Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
November 24, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The opening night of the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament had everything Quincy High School boys basketball fans want — a down-to-the-wire affair, an intriguing storyline and a victory by the Blue Devils. Quincy opened with a 65-29 victory over Dixon after Springfield Lanphier outlasted Miller Career Academy 57-54. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read Full Article November 24, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — As the Quincy High School boys basketball team trudged through another preseason practice, those responsible for the sound system in Blue Devil Gym tested the acoustics, the decibel levels and the clarity for pregame introductions. “They started playing everything and I got chills,” senior guard Reid O’Brien said. The Blue Devils also were…
Read Full Article November 23, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — To the victor go the spoils. What exactly the spoils are Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas isn’t divulging. Thursday night, in the opening game of the QHS Thanksgiving Tournament, the Blue Devils will square off against Dixon at 7 p.m. at Blue Devil Gym. It also pits two close friends…
Read Full Article November 23, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame football program needed a home. The Central State 8 Conference needed another member to balance its scheduling paradigm. As it turns out, they needed each other at just the right time. Notre Dame and the CS8 collaboratively announced Wednesday morning the Raiders will join the league in 2024 for…
Read Full Article November 22, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The second-half rally and fight to the finish the Quincy High School girls basketball team engaged in Tuesday night had two components. “We totally changed our mindset,” Blue Devils senior guard Leah Chevalier said. “And a few people hit shots.” It was nearly enough to topple the reigning Western Big 6 Conference champion.…
Read Full Article November 19, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — When the final play produces the perfect outcome, it had to be run exactly the way it was designed in the huddle, right? “Something like that,” Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey said with a wry smile. When Rogers State disrupted Quincy planned off a sideline inbounds play with 6.9 seconds remaining…
Read Full Article November 19, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — One final wave to say thank you to an adoring, enthusiastic crowd was the Quincy University women’s volleyball team’s way to say goodbye as well. The season that changed the Hawks’ program forever was over. Yet, the bond created amongst a group of student-athletes — “incredible young women” in the words of Quincy…
Read Full Article November 19, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The lead, the energy and an enthusiastic crowd. The Quincy University women’s volleyball team had everything it seemed to want and need to dispatch Missouri-St. Louis midway through the third set of Friday night’s NCAA Division II Midwest Regional semifinal. Yet, it turned out that wasn’t enough. The Hawks lacked the finishing touch…
Read Full Article November 19, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy community and the Quincy University student body once again showed the QU women’s volleyball team its appreciation for an historic season, creating a loud and raucous atmosphere in Pepsi Arena for the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional semifinals. The Hawks used the energy to give Missouri-St. Louis a tussle before suffering…
Read Full Article November 18, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — With the third set tied at 17 and the Northern Michigan women’s volleyball team validly entertaining the idea it could extend the match, an air of optimism arose. Moments later, that hope floated away. Top-seeded Quincy University won eight of the final nine points of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional quarterfinal, moving…
Read Full Article November 18, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Makayla Knoblauch remembers the days where the echoes were as loud as any other sound in Pepsi Arena and the Quincy University women’s volleyball players knew practically every fan in the stands. “Four years ago, it was just our parents, the other team’s parents and a couple of our QU friends,” the senior…
Read Full Article November 18, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The adjustments being made to combat the Quincy University women’s volleyball team’s full-throttle attack come as no surprise to outside hitter Mattison Norris. “People are going to scout us,” she said. “People know how to shut us down.” That leaves it to the Hawks to adapt. It didn’t happen in a three-set loss…
Read Full Article November 18, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Northern Michigan women’s volleyball coach Mike Lozier used his opening statement in the post-match press conference to adequately sum up what his team dealt with during Thursday night’s NCAA Division II Midwest Regional quarterfinal. “Quincy’s really good at volleyball,” he said. “That was kind of the takeaway.” The top-seeded Hawks showed a glimpse…
Read Full Article November 17, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Malik Hardmon has listened to the Quincy University men’s basketball coaching staff harp on being detail oriented so often the words and phrases being uttered have slipped into his subconscious. “I wake up and in my dream I’ve heard, ‘Details, details, details,’” the senior forward said with a grin. He and the Hawks…
Read Full Article November 17, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The 4 a.m. alarms sounding the start of another long, tiring day were necessary, even if they weren’t always welcome. “There were days for sure where we did not want to be in the weight room,” said Makalya Knoblauch, the senior setter on the Quincy University women’s volleyball team. “What’s special about our…
Read Full Article November 17, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Every version of the national anthem is unique and different. Singers with big, booming voices tend to drag out high notes, especially at the top of their vocal range. Nervous singers hurry through it, praying they don’t forget a word or miss a note and fight just to finish. Steve Hawkins would have…
Read Full Article November 17, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — No buses. No hotel rooms. No scheduling deliveries from Jimmy Johns or Papa Johns or any other ready-to-eat restaurant that would allow the Quincy University women’s volleyball team to get back on the road as quickly as possible. This week has been a study in immersion. The Hawks are immersed in volleyball and…
Read Full Article November 16, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Three area football players have been named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association all-state teams, while seven others picked up honorable mention all-state plaudits. Central senior running back/linebacker Isaac Genenbacher, Brown County senior fullback/linebacker Colby Wort and Macomb junior wide receiver JT Jeter were first-team all-state selections. Genenbacher has been a…
Read Full Article November 13, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Knowing it was only a matter of time before she’d see the Quincy University volleyball team’s name appear on the national tournament bracket, Mattison Norris watched with a little wide-eyed wonder as teams in other regions got their name called. “I was thinking, ‘That’s going to be insane. That’s going to be us.…
Read Full Article November 11, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Space equals pace. If the John Wood Community College men’s basketball players execute such a notion more consistently, the offense Trail Blazers coach Brad Hoyt has designed for this group will run more efficiently. The first seven minutes of the second half Friday night against Rock Valley College proved that point. Leading by…
Read Full Article November 9, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
PALMYRA, Mo. — Kevin Miles’ voice cracked as he fought back tears while discussing the reasons why he submitted his resignation as the Palmyra football coach to the Palmyra School Board during Tuesday night’s meeting. The board accepted his resignation, according to a press release from Palmyra Superintendent Jason Harper sent Wednesday morning. “It’s something…
Read Full Article November 9, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s volleyball squad is reaping the rewards of its success. Freshman middle blocker Alice Pavan was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and was one of four Hawks named to the All-GLVC first team, the league announced Wednesday night. Quincy finished tied for the regular-season league…
Read Full Article November 8, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — All-state soccer honors are family traditions in the Anderson and Venvertloh households. The youngest brothers made sure tradition didn’t falter. Quincy Notre Dame senior forward Tanner Anderson and Quincy High School senior midfielder Carter Venvertloh recently were named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state team, becoming the second and third…
Read Full Article November 7, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — A national ranking, a spot atop the regional rankings and the No. 1 seed for the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Yeah, life is pretty good these days for the Quincy University women’s volleyball team. It could get infinitely better with success this weekend in the GLVC Tournament at the EastSide Centre in…
Read Full Article November 6, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
MACOMB, Ill. — Emily Horrell better get used to this if she hasn’t already. A few days before the Macomb football team played host to Murphysboro in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs, the wife of Bombers coach Tanner Horrell happened to be at a local retail store when two retirement-age women began…
Read Full Article November 5, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
PRINCETON, Ill. — The vibes created by a crisp, energetic and efficient practice Thursday afternoon failed to linger as long as anyone associated with the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball program wanted or expected. “I guess we let it all out yesterday and couldn’t save it for today,” senior middle hitter Abbey Schreacke said. At least…
Read Full Article November 4, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — Cole Wagy saw beyond the jersey, the helmet and the foe and took note of a fellow football player’s heartache. At that moment, the Quincy High School offensive lineman walked over, knelt down and put his right arm around his ailing adversary. “I didn’t even know his name,” Wagy said. Names aren’t necessary…
Read Full Article November 3, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
FARMINGTON, Ill. — Five points. No more. Certainly no less. Forced to a decisive third set in Wednesday night’s Class 2A Farmington Sectional championship after Macomb staved off four match points, Quincy Notre Dame volleyball coach Courtney Kvitle convinced the Raiders to concentrate on winning five points at a time. “We knew we had to…
Read Full Article November 3, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
FARMINGTON, Ill. — Certain moments cannot be forgotten. Try October 5 for example. With the Quincy Notre Dame cheering section split between two major events — the boys soccer team played at Quincy High School, while the volleyball team played host to Macomb — the Bombers brought a sizable, boisterous crowd to The Pit. A…
Read Full Article November 2, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
QUINCY — B.J. Wilson’s invitation to play in the 98th East-West Shrine Bowl isn’t some run-of-the-mill honor tossed around to whoever might be available to play. This is a direct path to the NFL. The 6-foot-7, 320-pound Quincy University left tackle accepted an invitation this week to play in college football’s most elite all-star game…
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