Football
QUINCY — It has been 40 years since the Quincy Notre Dame football team engineered one of the biggest one-season turnarounds in school history. The Raiders were coming off back-to-back 2-8 seasons in 1983 and had lost 19 of their previous 23 games, dating to the tail end of the 1980 campaign. It had been…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The wives of the Camp Point Central football coaches are a staff unto themselves. Each week, prior to Friday night, they game plan how to wrangle kids, pack enough juice boxes and gear to survive a three hours and make arrangements for postgame festivities. It’s done to allow their husbands to…
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EAST MOLINE, Ill. — Three plays changed everything for the Quincy High School football team. Sure the final score ended up 63-27 with the final 14 minutes played with a running clock, but the Blue Devils needed the tide-turning moments to shoot down United Township in Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup at the…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — A homecoming crowd, a rival coming to town and a victory. Life is pretty good if you’re the state-ranked Camp Point Central football team. The Panthers took care of business Friday night, beating Brown County 45-0 in a Western Illinois Valley Conference North Division game. Central, ranked third in Class 1A,…
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MEXICO, Mo. — Aneyas Williams’ play gets described in a variety of ways, often with adjectives such as electric or dazzling. Friday night, a new one was added to the list. Efficient. Williams had only four touches offensively during the Hannibal football team’s 61-7 victory over Mexico in North Central Missouri Conference play, but the…
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ASHLAND, Mo. — The kind of victory the Quincy Notre Dame football team desperately needed, the kind that alleviates the pressure to be perfect, was within the Raiders’ grasp. In fact, it was only 72 seconds away. That’s when disaster devastated QND. Southern Boone’s Brady Dapkus returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown and…
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KAHOKA, Mo. — Kendal Hammond can’t forget his freshman football season at South Shelby. Nor would he want to, because it regularly serves as a reminder about how far the Cardinals program has come since 2020. “We didn’t win a game,” said Hammond, wincing at the mere thought of that season. “We went 0-9.” Fast…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — Attempting to bounce back from a humbling loss at South Shelby a week ago, the Monroe City football team put forth a spirited comeback in the second half Friday night at Lankford field, but Centralia remained undefeated with a 27-24 victory. Monroe City quarterback Trey Smyser threw a pair of touchdown…
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QUINCY — Here is a look at this weekend’s prep football slate: Friday’s games Quincy High School (4-0) at United Township (1-3), 7 p.m. • WTAD 930 AM • QCSportsNet.com Did you know?: The Blue Devils have won 19 consecutive meetings with the Panthers, starting with a 35-27 victory in Week 6 of the 2003…
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CHICAGO — Here are the latest rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters: Class 8A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (8) (4-0) 125 2 2. Lincoln-Way East (5) (4-0) 122 1 3. York (4-0) 104 3 4. Barrington (4-0) 81 5 5. Maine…
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QUINCY — Emotions ran the gamut during Week 4 of the high school football season, from elation over first victories to relief courtesy fourth-quarter survival to grief born of losing a teammate and friend. Add a sense of pride to that list for Palmyra coach Dalton Hill, who is watching the Panthers mature week by…
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a 9-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis. Panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Cole Young, PrepsKC; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News-Tribune; Chris Parker, Ozone Sports; Joe Andrews, Warrensburg Star Journal; Tommy Rezac, KFEQ St. Joseph; J.B. Connoley,…
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QUINCY — There’s no questioning the offensive firepower the Quincy High School football team possesses. Coming off a record-setting sophomore season, quarterback Bradyn Little already has thrown for 1,105 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing nearly 73 percent of his passes through four games. Tykell Hammers is averaging 16.3 yards per catch and has scored…
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QUINCY — The situation was less than ideal. The response to it was more than fitting. Now, the Quincy Notre Dame football players can exhale and breathe a little easier. A dominant defensive effort Saturday in which the Raiders forced three turnovers and blocked a punt propelled QND to a 20-6 victory over state-ranked Lift…
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QUINCY — Nothing could wash away the good vibes the Quincy Notre Dame football team generated Saturday, not even a postgame thunderstorm. The Raiders finished off a 20-6 victory over Lift for Life Academy on Saturday afternoon at Advance Physical Therapy Field before the rain fell, giving QND its first victory of the season and…
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MENDON, Ill. — There is a quiet effectiveness about the Camp Point Central football team. And it’s obvious. The Panthers go about their duty on game nights with a business-like approach, and they fully expect to win. Most of the time, they do just that. “We go into every game confident,” said Nick Moore, the…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School football team is 4-0 for the first time since 2007 after holding off Moline 34-27 for a Western Big 6 Conference victory Friday night at Flinn Stadium. Muddy River Sports editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening at the venerable facility and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article SHELBINA, Mo. — When Kendal Hammond raced to the end zone for his fourth touchdown of the first half Friday night, he had a little more pep to his step. Credit Hammond’s dad for providing some extra motivation for his son and the South Shelby football team’s offensive line. “He made me a deal. If…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal quarterback Waylon Anders shrugged off the final margin of victory, preferring to break down the bigger picture. “We know we have to stay focused, no matter who we are playing or what the score is,” Anders said. The junior insists maintaining that kind of mindset is imperative, regardless of how easy…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Nothing is easy about saying goodbye. Tanner Horrell needed the Macomb football players to understand that. So the Bombers coach made it known if the grief associated with losing a teammate — freshman Landon Cromer died Tuesday from injuries sustained in a car accident — interrupted practice, it was OK. Step away.…
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QUINCY — Here is a look at the area football games scheduled to be played Friday and Saturday with links to radio broadcasts and livestreams: Friday’s games Moline (1-2) at Quincy High School (3-0), 7 p.m. • WTAD 930 AM • WGEM streaming app Did you know?: Moline had a string of 15 consecutive Western…
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QUINCY — Want to know which of the five starting offensive linemen for the Quincy High School football team is the strongest? What about the cleanest? Or maybe you’re curious where they like to eat as a group, considering their camaraderie extends beyond the gridiron? They’ll tell you. They’ll smile and laugh while doing it,…
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CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois Associated Press state football rankings, as voted on by a panel of sportswriters and sportscasters from across the state: Class 8A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Lincoln-Way East (8) (3-0) 125 1 2. Loyola (5) (3-0) 122 2 3. York (3-0) 103 3 4. Maine South (2-1) 83 4…
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Here are the Missouri statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a 9-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis. Panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Cole Young, PrepsKC; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News-Tribune; Chris Parker, Ozone Sports; Joe Andrews, Warrensburg Star Journal; Tommy Rezac, KFEQ…
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ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Quincy High School football team set the appropriate tone for its pursuit of a Western Big 6 Conference championship, opening league play last Friday night with a 41-7 victory over Rock Island at Almquist Field. Bridgett Zanger put together this photo gallery from the Blue Devils’ victory and shared it…
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QUINCY — Waking up Monday morning, I realized there is one undeniable truth in life. The world is a better place when there is a weekend filled with football. Here’s why: Football is about connections more than it is collisions. Friday night, with my pickup truck parked next to the fence wrapped around the Airstrip…
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QUINCY — There may be brighter days ahead for the Quincy Notre Dame football team, but Raiders coach Jack Cornell didn’t mince words when reflecting on his team’s winless start to the season. “Losing is never fun,” Cornell said. Mahomet-Seymour held QND scoreless in the second half and scored the final 28 points en route…
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ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — A good high school football team is usually driven by a handful of standouts. When you have a bushel of stars, great things come. Quincy High School is one of those kinds of teams. It is hard to find a place where there is a hole on this Quincy team and…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The Illini West football team received the opening kickoff in Friday night’s Lincoln Trail-Prairieland Conference matchup with Macomb, drove 65 yards and scored. The Bombers answered with authority. Led by junior quarterback Braden Holthaus, the Bombers took a 20-12 lead by halftime and rolled to a 38-12 victory to improve to 2-1,…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Highland football team was clinging to dreams of pulling off a monumental upset through three quarters. Monroe City dashed them in the fourth. The Panthers scored 22 unanswered points in the final 10 minutes, 10 seconds Friday night to snatch a 30-14 victory from the Cougars in the Clarence Cannon…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Aneyas Williams did not have to think twice about an answer to the question of whether or not he ever feels like a marked man on the football field. Williams considered his answer for a few moments, then smiled politely before responding. “For about four years now I’ve felt like I’ve had…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Macomb athletic director Steve Horrell continues to make Friday nights about football and family. Previously a long-time member of the Macomb football coaching staff, Horrell and his wife, Trish, raised their four kids at football fields throughout West-Central Illinois. Their son, Tanner, is now the Bombers head coach and his sons and…
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QUINCY — In the middle of watching Jeraius Rice run wild and the Quincy High School football team put on another offensive showcase, it was easy to overlook just how dominant the Blue Devils’ defensive front had been. That was until you took a glance at the stat sheet. In last Friday’s 40-6 victory at…
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Here are the latest rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters. Class 8ASchool W-L Pts Prv 1. Lincoln-Way East (9) (2-0) 117 12. Loyola (3) (2-0) 111 23. York (2-0) 96 34. Maine South (1-1) 62 55. Barrington (2-0) 60 T76. Glenbard West (1-1)…
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QUINCY — Call them the Comeback Cougars. Two weeks in a row, the Highland football team has needed to erase a deficit to be able to head into Clarence Cannon Conference play with an unblemished record. Both times, the Cougars have figured out a way to get into the end zone. Last Friday night, the…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — After carrying the football 28 times, most of them straight-ahead bursts into heavy traffic between the tackles, Mike Ferreira admitted his body had absorbed some punishment. “I’ve got a few bruises, but I’ll be good,” Hannibal’s junior running back said after the Pirates evened their record at 1-1 Friday night with an…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Smarting from a lopsided road loss to Jefferson City Helias in its season opener, the Hannibal football team was out to make a statement before its home crowd Friday night at Porter Stadium. The message was received loud and clear. Mike Ferreira ran for 177 tough yards, quarterback Waylon Anders threw for…
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Runnin' with the Devil: QHS's Rice dices up Alton's defense with four TDs as Blue Devils move to 2-0
ALTON, Ill. — The Alton football team knew what was coming when it came down to stopping the high-octane Quincy High School offense. The question that loomed was could the Redbirds’ defense stop the slick and slippery Jeraius Rice. The answer was an emphatic no. The Blue Devils tailback sliced and diced his way to…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — All of the game’s scoring occurred in the first half. All of the suspense materialized during a frantic final five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Central football team escaped its home opener Friday night with a 30-22 victory over Hardin Calhoun in a Western Illinois Valley Conference crossover game. The…
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RICHMOND, Ill. — Everything Quincy Notre Dame football coach Jack Cornell and his staff saw in practice has them convinced better days lie ahead. The effort the Raiders put into Friday night’s trip north backed that up. QND limited Richmond-Burton to to six points in the second half, proved it could move the ball against…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Camp Point Central football team made a lead last despite getting pushed to the brink by Hardin Calhoun, holding on for a 30-22 victory in a Western Illinois Valley Conference crossover game. Freelance photographer Mike Pritchard roamed the sidelines and put together this photo gallery:
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Here are the latest rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters: Class 8ASchool W-L Pts Prv 1. Lincoln-Way East (7) (1-0) 97 12. Loyola (3) (1-0) 93 23. York (1-0) 79 34. Glenbard West (1-0) 58 75. Maine South (0-1) 42 46. Naperville North…
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Missouri prep football rankings: Hannibal, Monroe City, South Shelby find way into respective top 10
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a nine-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parentheses. Panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Cole Young, PrepsKC; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News Tribune; Chris Parker, Ozone Sports; Joe Andrews, Warrensburg Star Journal; Tommy Rezac, KFEQ St. Joseph; J.B.…
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QUINCY — Before Friday night, the last time I went to a high school football game for the purpose of writing about it was Nov. 11, 1995. Quincy Notre Dame was playing at Lewistown that Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs. Abundant sunshine was unable to mask 20 mph winds slicing…
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QUINCY — Eventually, Rico Clay will remember how everything transpired. In the aftermath of the Quincy High School football team’s season-opening 55-12 victory Friday night over Quincy Notre Dame, the details of Clay’s first career interception and the return that took him to the end zone for his first career touchdown seemed fuzzy. “It sort…
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QUINCY — It turned out to be a season opener unlike any other in recent memory, complete with fans waving fans, heat sending an official to the locker room and a pair of Quincy High School juniors showcasing their burgeoning talents Friday night at Flinn Stadium. Tykell Hammers scored three touchdowns, Rico Clay intercepted two…
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WHITE HALL, Ill. — The No. 2-ranked team in Class 1A needed just 24 minutes Friday night to remind everyone it deserves such respect. The Camp Point Central football team built a 40-point lead by halftime and cruised to a 40-8 victory over North Greene in a Western Illinois Valley Conference cross-divisional matchup in the…
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A seven-point halftime deficit didn’t seem too daunting. A 35-point disadvantage by the end of the third quarter was too much to overcome. The Hannibal football team saw Jefferson City Helias score three times on just nine plays in less than five minutes to start the third quarter and never recovered,…
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CENTER, Mo. — The Monroe City football team dominated the first half of its season opener Friday night against Mark Twain. And that proved to be enough. With sophomore Quincy Mayfield leading the way with 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the Panthers used a relentless running attack to rack up 266 yards of total…
Read Full Article SHELBINA, Mo. — The South Shelby football team wasted no time asserting itself. Cameron Wiseman returned the game’s opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown and the Cardinals rolled from there, beating Milan 47-6 Friday night in the season opener. Fullback Kendal Hammond powered the offense, rushing for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 11…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The Palmyra football team showed some moxie after falling behind 14-0 Friday night. It wasn’t enough to keep Hallsville from rolling to a 46-6 victory, but it was a sign that an inexperienced roster is growing. In Dalton Hill’s debut as the Palmyra head coach, the Panthers pulled within 22-6 at halftime…
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QUINCY — Tykell Hammers is one of the many offensive weapons Quincy High School quarterback Bradyn Little has in his arsenal, but Hammers’ skills aren’t limited to the gridiron alone. The QHS junior started in the outfield for the baseball team last spring after emerging as a high-quality wide receiver and defensive back during last…
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QUINCY — Welcome to a toasty Week 1 of the high school football season, which will feature later kickoff times, extended halftimes and multiple water breaks in efforts to beat the oppressive heat. Word to the wise: Plan accordingly for sitting on metal bleachers. Former Major League Baseball player and manager Lou Pinella once said…
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QUINCY — The first Friday of the prep football season is nearly here, although it comes with a myriad of game time adjustments due to the heat. Here is a look at the schedule for area teams and where those games can be found on the radio or via livestream: Quincy Notre Dame at Quincy…
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Here are the latest rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters and released Wednesday: Class 8A School Pts 1. Lincoln-Way East (8) 116 2. Loyola (4) 111 3. York 78 4. Maine South 73 5. Gurnee Warren 60 6. Palatine 53…
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QUINCY — Ben Schwartz understands hard work. It’s engrained in you when you grow up in a farm family. Schwartz’s diligence and effort led to an opportunity to step into the starting lineup along the Quincy Notre Dame football team’s offensive line as a sophomore and he’s been an anchor ever since. Schwartz enters his…
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QUINCY — Experience has taught Matt McClelland to always err on the side of caution. That explains why the Quincy High School boys soccer team’s season opener Tuesday night against Jacksonville was postponed. No makeup date has been set yet, but the Blue Devils and Crimsons intend to play the game once this heat wave…
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QUINCY — Check out the Muddy River Sports 38-page preview of the upcoming high school football season with a look at all 16 teams in our coverage area, including team schedules and a list of where to find games on the radio and via livestream. Friday Night Lights is brought to you by Refreshment Services…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Come the first weekend of December, when Missouri crowns its high school football state champions and puts a wrap on the fall season, the career of one the most dominant and electrifying athletes this area has ever seen will end as well. Luckily, all the football Friday nights and playoff games between…
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QUINCY — The discussion of the best football player in the area starts and stops with Aneyas Williams. An argument could be made that the Hannibal senior running back, who has committed to the University of Notre Dame, is the top offensive talent in the state of Missouri. If you talk quarterbacks, one name tops…
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CENTER, Mo. — Entering his fourth season as a starter and one of only three seniors on the roster, Wyatt Evans sees himself as a de facto coach on the field for the Mark Twain football team. “I want everybody to be able to run our playbook right,” he said. “It’s not just a running…
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QUINCY — At first, Adon Byquist didn’t worry much about the severity of his injury. In fact, no one seemed overly concerned. The Quincy High School football team’s starting wingback went to the sideline during the season opener against Quincy Notre Dame last August with pain in his right knee. He said, at the time,…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Jack Anderson first ventured into the weight room with a specific purpose in mind. “I wanted to hit the gym to get stronger for basketball and football and sports in general,” he said. He rapidly found a more appealing aspect of working out. Anderson, a senior defensive end/tight end for the…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Saturday, the public got its first glimpse of the Hannibal football team, along with the cheerleaders and dance team during the annual “Meet the Pirates” event at Porter Stadium. Freelance photographer Mathew Kirby captured the action for this photo gallery:
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QUINCY — Rick Little better pack a zinger or two in his back pocket. A few are bound to be thrown his way. The Quincy High School football coach will join the other seven Western Big 6 Conference coaches as guest speakers at the WB6 Coaches Kickoff banquet, taking place next Wednesday at the Quad…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — Palmyra had a football season to forget in 2022. Aaron Ritchey plans to do just that. “The main thing is to forget that last season ever happened,” the Panthers senior quarterback said. “We have new players, new coaches, a whole new offense and a whole new defense. Everything about our team this…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The speed is not quite what it used to be and cutting through an open hole is not as crisp as he would like, but Waylon DeGrave is confident it’s only a matter of time before the work he has put in the last nine months to rehabilitate his right knee…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — A new year has begun. Award-winning freelance photographer Mathew Kirby spent Monday criss-crossing the Hannibal High School campus and venturing out to the Veterans Elementary sports complex as Hannibal teams opened fall practice. He even made it to Norwoods Golf Course for the girls golf team’s practice. Kirby put together this photo…
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QUINCY — The Knights of Columbus grounds, 700 S. 36th Street, will be the site for the inaugural Hog-N-Dog, a fundraiser for the Quincy Notre Dame football program. A variety of activities and events are planned. The day will begin with a volleyball tournament beginning at 8 a.m. Entry is limited to the first 16…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The Palmyra coaching staff is getting an injection of youth across the board. During its May meeting, the Palmyra R-I Board of Education approved the hiring of Jenny Jansen, a 2022 graduate of Southern Illinois University, as the new varsity softball coach and two former Culver-Stockton College football players — Dalton Huffman…
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SALEM, Mo. — The issues that resulted in former Palmyra football coach Kevin Miles tendering his resignation as a teacher March 30 have forced him to resign from his new job. According to the Salem News, the Salem R-80 Board of Education accepted Miles’ resignation as a teacher, head football coach and assistant athletic director…
Read Full Article PALMYRA, Mo. — Expressing regret over what has transpired within the Palmyra football program and school district within the last six months, former Panthers coach Kevin Miles made his first public comments following his resignation as a teacher last week. Miles spoke with Dave Roberts of the Salem (Mo.) News and said “All I can…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The when, where, why and how things transpired weren’t going to change Dalton Hill’s outlook on what being a head football coach is all about. The focus has to be on the players, first and foremost. “I’m about the kids. It’s what I do this job for,” said Hill, whose appointment as…
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MENDON, Ill. — The Mustang Football Boosters will hold their annual spring dinner and auction from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Mendon. Admission is $10 person, which includes a pork chop dinner served from 5-7p.m. A silent auction will run throughout the night, with a live auction…
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ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Seven of the eight Western Big 6 Conference football programs suddenly have an open date on their schedules for next fall. Wednesday, at a meeting of WB6 principals and athletic directors in Galesburg, Rock Island Alleman informed the rest of the league it will not field a varsity football team in…
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PAYSON, Ill. — All of those running backs who were stopped dead in their tracks the past couple of seasons by Unity-Payson linebacker Bryan Dieker might find this funny. Five years ago, he didn’t know how to tackle. Those trying to defend Dieker on the basketball court might find this funny, too. Three years ago,…
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MACON, Mo. — My cellphone rang the day after Christmas. I looked at the screen to see it was Tom Sneed, or Tommy Joe as he was called growing up, a moniker some of us in the family still use. He’s a second cousin on my mother’s side. It had been a while since we…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A tumultuous and resignation of a high school football coach. A magical run to a state championship game appearance. A bicycle ride from one coast to the other. A shot for the ages. Those were the moments our readers wanted to know about. Here are the most viewed stories on Muddy River Sports…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — A plastic baggie filled with marshmallows helped keep quiet the biggest secret in Hannibal a little bit longer. Aneyas Williams, the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 2024 recruiting class according to Rivals.com, and Tippy Toes, the family dog dressed like a leprechaun, combined to announce Williams’ decision to attend the University…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — One of the nation’s most coveted recruits, who is days away from revealing his college choice, received an honor fitting his impressive production. One of the best tacklers Northeast Missouri has seen in recent memory picked up another honor, too. Hannibal all-purpose back Aneyas Williams and Monroe City linebacker Ceaton Pennewell repeated…
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QUINCY — Five area prep football standouts have been selected to play in the Illinois Shrine Bowl, taking place June 17 at Illinois Wesleyan College in Bloomington. Quincy High School cornerback Gregory Quince and Quincy Notre Dame linebacker Jackson Stratton will be on the blue squad. Central running back Isaac Genenbacher, Central center Owen Roth…
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ADRIAN, Mo. — Even in the wake of a hurts-down-to-your-soul kind of loss, Monroe City football coach David Kirby needed the Panthers to remember one valuable thing. “I said this all year long,” Kirby said. “We are not victims. We are victors. You make sure you hold your head high through anything.” After losing 32-16…
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Every comeback starts at a tipping point, the moment where momentum and mojo shift dramatically. Everything lined up for a Lena-Winslow punt to be just that. Having forced the defending Class 1A state champion to punt from its own 23-yard line with 7 minutes, 53 seconds remaining in the third quarter Friday…
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — As they worked their way past the long line of Decatur St. Teresa faithful waiting to enter Memorial Stadium, a group of Camp Point Central football fans were abruptly stopped by some curious Bulldogs fans. “Did you get it done?” one asked. The disappointment echoed in the tone of the response. “It…
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Central football team’s magical postseason run ended Friday with a 30-8 loss to top-ranked Lena-Winslow in the Class 1A state championship game at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium. Central finished its season with a 13-1 record and the single-season program record for victories. Here is a gallery of images from…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Come Friday, the Camp Point Central football team will walk into Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus for the Class 1A state championship game to square off with Lena-Winslow, the reigning state champion who has won five state championships since 2010. Leading the way with be an experienced, stout…
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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…
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COLFAX, Ill. — Ross Riley’s explanation for the Camp Point Central football team’s Class 1A semifinal win over Ridgeview-Lexington was a simple one. That was fitting because the Panthers’ 44-8 victory was simple domination. “We were just going, and I was just running. I don’t know what else to say,” exclaimed a jubilant Riley. “It’s…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The bottom line? “Now we’ve got the chance to play 48 more minutes,” said Monroe City running back Ceaton Pennewell, only moments after his club had survived a grueling Class 1 quarterfinal test Saturday afternoon against Lincoln. Monroe City’s 26-12 victory at Lankford Field did not come easy. If nothing else,…
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WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Two shifts in momentum completely changed the context of Friday night’s Class 4 state quarterfinal rematch. The first gave the Hannibal football team a boost. The second spelled doom for the Pirates. After Hannibal scored on the final play of the first half to take a seven-point lead to the locker…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Central football players have traded cut-off t-shirts and shorts for stocking caps and sweatshirts. When that takes place, something more significant has, too. In this case, the Panthers have reached the Class 1A state semifinals for the fourth time in program history. Central (12-0) travels for the first time this…
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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…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Central quarterback Nick Moore’s post-game assessment was rather poignant. And precise. “The first half was kind of rough,” Moore said in matter-of-fact fashion. Yep, pretty much much nailed it, Nick. Fortunately, there are two halves in a high school football game. The margin of Central’s 24-12 Class 1A quarterfinal playoff victory…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Shut out in the first half and trailing by two scores, the Central football team showed why it has been one of the area’s most successful programs for the past decade. The Panthers simply refuse to lose. They rallied for a 24-12 victory over Greenfield-Northwestern in the Class 1A state quarterfinals…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal football team outscored Jefferson City — and the thermometer — on a frosty Friday night at E.A. Porter Stadium. The Pirates’ potent run-first-and-foremost offense eventually wore down the Jays on an evening when the temperature never broke 30 degrees and ended with a 42-21 Class 4 District 5 championship victory.…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — Monroe City senior Ceaton Pennewell channeled his inner Luke Kuechly on Friday night. With temperatures in the high 20s and a wind chill in the teens, Pennewell wasn’t about to let South Shelby think he was cold. While some of his teammates were a little more dressed for the conditions, Pennewell,…
Read Full Article 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…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — A self-reported violation has led to the Palmyra football team officially forfeiting the final six games of its regular season, which included the Panthers’ lone victory against Highland in Week 8. Palmyra athletic director Brian Wosman confirmed the school submitted information to the Missouri State High School Activities Association showing a handful…
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QUINCY — Coming out of the halftime locker room, Quincy High School football coach Rick Little and his counterpart at Lemont, Bret Kooi, had to play a bit of a chess game. Kooi’s squad led 17-10. Little had first choice and elected to receive the second half kickoff. Kooi was left to decide whether he…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Don’t kid yourself, that well-grounded approach to offense employed by Central’s football team is by no means an accident or simple happenstance. Yep, there’s a specific method to the successful madness on those wind-swept plains just outside of Camp Point. “We’ve always been a running team here,” junior two-way lineman Reese…
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