Quincy
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team used the spotlight brought on by the nationally respected field assembled for the Quincy Shootout to showcase just how skilled it is. Saturday night’s 74-62 victory over Imhotep Charter certainly did that. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the game courtside in Blue Devil Gym…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The loudest statement in front of the loudest crowd could have the loudest impact. The Quincy High School boys basketball team may find itself as the No. 1-ranked team in Illinois this coming week. Toppling a team with a nationally respected resume like Imhotep Charter Prep could do that. Playing with the most…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The pain was worth it. “Of course,” Ralph Wires said. With three minutes remaining in Saturday night’s marquee game of the Quincy Shootout, the Quincy High School senior guard was fouled, knocked to the floor and struggled to get to his feet because of the cramping in his left calf. Eventually, Wires made…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at what transpired Saturday during the sixth Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym: Principia 74, Winchester West Central 49 An 11-point lead at halftime ballooned as the Panthers imposed their will in the paint and in transition. Principia shot 44.9 percent from the floor and held a 43-29 edge…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Floundering and frustrated, the Quincy Notre Dame basketball team was in desperate search of a second quarter spark during Saturday night’s affair with Beardstown at The Pit. The Raiders found the flare from their opponent. With less than three minutes left before halftime and staring down a double-digit deficit, QND forward Jackson Meyer…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The schedule listed Friday night’s opponent as Geneseo. It may as well have read Homewood-Flossmoor, Bolingbrook or any other state-ranked team the Quincy High School boys basketball team could conceivably face. “Your preparation is for the best teams on your schedule, and that doesn’t change when you’re not playing the best teams on…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The appetizer was quite tasty. The main course promises to be just as delictable. The sixth Quincy Shootout kicked off Friday night with four games each at Blue Devil Gym and The Pit, and the matchups produced plenty of highlights, including a 75-13 whitewashing of Geneseo by the Quincy High School boys basketball…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The sixth Quincy Shootout kicked off Friday night with games at Blue Devil Gym and the Pit. Here are those results and a look at Saturday’s schedule: Friday’s games At Blue Devil Gym Wasatch Academy 83, iSchool of Lewisville 54 MVP — Wasatch Academy’s Chris Nwuli (18 points, 8 rebounds) Link Academy 69,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — After having not played in 13 days, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players figured they would have to knock off a little rust. The Raiders just didn’t expect it would take them until the second half to do it. By that time, it was too late. Principia’s tenacious defense limited QND to…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — A slow start didn’t translate to a sluggish finish for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Defense turned everything around. Trailing Illini West 9-7 at the end of the first quarter Thursday night, the state-ranked Raiders shut out the Chargers in the second quarter, then scored 23 points in the third…
Read Full Article GENESEO, Ill. — No Taylor Fohey, no problem. With Fohey, the senior forward, nursing an ankle injury suffered in practice, the Quincy High School girls basketball team relied on its other twin tower to set the stage for a 63-28 Western Big 6 Conference victory over Geneseo on Thursday night. Freshman forward Jada Brown scored…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Homewood-Flossmoor (6) 17-1 105 2 2. Curie (5) 17-1 104 1 3. Quincy 17-1 74 5 4. Waubonsie Valley 18-0 66 NR 5. Lisle (Benet Academy) 15-2 62 7…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (5) 22-0 75 1 2. Alton (2) 21-1 67 3 (tie) Bolingbrook (1) 18-2 67 5 4. Maine South 20-1 42 2 5. Nazareth 15-3 38 6 6.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The sixth Quincy Shootout is arguably the most talented collection of athletes and teams Gem City basketball fans have seen. Players who have committed to, signed with or received offers from three of the top four teams in the Associated Press college basketball top 25 will be playing in Quincy this weekend. In…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Imperfect weather couldn’t deter the Quincy High School wrestling team from having a perfect weekend. Truly, that’s all Bryor Newbold wanted. In search of his first Quincy Invitational championship in his final try, the senior dominated the 175-pound weight class with four pins and a technical fall in his five matches, finishing his…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Winter weather may have impacted the number of teams that traveled here to participate in the Quincy Invitational, but it couldn’t diminish the ability of area wrestlers to showcase their talents. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday at matside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article LINCOLN, Ill. — Bradley Longcor III’s 3-pointer from the left wing on the opening possession at Saturday night’s game was a harbinger of things to come. Longcor hit three more treys in the first half and the Quincy High School boys basketball team buried seven 3-pointers in building a 18-point advantage by intermission and cruising…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A week of uncertainty and irregularities ended with what Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne had been craving the last few days. That was a chance to play a game at The Pit. “We want to give these kids an opportunity to play, and that’s why today was so important,” Orne…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a disappointing loss behind it. Another dynamic defensive effort helped do that. Rock Island made just one field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym, trailed by as many as 14 points early and couldn’t…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Curie (4) 16-1 100 1 2. Homewood-Flossmoor (5) 15-1 99 T2 3. Normal Community (2) 15-1 81 4 4. Collinsville 18-1 66 T2 5. Quincy 16-1 65 7 6.…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (2) 18-0 45 1 2. Maine South 20-0 44 3 3. Alton (3) 15-0 40 2 4. Normal Community 18-2 23 4 5. Bolingbrook 14-2 22 5 6.…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team had its chances. Forced to go to overtime against Columbia Battle in Sunday’s Sophie Cunningham Classic, the state-ranked Blue Devils failed to score on all five possessions in the extra period and suffered a 42-38 loss at Columbia College’s Southwell Gymnasium. The Spartans outscored the…
Read Full Article HIGHLAND, Ill. — The second-quarter surge St. Louis Cardinal Ritter enjoyed during Saturday’s Highland Shootout matchup with the Quincy High School boys basketball team made one thing obvious. “When they get to the paint, they’re going to finish,” QHS coach Andy Douglas said. That left the Blue Devils with one task in the second half…
Read Full Article HIGHLAND, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team outscored St. Louis Cardinal Ritter 26-13 in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game in the 32nd Highland Shootout, securing a 62-49 victory for back-to-back victories to start the new year. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer spent Saturday afternoon at the Shootout and put together this photo…
Read Full Article BREESE, Ill. — On the final possession of regulation in Saturday afternoon’s state tournament rematch, the Breese Mater Dei girls basketball team adapted Wee Willie Keeler’s most famous quote to suit its needs. Instead of “hit ‘em where they ain’t,” as the National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee is credited with saying, the Knights decided…
Read Full Article ST. JOSEPH, Ill. — The response didn’t surprise Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer and it shouldn’t have surprised anyone. When the Raiders teetered, Tolono Unity went for the kill. The Rockets bolted to an 8-2 lead at the start of Saturday’s game in the Christie Clinic Shootout at St. Joseph-Odgen High School,…
Read Full Article PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Pittsfield boys basketball coach Brad Tomhave and Quincy Notre Dame coach Kevin Meyer shared a common assessment of their respective team’s defensive effort in Friday night’s game at Voshall Gym. Both were encouraged by the engagement. Offensively, however, their critiques were polar opposites. Meyer liked how the Raiders worked the ball from…
Read Full Article ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team didn’t want to linger at Don Morris Gym any longer than necessary. An opportunistic offense made sure the exit was swift. Quincy opened Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup against Rock Island Alleman on a 22-4 run, led by 33 points at halftime…
Read Full Article PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams collided in their 2024 openers Friday night at Voshall Gym. The Raiders built a double-digit lead, saw the Saukees whittle it to eight points on two separate occasions in the second half and then pulled away for a 50-31 victory. Muddy River Sports…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Taylor Fohey’s reaction spoke volumes. “Really?” she said with wide eyes and an I-didn’t-know-that expression when told the Quincy High School girls basketball team didn’t allow Moline to score a field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. “Honestly, I don’t think too much about what we’re…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Tucker Cook understands it may be a while before he can get a tattoo, especially one of any significant size, but he already has a plan for what he wants it to look like and say. The words “iron sharpens iron” will be prominent. “I believe in that,” the Pittsfield junior wrestler said.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Wrestling took center stage Wednesday night at The Pit as the Quincy High School, Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield squad engaged in a series of duals. The Blue Devils beat the Raiders 67-0 and the Saukees 54-6, while Pittsfield scored a 35-33 victory over QND. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat matside…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous rank. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (3) 18-0 62 2 2. Alton (3) 15-0 58 3 3. Maine South (1) 18-0 52 7 4. Normal Community 17-1 42 8 5. Bolingbrook…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes: Class 4A 1. Chicago Curie (4) 14-1 119 2 2. Collinsville (4) 16-0 97 10 (tie) Homewood-Flossmoor (4) 13-1 97 4 4. Normal Community (1) 12-1 82 1 5. Gurnee Warren 15-1 76 8 (tie) Lisle Benet 14-1 76…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together. In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…
Read Full Article GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse’s mission is clear. Show no mercy. The Quincy High School senior wrestler won another tournament title this week, outgrappling a talented field at the 62nd Red Schmitt Holiday Tournament to earn the 165-pound championship and improve to 25-0 overall. That helped the Blue Devils finish sixth in the 27-team…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decked out in his travel gear with his backpack slung over his shoulders, Ralph Wires emerged from the Quincy High School locker room with a basketball in hand and casually strolled onto the Vergil Fletcher Gym floor. At the opposite end of the court from where Collinsville celebrated its championship of the…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — After playing arguably its worst half of the season Friday afternoon, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team returned three hours later to turn in perhaps its most complete overall performance. Thirteen players scored, with eight sinking at least one 3-pointer, to carry the Raiders to a convincing 78-56 victory over Rockford…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The difference between the Quincy High School and Collinsville boys basketball teams isn’t substantial, but it is apparent. The Kahoks are tougher. At least they were Friday night. Collinsville won the championship of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic with a 44-39 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym, improving to 16-0 in…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey, Jada Brown and Myley Longcor all spent significant time on the bench either in foul trouble or nursing an injury during the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 42-40 overtime loss to Morton during Friday night’s semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas hasn’t found a need to burn many timeouts this season. “A majority of games we’re walking away with six timeouts left,” the Quincy High School boys basketball coach said. “I just don’t call a ton.” Even in tight, tense situations, he allows the veteran lineup to navigate its own way. …
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — After one of Taylor Fohey’s seven second-quarter baskets Thursday night, the frustration among the Peoria Richwoods girls basketball players was evident. As Fohey drove to the basket and muscled up two more points, one of the Lady Knights said, “What do you want me to do?” Fohey scored 20 first-half points to…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Roller coasters certainly are fun if you ride them during a trip to Six Flags or Disney World, but they’re a little rough if they are used to describe a basketball season. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team followed a sloppy first half with a snappy second half in Thursday afternoon’s…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Tyler Sprick insisted the Quincy High School boys basketball players didn’t look too far ahead when checking out the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic bracket. “It was, ‘Who’s on our list and what do we have to do to beat them?’’ the senior guard said. Still, the Blue Devils knew what potentially…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Two minutes into the second half Thursday night, the Quincy High School boys basketball team found itself trailing O’Fallon by eight points and riding the wrong end of a seven-point scoring binge. Less than 90 seconds later, the game was tied and the tide had completely turned. The Blue Devils used an…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy High School’s 56-40 victory over Peoria Richwoods on Thursday night assures the team two more games against state-ranked teams in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils play Morton in the semifinals on Friday and either Washington or Normal Community on Saturday. MRN Editor…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — An eight-minute stretch spanning the final six minutes of the second quarter and the first 2 1/2 minutes of the third quarter in which the Belleville Althoff boys basketball team went scoreless enabled state-ranked Quincy High School to take control of its 61-48 victory Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Collinsville…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — One of the unique aspects of holiday tournament play — at least at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic — is each coach is handed a sheet of halftime stats on the way to the locker room. When Quincy High School coach Andy Douglas perused how his team constructed its 30-point lead…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey admitted she was counting down the points. She also admitted that might have been why she wasn’t scoring many on Wednesday night. She started the game 14 points shy of reaching 1,000 for her career. The Quincy High School girls basketball team led Springfield 48-36 midway through the fourth quarter,…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Afterward, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas could joke about it. In the moment, it could have been cause for trepidation. With two minutes remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s opening-round game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic and the Blue Devils leading Oakville (Mo.) 16-5, Quincy swingman…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer is convinced his team’s record should be much better than what it is. “I told the guys I think that you’re a 10-1 team versus the 6-5 our record says,” Meyer said after the Raiders lost 55-50 to Pecatonica Wednesday night at Normal West…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team perfectly played the role of one of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic favorites with Wednesday’s 76-38 steamrolling of Oakville (Mo.) in the first round at Vergil Fletcher Gym. The Blue Devils piled up 23 assists in shooting 52.6 percent from the field and knocking…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jada Brown scored 16 points, Taylor Fohey scored 14 and Myley Longcor added 11 in the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 58-38 victory over Springfield in the first round of the large school bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team never trailed by more than six points but failed to regain the lead in the final 12 minutes of Wednesday night’s 55-50 loss to Pecatonica in the first round of the small school boys bracket during the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal West High…
Read Full Article QUINCY — It has been a quarter century since the Quincy High School boys basketball team last won a holiday tournament championship. Is this the year the drought ends? No Quincy team has gone into the Christmas break with a better record in the 26 seasons since the Blue Devils won the championship of the…
Read Full Article PAYSON, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 65-37 victory over Payson Seymour left Aden Genenbacher satisfied, but not necessarily overjoyed. “We’re still trying to find our identity,” said Genenbacher, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who scored a game-high 21 points Thursday night. The victory came after back-to-back losses for QND (6-4), which is…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Five days before Christmas and Santa Claus is in prime form. Once again, that spelled trouble for the Grinch. In the marquee match of the Wednesday’s youth wrestling event held at The Pit by the Quincy Notre Dame wrestling program, Santa Claus beat the Grinch in an exhibition with dozens of young wrestlers…
Read Full Article QUINCY — After seeing an apparent blowout turn into a nail-biting victory Monday night against Central-Southeastern, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated to his team the importance of playing with the same intensity for four quarters. Consider the message received. Behind the perimeter shooting of guard Sage Stratton and a smothering defense,…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The fortunate thing about the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s schedule is all four of the Tuesday night games on tap the second half of the season will be played at Blue Devil Gym. The unfortunate thing is they’re still on Tuesday nights. For the second consecutive Tuesday, the Blue Devils…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Conference play and rivalry games will remain part of the Illinois high school football landscape for now. But for how long? Tuesday, the Illinois High School Association announced the results of the annual by-law referendum with a proposal for statewide district scheduling for football failing. Of the 727 votes cast, 379 member schools…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Eric Orne’s post-game expressions captured his thoughts perfectly. There was the occasional wince, coupled with the rubbing of the top of his head with the palm of his hand. Even an occasional sigh. “Today is my birthday … and I feel like I aged 10 years tonight,” said Orne, the veteran Quincy Notre…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The mindset was simple for the Quincy High School boys basketball team entering its annual crosstown showdown against Quincy Notre Dame. “We wanted to stomp on their throats at the beginning,” senior Camden Brown said. “Get it done and get it done quick.” The state-ranked Blue Devils did just that with deft precision.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The energy and intensity you’d expect when the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams square off was on full display Saturday night at The Pit. The Blue Devils won 77-47 in front of a raucous crowd. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman and photographer Samantha Carmean were courtside and…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Sage Stratton could see it in Marie Eversman’s approach. “She was not scared,” Stratton. Not at all. The freshman guard’s baseline jumper with two seconds remaining in regulation Saturday afternoon gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball a 51-49 victory over Troy (Mo.) Buchanan in the 16th Rumble on the River at John…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown are at opposite ends of their high school careers, one signed to play college basketball next season and the other about to finish the first semester of her freshman year. Yet, when they meet in the middle, they are as formidable as any twin towers around. Cairo (Mo.)…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Rumble on the River rumbled on Saturday with eight games being played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was there for half of the slate and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here are the results and the remaining schedule for the 16th Rumble on the River Shootout at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.
Read Full Article QUINCY — Sage Stratton’s assessment of the nearly 12-minute stretch in which the Hannibal girls basketball team went without a field goal Friday night should attract as much attention as the effort itself. “We put defense first and we work hard on defense,” the Quincy Notre Dame junior guard said. “It doesn’t matter what court…
Read Full Article EAST MOLINE, Ill. — The American actors’ union strike that delayed the production of television shows and movies is making it increasingly more difficult for Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas to find new films for entertainment on long bus rides. “At least I can sleep on the bus pretty much anytime,” Douglas…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s defensive dominance led to a 59-21 victory over Hannibal on Friday night in the opening game of the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — When asked, Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett has no problem pointing out what is special about senior center Gavin Blewett. “Gavin brings such huge energy, and he stepped up big for us tonight,” Barnett said. Correct on both accounts, Coach. The 6-foot-2 Blewett produced game highs of 14…
Read Full Article QUINCY — With success comes respect, as much as the Quincy High School boys basketball program has earned in quite some time. Andy Douglas wants the Blue Devils to embrace it, but not get consumed by it. “It’s not the outcome of these games that is important,” said Douglas, who has coached Quincy to an…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here is a look at the Illinois Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts 1. Bolingbrook (4) 9-0 71 2. Loyola (2) …
Read Full Article QUINCY — Above all else, protect The Pit. That’s more or less an unwritten rule when it comes to the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders’ home floor — a.k.a. The Pit — is more than a safe haven for the QND team. It has become a full-fledged basketball sanctuary for one of…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The field goal drought lasted more than eight minutes, but it wasn’t long enough to make the Quincy High School boys basketball players fret. “Nah,” junior forward Keshaun Thomas said. “We just had to fight our way back.” They had done so before, albeit on a bigger stage facing more dire circumstances. So…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team can’t be kept down. The Blue Devils erased a 10-point first-quarter deficit Tuesday night and led the entire second half in a 61-51 victory over Webster Groves (Mo.) at Blue Devil Gym. Quincy is 8-0 following its final home game of the 2023 portion of its…
Read Full Article QUINCY — As he walked out of the locker room and sat down following Tuesday’s affair with Palmyra, Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher couldn’t help but reflect on what transpired last season against the Raiders’ cross-river rival. “I did not score a single point in that (game) and that kind of pissed me…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Pit is a tough place for opposing teams to win. Tuesday night, the Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams saw why. A strong start by the Quincy Notre Dame boys led to a 54-42 victory, while the QND girls pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 45-35 victory — their 24th…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The environment, with the cavernous shooting backgrounds and the legendary coach for whom the Mizzou Arena court is named sitting nearby, did little to impact the Quincy High School boys basketball team. Chaminade’s physicality took care of that on its own. “The toughness level was at a level we hadn’t seen this…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team passed its first major test of the season, beating St. Louis Chaminade 62-54 late Saturday night in the Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou Arena. Freelance photographer J Thomas Taylor captured these images of the Blue Devils for a photo gallery from the game:
Read Full Article JOHNSTON, Iowa — A career milestone came with a championship and a statement. Owen Uppinghouse refuses to be beaten. The Quincy High School senior wrestler earned his 100th career victory Saturday during the Baltzley Invitational, beating two of the top three ranked Class 3A wrestlers in Iowa in the process and winning the 165-pound championship.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Aden Genenbacher pulled back the sleeve of his hoodie to reveal some white athletic tape wrapped around his left wrist and two words written on it. “Don’t suck,” it read. There’s a cross underneath it, too. “I have to think, ‘I need to be aggressive tonight,’” said Genenbacher, a senior shooting guard for…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The gameplan didn’t change, even if the opposing lineup did. The Sterling boys basketball team arrived at Blue Devil Gym for Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference clash without 6-foot-7, 265-pound senior forward Lucas Austin, an all-state offensive tackle who is taking an official football recruiting visit this weekend to West Virginia. “I…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team is always in attack mode. Leading by 10 points at halftime of Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup with Sterling, the Blue Devils were relentless in the second half and ran away with a 66-41 victory at Blue Devil Gym. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read Full Article QUINCY — It only took a couple hap-hazard early possessions for Kevin Meyer to practically become unglued. Rather than take a timeout to voice his frustration, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach pointed at a ball and gave his players a simple message: Value it. “Once we settled in, I thought our guys started…
Read Full Article GALESBURG, Ill. — It didn’t matter what defense the Quincy High School girls basketball team employed. Galesburg found a way to beat it. The Silver Streaks were able to get into gaps and knock down perimeter jumpers, burying nine 3-pointers while securing the top spot in the Western Big 6 Conference with a 55-41 victory…
Read Full Article QUINCY — That first-half performance from the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team did not escape the eye of Raiders coach Eric Orne. “We were fully engaged,” Orne said. QND’s eventual 43-31 margin of victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin did not do justice to how the Raiders took control and dominated the first half Thursday…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The shoulder brace Hannibal wrestling coach Jake Borgmeyer helped senior Koen Ramage strap into and adjust prior to Tuesday night’s dual looks cumbersome and uncomfortable. Ramage shrugs off the inconvenience. “I’m getting used to it,” he said. “I’ll get comfortable and I’ll get there.” His first step was clearly a step in that…
Read Full Article GALESBURG, Ill. — Remaining ever-present can be a challenge when you know what lies ahead. The Quincy High School boys basketball players are meeting that challenge head on. Fully aware a pivotal Western Big 6 Conference showdown looms Friday night against Sterling at Blue Devil Gym, the Blue Devils didn’t overlook having to take care…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The strengths showed. The Quincy High School wrestling team is blessed with an abundance of talented grapplers at the heavier weights, while Hannibal is loaded with technical, aggressive wrestlers at the lower weights. Put those two head-to-head and you’re left with an entertaining dual. Hannibal edged Quincy 35-33 in front a packed house…
Read Full Article GALESBURG, Ill. — Andy Douglas couldn’t find fault with the Quincy High School boys basketball’s effort, focus or finish. The coach liked pretty much everything about Tuesday night’s 86-34 victory over Galesburg at John Thiel Gym. Freelance photographer Steve Davis was courtside at Thiel Gym and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article QUINCY — Three Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball teams will be inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The IBCA announced its Class of 2024 honorees on Monday. The induction ceremony will be held May 4 at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. Among the teams being inducted are QND’s 2011, 2012 and…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Courtney Kvitle and her husband, Jason, began discussing her future as the Quincy Notre Dame girls volleyball coach during the season when she learned she was pregnant with the couple’s third child. Ultimately, Kvitle decided she had to put family first. Monday morning, Quincy Notre Dame athletic director Bill Connell announced he had…
Read Full Article QUINCY — There is no quantitative goal the Quincy High School girls basketball players set for what they hope to accomplish defensively each game. However, there is an emotional response they look to achieve. “I guess the goal would be to kind of embarrass the opponent in a sense,” senior point guard Leila Dade said.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team limited Sterling to five points in the first quarter and 11 overall in the first half, rolling to a 21-point lead by halftime and cruising to a 52-29 victory in Western Big 6 Conference action Saturday at the QHS gym. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…
Read Full Article GENESEO, Ill. — The last thing Andy Douglas wanted to see was the Quincy High School boys basketball players begin developing bad habits. To the Blue Devils’ credit, they avoided that trap. Able to disrupt defensively everything Geneseo tried to do, the Blue Devils closed the first half on a 16-0 run and led by…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The start to the fourth quarter nearly deflated the Quincy Notre Dame basketball team. The end of the fourth quarter nearly made the disappointment disappear. “I thought that was a growing-up period,” Raiders coach Kevin Meyer said. QND’s attempt to rally from a nine-point deficit fell short in its 53-51 loss to Sacred-Heart…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Tristan Pieper cut right to the chase in her postgame assessment of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 60-54 victory over West Hancock. “We knew they’d be strong,” said Pieper, a 6-foot sophomore who was one of four Raiders to score in double figures Thursday night at The Pit. In a game…
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