not without confidence. “I know when I get on the court I have to shoot with confidence or else there is no point in being out there,” he said. So when Snow was inserted into the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team’s lineup…
Read Full Article January 30, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — When the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team hits the road Saturday to begin the second half of the Mid-West Athletic Conference schedule, the Trail Blazers see it as starting with a clean slate. “If we just execute well, it will give us a chance,” sophomore guard Blair Eftink said. It’s something…
Read Full Article January 27, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy High School administration obliged. So did Brad Underwood. That turned the Quincy Shootout into a memorable moment for a vast number of fans. At some point early Saturday afternoon, Quincy boys basketball coach Andy Douglas learned Underwood, the head coach of the University of Illinois men’s basketball program, and Illini assistant…
Read Full Article January 26, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — This one stings, not because of the outcome but more so because of the preparation. When you’re the No. 1-ranked boys basketball team in the Illinois Class 4A state poll and you’re asked to defend your home court in a spotlight matchup in a ballyhooed event, you can’t coast through the week. It’s…
Read Full Article January 26, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — About the only thing any of the Quincy High School girls basketball players would change about their return to the Quincy Shootout field is the ending. The Blue Devils would like a redo on the fourth quarter, too. The Blue Devils led Millard North, of Omaha, Neb., by 11 points at the start…
Read Full Article 'We have to come with energy': Blue Devils prep for showdown with Knights by dispatching Maple Leafs
January 25, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team wasn’t going to disrespect the opponent, the event or the sport with a nonchalant effort. There’s too much riding on this weekend to be anything less than focused. So despite knowing what the outcome of Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup with Geneseo could have…
Read Full Article January 25, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Andy Douglas called timeout as soon as the ball tickled the twine. He wasn’t letting this moment pass by. With less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter of Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup with Geneseo, Quincy High School senior guard Bradley Longcor III buried a 3-pointer from the left…
Read Full Article January 25, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Quincy High School softball coach Darrell Henze was suspended Friday without pay pending a termination to be decided by the Quincy School Board at its February meeting for violating the school’s code of conduct for coaches. Henze said he was informed of the decision by Lisa Otten, the director of personnel for the…
Read Full Article January 25, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The first night of the seventh Quincy Shootout produced what basketball fans have come to expect from the marquee event of the winter — high-level teams competing with energy and enthusiasm, college-level talent playing above the rim and games decided in the waning seconds. More of the same is expected Saturday, when nine…
Read Full Article January 24, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy Shootout returns Friday with four games being played at both Blue Devil Gym and The Pit on Friday night and nine games taking place Saturday at Blue Devil Gym. Here’s an A-to-Z look at what to expect and what to be on the lookout for this weekend: A is for attendance,…
Read Full Article January 23, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Taylor Reis isn’t shy about what gets him jazzed about being the next women’s soccer coach at Quincy University. “Hopefully winning,” Reis said. Winning matters to the QU alum. Always has, always will. In high school, Reis led Quincy Notre Dame in assists as a junior when the Raiders won the Class 1A…
Read Full Article January 22, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The country’s second-best prep boys basketball team will be appearing in Blue Devil Gym this weekend. So will three other nationally ranked teams. The SC Next Top 25 — ESPN’s high school boys basketball weekly rankings — were released Tuesday with Brewster Academy, located in Wolfeboro, N.H., climbing from No. 6 to No.…
Read Full Article January 21, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — With the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team playing high-caliber opponents seemingly every night during a three-week January stretch, Sierra Thomas knew what she’d be missing as she stepped away. “It’s so hard to not be there,” the sophomore guard said. Yet, her reason for taking a midseason hiatus came from an opportunity…
Read Full Article January 19, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Bradley Longcor III doesn’t glance at the scoreboard often during a game other than to check the time remaining and occasionally see what the score might be. “Just the time really,” he said. “To be honest, that’s it.” And he ignores the individual numbers shared on the big scoreboard on the south wall…
Read Full Article January 18, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The challengers continue to line up to take a crack at knocking the Quincy High School boys basketball team from its best-team-in-the-state perch. They keep failing for one very significant reason. The Blue Devils adjust, anchor down and get aggressive defensively. “I like our odds against anybody as long as we do what…
Read Full Article January 17, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — A basic geometric principle applies to basketball as well. The quickest way from Point A to Point B is a straight line. “We’re trying to keep a straight line every game,” Quincy Notre Dame junior guard Ari Buehler said. That means snaring the lead, applying pressure, building an advantage and emptying the bench…
Read Full Article January 17, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Sage Stratton knows the tally thanks to her teammates. A senior four-year starting guard on the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, Stratton broke the program record for career 3-pointers made with her second trey of the first quarter Thursday night in a 66-31 victory over Rochester at The Pit. But did she…
Read Full Article January 12, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Keshaun Thomas despises the idea of coasting into halftime. “Everybody has to go out there and hustle their hardest, no matter how much we’re up,” said Thomas, the 6-foot-6 senior forward with a relentless motor who has helped the Quincy High School boys basketball rise to No. 1 in the Class 4A state…
Read Full Article January 10, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Calvin and Charlie Lavery find themselves among a small group of Quincy athletes who can call themselves collegiate national champions. The Quincy Notre Dame graduates helped the North Central College football team win the NCAA Division III national championship with last Sunday’s 41-25 victory over Mount Union in the Alonzo Stagg Bowl. It…
Read Full Article January 10, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Thursday, Jan. 9: Boys basketball Brown County 63, Rushville-Industry 58 Triopia 75, Pleasant Hill 71 Calhoun 59, Payson Seymour 42 Cairo 59, South Shelby 56 Highland Tournament Canton 66, Palmyra 52 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 73, Beardstown 11 Quincy High School 61, Moline 58 Pittsfield 69,…
Read Full Article January 9, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Andy Douglas’ one-word response to learning the Quincy High School boys basketball team is the No. 1-ranked squad in the Associated Press state poll for the first time in more than four decades told a small part of the story. His reaction to what it means moving forward illustrated the bigger part. The…
Read Full Article January 8, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Who is the No. 1 boys basketball team in the state of Illinois? A handful of candidates have tried to state their case. The Associated Press will release its first state polls of 2025 on Wednesday with Quincy High School potentially being the top-ranked team in Class 4A. There have already been two…
Read Full Article January 5, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
HIGHLAND, Ill. — There was optimism amid disappointment Saturday night, which is a sign the Quincy High School boys basketball team will be better because of this. For starters, the Blue Devils were adamant a single loss will not derail them. “We are still hungry and not satisfied where we are right now,” senior guard…
Read Full Article January 4, 2025 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Cymirah Williams’ eyes got big and her smile widened. Asked how comfortable the Quincy University women’s basketball players were getting back on the Pepsi Arena floor for the first time in three weeks and just the second time in the last five weeks, the senior forward gushed over how seamless the transition felt.…
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