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BOLIVAR, Mo. — The day will come when the Quincy University women’s basketball program will have a series of firsts that highlight a return to prominence within the Great Lakes Valley Conference. It takes a number of smaller firsts to get there. Saturday, the Hawks experienced a couple of those. For the first time since…
Read Full Article BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Quincy University men’s basketball team ran out of steam. The challenge will be to recharge in a hurry. Trailing by one at halftime Saturday at the Meyer Sports Center, the Hawks struggled to keep it tight as Southwest Baptist went on a 20-4 run spanning nearly seven minutes of the second…
Read Full Article COLUMBUS, Ga. — The Quincy University baseball team had the chance Saturday to make a serious statement about its ability to contend for a national tournament berth. Now it has to hope for a split on Sunday. Late-inning situations did not favor the Hawks as they surrendered the lead in the sixth inning or later…
Read Full Article ALTON, Ill. — Quincy High School senior Jeremiah Talton identified the problem in a first half that saw the Blue Devils heavily outrebounded and settling for outside shots. “We were playing soft,” Talton said. “We weren’t playing our brand of basketball.” Talton put Quincy back on brand, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the…
Read Full Article GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — Logan Robbins’ right knee is feeling just fine, thank you. So is that troublesome left ankle. Finally able to showcase his overall talent that had been hampered much of the season because of injuries, Robbins helped power Liberty to a 59-39 victory over Winchester-Bluffs West Central in Friday’s Class 1A regional championship…
Read Full Article BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Pleasant Plains’ Zach Powell dribbled across the lane midway through the third quarter and tossed up a right-handed hook shot that Quincy Notre Dame’s Jake Wallingford got a fingertip on. Powell grabbed the rebound, then went back up for a second shot — only for Wallingford to swat it into a group…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The chance to be the No. 1 seed in the NJCAA Division II Region 24 Tournament is gone. The opportunity to return to the national tournament isn’t. The John Wood Community College men’s basketball players have a pretty good grasp of what it will take to make that happen. “We learned where we…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman received two writing awards in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest and Muddy River Sports won an additional award for its digital platform. Schuckman finished in the top 10 in the long feature and breaking news categories in Division D. In the long feature category, Schuckman…
Read Full Article GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — Better late than never. Liberty withstood Griggsville-Perry’s upset bid Wednesday night in a Class 1A regional semifinal game, eventually pulling away in the final quarter to secure a 61-47 victory. The top-seeded Eagles (25-5) entered the game a huge favorite but were unable to turn back Griggsville-Perry (15-17) — a team they…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The moment Ja’Veon Taylor intercepted the pass, Brandon Kracht sprinted to the right corner of the floor. But he never actually expected to see the ball come his way. “Honestly, I did not,” Kracht said. “It’s kind of like you’re going, ‘One more, one more, one more,’ hoping for that pass. It came…
Read Full Article BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team appeared to be primed for a massive upset when it got within 31-30 with 5:15 remaining to play in the third quarter. Five minutes of a leaky zone defense proved costly. The Titans gave up 16 of the game’s next 18 points, and not even a…
Read Full Article GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — Unfortunately, the third time was not the charm for the Payson Seymour boys basketball team. The Indians saw their postseason run come to an abrupt end Wednesday night when Winchester West Central posted a 62-49 victory in a Class 1A Griggsville-Perry Regional semifinal game. West Central’s victory was its third this season…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The jersey slipped on perfectly. It was trim and tight where it needed to be so Mike Staff had the sleek look of a basketball player, but it was loose enough for him to be able to twist, turn and attack without feeling constricted. He only wished he could do those things, but…
Read Full Article ALTON, Ill. — Presented with intel the Quincy High School boys basketball team had its two leading scorers fail to reach double figures in the same game for the first time this season, junior guard Reid O’Brien shrugged it off. The Blue Devils, in his eyes, are the epitome of a team. “We have winners,”…
Read Full Article BRIMFIELD, Ill. — Unity’s masterful execution of one of basketball’s simplest plays proved to be too much for Elmwood in the Class 1A girls sectional at Brimfield High School. The Mustangs used the pick-and-roll to perfection in a 49-29 victory on Tuesday night and advanced to the sectional championship game on Thursday against the host…
Read Full Article 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…
Read Full Article BRIMFIELD, Ill. — Oh, to play the first five minutes again. The Brown County girls basketball team played right with No. 1-ranked Brimfield for much of Tuesday night’s 63-49 loss in the Class 1A sectional semifinals. The Hornets, however, stumbled out of the gate, falling behind 17-4. They turned the ball over nine times in…
Read Full Article It has been exactly 39 years and Rusty Miller still can’t explain how he managed to score 30 points in a single quarter of a high school regional tournament basketball game. “I’ve had people come up to me over the years and ask, ‘How in the hell did you do that?’ ” he said. “Wish…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Neosho wrestler Eli Zar denied Hannibal’s Trevor Wilson a spot in history. Zar used a late takedown in the third period to cement a 7-2 victory in the Class 3 170-pound state championship match Saturday night at Mizzou Arena, ruining Wilson’s chance to repeat as the state champion. Wilson won his first…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Adam Moore’s description of Jalen Stamps’ offensive rebound in the waning seconds of Saturday’s game probably wouldn’t be fit for print and likely would draw an NC-17 rating if it were to go public. “If I was on live TV, I’d have to say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’” Moore said with a smile. But…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Not once in Maddie Spagnola’s five seasons with the Quincy University women’s basketball program had the Hawks swept a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference games on the same weekend. So it’s easy to say she saved the best for last. With Dami Adeyinka scoring a career-high 19 points and Spagnola recording consecutive…
Read Full Article QUINCY — At halftime of Saturday’s Class 2A Beardstown Regional quarterfinal at The Pit, the Rushville-Industry boys basketball team had as many turnovers as points. Quincy Notre Dame coach Kevin Meyer likes that ratio. “We got after it defensively and turned it back into offense,” Meyer said. “I was pretty happy with it. That’s a…
Read Full Article LEWISTOWN, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team turned up the defensive heat to cook the Havana Ducks. The Hornets limited Havana to just three made field goals in the first half and scored 18 consecutive points during a six-minute stretch overlapping the second and third quarters Saturday afternoon to roll to a convincing…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Enough was enough. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players needed to address the reasons why they lost to West Hancock on the road Tuesday night and what was contributing to the Raiders’ recent slump. So when the coaching staff gathered them for practice at the Pit, the Raiders seized the opportunity to…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Collin Arch’s mission to be one of the greatest high school wrestlers in Missouri history remains on course. Trevor Wilson’s pursuit of being one of Hannibal’s greatest grapplers ever is on task, too. Saturday, they both hope to enjoy another crowning moment. Arch, the Palmyra junior wrestling at 138 pounds, advanced to…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s struggling start was erased when Abbey Schreacke scored with 6.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Raiders’ the lead. QND never trailed again. Off a Williamsville turnover with 15.1 seconds left in the quarter, QND got the ball into Schreacke’s hands, and…
Read Full Article BIGGSVILLE, Ill. — The winter storm that forced a 24-hour postponement of the Class 1A Biggsville Regional championship game might have been a blessing in disguise for the Unity girls basketball team. Abingdon-Avon must have felt like it was a curse. Tuesday night, prior to the regional semifinal victory over Monmouth United, Mustangs junior forward…
Read Full Article QUINCY — With her opportunities to play in Pepsi Arena dwindling and determined to put the Quincy University women’s basketball program on the right course to respectability before she leaves, Maddie Spagnola is playing with a chip on her shoulder. It’s bringing out the best in the punky senior guard. Spagnola spearheaded a spirited effort…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — It nearly turned out to be a perfect day for area wrestlers at the Missouri state championships Thursday. Six of the seven wrestlers from Hannibal and Palmyra won their opening-round match, and all seven remain alive heading into the second day of competition at Mizzou Arena. The two reigning state champions —…
Read Full Article CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — To reach the podium at the Illinois High School Association state wrestling championships, three area grapplers are going to have to fight their way through the Class 1A wrestlebacks. Quincy Notre Dame senior Curtis Steinkamp, Illini West senior Lance Belshaw and Pittsfield senior Mason Davis each suffered an opening-round loss Thursday at…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Trying to find the right footing during the regular season finale against Galesburg on Tuesday night at Blue Devil Gym, the Quincy High School boys basketball team needed a jolt. Jeremiah Talton provided it. Trailing 11-9 with less than three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Talton contested a shot by the Silver…
Read Full Article The Show-Me Spotlight will appear each week to highlight Missouri area student-athletes. COLUMBIA, Mo. — For Collin Arch and Trevor Wilson, the goal is to repeat. For the rest of the area wrestlers competing this weekend at the Missouri state wrestling tournament, the goal is to join them on the podium. Arch, the Palmyra junior…
Read Full Article QUINCY — If you want to learn about a coach’s character in a cut-throat profession such as college basketball, look beyond the wins and losses. Take stock in what they say and how they say it when adversity threatens to bring them to their knees. Upon learning last Friday morning he was being fired immediately…
Read Full Article The difference between the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team advancing to a regional championship and Quincy High School falling short of that goal is a matter of minutes, not so much a matter of points. The Raiders shut down Pleasant Plains long enough to survive. The Blue Devils needed 90 seconds of timely stops…
Read Full Article HAMILTON, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s inability to run West Hancock off the 3-point strip Tuesday is alarming with the start of postseason play just four days away. The Titans made 13 3-pointers and maintained a 13-point advantage throughout the second and third quarters, parlaying it into a 68-58 West Central…
Read Full Article 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…
Read Full Article LEWISTOWN, Ill. — The second-seeded Brown County girls basketball team scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 20 points and finish off a 63-41 victory over sixth-seeded Lewistown in Monday’s semifinals of the Class 1A Lewistown Regional. Ahead 43-33 entering the fourth quarter after managing just eight points…
Read Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — With a monumental conference victory in its rear view and an outright championship to fight for looking ahead, the Quincy High School boys basketball team could have been caught lollygagging through Saturday night’s game. That didn’t happen. The Blue Devils scored the game’s first 15 points, held Jacksonville scoreless for the first…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Josh Rabe didn’t want to fall any further behind. So as the Quincy University athletic director debated when the appropriate time to dismiss Ryan Hellenthal as men’s basketball coach might be, he kept coming back to the same question. Why wait? “This is a matter of timing,” Rabe said Friday afternoon. “It’s just…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In the wake of a loss to No. 1-ranked Brimfield on the road Wednesday night, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated another tough test awaited with Friday’s trip to Jefferson City Helias. He probably never envisioned how tough it would be to get off the bus. The Raiders,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Logan Robbins is growing a little weary of his dad’s stories. “I’ve heard them all,” the Liberty senior said with a roll of the eyes. His father, Don, was a starter on the 1990 Unity basketball team that won its first 30 games before losing to Pittsfield in the super-sectional. “The stories are…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Four years ago as a freshman, Laci Novosel was scared to even look at the basket. In her final regular season game in the QHS gym on Thursday night, the senior caught the ball at the free-throw line, attacked off the dribble and scored at the rim like a seasoned veteran, providing 10…
Read Full Article KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Frustration has reached the point of exasperation and left the Quincy University men’s basketball players and coaches wondering what it is going to change the outcome of these near misses. It happened again Thursday night. The Hawks trailed Truman State by just four points with a little more than a minute to…
Read Full Article KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — As Kaci Bailey entered the Quincy University women’s basketball team’s locker room following Thursday night’s game, the first-year coach sensed the Hawks expected her to be upset or discouraged. Instead, Bailey walked in clapping. “I was like, ‘Hell of a game,’” Bailey said as her depleted troops battled Truman State to the…
Read Full Article BOGOTA, Colombia — Luke Guthrie’s season debut featured a rocky start, a steady stretch after the turn and emphatic finish. There’s work to do in the second round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Astara Golf Championship to ensure he plays the weekend, but Guthrie created a little momentum to chase the cutline. Playing the Pacos…
Read Full Article CARROLLTON, Ill. — Football is in Cody Leonard’s blood. Try as he might to turn the page to the next chapter of his life, the former Quincy University All-American linebacker couldn’t ditch the itch to continue playing. Now, he has that opportunity. Leonard has signed a professional contract to play with the Kuopio Steelers in…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The ball seemed so much more comfortable in his hands — certainly coming off his hands it was picturesque — than it ever did on his foot. Jaeden Smith knew it, but he needed to embrace it. Once he did, it made his happiness complete. A two-sport standout at Quincy High School who…
Read Full Article BRIMFIELD, Ill. — As disheartening as it was to carry home a 24-point loss from a battle of two of the state’s No. 1-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne tried to remind the Raiders tomorrow is a new day. And another game awaits. “Maybe it’s a good thing we have a…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Time running down, game on the line and the Monroe City boys basketball team has the possession. Who gets the ball? All-state senior guard Joshua Talton of course. “We took a timeout and everyone was saying, ‘Get it to Josh and he’s going to make a play,’” Panthers senior guard Kyle Hays said.…
Read Full Article WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Elly Lorenson pinned her way to the state tournament. The Palmyra freshman wrestler won five consecutive matches last weekend in the Class 2 district tournament at North Point High School and will head to Mizzou Arena in Columbia next weekend for the state tournament as one of the top seeds. Wrestling at…
Read Full Article Devilishly good: Talton outscores, outshoots Geneseo in first half as QHS inches closer to WB6 crown
GENESEO, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team dropped its first Western Big 6 Conference game last Friday night, but the Blue Devils made sure to put Tuesday’s league contest out of reach by halftime. Geneseo lost control early and things quickly got out of hand as Quincy cruised to a 71-32 victory.…
Read Full Article MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Monroe City girls basketball team had everyone thinking upset. The Palmyra boys never got that chance. In a Clarence Cannon Conference showcase doubleheader Tuesday, the two teams either state ranked or in that conversation walked away with victories, albeit in decidedly different manners. Outscored 16-4 in the first quarter and…
Read Full Article EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — Mike Siebers brings the same exuberance to a weekend interview with an old sports writer as he did to high school basketball courts and soccer fields four decades ago while playing for Quincy Notre Dame. All out, all the time. “Sorry for taking so much of your time,” he said as the…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Sydney Harris said she and her Edwardsville girls basketball teammates tend to struggle following a long bus ride. That haul from Madison County to Quincy, however, proved to be little or no problem when the Tigers outlasted Quincy Notre Dame 66-54 in Saturday night’s marquee matchup in the SuperFan Shootout at The Pit.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Coming off of its first Western Big 6 Conference setback of the season Friday night against Moline, the Quincy High School boys basketball team had less than 24 hours to wipe the memory clean. It turns out a few extra minutes were needed. Like eight extra. A slow first quarter offensively pinned the…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Jake Hoyt called it “horrible.” Kevin Meyer called it “ugly.” No matter how exciting the finish was in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s game between the Quincy Notre Dame and Jacksonville Routt boys basketball teams during the SuperFan Shootout at the Pit, the Raiders couldn’t overcome three quarters of abysmal play in…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Four players scored in double figures for the Unity girls basketball team in a resounding 73-31 victory over Winchester West Central on Saturday afternoon during the SuperFan Shootout at the Pit. Unity (23-4) led 18-10 after the first quarter, then outscored the Cougars 20-4 in the second quarter. The lead never dipped below…
Read Full Article 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 — The Quincy High School wrestling team is sending four wrestlers to the Class 3A Granite City Sectional after the Blue Devils finished fourth as a team Saturday in the regional at the QHS gym. The Blue Devils’ Kayden Garrett and Gage Bringer each finished as the runner-up in their respective weight class, while…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team was in a good spot in the third quarter of Friday night’s game at the Pit. The Panthers scored the first six points of the second half and trailed Quincy Notre Dame, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 2A, 33-26 with 5:08 left in the quarter. Even better,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The analogy offered by Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer was spot on. “In NASCAR terms, it was a splash and go,” Meyer said. Meyer was recounting the fourth-quarter contribution of 6-foot-1 guard Jackson Stratton, who scored 18 of his 23 points over the final eight minutes — including 14 at…
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…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Brad Dance didn’t have an explanation for the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s inability to make a shot the first 10 minutes, 35 seconds of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. He figures the snow might be the case. “We had a shootaround this morning, basically a light practice for about…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Ryan Hellenthal laughed when asked if he was going to bottle or patent whatever he was giving the Quincy University men’s basketball players at halftime of their last two games. “I’m just letting them know I still believe in them,” said Hellenthal, the Hawks’ fifth-year head coach. “And I told them we’re…
Read Full Article The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight Illinois area student-athletes. CAMP POINT, Ill. — The youth wrestling program designed to promote the sport and serve as a feeder program for Central’s high school team is working. Saturday, the rest of the state will start to see how well it works. The Central…
Read Full Article QUINCY — To win a conference title, the Quincy University baseball team better be prepared to battle a familiar foe. The Great Lakes Valley Conference released its preseason coaches poll this week, and as expected, the Hawks sit No. 2 in the Blue Division behind Illinois-Springfield. Both teams received first-place votes and are coming off…
Read Full Article QUINCY — To replenish and restore the Quincy University football program’s roster, Hawks coach Gary Bass gave his coaches a pair of priorities to follow on the recruiting trail. One, talent and versatility are a must. Two, make it a regional class and forego a nationwide scope. The end result is a signing class featuring…
Read Full Article The Show-Me Spotlight will appear each week to highlight a Missouri area student-athlete. EWING, Mo. — If you were to line up the fastest of the fast — there are a few Highland boys who qualify for such a distinction — who ends up winning? Drew Mallett has a pretty good idea. “Well, I would…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Ryan Hellenthal compared defending the Maryville men’s basketball team’s offense to a college football team staring down an option attack. You know what’s coming and it’s your job to stop it. “There is no heavy scheme involved,” said Hellenthal, the fifth-year Quincy University coach. “You just have to buck up and guard.” By…
Read Full Article SHELBINA, Mo. — Any addition to the schedule two weeks before regional play begins needs to be done strategically and with purpose. That’s why hitting the road to face a top-10 team in a hostile environment made sense to Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class…
Read Full Article ANKARA, Turkey — Steve Rothert was preparing to play for the Illinois All-Stars in the 1986 McDonald’s/Herald-Whig Classic when we sat down to discuss his all-state basketball career at Warsaw High School and appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. The essence of the column I wrote then was that Rothert was…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Collin Arch knew a milestone was imminent, but the Palmyra junior wrestler didn’t allow it to alter his mindset or approach. His demeanor didn’t change either. After recording his 100th career victory in the 138-pound semifinals of Saturday’s Quincy Notre Dame Invitational at the Pit with a 15-0 technical fall of Chatham Glenwood’s…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A weekend of travel, multiple matches and relentless effort could have left Quincy High School wrestler Bryor Newbold a little weary. It actually has him energized. Newbold, a sophomore wrestling at 182 pounds, finished third in both Friday’s Western Big 6 Conference championships and Saturday’s Quincy Notre Dame Invitational, providing the jolt of…
Read Full Article 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…
Read Full Article CANTON, Mo, — Megan Diehl scored just two field goals Saturday, but they were probably the two biggest of the game. Diehl’s two 3-pointers in a 26-second span during the fourth quarter turned a one-point deficit into a five-point lead that the Culver-Stockton College women’s basketball team never relinquished in a 60-55 victory over Baker…
Read Full Article CANTON, Mo. — An exciting finish couldn’t make up for a disastrous first half for the Culver-Stockton College men’s basketball team. The Wildcats scored a season-low 17 points in the first half and trailed by 19 points with less than five minutes left to play, then rallied to give themselves a chance to win but…
Read Full Article BETHALTO, Ill. — The fourth-quarter offensive miscues — four turnovers and zero converted field goals — committed by the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team on Saturday afternoon proved it may be withering from pressure. What ultimately kept the Raiders upright was their defense. Despite going the final eight minutes without a basket, QND was…
Read Full Article QUINCY — As a kid, Kyle Cartmill chose to be the Blue Devil mascot for his Halloween costume. His passion for the Quincy High School boys basketball program has never waned, no matter where life’s road has taken him. Cartmill, a 1995 QHS graduate, became a Hall of Fame player who enjoyed a solid career…
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