Illini West High School
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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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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AUGUSTA, Ill. — The championship bracket of the Lady Suns Classic showed competitive balance, which is why it took a tiebreaker to determine the champion. The Illini West, Unity and Southeastern volleyball teams each completed the final day of play with a 1-1 record, but the Chargers won their first four matches of the tournament…
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AUGUSTA, Ill. — The top volleyball teams in each pool in the Lady Suns Classic cemented their spot in the championship bracket with straight-set sweeps Thursday night. Illini West continued its strong play, beating Brown County 25-16, 25-12. Josie Bryan led the Chargers with 11 kills and 12 digs, while Corin Robinson had 12 assists,…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The Illini West volleyball team is picking up steam. After opening the season with a straight-sets victory over Camp Point Central, the Chargers swept Brown County on Thursday night, winning 26-24, 25-16. Illini West got everyone involved in the attack, too. Madalyn Boyer and Reagan Reed led the Chargers with eight…
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QUINCY — The lid-lifter on the high school boys golf season took place Thursday at Westview Golf Course with a mix of what area coaches expected — quality shots, wayward bounces and the ups and downs associated with any round on the prep scene. Illini West senior Nick Bruns took medalist honors, shooting a 2-over…
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Chargers' Deitrich in high jump finals at Illinois boys state track, Eagles' Gimm to throw in discus
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Three Quincy High School runners were unable to advance to the finals in the Class 3A boys state track and field championships during Friday’s preliminaries at O’Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus. Boen Brockmiller placed 27th in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 22.90 seconds, while Eric McClelland was 34th in…
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MACKINAW, Ill. — Josie Bryan decided to try tripling jumping about three weeks ago. It turns out she’s pretty good at it. State-level good in fact. The Illini West junior track standout finished second in the triple jump during Thursday’s Class 1A Deer Creek-Mackinaw Sectional, leaping 10.15 meters to qualify for the girls state track…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — As potent as the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s lineup is, the Raiders must also show a little bit of patience. Friday, with the wind gusting in from center field and taking away the opportunity to drive the ball deep, the Raiders relied on their ability to work counts, move runners and…
Read Full Article BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team didn’t record a hit until the fifth batter of the first inning Friday against Carrollton in the opening game of the Beardstown Tiger Showcase and had only two hits in the inning thereafter. The Raiders still scored 12 runs in the frame. Capitalizing on walks, hit…
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QUINCY — Photographer Samantha Carmean spent time Saturday at the Quincy High School track and field invitational at Flinn Stadium and created this photo gallery:
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QUINCY — As much as he felt like he barreled the ball and put a legitimate charge into it, Michael Stupavsky could tell where it was headed. Foul territory. “After I hit that one, I wanted that back,” the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s senior catcher said of the ball he hit in the first…
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QUINCY — A seven-run outburst in the bottom of the first inning, three-plus innings of relief from a sophomore right-hander making his varsity debut and the first victory for new Quincy Notre Dame baseball coach Rich Polak made Tuesday’s game against Illini West complete. The Raiders won 8-3 at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, and…
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QUINCY — A combination of size and experience can carry a team. It’s what helped lift the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team to a sectional championship appearance a year ago. Wednesday night’s start to the postseason showed the Raiders are banking on it again. Senior post players Jake Wallingford and Alex Connoyer dominated on…
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QUINCY — A little more than a week after the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team secured its 20th victory of the season by beating West Hancock, the Raiders will have to do so again to keep their season alive. QND advanced to the championship game of the Class 2A QND Regional with a 75-47…
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QUINCY — One down. Six to go. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team opened its quest for a second straight state championship with a 79-33 victory over West Hancock in the Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at The Pit. Granted, QND (30-1) was a heavy favorite, but there was no chance of overconfidence…
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An upset bid by Illini West slipped away in the closing four minutes of its 34-26 loss to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at The Pit. The Chargers had closed within 26-24 but were outscored 8-2 down the stretch. MRN Editor David Adam captured images from the game.
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QUINCY — The stage at which the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team found itself — both in Tuesday night’s game and its season — screamed of a need for momentum. Charlie Lavery provided it. With QND leading Illini West 24-23 with 2 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the first half at The Pit, the…
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QUINCY — Maybe this was inevitable. Coming off a 53-point victory and riding the momentum of a double-digit win streak, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team built a 21-point halftime lead Thursday night against Illini West. That’s when it happened. Complacency set in. The Raiders, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, were never in…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Ashlynn Arnsmann felt Saturday night’s mission was simple. “We knew we had to bounce back,” the Unity senior center said. And bounce back the Mustangs did. Rather impressively, too. Arnsmann scored 17 points, reeled in seven rebounds and blocked two shots to help power the Unity girls basketball team to an…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — If given an option, Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long likes his team to get up and down the floor as quickly as possible. But that personal preference is not any sort of prerequisite for the Panthers to win. Case in point: CSE’s 37-26 victory over Illini West in Thursday night’s…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team handed Unity consecutive losses for the first time this season, while Central-Southeastern continued its winning ways as both teams battled their way into the championship game of the CSE Lady Panther Classic. Brown County, ranked fifth in Class 1A, knocked off second-ranked Unity 47-43 in…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — This time, the roles were reversed. When the Unity girls basketball team defeated Illini West 50-35 in Wednesday night’s semifinals of the 40th Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown High School, the victory helped exorcise at least some of the memories from a year ago. “(Illini West) beat us three times last season,…
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QUINCY — The bouncy, boisterous, energetic way the Illini West volleyball team plays can be distracting or intimidating. Quincy Notre Dame combatted that with plenty of noise of its own. Buoyed by a sizable, vocal crowd, the Raiders maintained an even-keel approach throughout Thursday night’s Class 2A QND Regional championship match at The Pit to…
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QUINCY — For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team can call itself a regional champion. This time, the Raiders gave their seniors a lasting memory in their final game at The Pit. QND beat Illini West 25-13, 25-17 to advance to the Farmington Sectional, where the Raiders…
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QUINCY — If pressed, Dakota Lafferty will admit, at times, it is difficult not to look toward next season. Considering her Illini West volleyball team will play Quincy Notre Dame for a Class 2A QND Regional title Thursday, what’s the deal, Dakota? “We don’t have any seniors,” she said. “We start two freshmen, three sophomores…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Blake Arnold ended his high school golf career in fitting fashion. Nolan Deitrich did, too. Arnold, the Liberty senior, made a birdie on the par-4 18th hole Saturday at Prairie Vista Golf Course, putting a cap on a round of 7-over 79 that left him tied for 13th with a 156 total…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Wesley Robertson intended to hit his driver off the tee on the Prairie Vista Golf Course’s 367-yard, par-4 18th hole to wrap up his round Friday. When the Illini West freshman boys golfer learned a par was all he needed to help the Chargers live to play another day, Robertson went back…
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MASON CITY, Ill. — Because the par-4 second hole at Country Hills Golf Course is nearly driveable, there was a slight lag in getting groups off the tee during the early portion of Monday’s Class 1A Illini Central Sectional. That enabled Illini West boys golf coach Christine Murphy and her husband, Shane, to check the…
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The fall slate of postseason events is underway, but that doesn’t mean the action is simmering down. Here is a look at the highlights from Thursday’s action: • Cole Henkenmeier scored off a Colin Kurk assist in the first half as the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team beat Normal U-High 2-0 in the opening…
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HAMILTON, Ill. — The nuances of Deer Run Golf Course made the Class 1A West Hancock Regional quite a challenge Wednesday. Nolan Deitrich and the Illini West boys golf team navigated it the best. Dietrich, a senior, birdied the par-3 18th hole to shoot an 81 and clip Liberty’s Blake Arnold by one stroke for…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — The physical tools Nolan Deitrich needs to excel at both golf and basketball are decidedly different. The mental approach is remarkably the same. Rolling in 4-foot par putt with a top finish at stake and hitting clutch free throws in a hostile gym will equally test your concentration and resolve. “The pressure…
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GALESBURG, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team is heading into the postseason on quite a roll. Three days after winning the West Central Conference championship with a 291 team total, the Raiders captured the title of Saturday’s Silver Streaks Invitational at Bunker Links by placing five individuals in the top 10 and…
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QUINCY — Ali Entrup’s reaction spoke volumes. Her play at the net resonated even louder. During a tug-o-war portion of the first set Thursday night against Illini West at The Pit, the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team’s senior right side hitter stuffed a Chargers attack, giving the Raiders the point, the serve and the momentum.…
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QUINCY — Here is a look at the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team’s 25-15, 25-18 victory over Illini West on Thursday night at The Pit through the camera lens of Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman:
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QUINCY — The weather-related damage to Arrowhead Heights Golf Course that forced the West Central Conference boys golf tournament to be moved to Westview Golf Course proved to be a boon for Quincy Notre Dame. It was an unfortunate circumstance for everyone else. The Raiders took advantage of playing their home course Wednesday, posting five…
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AUGUSTA, Ill. — Kyra Carothers and the Unity volleyball team made a statement Saturday. The Mustangs elevated themselves to the team to beat in Class 1A in West-Central Illinois. Behind an MVP performance from Carothers, the senior outside hitter, Unity swept a pair of matches in the championship pool and won the title of the…
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CINCINNATI — Evan McGaughey’s passport reveals quite a story. In the five years since his graduation from Quincy University, the Carthage native’s 4.5 x 3.5 inch booklet has been stamped enough times to allow him entrance into 15 countries on two different continents as he pursued a professional basketball career. “I got to see a…
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QUINCY — The boxscore shows Max Richardson playing only a few seconds for the Illinois boys basketball team in the inaugural Muddy River Showcase, more than he expected, yet long enough to create a memory that will last a lifetime. The 6-foot-4 power forward from Illini West who has since signed to play for Eureka…
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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general…
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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general…
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RUSHVILLE, Ill. — The combination of springs and speed led to a historic moment Wednesday night for the Central boys track and field program. The Panthers won three individual field events and two sprint relays at the Class 1A Rushville-Industry Sectional on Wednesday. It led to Central piling up 90 team points and capturing the…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — A pair of stout pitching performances has the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team back on track. Tyler Dance struck out a career-high 13 batters in a 5-2 victory over Illini West on Saturday in the Beardstown Tiger Showcase at Robin Lewis Field, while Alex Connoyer tossed five shutout innings in an 11-0…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The rules of high school basketball call for a game to be played for 32 minutes, but the Quincy Notre Dame basketball team needed less than five Wednesday night. The Raiders dominated their Class 2A regional semifinal matchup with Illini West, scoring the game’s first 12 points and leading 30-10 at halftime…
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WAVERLY, Ill. — The team with a penchant for fourth-quarter magic needed to drum up another miracle moment. Shots have to fall for that to happen. Tuesday night, in the semifinals of the Class 2A Waverly Sectional, the Illini West girls basketball team couldn’t make a field goal to start a rally until the deficit…
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'Oh my gosh': Reed's 3-pointer rescues Illini West, Kirkham's free throws seal regional championship
CAMP POINT, Ill. — After being hounded by Karlee Marlow and the Central-Southeastern defense Friday night, Caydee Kirkham finally found a spot on the floor the Panthers couldn’t guard her. The free-throw line. Kirkham was limited to nine points — half of her season average — through regulation and the first 3 1/2 minutes of…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Illini West girls basketball team dispelled the adage “it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season” once already. Thursday night, the Chargers have to do it again to keep their season alive. This one will be as tough as the earlier chore. Illini West, seeded second in…
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QUINCY — In the final state rankings before the Illinois girls basketball postseason begins, not much changed for the area teams. Quincy Notre Dame remains ranked No. 1 in Class 2A and Illini West is No. 3, although the Chargers are now tied with Pana, which is enjoying a 29-1 season and has not lost…
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TREMONT, Ill. — Central sophomore Jack Thompson became the only area wrestler to capture a championship at the Class 1A Tremont Regional, winning the title at 113 pounds Saturday. The Panthers had three other wrestlers advance to the Stanford Olympia Sectional, while Quincy Notre Dame has three wrestlers moving on and Illini West and West…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Nolan Deitrich made four 3-pointers in the first quarter to stake Illini West to a lead it never relinquished in a 59-49 victory over Griggsville-Perry in a boys basketball game during the SuperFan Shootout on Friday night at the Pit. Deitrich finished with five 3-pointers and led all scorers with 27 points. Max…
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QUINCY — Luke Triplett questioned the toughness of his Illinois counterparts Saturday. “I didn’t know they were softer on this side of the river,” the Palmyra wrestler said with a smile after his semifinal match in the Quincy Notre Dame Invitational at the Pit. It turns out no one was as tough as him, certainly…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — A team that hadn’t been the most efficient from the free-throw line is figuring out how to use the charity stripe to its advantage. It paid off down the stretch Tuesday night. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team, which was collectively shooting 59 percent from the line, made 7 of 10…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — The difference between the two best Class 2A girls basketball teams in the west-central part of the state is subtle, yet simple. One has Abbey Schreacke. The other does not. With the outcome of Thursday night’s battle of state-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame was going to win, lose or draw with the…
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The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete. CARTHAGE, Ill. — Technology has changed the method of delivery, but the messages are similar to what they were three decades ago. The intent is the same, too. It’s to give Caydee Kirkham all the knowledge she needs to succeed at…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Grant Surprenant knows there is nothing easy about playing and beating the same team three times in one season, let alone within a 17-day stretch. That’s why the Illini West girls basketball coach was giddy with how the Chargers played down the stretch Saturday night. Illini West limited Unity to one…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Here we go with round three. Caroline Knox did her part to make it happen with two clutch free throws. The Illini West girls basketball team’s defense held up its end of the equation. Now, two state-ranked foes will meet for the third time in 17 days and the second time…
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CARBONDALE, Ill. — Kayden Garrett’s individual championship helped the Quincy High School wrestling team finish third among 25 teams in the 60th Murdale Invitational at Carbondale High School. Garrett, a senior wrestling at 170 pounds, won his first two matches in pool play with a second-period pin and a 21-6 technical fall. In the championship…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — The three state-ranked teams in the Central-Southeastern Classic field showed why they are so highly regarded with a pair of victories apiece on the tournament’s opening day. The host school showed it belongs in the conversation, too. Illini West, ranked fourth in Class 2A and the tournament favorite after winning the…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — Caydee Kirkham’s confidence in herself is equal to her confidence in her teammates. Wednesday night, they showed why. Trailing state-ranked Unity by four points with four minutes remaining in regulation, the fourth-ranked Illini West girls basketball team went on a 10-2 run with four field goals coming from players not named Kirkham…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Caydee Kirkham saved her best for last. The three efforts preceding her championship game performance at the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic weren’t too shabby either. The senior point guard on the Illini West girls basketball team nearly put together a triple double in a 66-51 victory over top-seeded Unity in the title…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — It didn’t take long for Grant Surprenant to realize Caydee Kirkham had a different demeanor Thursday night. “She had that look that she was in attack mode,” the Illini West girls basketball coach said of his senior point guard. Nothing Unity tried altered that. Kirkham delivered an MVP performance in the championship…
Read Full Article BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Unity girls basketball coach Brad Begeman needed to see how his players reacted to being in a dogfight. Their first foray was successful. The next one is already on tap. Forced to go to overtime against Brown County in Wedneday night’s semifinals of the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, Unity’s Taylor Nichols made…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — The atmosphere generated by the Illini West faithful was something only a select few of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players have ever experienced. Rarely have the Raiders faced a do-or-die situation as well. The top-seeded team in the Class 2A Illini West Regional proved capable of handling anything thrown its way.…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Liberty’s Blake Arnold waited for nearly an hour and a half to find out if a playoff was needed. “I didn’t do much. Just sat around and talked. Maybe hit 10 putts (on the practice green in front of the clubhouse),” he said. Arnold and Blake Deitrich of Illini West both…
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