Basketball – Girl’s
QUINCY — Standing in the hallway leading from the locker room to the gym in Illini West High School, Sage Stratton experienced a moment that set her up to be a leader, a contributor and arguably one of Quincy Notre Dame’s all-time greats. The Raiders had just beaten Illini West 40-38 in a battle of…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The old guard is giving way to burgeoning talent. That’s the theme the Muddy River Sports 2024-25 girls basketball all-area team seemed to follow. Seniors such as Quincy Notre Dame’s Sage Stratton, Central-Southeastern’s Lauren Miller and South Shelby’s Callie McWilliams piled up postseason plaques and accolades throughout their career. Brown County’s Kenzie Kassing…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The state runner-up Canton boys basketball team is reaping the rewards of its success. The Tigers had three players named to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 2 District 6 all-district team with senior forward Preston Brewer being named the District 10 Player of the Year and Tigers coach Dalton Armontrout receiving…
Read Full Article QUINCY — And just like that, the local basketball season is over. The final buzzer sounded Friday evening when top-seeded Grand Valley State, the No. 2-ranked team in the country, eliminated the Quincy University women in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional. Coming off eight straight losing seasons and picked to…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Three area players earned first-team honors and six others received mention on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association girls all-state teams. Central-Southeastern senior forward Lauren Miller and Pittsfield freshman guard Reese Ramsey were first-team picks in Class 2A, while Brown County sophomore guard Kenzie Kassing was a first-team selection in Class 1A. Receiving second-team…
Read Full Article ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team was on the brink of seeing its season end Saturday night when Makaiya Brooks scored from the baseline with 4:47 left in the third quarter to put Drury ahead 50-42. “I was not worried at all, really,” Hawks senior Cymirah Williams said. Apparently, neither were…
Read Full Article ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Karsyn Stratton hasn’t been much of a scorer for much of her college basketball career, so it would be considered surprising to many who are seeing her carrying so much of the scoring load lately for the Quincy University women’s basketball team. Hawks coach Courtney Boyd thinks she has an answer…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — It was not the happy ending Sage Stratton had envisioned, but even as the tears streamed down her face as she watched the Washington girls basketball team celebrate Friday night’s 60-51 victory over Quincy Notre Dame in the Class 3A third-place game at CEFCU Arena, the QND senior guard had no qualms…
Read Full Article ST. CHARLES, Mo. — It didn’t matter that Mikayla Huffine had missed eight of nine shots. She never lost her confidence. “I mean, they were leaving me open because obviously I wasn’t hitting the three,” said the Quincy University junior guard, who had missed all four of her 3-point shots in Friday night’s quarterfinal game…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — Eric Orne is still not numb to the feeling. “You still get chills when you walk through the tunnel,” Orne said. That tunnel leads you into CEFCU Arena, the home of the IHSA state basketball tournament, a destination Orne has reached nine times in 23 seasons as the Quincy Notre Dame girls…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — The trips to CEFCU Arena — traditionally known as Redbird Arena — have been fruitful for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, which won its ninth state trophy since 2008 this weekend. The Raiders finished fourth in Class 3A, losing 60-51 to Washington in Friday night’s third-place game. Muddy River Sports…
Read Full Article ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team probably ought to be in consideration for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional next week. Surprisingly, they’re not. Friday night’s 74-69 victory over Missouri S&T at Hyland Arena in the quarterfinals of the Great Lakes Valley Tournament improved the Hawks’ record…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — CEFCU Arena has become quite the familiar place for Sage Stratton, but the significance of playing in three state tournaments in four years is not lost on the Quincy Notre Dame senior guard. “I wish everybody could have this experience,” said Stratton, who helped the Raiders win a Class 2A state championship…
Read Full Article CLARKSVILLE, Mo. — Having played for the Canton girls basketball team in the 2000s and coached the Tigers for the last 10 seasons, Danielle Baker knows how much of a perennial power Clopton has been for the better part of the last two decades. “Even when I was in high school, it was either you…
Read Full Article DES PERES, Mo. — The South Shelby girls basketball team was unable to counteract a third-quarter scoring burst from Principia on Tuesday night. The end result was Principia, the state’s No. 2-ranked Class 3 team, eliminated South Shelby 46-28 in a sectional game played before a standing-room-only crowd of 800-plus at Simon Field House. Principia…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the postseason scoreboard for high school basketball. This will be continually updated: Illinois girls Class 4A Granite CIty Regional Monday, Feb. 17 Game 1 — No. 1 Alton 77, No. 8 Granite City 17 Game 2 — No. 5 Quincy 42, No. 4 Edwardsville 36 Friday, Feb. 21 Game 3 —…
Read Full Article TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — Ari Buehler’s bright smile said it all. “I guess it does,” she said. The euphoric moment the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team experienced Monday night, beating Mt. Vernon 55-54 to win the Class 3A Taylorville Super-Sectional and earn a final four berth, had the Raiders smiling, giggling and even crying as…
Read Full Article TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — As Ari Buehler stepped to the free-throw line with the chance to nudge the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team closer to a state tournament berth, her mind circled back to a year ago when the Raiders’ season ended with her miss at the charity stripe. “Oh, yeah, for sure,” Buehler said.…
Read Full Article TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team made 8 of 10 free throws in the final two minutes Monday night to hold off Mt. Vernon and earn a 55-54 victory in the Class 3A Taylorville Super-Sectional, earning a berth in the Class 3A final four in the process. Muddy River Sports Editor…
Read Full Article VANDALIA, Ill. — Same opponent, same round, same gym, and unfortunately for the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team, the same result. Nashville ended the Panthers’ postseason journey one step shy of a trip to the state tournament for the second straight season, winning 58-41 in the Class 2A Vandalia Super-Sectional in the Vandalia High School gym.…
Read Full Article VANDALIA, Ill. — A tear never visibly rolled down Matt Long’s face, but the makings of one welled up in his eyes when he was asked about his 32 seasons as the Camp Point Central and Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach. “I think it’s uncommon these days that people are patient enough to give you that…
Read Full Article LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The latest district title won by the South Shelby girls basketball team might just be the sweetest in its current run of championships. Not only was it the fourth straight Class 3 District 6 crown earned by the Lady Birds, but Saturday afternoon’s 39-19 victory over Highland avenged a loss to the…
Read Full Article QUEEN CITY, Mo. — The reason the Canton girls basketball team didn’t receive the No. 1 seed for the Class 2 District 6 tournament seemed to make sense, at least on paper anyway. There was a three-game difference in the win column between top-seeded Milan and the second-seeded Tigers. What the straight numbers didn’t take…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Saturday, March 1: Girls basketball Class 3 District 6 championship South Shelby 39, Highland 19 Class 2 District 6 championship Canton 61, Milan 35 Class 1 District 10 championship North Shelby 50, La Plata 39 Men’s basketball Quincy University 89, Indianapolis 77 Lincoln Land 75, John Wood…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — One of the first things Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long reminded his players at halftime Thursday night is they trailed by only six points. “He was right,” CSE senior forward Lauren Miller said. “We were only down six. For as bad as things had been, that had to mean something.” It…
Read Full Article CHATHAM, Ill. — In a year’s time, Sage Stratton’s tears turned into a bright smile. “It really feels so amazing coming back and actually winning it,” Stratton said. It being a sectional championship game, which the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team lost to Chatham Glenwood by a single point last season. The Raiders had…
Read Full Article Top-seeded Highland pulls away in second half to eliminate Monroe City, reach Class 3 district final
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The Highland girls basketball team’s fourth meeting of the season against Monroe City ended just like the first three. With a victory. Highland awakened in the second half Thursday night to eventually pull away from Monroe City 40-25 in the semifinals of the Class 3 District 6 tournament at Highland High School,…
Read Full Article LEWISTOWN, Mo. — More of the same. That’s what the South Shelby girls basketball team dished out to Palmyra in Thursday night’s semifinals of the Class 3 District 6 tournament at Highland High School. South Shelby scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter en route to pulling away for a 56-38 victory before…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — When practice is finished, Lexi Niekamp isn’t. A freshman guard on the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team, Niekamp typically heads home after practice and puts herself through another tedious workout inside the indoor shooting facility on her family’s property. “Every night I’m in there shooting,” Niekamp said. Same shots, same rhythm, same amount.…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — Trailing by 12 points midway through the third quarter Thursday night, the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team rallied to beat Pleasant Plains 51-44 in overtime in the Class 2A Waverly Sectional championship in Jim Roeschley Gymnasium. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article CHATHAM, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team made an emphatic statement with its 57-17 victory over Mahomet-Seymour in Thursday’s Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional championship game. That statement also prompted a question — Where does the Raiders’ performance rank in sectional history since the Illinois High School Association adopted the four-class system?…
Read Full Article CHATHAM, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team put memories of a sectional championship loss to rest by hammering Mahomet-Seymour 57-17 in Thursday night’s Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional title game. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was there and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article CHATHAM, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team refused to crack under the pressure. Their practice habits, especially when it comes to shooting free throws, have prepared Sage Stratton and her teammates for what they faced during Tuesday’s Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional semifinal game against Decatur MacArthur. “We practice free throws so…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — The order in which the connection occurs — Miller to Peters or Peters to Miller — doesn’t seem to matter much. It’s lethal either way. Tuesday night, it ruined the Staunton girls basketball team’s chance to make amends for two consecutive postseason losses to Central-Southeastern before the Bulldogs even had the chance…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — With two older brothers who were all-state football players, Agnes Genenbacher really had no option other than to be tough and know how to take a tumble. “That’s my nature,” she said. Going against them also taught her to be competitive. “I always want to be the best in everything I do,”…
Read Full Article CHATHAM, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team saw a 15-point second-half lead dwindle to one in the fourth quarter before the Raiders made plenty of free throws to survive with a 62-53 victory over Decatur MacArthur in Tuesday’s semifinals of the Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional. QND will face Mahomet-Seymour at 6:30…
Read Full Article WAVERLY, Ill. — By the end of the first quarter Tuesday night, there was little doubt the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team was headed to the sectional championship. Now the Panthers know a familiar face awaits. CSE beat Staunton 58-22 in the semifinals of the Class 2A Waverly Sectional, earning spot opposite Pleasant Plains in the…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Each week during Muddy Night Hoops powered by Farm & Home Supply — a 90-minute talk show centered on prep basketball — the Starry Star of the Week will be presented to one area student-athlete. Sponsored by Refreshment Services Pepsi, the Starry Star of the Week looks to highlight someone who did something…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — Karly Peters heard Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long loud and clear. With the Panthers trailing Petersburg PORTA 25-23 at halftime of Friday’s Class 2A Illini West Regional title game, Long’s message to Peters was short but powerful. “I told her, ‘It’s go time. Let’s go,’” Long said. Much of that encouragement…
Read Full Article GRANITE CITY, Ill. — With 4:43 remaining in regulation Friday night, Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance called his final timeout of the season. “I just challenged the girls,” Dance said. The Blue Devils trailed top-seeded Alton by 27 points in the Class 4A Granite City Regional championship, having played from behind since…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — Karly Peters led the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s second-half push, scoring 10 points in the third quarter of the Panthers’ 45-41 victory over Petersburg PORTA in Friday night’s championship game of the Class 2A Illini West Regional. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Friday, February 21: Boys basketball Quincy Notre Dame 64, Keokuk (Iowa) 62 Brown County 87, Pleasant Hill 55 Monmouth-Roseville 43, Macomb 37 Palmyra 69, Highland 36 Monroe City 52, Macon 20 South Shelby 60, Higbee 48 Marion County 63, North Shelby 59 Louisiana 72, Mark Twain 49…
Read Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — In the final seconds of a stressful fourth quarter, Sage Stratton and Ari Buehler took some time to relax and appreciate what they had just accomplished. As Quincy Notre Dame junior forward Jenna Durst stepped to the free-throw line for two shots with 5.9 seconds left and the Raiders leading Springfield 44-40…
Read Full Article BLUFFS, Ill. — Carrollton’s Harper Darr said she was finally able to “get out of her head.” As a result, the Brown County girls basketball team finds itself out of the postseason tournament. Darr’s season-best 18-point performance, including nine in the fourth quarter, helped propel Carrollton to a 47-43 victory in the Class 1A regional…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Wednesday, February 19: Boys basketball Brown County 64, Carrollton 45 Illini West 57, Rushville-Industry 40 Calhoun 53, Pittsfield 34 Palmyra 54, Clark County 39 Columbia Battle 76, Monroe City 41 Girls basketball Palmyra 54, Clark County 49 Men’s basketball Central Methodist 87, Culver-Stockton College 63 Women’s basketball…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team did not have its usual explosiveness on Tuesday, but Panthers coach Matt Long was not all that shocked. “Whatever the reason was, there wasn’t a lot of intensity in the gym tonight,” Long said. Several players, including all-state forward Lauren Miller, still battling sickness could have had…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — The stage is set for the Class 2A Illini West Regional championship as top-seeded Central-Southeastern advanced with a 49-34 victory over Illini West on Tuesday, while fourth-seeded Petersburg PORTA moved on with a 47-31 victory over West Hancock. The regional championship will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Illini West High…
Read Full Article PALMYRA, Mo. — Even though the Palmyra girls basketball team hung on for the victory, neither Sydney Compton nor Clare Williams felt much like celebrating. Palmyra’s 70-69 margin of victory over Hannibal fails to illustrate how the Panthers blew an 18-point lead in the second half. The score also fails to show Palmyra (13-10) had…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — The first four minutes of Tuesday’s Class 2A Illini West Regional semifinal game against Petersburg PORTA were everything West Hancock junior forward Jadyn Climer and the Titans girls basketball team could have asked for. “The energy was up,” Climer said. “We were like, ‘This is going to be a good game.’” Then…
Read Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The scoring run impressed Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne, but he was even more pleased with the attitude and approach that enabled the Raiders to go on that run. “We knew we had to come out here and just take care of business,” Orne said. That is exactly what…
Read Full Article GRANITE CITY, Ill. — The growth in confidence and maturity of the Quincy High School girls basketball players can be seen by looking at two measuring sticks. On Nov. 23, the Blue Devils lost 42-29 to Edwardsville in a neutral site game in O’Fallon, Ill. Monday night, in the Class 4A Granite City Regional semifinals,…
Read Full Article PAYSON, Ill. — On paper, the Mendon Unity girls basketball team looked to be a definitive favorite. On the court, it proved to be a different — or at least more difficult — story. While the No. 3-seeded Mustangs ultimately prevailed in their Class 1A Payson Regional semifinal matchup against No. 8 Rushville-Industry, they needed…
Read Full Article MT. STERLING, Ill. — Brown County girls basketball coach Dave Phelps may not prefer it, but he can live with Hornets senior forward Ashlee Markert leaving a practice early or even missing an occasional team activity. He knows it’s what Markert needs to do. Signed to play volleyball at Western Illinois University, the 6-foot-1 Markert…
Read Full Article PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Pikeland Superintendent Todd Fox was in the middle of addressing the Pittsfield girls basketball team Friday morning when the door to the classroom where they had gathered cracked open. In walked Lincoln McCartney with a simple request. “I’m paraphrasing here, but she said something like, ‘Can I join this meeting?’” Fox said.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Saturday, February 15: Boys basketball Quincy High School 66, Jacksonville 49 Palmyra 69, Bowling Green 56 Girls basketball Class 2A Illini West Regional Illini West 43, South County 40 West Hancock 39, Beardstown 29 Class 1A Payson Regional West Prairie 64, Payson Seymour 33 Rushville-Industry 56, Bushnell-Prairie…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Friday, February 14: Boys basketball Quincy High School 69, Moline 52 Quincy Notre Dame 71, Liberty 29 West Hancock 63, Southeastern 27 Pittsfield 49, Western 43 Griggsville-Perry 60, Payson Seymour 54 (2OT) Jacksonville Routt 51, Brown County 45 Illini West 47, Bushnell-Prairie City 26 Macomb 49, Camp…
Read Full Article QUINCY — They braided their hair into pigtails in Reese Ramsey trademark style. They took the floor for warmups with red “RR” stickers affixed to their shooting shirts. They wore red ribbons in their hair. And they spoke emotionally and eloquently about a friend they lost and will remember forever. The Quincy Notre Dame girls…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Bring on the postseason. Quincy High School’s girls basketball team put the cap on another successful regular season Thursday night when it overwhelmed Moline 73-51 in a Western Big 6 Conference game before a crowd of about 290. Quincy, now 19-10 and one victory away from a third straight 20-win season, put four…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The final home game for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team became an emotional tribute to a rival and friend and a hug to a community reeling from a tragedy. The Raiders beat Jefferson City Helias 61-36, but the night was honoring Pittsfield’s Reese Ramsey, who passed away in car accident Tuesday…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the latest Associated Press Illinois girls basketball state rankings, as compiled by a statewide panel of sportswriters and sportscasters. First-place votes are in parenthesis: Class 4A School Record Total Points Previous 1. Kenwood (5) 27-2 78 3 2. Lisle Benet (2) 26-2 68 2 3. Lyons 28-2 63 1 (tie) Nazareth…
Read Full Article Editor’s note: Tuesday night, Pittsfield freshman Reese Ramsey, the leading scorer on the Saukees girls basketball team that finished the regular season with a 24-4 record, passed away after she and two teammates were involved in a three-vehicle wreck on Highway 106. Both teammates are currently hospitalized. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman wrote this…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — Sure, they played a game Tuesday night. But wrapped around what was registering on the scoreboard was a celebration, for both an unequaled senior class of players and a retiring coach whose 32-year mark with the Central-Southeastern program may never be matched. For the record, CSE turned back West Hancock 66-41…
Read Full Article MONROE CITY, Mo. — A quiet first half did not shake Sydney Compton’s confidence. Instead, the Palmyra senior forward channeled whatever frustration built up in the opening 16 minutes into dogged determination. After just two points and no made field goals in the first half of Tuesday’s Clarence Cannon Conference clash with Monroe City, Compton…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team bookended its opening salvo with 3-pointers from Madelyn Hamby and Myley Longcor. After that, Jada Brown took over. The Blue Devils rattled off a 12-2 run to start Tuesday night’s game against Hannibal at Korf Gym as Hamby scored the first seven points and Longcor’s…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Tuesday, February 11: Boys basketball Quincy High School 76, Alleman 33 Quincy Notre Dame 80, Mendon Unity 39 Winchester West Central 69, Payson Seymour 63 Illini West 42, Camp Point Central 23 Brown County 55, Western 37 Beardstown 54, Pittsfield 43 Monroe City 68, Palmyra 44 South…
Read Full Article MENDON, Ill. — Yes, Kenzie Kassing was aware she had set the record. And yes, she remembered — with an obvious wince — how close she came a year ago before coming up one point shy. The Brown County girls basketball team’s sensational sophomore guard continued to rewrite the Hornets’ record book Monday night, scoring…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard from Monday, Feb. 10: Boys basketball West Hancock 64, Liberty 35 Payson Seymour 58, Beardstown 52 (OT) North Mac 49, Pittsfield 40 Southeastern 67, Pleasant Hill 53 Girls basketball Brown County 72, Mendon Unity 57 Pittsfield 65, Greenfield/Northwestern 36 Macomb 68, Illini West 49 Men’s basketball Clarke University…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Eric Orne summed up what the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team faced Saturday night quite succinctly. “I don’t think we’ll see a team that good unless we make the final four,” he said. The QND head coach has won enough games and been to enough state tournaments to be able to gauge…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Lauren Miller stood in the middle of the lane before an inbounds play with her hand cupped covering her mouth as she continually coughed. Moments later, she drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key that extended the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s first half lead over Palmyra on Saturday to eight points,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — An 18-point halftime lead steadily dwindled to four points by the start of the fourth quarter. Yet, the Pittsfield girls basketball team never panicked. “I like how we never felt like, ‘Oh, my gosh, they’re coming back,’” senior forward Madison Frieden said. “I felt we were pretty level-headed.” A Frieden layin with four…
Read Full Article QUINCY — It was emotional for the four seniors on the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team when they were recognized before Friday night’s game against Clopton (Mo.) High School. For Sage Stratton, it was especially touching that her future teammates and coaches from Drury University — in town to play Quincy University Saturday afternoon…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Friday, Feb. 7: Boys basketball Quincy High School 53, United Township 43 Jefferson City Helias 57, Quincy Notre Dame 45 Liberty 49, Payson Seymour 42 Camp Point Central 56, Rushville-Industry 36 Mendon Unity 76, Southeastern 62 Macomb 67, South Fulton 42 Brown County 69, Pittsfield 36 Pawnee…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Brad Dance may not have seemed overly excited when the final buzzer sounded or when he got recognized following his 100th career win as the Quincy High School girls basketball coach on Thursday, but the fashion in which the Blue Devils helped Dance reach the century mark made him proud. The Blue Devils…
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