Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor
Cecil Hunt carried the ball just six times last Friday night in the Unity-Payson football team’s 58-0 whitewashing of North Greene, but those were six carries to remember. The senior running back ripped off a 93-yard touchdown run with a little less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter. With 16 seconds remaining in…
Read Full Article A fourth-quarter rally cannot become epic unless there is an exclamation point. Friday night in Camp Point, Isaac Genenbacher punctuated the Central football team’s 22-point fourth quarter with a game-winning dash to the end zone. Panthers sophomore safety Gavin Blewett forced a fourth-quarter fumble and Genenbacher scored on a 61-yard run on the next play,…
Read Full Article Girls Volleyball Lady Suns Classic, Augusta, Ill. Payson Seymour d. Rushville-Industry 25-21, 21-25, 15-11. No stats provided. Southeastern d. Rushville-Industry 25-17, 25-5. Amanda Stephens with 12 kills and Ani Kerr with 20 assists for the Suns. Payson Seymour d. West Hancock 27-25, 26-28, 15-9. No stats provided. Southeastern d. West Hancock 25-7, 25-7. Abbey McMillen…
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QUINCY — The top goal scorer in the history of the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer program didn’t take long to net his first collegiate goal. A substitute midway through the first half of Sunday’s match against Creighton, Saint Louis University freshman forward Seth Anderson scored with a left-footed shot in the 33rd minute of…
Read Full Article Boys Soccer QND/Quincy Recycle Tournament at Advance Physical Therapy Field Quincy Notre Dame 2, Francis Howell 1: Logan Zanger headed in a Cayge Hughes free kick and Tanner Anderson beat the Vikings goalkeeper 1-on-1 for the game-winning goal with 25 minutes to play in the second half. Quincy Notre Dame 4, Jacksonville 0: Ben Frericks…
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MENDON, Ill. — Matt Woodworth found it easy to pinpoint what he enjoyed most about his head coaching debut. “The aggression we played with,” the Unity-Payson football coach said. The Mustangs made Woodworth’s first game memorable, holding North Greene to minus-33 yards rushing in a 58-0 whitewashing Friday night. The Mustangs outgained the Spartans 484-119…
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QUINCY — Calvin Lavery started to squat before realizing his muscles wouldn’t allow it. So the Quincy Notre Dame quarterback stayed standing as he talked about dealing with cramps throughout the Raiders’ 40-20 victory Friday night against Quincy High School in the crosstown showdown at Flinn Stadium. Temperatures topping out at 93 degrees with heat…
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Prep Football At Jefferson City, Mo. Hannibal 54, Helias 20: The Pirates made a loud statement in Class 4 by beating the defending state champions. Courtland Watson completed 16 of 24 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns, while Aneyas Williams scored four times and finished with 87 yards rushing and 188 yards receiving. At…
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QUINCY — Ben Kasparie needed just 17 seconds to put plans into motion to erase 37 years of longing. On the opening kickoff of Friday night’s season-opening crosstown showdown at Flinn Stadium, the Quincy Notre Dame senior glanced to his left after fielding the kick and thought there was a seam opening toward the sideline.…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The luxury of having an all-state running back to hand the ball to in tough situations is gone. For now. Central football coach Brad Dixon believes his stable of capable backs — the Panthers may employ six or seven guys to run the ball in a given game — will create…
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QUINCY — The most asked question of the past two weeks still doesn’t have an answer. Who is the starting quarterback? Both Quincy High School football coach Rick Little and Quincy Notre Dame coach Jack Cornell have been steely in how they’ve addressed it. Even days before Friday night’s season opener at Flinn Stadium, neither…
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Friday’s schedule Quincy Notre Dame at Quincy High School, 7 p.m. WTAD 930 AM, WGEM 1440 AM, WGEM TV Hannibal at Jefferson City Helias, 7 p.m. KICK 97.9 FM Carrollton at Central, 7 p.m. Central Illinois Sports on YouTube.com Pittsfield at Pleasant Plains, 7 p.m. Central Illinois Sports on YouTube.com Hallsville at Palmyra, 7 p.m.…
Read Full Article Girls Volleyball At The Pit, Quincy Notre Dame Quincy Notre Dame beat West Hancock 25-13, 25-18. Abbey Schreacke led the Raiders with eight kills and three aces, Emma Hoing had five kills and Maggie Drew dished out 25 assists. The Raiders had eight aces as a team. QND is now 2-0. Girls Golf At Gold…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — The pieces are in place for the Hannibal football team to harbor legitimate championship dreams. A skilled quarterback with a complete grasp of the offense. An NCAA Division I talent who can play a variety of positions. A bookend left tackle. A dynamic defensive end. A bulldog middle linebacker. A make-plays-everywhere safety. …
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The late August heat wave driving temperatures into the mid-90s and sending heat indexes to 105 degrees or higher this week forced Monroe City football coach David Kirby to alter the practice schedule. It might have been for the best. The Panthers chose to practice in the evening, essentially simulating a…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame football team’s state semifinal berth in 2019 led to an offseason of believing a state championship was within reach if not the Raiders’ destiny. “And then COVID,” linebacker Elliott Maas said. The pandemic led to the 2020 fall season morphing into a six-game spring season with no playoffs. Those…
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QUINCY — Rick Little isn’t kidding when he says this Quincy High School football team is unlike any he’s coached over the past 15 seasons. There will be only three seniors starting on offense Friday night when the Blue Devils open their season at Flinn Stadium against Quincy Notre Dame — the first crosstown showdown…
Read Full Article Girls Volleyball At The Pit, Quincy Notre Dame Quincy Notre Dame defeated Unity 25-17, 25-21. Junior middle Abbey Schreacke led the Raiders with 11 kills, two blocks and three aces. Senior setter Maggie Drew had 27 assists, and junior right side Laela Hernandez-Jones had six kills and nine digs. Men’s Soccer At Ellison Poulton Stadium,…
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Here are the preseason state rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters: Class 8A School, points 1. Gurnee Warren (6) 78 2. Lincoln-Way East (2) 73 3. Chicago Marist 54 4. Maine South 50 5. Hinsdale Central 47 6. Naperville Neuqua Valley 30 7.…
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QUINCY — A strong cast of returnees is leading to respect for the Quincy University men’s soccer team from the Great Lakes Valley Conference coaches. The way the QU women’s soccer team rebounded last spring is making the league’s coaches take note, too. In a preseason poll of the GLVC coaches, the QU men tied…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Gems infield proved to be as good as any in the Prospect League. Three of the four infield positions on the league’s West Conference all-star team were Gems as first baseman Jake Skrine, shortstop Gino D’Alessio and third baseman Matt Schark earned postseason accolades. Skrine, a junior from Indiana University, finished…
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QUINCY — The way Carter Venvertloh handled an off-the-cuff question is a sign the Quincy High School junior midfielder and his teammates can handle anything else thrown their way. A 10-year-old sports fan hanging out at one of the Blue Devils’ practices during the preseason had the chance to interact with the players following a…
Read Full Article Boys Soccer At Beardstown, Ill. Quincy Notre Dame 3, Beardstown 0: The Raiders scored three second-half goals to improve to 2-0. Jakob Vincent scored the first goal before Cayge Hughes made it 2-0 by curling in a corner kick. Ben Frericks finished the scoring with a blast from 18 yards out. Tanner Anderson and Frericks…
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Neither Mariano Rivera nor Trevor Hoffman’s mark on baseball can ever be erased. And I’m not talking about their save totals. The Hall of Fame closers — Rivera holds the MLB record with 652 saves, while Hoffman is second with 601 saves — became as recognizable for their entrance music as they were for their…
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EWING, Mo. — Despite the speed, efficiency and explosiveness the Highland football team showcased on offense last season, defense determined the Cougars’ fate. A 52-50 loss to Clark County in the district opener is no better example. “We have to get guys in the right positions to make plays,” Highland coach Dave Degarmo said. “That’s…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team’s spot in the Chicagoland Soccer’s state poll isn’t simply a nod to the program’s reputation and tradition. It’s respect for the season the Raiders enjoyed in the spring and the depth of the roster that returns. QND is ranked 12th, one of only two downstate teams…
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MENDON, Ill. — The blowback from Community Unit School District No. 4’s decision to remain mask optional is impacting the district’s athletic programs. The Unity girls volleyball team was scheduled to play its season opener Tuesday at home against Griggsville-Perry, but because of CUSD No. 4’s mask policy, Griggsville-Perry will not play the match. Illinois…
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QUINCY — The atmosphere appeals to Courtney Kvitle’s competitive nature. She hopes it brings out the best in the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players, too. Since the Raiders first entered the gym August 9 to begin preparing for Wednesday’s season opener in Mendon against Unity, Kvitle has seen nothing but relentless effort and spirited play,…
Read Full Article Boys Soccer At Peoria Notre Dame High School Quincy Notre Dame 4, Peoria Notre Dame 2: After surrendering a two-goal halftime lead, the Raiders rebound with two goals in the final 25 minutes to win their season opener. Quinton Hankins scored the game-winning goal off a Brock Evans corner kick. Tanner Anderson added a penalty…
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QUINCY — The return to Ottawa brought the Quincy High School girls tennis program some normalcy. The rest of the schedule hopefully will, too. With a vast number of underclassmen, the Blue Devils need the challenges their traditional schedule provides, starting with last Friday’s Night Light Invitational at Ottawa. The Blue Devils finished fourth as…
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