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QUINCY — Area wrestlers staked their claim to the individual titles during Saturday’s Quincy Invitational at the QHS gym. Eight grapplers — four from Quincy High School and one each from Camp Point Central, Macomb, Palmyra and Quincy Notre Dame — won crowns, while the Blue Devils won the team championship. Muddy River Sports Editor…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team scored eight of the game’s final nine points to defeat Lincoln 43-40 on Saturday night at Blue Devil Gym. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action below:
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The doubleheader sweep the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team needed to set up an epic Monday matinee was in jeopardy from the start late Saturday afternoon. By the end, though, the Raiders had found a way to survive. Alex Connoyer’s putback of a missed free throw with 32 seconds remaining in…
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QUINCY — It’s rare to find a wrestling bracket with Collin Arch in the field and not see the Palmyra senior’s name on the top line. Yet, Saturday during the Quincy Invitational at the QHS gym, the three-time defending state champion and arguably the most accomplished high school wrestler this area has ever produced had…
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QUINCY — Outside of the obvious scenario — that would be to beat Moline — the Quincy High School boys basketball players know what needs to happen over the second half of the Western Big 6 Conference season for them to repeat as league champions. The Blue Devils must replicate Friday night’s performance. They imposed…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team continued its quest to repeat as the Western Big 6 Conference champion, finishing the first half of the league season with Friday night’s 76-31 victory over Galesburg at Blue Devil Gym. Check out these images Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured for this photo gallery:
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QUINCy — Rich Polak was where you’d expect him to be on a wintry Thursday night. Throwing pitches and teaching swing mechanics. “Baseball is my life,” he said. It’s his livelihood and his passion, too. So for the owner of Complete Game Training Academy, coaching the game comes naturally. His fit as the new Quincy…
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QUINCY — After seeing the volleyball team’s creative use of The Pit’s videoboards, which were installed last spring, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players wanted to have their turn implementing hype videos. Initially, Raiders coach Eric Orne hedged. “He told us we had to earn it with the December stretch that we had and…
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QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse, Bryor Newbold and the Quincy High School wrestlers have spent most of their season flatbacking opponents. Coming off a victory in the 29-team Murdale Invitational last weekend in Carbondale, Ill., the Blue Devils get the chance to showcase their depth and talent in front of a home crowd at the Quincy…
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QUINCY — Quincy University men’s basketball coach Steve Hawkins relates three games in five days to an NBA schedule. At least the Hawks have the advantage of playing them all at Pepsi Arena. QU started the homestand off right Thursday night with an 81-73 win over Rockhurst and kept pace with the University of Missouri-St.…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Similar script, different ending. Much, much different. The Brown County girls basketball team put the brakes on a five-game losing streak to Unity when the Hornets pulled off a surprising 47-43 come-from-behind victory Thursday night in the semifinals of the 30th Lady Panther Classic at Central High School. Brown County, ranked…
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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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QUINCY — After opening up a five-point lead coming out of the half, the Quincy University women’s basketball team seemed to have the momentum to go on an even bigger run. But Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Rockhurst hammered the glass as Quincy struggled to score for the remainder of the game, falling to Rockhurst…
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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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QUINCY — In essence, conference play arrived a week early. Because of it, the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team may just be ready for its second season after all. The Trail Blazers built a 15-point lead midway through the second half Wednesday night, only to see St. Louis Community College chisel the deficit…
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GENESEO, Ill. — The energy expended defensively finally paid off. Neither the Quincy High School girls basketball team nor Geneseo scored in the first 2 ½ minutes of overtime Wednesday night, but Leah Chevalier’s steal that led to a layin with 1 minute, 24 seconds to play changed everything. The Blue Devils scored on back-to-back…
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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. Geneva (5) 14-2 72 2 2. Fremd (2) 17-1 67 1 3. Bolingbrook (1) 14-1 62 4 4. Alton 17-0 61 6 5. Normal Community 18-0 38 5 6. Maine South…
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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. Kenwood (8) 14-2 116 2 2. Whitney Young (4) 14-4 110 1 3. Lisle (Benet Academy) 18-1 93 3 4. Moline 15-2 83 5 5. Joliet West 15-4 67 6 6.…
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Boys basketball Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 48, Unity 43 West Hancock 59, Illini West 38 Winchester Invitational Tournament Griggsville-Perry 52, Winchester West Central 49 Liberty 49, Carlinville 34 Girls basketball Quincy High School 46, Geneseo 44 (OT) CSE Lady Panther Classic South Fulton 48, Liberty 33 Lewistown 57, Rushville-Industry 23 Men’s basketball John Wood Community…
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CAMP POINT, Ill — Lauren Miller never broke a sweat, let alone panicked. “We knew it was going to be a long game,” the Central-Southeastern sophomore said. Long and grueling. Miller and her CSE girls basketball teammates were not rattled when Unity bolted to a sizable advantage in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s showdown…
Read Full Article GENESEO, Ill. — None of the Quincy High School boys basketball players played more than 13 minutes Tuesday night, nor did they log a single minute of the second half. None of them complained about it either. The starters staked the Blue Devils to an insurmountable lead, exited the game in the second quarter and…
Read Full Article Boys basketball Quincy High School 71, Geneseo 26 Canton 72, Highland 51 Kirksville 49, Palmyra 37 Monroe City 50, Hannibal 39 Marion County 47, Bucklin 32 Winchester Invitational Tournament Carrollton 53, Western 45 Triopia 65, Pleasant Hill 38 Girls basketball Palmyra 48, Kirksville 41 Canton 56, Highland 30 Bucklin 36, Marion County 34 Keokuk 48,…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — Coming off highly successful weekends — the Hannibal wrestling team won the Capital City Dual Tournament with seven wrestlers going 5-0, while Palmyra took fourth out of 21 teams at the St. Louis Vianney Tournament with three individual champions — the Northeast Missouri programs went head-to-head Monday night. The Pirates won the…
Read Full Article Boys basketball Marion County 58, Wellsville-Middletown 53 Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 55, Illini West 37 West Hancock 72, Unity 50 Winchester Invitational Tournament Jacksonville Routt 76, Payson Seymour 70 (OT) Central 49, Brown County 40 Girls basketball Macomb 46, North Fulton 31 Centralia 62, Hannibal 37 Wellsville-Middletown 52, Marion County 42 CSE Classic Lewistown 44,…
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QUINCY — The countdown to the start of the 2023 dirt-track racing season is officially underway. Adams County Speedway operators Jim and Tammy Lieurance have announced opening night is scheduled for Sunday, April 2, which is now less than three months away. “We learned a lot last year and are anxious for year two,” Jim…
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QUINCY — The idea of reprising “Run, Devils, Run” doesn’t necessarily marry with Keshaun Thomas’ strengths, and the 6-foot-6 sophomore forward doesn’t always keep pace with his more fleet-of-foot Quincy High School boys basketball teammates. “Ahh, it’s hard sometimes,” Thomas said. Yet, he’s fully in favor of a return to the more fast-paced mantra. “Yes,…
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HIGHLAND, Ill. — Jake Hoyt was very diplomatic with his answer when asked if the 3-pointer he launched as time expired beat the buzzer. “All I know is that it was close,” he said. Close enough for a debate. With the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team trailing Highland by three points and 2.5 seconds…
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BREESE, Ill. — Rebounding for his all-state guard while she shot around at The Pit on Friday, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne noticed something a little different. Abbey Schreacke got her groove back. Not that she ever truly lost it, but playing 14 games in the first 21 days of December had…
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LIBERTY, Mo. — The ball squirted away from Isaiah Foster at an unfortunate moment, but he refused to allow an opportunity to lift the Quincy University men’s basketball team to victory slip away. The freshman point guard regained control of his miscue and was fouled in doing so, which allowed him to make two free…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The Canton girls basketball team entered the 51st Highland Tournament as the third seed and with a losing record. “I call it the state softball championship hangover,” Canton coach Danielle Baker, referencing the Tigers’ Class 1 state title from last October. “It took us a little while to get going.” This week,…
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CARBONDALE, Ill. — The depth of the Quincy High School wrestling team is leading to some historic results. Saturday, that trend continued. The Blue Devils had three individual champions and three runners-up as they won the team championship of the 61st Murdale Invitational, topping the 29-team field by more than 50 points. Quincy finished with…
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QUINCY — The scoreboard lacked the zero the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players yearned to see. A goose egg in the scorebook sufficed. The Raiders held Pittsfield without a field goal in the first quarter Friday night at The Pit, allowing only a single Adam Musgrave free throw while building a 13-1 advantage. The…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team won its fourth straight game Friday night, beating Pittsfield 52-30 after allowing the Saukees just 15 points through the first three quarters. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the action through his camera lens. Check out his photo gallery:
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QUINCY — The words rolled from Bradley Longcor III in matter-of-fact fashion. “We’re a good team,” the Quincy High School sophomore said. And more times than not, good teams find ways to win games. Friday night at Blue Devil Gym was a classic case in point. Fueled by a scintillating second half at both ends…
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QUINCY — The way the numbers added up, Jake Hamilton needed one more shot at history. So Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin boys basketball coach Tim Allen obliged. With a sizable second-half lead over North Chicago in the opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic on December 27, Allen was set to sub out all of…
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KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — No one associated with the Quincy University men’s basketball program — outside of head coach Steve Hawkins — had experienced success against Truman State University. As much as the Hawks wanted to change that Thursday night, there was a larger purpose behind their 85-74 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at Pershing Arena.…
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BARRY, Ill. — As the minutes dwindled and the lead grew Thursday night, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer could sense a growing challenge among his players. The Raiders wanted to pitch a first-quarter shutout. For nearly seven minutes, they did. QND raced to a 23-0 lead before Mason Smith ended Western’s scoring…
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QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse understands most of the Quincy High School wrestling team’s duals can’t compare to a crosstown showdown when it comes to energy and enthusiasm. “When you’re wrestling people from down the street, it tends to be different,” he said. Wednesday night was different, except in one regard. The Blue Devils’ determination for…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School wrestling team showcased the strength of its lineup from top to bottom during Wednesday night’s triangular with Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield at the QHS gym. The Blue Devils beat the Saukees 83-0 and the Raiders 68-6, while QND upended Pittsfield 54-24. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured…
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AUGUSTA, Ill. — Second verse, same as the first. For the second time in less than a week, the Central boys basketball team dispatched rival Southeastern and on the same day both teams ended up in the Class 1A state poll nonetheless. Central’s 39-33 victory Wednesday night came in a grueling chest-to-chest contest where defensive…
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QUINCY — Coming out of the holiday break, John Wood Community College men’s basketball coach Brad Hoyt gave his team an immediate challenge. The Trail Blazers struggled to meet it. Des Moines Area Community College, ranked 15th in the latest NJCAA Division II national poll, used an opening salvo that created an 11-point lead in…
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QUINCY — Joella Baker wasted no time leaving a lasting impression. Not long after the veteran triathlete was named the head coach of Duquesne University’s fledgling women’s triathlon program, she received an email from Quincy High School senior Alexandria Meyers expressing interest in competing for the Dukes. “When I heard who the coach was at…
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QUINCY — An announcement drawing national attention. Game-winning shots. Highlights of rivalry games. An inaugural all-star event. Throughout 2022, area student-athletes and teams provided thrills that needed to be captured on video. Here is a look at the top 10 most viewed videos on Muddy River Sports throughout the past year: 1. Aneyas Williams picks…
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QUINCY — Stories of heart and soul, of community pride and compassion, of history and hope are what defined 2022. Here is a look at the most read columns at Muddy River Sports throughout the past year: 1. Schuckman: Empathy and respect create viral video moment between QHS, Glenwood football players 2. Schuckman: Homegrown talent…
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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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QUINCY — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman drove his pickup truck across the state, chasing stories of success for area athletes and teams. Along the way, “Schuck on a Truck” became a fun way to introduce our readers to the personalities of athletes and coaches and celebrate state titles. Here is a look at…
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QUINCY — This week marks one year since joining Muddy River Sports, and what a year it has been. As we begin 2023 and start the countdown to Matt Schuckman’s 50th birthday celebration, let’s look back at some of my favorite columns of 2022. From Warsaw to West Point to the world, Rothert’s journey is…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The most unfortunate thing to happen to the Quincy High School boys basketball team Friday night was for time to run out in the first quarter. The brief interlude between quarters was exactly what Decatur MacArthur needed. The Blue Devils opened the championship game of the 38th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long referred to top-seeded Paris as “a monster.” Consider his squad the beast slayers then. The Panthers completed a remarkable run to the State Farm Holiday Classic championship Friday afternoon, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final 18.2 seconds to hand the Tigers their first…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decatur MacArthur denied the Quincy High School boys basketball team its first championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic in a quarter century Friday night when the Generals recovered from a 16-4 first-quarter deficit and earned a 57-53 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer captured the action and…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The Central boys basketball team rebounded from a crushing last-second loss in Friday afternoon’s semifinals and defeated Southeastern 51-43 in the third-place game at the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Breyhar Wiskirchen led the Panthers (10-3) with 18 points. Isaac Genenbacher scored 12 for Central, and Drew Paben added 10. Danny Stephens scored 30…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — It has taken the Quincy High School boys basketball team a decade to get back to where it could possibly end what is now a quarter-century drought. A shot at redemption comes with it, too. The Blue Devils will play for the championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic for the…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Shock. That’s what Dominique Clay’s expression screamed. He wasn’t alone in his jaw-dropping assessment. “I had the same look, too,” Camden Brown said. After the Quincy High School boys basketball team dispatched Collierville (Tenn.) 62-48 in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, the Blue Devils were headed to the…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Unity’s Kyra Carothers would have rather been anywhere else this week than the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic. “If I’m really honest with you, I dread this tournament,” she said. “It’s right after Christmas, and I just I want my break and blah, blah, blah.” Carothers also knows how much Unity coach Brad…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Christina Meyer made a promise the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players intended her to keep. So after beating Kankakee Bishop McNamara 53-46 in Thursday night’s fifth-place game of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders reminded Meyer’s husband — QND coach Kevin Meyer — she said she’d buy the team milkshakes…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Because of the widespread success of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players across all sports, it’s easy to forget how youthful the Panthers are. “I know,” C-SE coach Matt Long said. Still, a majority of the time, C-SE has three sophomores, sometimes four, on the floor. That makes this week’s run to the…
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Photo gallery: QHS wins twice to reach title game game of Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team will play in the championship game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic after beating Collierville (Tenn.) 62-48 in Thursday afternoon’s quarterfinals and Rockford East 47-41 in the Thursday night’s semifinals at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer captured all of the action and…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas had a pocket full of excuses if he needed any. The Quincy High School boys basketball coach refused to let the Blue Devils use them. A scintillating first half devolved into less-than-ideal execution in the second half Wednesday night in the opening round of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic,…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Al Davis would have been proud. Most of the players on the Southeastern boys basketball team likely have never heard of the former owner of the NFL’s Oakland/Los Angeles (now Las Vegas) Raiders, but their “Just win, baby” mentality showed Wednesday night in a 30-27 victory over Macomb in the quarterfinals of…
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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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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Matt Long made it sound so simple. “In the second half, I thought we had a lot of energy and effort and it turned the game for us,” the veteran Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach said. The tenaciousness defensively brought about by playing with more energy and effort certainly did that. A five-point…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A game of chase morphed into a game of giveaway Wednesday night. After opening the State Farm Holiday Classic with an aggressive, transition-based effort offensively that led to its highest scoring game of the season, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed two many empty possessions to derail it in a…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The top seeds held serve in each of the eight first-round games Tuesday in the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. The Illini West boys basketball team had the best shot at pulling off an upset. The Chargers led No. 3 seed Eureka 15-4 after one quarter and by as many as 14 points…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Muddy River News Editor David Adam provides photos from six games during the first round of the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Illini West vs. Eureka West Hancock vs. Canton (Ill.) Pittsfield vs. Macomb Southeastern vs. Abingdon Central vs. Lewistown Brown County vs. Farmington
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Tuesday’s Games Boys State Farm Holiday Classic At Normal West A Gym, Normal, Ill. No. 8 El Paso-Gridley 55, No. 9 East Dubuque 41 No. 1 St. Joseph-Ogden 78, No. 16 Annawan 28 No. 4 Rockford Lutheran 78, No. 13 Stanford Olympia 46 No. 5 Quincy Notre Dame 73, No. 12 Providence St. Mel 42…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Fully aware his team’s offense needed to ratchet everything up a notch or two, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer presented the Raiders with a challenge heading into the State Farm Holiday Classic. Catch Jake. Meyer told his point guard — senior Jake Hoyt — to push the pace at…
Read Full Article DIXON, Ill. — The strong decision-making, aggressiveness and confidence Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance enjoyed seeing from the Blue Devils on Tuesday morning dissipated to a more stagnant effort in the afternoon. It’s why QHS split its first two games in the Dixon KSB Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils opened with a…
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Monday’s games Boys MVIT At Mendon, Ill. Unity 63, Bushnell-Prairie City 40 Payson Seymour 53, Rushville-Industry 33 Girls Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic At Beardstown, Ill. Unity 59, Beardstown 27 Beardstown 48, South Fulton 41 Jacksonville Routt 55, North Greene 19 Macomb 63, Jacksonville Routt 56 Lewistown 62, West Hancock 40 West Hancock 51, Liberty 25…
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MENDON, Ill. — The Unity Athletic Hall of Fame added three members Monday night as the Class of 2022 was inducted during ceremonies between games of the Mississippi Valley Invitational Tournament. The induction class includes: Brian and Julie McAllister, athlete and supporters; Ken Ellerbrock, athlete and supporter; and Mike Myers, athlete. The Unity Athletic Hall…
Read Full Article Here is a look at the brackets for the high school basketball holiday tournaments involving area teams: Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Boys Bracket Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament US Bank Holiday Tournament Dixon-KSB Holiday Classic Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Girls Bracket
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MACOMB, Ill. — Navigating his way home from wrestling practice Thursday morning wasn’t too treacherous, but Ethan Ladd realized more snow and blizzard-like conditions were coming. “I’m not a big winter guy,” the Macomb senior said. “I’m not going to lie. I hate snow.” But what if the Western Illinois University football team ended up…
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QUINCY — Owen Rigg has played in dozens, if not hundreds, of basketball games in his life. But the Southeastern junior guard had never hit a game-winning buzzer beater. Not until Wednesday night. With the clock winding down and the game tied at 42, Suns senior Danny Stephens drew a double team and found Rigg…
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QUINCY — Eric Orne wants the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players to relish a well-earned holiday reprieve. “They get to rest,” the veteran coach said, “and they get to enjoy some family time.” The Raiders get to do so as far away from the gym as they wish. “He told us to forget about…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s search for its identity seems to be over. All the Raiders had to do was rediscover who they really are. “Play tough defense, get in our offense fast, run in transition, and do the little things right,” senior guard Jackson Stratton said Tuesday night after a…
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QUINCY — Nick Maynard made two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining in regulation Tuesday night to help the Unity boys basketball team seal a 45-41 victory over Monroe City in the 15th annual Rumble on the River. It also completed a sweep for the Mustangs, as the Unity girls, ranked third in Class 1A,…
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QUINCY — The only thing that mattered was the only thing that crossed Isaiah Foster’s mind. “Go get the ball,” he said. By doing so, the freshman point guard ensured it will be a Merry Christmas for himself and his Quincy University men’s basketball teammates. Leading Lake Superior State by two points in the waning…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s basketball team is carrying a three-game win streak into its holiday break after beating Lake Superior State 59-54 in overtime in the final game of the Hansen-Spear Holiday Classic at Pepsi Arena. Check out this collection of images shot by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman during Sunday’s game:
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NEW SALEM, Ill. — Jim Shields retold the story of a reporter once asking him about the difference between coaching boys and coaching girls in high school basketball. “I said the boys never gave me a state championship,” Shields laughed. It was a vintage answer by a career coach, a straight shooter, a man who…
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QUINCY — A simple suggestion is all it took. Needing to inject more life into his team — Quincy High School led Quincy Notre Dame 29-23 at halftime of Saturday night’s boys basketball showdown but had been rather lackluster defensively the first 16 minutes — Blue Devils coach Andy Douglas listened to an idea assistant…
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QUINCY — For the second season in a row and the seventh time in eight meetings, the Quincy High School boys basketball team won the crosstown showdown with Quincy Notre Dame since the series was renewed in 2015. The Blue Devils used a lockdown effort in the second half to post a 60-43 victory Saturday…
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QUINCY — Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett admits the preparation for this weekend’s pair of challenges included some uneasiness. “Nervous,” Barnett said of the one word he thought of having to travel to play West Central Conference opponent Quincy Notre Dame on Friday night and then play a neutral site affair against…
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QUINCY — No rest for the weary. At least not for a few more days. The December schedule that has the top-ranked Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team playing 13 games in 21 days is nearing its end. Two games in a three-day span will wrap it up before the Raiders go 17 days until…
Read Full Article MASCOUTAH, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse pinned his way to a title. Bryor Newbold nearly did the same thing. With six other wrestlers finishing in the top eight in their respective weight class, the Quincy High School wrestling team had another stellar showing. The Blue Devils finished fourth in the 33-team Mascoutah Invitational. Uppinghouse, wrestling at…
Read Full Article 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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MOLINE, Ill. — Not even the most foolhearted Quincy High School boys basketball fan was gullible enough to believe Brock Harding wouldn’t eventually put his stamp on Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference showdown. “We knew he had only two points at halftime,” Quincy junior swingman Camden Brown said. “You know he’s going to score…
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QUINCY — Eric Orne’s milestone moment came at home … sort of. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach reached the 500 career victory plateau Friday night with a 58-42 victory over Mascoutah in the opening game of the four-day, 16-game Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Although the…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Having chiseled a 10-point deficit down to two over the final 3 minutes, 45 seconds of the first half Friday night, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team had a simple plan of attack for the start of the second half and keep the momentum rolling. “We said, ‘OK, go out and get…
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QUINCY — Abby Lewton’s daily routine isn’t terribly different from the average high school student-athlete anywhere across the country. Wake up. Go to school. Maybe steal a few minutes for homework or hanging with friends. Go to practice. Finish up homework. Call it a night. The next day, do it all over again. The difference…
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The middle of December brings holiday gift ideas, All-American game goals and memories of a game played more than 30 years ago … Two venerable high school basketball gyms in Illinois and arguably the two most historic within the Western Big 6 Conference are being featured in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s 2023 Unique Gyms…
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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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PAYSON, Ill. — Payson Seymour girls basketball coach Bert Koehler resigned Wednesday from his duties as a teacher and coach amid an investigation being conducted by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Koehler, who was a junior high math teacher, is being investigated for allegedly exchanging text messages with a 14-year-old student. He submitted his resignation…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The consistent presence of Bear Bock doing whatever is necessary — scoring, rebounding and blocking shots — is part of the reason the Palmyra boys basketball team is riding an undefeated wave with the Christmas break approaching. Bock scored eight points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots in Tuesday night’s 55-34…
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QUINCY — The goal seemed modest and attainable, with the four Quincy High School golfers who organized the “Birdies for Brain Cancer” fundraiser believing they could raise $5,000. Yet, as the pledges began mounting, they changed their expectations. “We thought $8,000 would be a better goal,” Sophia Gold said. Little did they realize they could…
Read Full Article WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. — The signs this youthful, yet talented Quincy High School boys basketball team is maturing come in glimpses where momentum is teetering or the Blue Devils’ unbeaten record is threatened. Another of those moments came Tuesday night. A 13-point second-half advantage against the defending Missouri Class 5 state champion had dwindled to…
Read Full Article PALMYRA, Mo. — No rest for the weary? Well, not quite. “We’ll have a day off Wednesday, but then it’s back to work,” Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne said. Notre Dame’s 51-19 victory over Palmyra on Tuesday night marked the end of a five-games-in-six-days stretch for the Raiders. All those games were on…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — Granted, the Palmyra boys basketball team sits undefeated following a convincing 55-34 victory Tuesday night over Quincy Notre Dame. But Jon Lundberg feels Palmyra has barely scratched the surface of what it might accomplish between now and the end of the season. “I can feel it all coming together. I can sense the…
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HAVANA, Ill. — The long road home is nearly complete. Only 40 or so miles to go, although the last leg promises to be as tough as any of the others the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team has traveled. Monday night’s trip — the fourth of five road games in six days — was…
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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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QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team’s path to the championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic is filled with obstacles. That starts with playing the final game of the opening round. The Blue Devils (7-0) drew Alton (1-6) in the 9 p.m. game in the first round, the last of eight…
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QUINCY — The voice. Instantly recognizable, it was a fixture on Quincy airwaves for more than four decades. Commanding yet comfortable, perfect for radio, whether Jeff Dorsey was doing play-by-play of a sporting event or hosting a daily morning show. “There have been a number of great play-by-play guys, with (future baseball Hall of Famer)…
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