Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Sitting on the tailgate of Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s pickup didn’t make much sense with snow blowing and temperatures dipping, so the latest episode of “Schuck on a Truck” became an inside edition as he and Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas hung out in the Blue Devils’ locker…
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas — BJ Wilson is getting another chance to prove he belongs on a professional football team’s roster. Wilson, the Quincy University graduate who was an All-Great Lakes Valley Conference left tackle, was selected in the United Football League’s dispersal draft by the San Antonio Brahmas. He is expected to join the Brahmas…
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QUINCY — The sixth Quincy Shootout is arguably the most talented collection of athletes and teams Gem City basketball fans have seen. Players who have committed to, signed with or received offers from three of the top four teams in the Associated Press college basketball top 25 will be playing in Quincy this weekend. In…
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QUINCY — Imperfect weather couldn’t deter the Quincy High School wrestling team from having a perfect weekend. Truly, that’s all Bryor Newbold wanted. In search of his first Quincy Invitational championship in his final try, the senior dominated the 175-pound weight class with four pins and a technical fall in his five matches, finishing his…
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QUINCY — Winter weather may have impacted the number of teams that traveled here to participate in the Quincy Invitational, but it couldn’t diminish the ability of area wrestlers to showcase their talents. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday at matside and put together this photo gallery:
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QUINCY — To be the hero at one end, Zion Richardson couldn’t be the goat at the other. He put himself in the right position to avoid that. An errant pass by Richardson from the backcourt while under pressure from the Truman State defense gave the Bulldogs a steal and the opportunity to cut into…
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QUINCY — Cymirah Williams put the onus squarely on the shoulders of the Quincy University women’s basketball players. “It’s a choice,” the junior forward said. “It’s our choice.” The choice seems quite simple. Fight through adversity, play buzzer to buzzer and find a way to win or slack off for a quarter or more and…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s and women’s basketball teams completed a Great Lakes Valley Conference sweep of Truman State on Thursday night at Pepsi Arena with the men surviving a 75-73 finish and the women making clutch free throws for a 78-75 victory. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening at Pepsi…
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MACOMB, Ill. — As challenging as 2023 seemed to be at times for Kylie Robinson and the Macomb girls basketball team, the year ended with the right springboard to brighter days. The Bombers finished fifth in the 41st Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, winning four of five games over a four-day span the week between Christmas…
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QUINCY — The new No. 1-ranked men’s basketball team in NCAA Division II is being led by a former Quincy University assistant coach. Minnesota State-Moorhead moved to the top on the National Basketball Coaches Association poll this week with a 14-0 record, displacing reigning D-II national champion Nova Southeastern after the Sharks had their 62-game…
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QUINCY — Someday, right? That’s what I keep telling myself. Following Michigan’s victory in Monday night’s national championship game, several colleagues and friends who are devout Wolverines fans took to social media to celebrate. It had been 27 years since Michigan, the winningest program in college football history, had captured a crown. So jump, shout,…
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QUINCY — The trend needs to end. The only way to do that is to take losing personal. So the Quincy University men’s basketball team’s coaching staff slapped those words across the dry-erase board in the locker room following last Wednesday’s 80-66 loss at Rockhurst. “It’s been on the board all week,” sophomore point guard…
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QUINCY — The longer it took for the Quincy University men’s basketball team to find success offensively, the more an 18-point halftime lead narrowed. The key was it never fully dissipated. The Hawks’ belief in themselves didn’t evaporate either. Quincy made just one field goal in the first seven minutes of the second half of…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team continues to find itself three-quarters of the way to success. That missing quarter tripped the Hawks up again Saturday. Southwest Baptist outscored Quincy 23-10 in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead despite the Hawks’ second-half surge, leading to a 68-65 victory in Great Lakes Valley…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Pittsfield boys basketball coach Brad Tomhave and Quincy Notre Dame coach Kevin Meyer shared a common assessment of their respective team’s defensive effort in Friday night’s game at Voshall Gym. Both were encouraged by the engagement. Offensively, however, their critiques were polar opposites. Meyer liked how the Raiders worked the ball from…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams collided in their 2024 openers Friday night at Voshall Gym. The Raiders built a double-digit lead, saw the Saukees whittle it to eight points on two separate occasions in the second half and then pulled away for a 50-31 victory. Muddy River Sports…
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QUINCY — Taylor Fohey’s reaction spoke volumes. “Really?” she said with wide eyes and an I-didn’t-know-that expression when told the Quincy High School girls basketball team didn’t allow Moline to score a field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. “Honestly, I don’t think too much about what we’re…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — The best player in the area has been named the best player in the state. Hannibal all-purpose back Aneyas Williams recently was named the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year, becoming the first player in school history to receive the nationwide recognition. The Gatorade Player of the Year award was established in…
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QUINCY — Tucker Cook understands it may be a while before he can get a tattoo, especially one of any significant size, but he already has a plan for what he wants it to look like and say. The words “iron sharpens iron” will be prominent. “I believe in that,” the Pittsfield junior wrestler said.…
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QUINCY — Wrestling took center stage Wednesday night at The Pit as the Quincy High School, Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield squad engaged in a series of duals. The Blue Devils beat the Raiders 67-0 and the Saukees 54-6, while Pittsfield scored a 35-33 victory over QND. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat matside…
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QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball players packed a six-game losing streak in their belongings and carried it home for the holidays. That’s where they left it. The Trail Blazers ended the 2023 portion of their schedule with back-to-back wins, beating Kishwaukee College 62-51 on Sunday in the JWCC New Year’s Classic…
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QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team’s 62-51 victory over Kishwaukee College on Sunday at JWCC’s Student Activity Center capped a perfect weekend as the Trail Blazers won both of their games in the JWCC New Year’s Classic. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon with the Trail Blazers and…
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QUINCY — Anywhere Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman drives his pickup, the opportunity exists for an episode of “Schuck on a Truck” to take place. Throughout 2023, the truck ended up parked just beyond end zones, behind center field fences and at state tournament sites across the state. The tailgate became a place for…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decked out in his travel gear with his backpack slung over his shoulders, Ralph Wires emerged from the Quincy High School locker room with a basketball in hand and casually strolled onto the Vergil Fletcher Gym floor. At the opposite end of the court from where Collinsville celebrated its championship of the…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas hasn’t found a need to burn many timeouts this season. “A majority of games we’re walking away with six timeouts left,” the Quincy High School boys basketball coach said. “I just don’t call a ton.” Even in tight, tense situations, he allows the veteran lineup to navigate its own way. …
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Tyler Sprick insisted the Quincy High School boys basketball players didn’t look too far ahead when checking out the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic bracket. “It was, ‘Who’s on our list and what do we have to do to beat them?’’ the senior guard said. Still, the Blue Devils knew what potentially…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Rick Hummel’s career as a Hall of Fame baseball writer didn’t afford the Quincy native many opportunities to be nothing more than a fan. Christmas always did. That’s when Hummel spent hours upon hours at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, watching some of the Metro East’s top prep basketball talent. More…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — One of the unique aspects of holiday tournament play — at least at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic — is each coach is handed a sheet of halftime stats on the way to the locker room. When Quincy High School coach Andy Douglas perused how his team constructed its 30-point lead…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Afterward, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas could joke about it. In the moment, it could have been cause for trepidation. With two minutes remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s opening-round game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic and the Blue Devils leading Oakville (Mo.) 16-5, Quincy swingman…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Defense is top priority at Camp Point Central, no matter the sport. “We preach it. It’s not just me preaching it,” said James Barnett, the boys basketball coach whose team enters the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament this week not having allowed an opponent to score 40 points in a game yet this…
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