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QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team just might be peaking at the perfect time. The Blue Devils’ 40-25 Western Big 6 Conference victory Thursday night over a 17-win Galesburg club was the second straight win over a quality opponent, evening Quincy’s record at 8-8. Earlier this week, the Blue Devils downed Springfield…
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QUINCY — Every big shot Maddie Spagnola hit needed a complementary piece. That never happened. Spagnola, a senior point guard on the Quincy University women’s basketball team, buried a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer Thursday night, only to see the Hawks miss their first two shots of the fourth quarter. She hit another 3-pointer early…
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QUINCY — Had Andy Douglas wanted to keep his single-season 3-point shooting record just a little while longer, he could have benched Jeremiah Talton after the senior sharpshooter made his fifth trey Tuesday night. “I should have,” Douglas said with a laugh. “That would have been hilarious.” Even if Douglas had taken Talton out, he…
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QUINCY — The clamor began as soon as Wil Wells stood up and made his way to the scorer’s table to check in to Tuesday night’s game against Rock Island Alleman. He knew it wouldn’t stop until he scored. “It’s a little bit of pressure, I have to admit,” Wells said. A senior forward on…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — A team that hadn’t been the most efficient from the free-throw line is figuring out how to use the charity stripe to its advantage. It paid off down the stretch Tuesday night. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team, which was collectively shooting 59 percent from the line, made 7 of 10…
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QUINCY — As Chris Harmann strolled out of the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s locker room and onto the Blue Devil Gym court last Saturday morning, instincts took over and guided him toward the home team’s bench. Then reality set in. He wasn’t supposed to be sitting on the north end of the gym.…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — Abbey Schreacke’s reaction said everything. This one meant something. An all-state junior guard on the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, Schreacke caught the ball on the left block as time ticked away in the final 15 seconds of last Thursday’s state-ranked showdown with Illini West and the game tied at 38.…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — Nariah Clay’s clutch free-throw shooting and consistent play throughout the week carried the second-seeded Canton girls basketball team to the championship of the 79th annual Tony Lenzini Invitational. That included going 8 of 9 from the line and scoring 14 points in a 68-54 victory over top-seeded Palmyra in last Saturday’s championship…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. – Katey and Klare Flynn, identical twins born one minute apart and virtually inseparable since, are best friends off the basketball court. “It helps that we’re around each other all the time,” said Klare, who entered the world second. “We’re like the same person. We like all the same things. We do…
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QUINCY — The son of a Blue Devil legend did all he could to keep a current Quincy High School boys basketball standout carving his own legacy from adding a Quincy Shootout victory to his resume. By doing so, Nick Kramer made the trip down memory lane unforgettable. Kramer, the St. Louis University High senior…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The Hannibal boys basketball team relied on its defense to keep it within striking distance of top-seeded Monroe City at halftime of Saturday night’s championship game of the 79th annual Tony Lenzini Invitational. The Panthers didn’t allow that to happen in the second half. After being held to just nine points in…
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QUINCY — The initial reaction was what Greg Altmix expected. Thursday afternoon, the Liberty boys basketball coach informed his players they had added a game to the schedule with an appearance in the fourth Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. “(The organizers) giving us a chance to come and play in this event really got…
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QUINCY — A three-pronged attack proved to be better than one dominant force. Despite getting 25 points from senior forward Jevon Porter, Columbia Father Tolton couldn’t put the clamps on Berkmar (Ga.) as the Patriots had three players score in double figures in a 60-58 victory in the Quincy Shootout. Bryce Blaine buried a 3-pointer…
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QUINCY — Link Academy let Tarris Reed Jr. establish the post presence immediately. The rest of the Lions followed his lead. Reed scored nine of his 17 points in the first quarter when Link outscored Chicago St. Rita 14-9, but he had only two points in the 24-point second quarter. Six other players scored in…
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QUINCY — The Modesto Christian boys basketball team’s 2,000-mile trip from California seemed like a worthwhile adventure when the Crusaders had a 45-40 halftime lead over CBC out of St. Louis. The Crusaders must have forgotten to pack their offense for the second half. The Cadets scored 44 points in the second half, while limiting…
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QUINCY — Two big defensive plays in the final minute of overtime led to Peoria Notre Dame and St. Louis Cardinal Ritter needing a second extra session. The Lions made sure there wouldn’t be a third. Robert Lewis knocked down three free throws to help Cardinal Ritter stave off PND with a 67-66 victory in…
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QUINCY — A 23-point second quarter swung the momentum in favor of the Math, Civics and Sciences Charter of Philadelphia, and the Mighty Elephants never relented in dispatching Iowa City West 71-51 on Saturday in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. Trent Middleton’s second-quarter outburst sparked the swing as he scored 14 points in…
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QUINCY — A feisty, fast-paced battle turned into an unexpected blowout at the end with Kheni Briggs becoming the reason why. The Burlington School led Memphis East by six points heading to the fourth quarter of Saturday morning’s matchup in the fourth Quincy Shootout, but Briggs ignited the Spartans’ 26-point fourth-quarter surge by scoring 11…
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QUINCY — Bradley Longcor III nodded at the suggestion it had been a week filled with low-energy practices for the Quincy High School boys basketball team. “It wasn’t the best,” the freshman guard admitted. Junior guard Reid O’Brien was a little more blunt. “We didn’t have any good practices all week long,” O’Brien said. So…
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QUINCY — It hurt like any loss. It hurt even more because it was an overtime loss. Yet a grin kept crawling across the face of Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer afterward. The Raiders fought back from a 10-point deficit to lead at halftime, then was a half-second away from winning in…
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QUINCY — When the Chicago St. Rita boys basketball team needed someone to spark a rally, the state’s top-ranked sophomore prospect obliged. James Brown, a 6-foot-8 forward, scored 11 of the Mustangs’ 25 fourth-quarter points as they erased a 12-point deficit and narrowly escaped Blue Devil Gym with a 76-75 victory over Huntington (W. Va.)…
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QUINCY — St. Louis University High and Math, Civics and Sciences Charter out of Philadelphia played to nearly a draw in the first half, with the Jr. Billikens taking a 28-25 lead at halftime of their matchup in the Quincy Shootout at the Pit on Friday night. Then Nick Kramer took over. The senior guard…
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QUINCY — One of the nation’s most talented and most talked about prep school lineups found itself facing a halftime deficit Friday night. That’s when Link Academy showed why it is receiving so much attention. Tarris Reed Jr., playing in the Quincy Shootout for the second time in his career, powered his way to eight…
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QUINCY — Memphis East scored 23 consecutive points late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter to blow open a close game and defeat Father Tolton Catholic from Columbia, Mo., 71-53 on Friday night in the first game of the Quincy Shootout at the Pit. Neither team led by more than four…
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QUINCY — A five-point lead at the end of the first quarter was extended to 13 by halftime as Berkmar, Ga., systemically pulled away from the iSchool of Lewisville, Texas, for a 70-45 victory in the opening game of the fourth Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. Malique Ewin, a 6-foot-10 Ole Miss signee, led…
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CARTHAGE, Ill. — The difference between the two best Class 2A girls basketball teams in the west-central part of the state is subtle, yet simple. One has Abbey Schreacke. The other does not. With the outcome of Thursday night’s battle of state-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame was going to win, lose or draw with the…
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QUINCY — It’s cold outside. Like really cold. Like your truck doesn’t want to start and whines when you do start it kind of cold. That’s OK. It’s warm in Blue Devil Gym and the Pit and a myriad of high school venues around the area where some of the best basketball is taking place…
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The fourth Quincy Shootout takes place this weekend with games being played Friday night at Quincy High School’s Blue Devil Gym and Quincy Notre Dame’s The Pit. Saturday, all eight games will be played at Blue Devil Gym. Here is a look at the teams and top players who will be worth the price of…
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QUINCY — The physical aspect of Wednesday night’s Mid-West Athletic Conference game negated the natural rhythm and flow John Wood Community College men’s basketball coach Brad Hoyt relishes. So while he was encouraged by the outcome, Hoyt was disappointed with the style. “I was expecting a little better basketball,” Hoyt said after the Trail Blazers…
Read Full Article PAYSON, Ill. — Granted, Quincy Notre Dame was able to stretch its boys basketball win streak to five on Wednesday night. But it was not easy. The Raiders withstood several Payson Seymour comebacks over the final three quarters before leaving with a 59-55 victory. “Payson deserves a lot of credit,” QND coach Kevin Meyer said…
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The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete. CARTHAGE, Ill. — Technology has changed the method of delivery, but the messages are similar to what they were three decades ago. The intent is the same, too. It’s to give Caydee Kirkham all the knowledge she needs to succeed at…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team didn’t score off the opening tip Tuesday night like it so often does. The Raiders didn’t convert on their opening possession either, which negated their ability to jump into a full-court press and create havoc for Quincy High School’s backcourt. It took 52 seconds for all…
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QUINCY — The raucous, creative and comical Quincy High School students who packed the bleachers behind the girls basketball team’s bench Tuesday night need to check their schedules. Their presence is requested at future games. “Tell them to come out there and get me fired up,” Quincy Notre Dame junior guard Blair Eftink said with…
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QUINCY — Deflated. There is no better word to describe the atmosphere surrounding the Quincy University men’s basketball program after Monday night’s 90-84 overtime loss to Missouri S&T in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Pepsi Arena. Gut-punched would work, too. The Hawks had a nine-point lead with 4:18 remaining in regulation, but got outscored…
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The glimmer in Nick Kramer’s eye shined when he began talking about the situation he will be walking into this weeked. He’s entering his father’s old neighborhood. With that comes the understanding of history, tradition and legacy. Jack Kramer is part of all three when it comes to the Quincy High School boys basketball program,…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team needs to work on its closing kick, too. The Hawks trailed Missouri S&T by one point heading to the fourth quarter Monday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Pepsi Arena, but the Miners scored the first 10 points of the final stanza and led 58-47 with…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer said the Raiders “defended like crazy” during a sweep of two games Monday at the Bloomington Central Catholic Shootout. It took a collective effort to be that good. “The guys were connected,” Meyer said. “All five guys were moving as one.” It made it…
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QUINCY — Hugh Sharrow’s academic standing says freshman, but he’s obviously wiser — and talented — well beyond his years. “He’s legendary,” Quincy High School wrestling coach Phil Neally said through a wry smile. Neally likes to talk as much about Sharrow’s beat-boxing abilities as he does his skills on the mat. Both were in…
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LINCOLN, Ill. — Jeremiah Talton could tell during pregame warmups Saturday night the right ankle he had tweaked 24 hours prior wasn’t going to be an issue. “It’s actually feeling pretty good,” the Quincy High School senior swingman said. “As soon as I got out there, I wasn’t feeling anything.” He also knew he had…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Grant Surprenant knows there is nothing easy about playing and beating the same team three times in one season, let alone within a 17-day stretch. That’s why the Illini West girls basketball coach was giddy with how the Chargers played down the stretch Saturday night. Illini West limited Unity to one…
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GALESBURG, Ill. — Quincy High School boys basketball Andy Douglas believes his players deserve a nomination for an Emmy or an Academy Award. Leading Galesburg by two points with 8.5 seconds remaining in regulation Friday night at John Thiel Gym, Douglas instructed the Blue Devils during a timeout called by the Silver Streaks to act…
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QUINCY — Weather may have altered the brackets and forced some teams to decline making the trip to compete in the Quincy Invitational, but Friday night’s opening rounds of the long-time wrestling tournament showed the cream always rises to the top. Quincy High School had five wrestlers go unbeaten during Friday’s action, while Central had…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Here we go with round three. Caroline Knox did her part to make it happen with two clutch free throws. The Illini West girls basketball team’s defense held up its end of the equation. Now, two state-ranked foes will meet for the third time in 17 days and the second time…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Tournament titles up for grabs, a conference lead at stake and a bevy of grappling. How’s that for a full weekend slate? That’s only doable if Mother Nature cooperates. With several Missouri schools rescheduling their Friday night contests for Thursday night to avoid any issues with the forecasted snowfall, the weekend prep basketball…
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QUINCY — Geneseo’s 30th consecutive girls basketball victory further legitimized its ranking as the No. 1 Class 3A team in the state. The Maple Leafs emerged from a one-point halftime deficit to hit Quincy High School with a 16-0 blitzkrieg at the outset of the third quarter. Following that outburst, it was not a matter…
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QUINCY — Despite a career-high scoring effort from junior guard Beth Matas Martin, the Quincy University women’s basketball team was unable to slow down Maryville in a 72-65 loss in Great Lakes Valley play Thursday night at Pepsi Arena. The energy and effort both teams shared in the first quarter came as no surprise. The…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s basketball team will have to wait a couple of extra days to get back on track. The Hawks were informed Wednesday afternoon that Maryville, which was scheduled to visit Pepsi Arena on Thursday for a Great Lakes Valley Conference game, has to cancel both of its games this week…
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QUINCY — Leave it to COVID-19 to disrupt the rhythm of the night. Still, the Quincy High School boys basketball team adapted. Due to positive COVID tests within its freshman team, Geneseo was forced to cancel Tuesday night’s preliminary game. So instead of watching the underclassmen play before going to the locker room to get…
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MONROE CITY, Mo. — Josiah Talton did what a senior leader is supposed to do. He stepped to the free-throw line and buried the shots to preserve a lead. And he did it twice in the same week. In the semifinals of the Clopton Tournament last week, the Monroe City senior guard went 5 of…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield boys basketball team gave Ronne Thelander a fitting goodbye. The Saukees sophomore manager was in the starting lineup for last Friday’s game against Quincy Notre Dame at Voshall Gym, and after Pittsfield won the opening tip, Thelander was given the opportunity to take the first shot. His initial attempt fell…
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Runner of the Year — Anna Schuering, Sr., Quincy High School If there’s one thing that 2021 showed, it was that 2020 was no fluke for Quincy High School senior Anna Schuering. The reigning Tri-State Cross Country Coaches Girls Runner of the Year used the 2020 season as her coming out party to the area…
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Runner of the Year — Miles Sheppard, Sr., West Hancock If you’ve ever watched Miles Sheppard race, there is one thing that is constant. He races with a passion and determination that is unmatched by most. It has become his calling card in the tri-state area and across the Land of Lincoln over the last…
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DAYTONA, Fla. — Christian Miles’ trip to Daytona International Speedway turned into quite a happy New Year’s celebration. The Paloma, Ill., karting phenom won all four of his races and swept a pair of championships during the World Karting Association’s Daytona Kartweek event. Driving in the KA100 Junior class, Miles won his initial 10-lap prefinal…
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Doug Elledge has the routine down pat. He throws his high school football officiating gear into the car in late August. He pulls it out in November and replaces it with a whistle and striped shirt to referee basketball. Then, in March, he ditches those for a chest protector, face mask and shin guards to…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Bradley Longcor III caught the ball in a position to take a shot he’s been knocking down consistently all season. And he passed it up. Nothing could have made Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas any happier. After Terron Cartmill snared a defensive rebound on the first possession of Saturday…
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CARBONDALE, Ill. — Kayden Garrett’s individual championship helped the Quincy High School wrestling team finish third among 25 teams in the 60th Murdale Invitational at Carbondale High School. Garrett, a senior wrestling at 170 pounds, won his first two matches in pool play with a second-period pin and a 21-6 technical fall. In the championship…
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WINCHESTER, Ill. — Cannen Wolf thought he had a little bit of wiggle room. When the official handed him the basketball, he discovered there was none. Fouled as time expired as he caught an inbounds pass and attempted to launch a 3-point shot, the Liberty boys basketball team’s senior guard assumed the call came in…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — The three state-ranked teams in the Central-Southeastern Classic field showed why they are so highly regarded with a pair of victories apiece on the tournament’s opening day. The host school showed it belongs in the conversation, too. Illini West, ranked fourth in Class 2A and the tournament favorite after winning the…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team finds itself in a place the program has always thrived. At the top. Friday night’s 61-57 victory at Rock Island gave the Blue Devils sole possession of first place in the Western Big 6 Conference a week before the league hits the midpoint of its season.…
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ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Over the course of a six-minute span of the second half Friday night in which the Quincy High School boys basketball team chiseled a 13-point deficit down to one, Rock Island never lost its energy or its swagger. That is until Jeremiah Talton and Ralph Wires took it away. The senior…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Offensively, work must still be be done. But the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team has been pretty stingy defensively of late. Pittsfield missed 23 of 35 shots from the field, and the Raiders forced 18 turnovers in a 43-31 victory on Friday night at Voshall Gym. QND has won 10 straight…
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QUINCY — Waking up Friday morning to a text message from Quincy University assistant men’s soccer coach Taylor Reis really didn’t catch Aubrey Reis by surprise. What he read amazed him. The former Hawks midfielder and four-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection saw his name had been added to the roster of eligible players for…
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QUINCY — Braden Sheffield set his sights on the rim. Unfortunately, the Quincy Notre Dame junior guard never got the chance to get his hands on it. “Some things aren’t meant to be,” he said with a wry smile. Teaming with the Raiders’ Alex Connoyer and Jackson Stratton to create chaos each time the Western…
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QUINCY — In times of struggle, there is some confidence gained. The Quincy University men’s basketball team displayed that Thursday night. Instead of reeling from a heartbreaking 73-72 loss to 16th-ranked Truman State on Tuesday night, the Hawks out-toughed a high-scoring Southwest Baptist University squad Thursday night for a potentially season-defining 73-69 Great Lakes Valley…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A slow start offensively by the Quincy University women’s basketball team made brewing up a comeback overly challenging against a balanced-scoring Southwest Baptist squad on Thursday night in Pepsi Arena. The Hawks lost a one-point lead with 3:12 remaining in the first quarter and watched the Bearcats extend the advantage to 37-25 by…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Springfield girls basketball team got off to a sizzling start. Quincy Notre Dame had a better finish. Despite falling behind 7-0 out of the gate and getting outscored 10-5 in the first three minutes of the third quarter, the state-ranked Raiders turned to junior guard Abbey Schreacke down the stretch and…
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CANTON, Mo. — Jalen Blaize missed all five of his shots and did not score a point Monday in a 78-70 loss at Grand View. “First time I ever had zero in a game,” he said. “So that was definitely in the back of my mind (on Wednesday).” He certainly made up for that game…
Read Full Article CARTHAGE, Ill. — Caydee Kirkham’s confidence in herself is equal to her confidence in her teammates. Wednesday night, they showed why. Trailing state-ranked Unity by four points with four minutes remaining in regulation, the fourth-ranked Illini West girls basketball team went on a 10-2 run with four field goals coming from players not named Kirkham…
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CANTON, Mo. — After making just seven of 31 shots in the first half, the Culver-Stockton College women’s basketball team outscored Graceland 25-5 in the third quarter and pulled away for a 60-42 victory in a Heart of America Athletic Conference game Wednesday night at Charles Field House. Josie Landrum scored a career-high 14 points,…
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Here are the state rankings of Illinois high school girls basketball teams in each class for Jan. 5, 2022, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters. Class 4A School W-L Pts 1. Lisle Benet 14-2 59 5 2. Lincolnshire Stevenson (2) 17-1 57 NR 3. Arlington Heights Hersey (3) 14-3 54 1 4. Chicago…
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Here are the state rankings of Illinois high school boys basketball teams in each class for Jan. 5, 2022, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Glen Ellyn Glenbard West (10) 14-0 100 1 2. Chicago Kenwood 12-2 87 3 3. Glenview Glenbrook South 13-1 72 T4…
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QUINCY — Ryan Hellenthal chose an apt description for how the final 30 seconds played out for the Quincy University men’s basketball team Tuesday night at Pepsi Arena. “Devastating,” the fifth-year coach said. Jeff Horner knew what caused the Hawks’ heartache. “Patience,” the Truman State coach said. Trailing by two points coming out of timeout…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Caydee Kirkham saved her best for last. The three efforts preceding her championship game performance at the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic weren’t too shabby either. The senior point guard on the Illini West girls basketball team nearly put together a triple double in a 66-51 victory over top-seeded Unity in the title…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jake Wallingford’s ability to play above the rim changes how the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team attacks. It also allows him to go get the basketball whenever he chooses. In the opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic against Rock Falls, the 6-foot-8 Wallingford rose above everyone else to grab…
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QUINCY — A 15-day layoff and a shortened bench proved to be too much for the Quincy University women’s basketball team to overcome once fatigue took hold. The Hawks trailed Truman State by five points at halftime in Tuesday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Pepsi Arena before allowing 21 points in the third…
Read Full Article ST. LOUIS — Quincy University men’s basketball coach Ryan Hellenthal understood the toughness and grit of his players was being questioned following last Thursday’s loss to Missouri Valley College. “A lot of people were writing us off,” Hellenthal said. Pencil the Hawks back in. Forced to make a crucial basket with less than 15 seconds…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — It didn’t take long for Grant Surprenant to realize Caydee Kirkham had a different demeanor Thursday night. “She had that look that she was in attack mode,” the Illini West girls basketball coach said of his senior point guard. Nothing Unity tried altered that. Kirkham delivered an MVP performance in the championship…
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QUINCY — There is no time for the Quincy University men’s basketball players to dwell on defeat or lick their wounds. The Hawks have two days to regroup, regain their focus and rally together. Four Great Lakes Valley Conference games in eight days await, and the schedule is not kind. Following Thursday night’s 84-81 loss…
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GREENVIEW, Ill. —Tyler Duschinsky received some validation Thursday that the Payson Seymour boys basketball players are adapting well to the first-year coach’s style. The trophy the Indians won was nice, but the manner in which they won it was more impressive. Payson locked down defensively, limiting North Fulton to nine points in the second half…
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MENDON, Ill. — The Southeastern boys basketball team has a lofty goal for its defense. “We need to keep teams under 30 points or 35 points, somewhere right in there to have a chance to win,” senior guard Ramsey Fry said. “That’s the target.” The Suns didn’t quite hit the bull’s eye Wednesday night, but…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — A trend developed in the three days the Quincy High School boys basketball team spent at the 37th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic that has Blue Devils coach Andy Douglas legitimately concerned. His team keeps stumbling out of the blocks. It happened again Wednesday night in the third-place game against Collinsville. The…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer never saw the absence of two starters as a ready-made excuse for any setback. He viewed it more as a chance to grow. Having split two games Wednesday in the small-school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders showed considerable growth and…
Read Full Article BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Unity girls basketball coach Brad Begeman needed to see how his players reacted to being in a dogfight. Their first foray was successful. The next one is already on tap. Forced to go to overtime against Brown County in Wedneday night’s semifinals of the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, Unity’s Taylor Nichols made…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It might not look like it in the scorebook, but Quincy Notre Dame actually did a good job keeping St. Joseph-Ogden star Ty Pence in check. Well, except for the final three minutes of the third quarter. Pence, a 6-foot-6 junior, scored 11 of his 26 points during that time frame, turning…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long has a pretty good idea of what a good Class 2A girls basketball looks like. He guided the Panthers to third-place and fourth-place finishes at the state tournament in 2016 and 2017. So after his team lost 33-21 to Winnebago, ranked No. 1 in the latest Class 2A…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Faced with a setback for only the second time this season and denied a shot at a tournament championship for the first time, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas both understood and appreciated the Blue Devils’ reaction. They were disappointed, not despondent. The Blue Devils squandered a two-point lead with…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Whew. That was the collective reaction from the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s bench and the throng of Blue Devil backers inside Vergil Fletcher Gym on Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Devils were held scoreless the first four minutes of the second half of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic semifinal against…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer gave his Raiders a shiny new toy under their Christmas tree last week. It looked Monday afternoon like they had a lot of fun playing with it for the first time. The press. The Raiders used their 1-2-2 three-quarter court trap and a swarming…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Sam Mulherin understands good things happen if you put yourself in the right position. Necessary things happen, too. Mulherin’s energetic pursuit of offensive rebounds helped the Quincy High School boys basketball team shake its first-half slumber and ignited a 31-point third quarter against Belleville Althoff on Monday afternoon at Vergil Fletcher Gym.…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Brad Tomhave’s birthday wish was quite simple. All he wanted was a victory. Five minutes into Monday’s first-round game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament against Monmouth-Roseville, the Pittsfield boys basketball team didn’t look like it had anything gift-wrapped for the veteran coach. The Saukees allowed the Titans to score the game’s first…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Central-Southeastern gets a crack on Tuesday against Winnebago, the No. 1 seed in the small-school girls bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic and the No. 1-ranked team in the Class 2A state poll. Don’t be surprised if the Panthers throw a scare at the undefeated Indians. C-SE forced 29 turnovers in…
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QUINCY — Which team is considered the favorite in the 37th annual Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic? Take your pick. “There are a lot of really good teams in the field,” Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas said. “I don’t know if there is a team that is head and shoulders better than…
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Often my wife, Michelle, laughs at my quirkiness. Other times she just rolls her eyes. It all depends on how off-color or out-of-bounds I get. When we’re taking a road trip together — our goal each summer or fall is to visit a different national park — the radio is constantly tuned to music. My…
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QUINCY — The easy part is over, although Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne might argue nothing about the first half of the season could be considered easy. Compared to what lies ahead, it wasn’t quite as taxing. The Raiders get a four-day break following Wednesday night’s 66-38 victory over Lewistown in the…
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QUINCY — Luke Guthrie’s 10-year anniversary as a professional golfer is looming. So is the opportunity for the Quincy native to reinvigorate his career. Following his 11th-place finish in the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School, Guthrie earned conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2022 season. He went on…
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QUINCY — Jirehl Brock should find himself in the spotlight for his first collegiate start. Breece Hall expects the former Quincy High School all-state running back to handle it well. Hall announced Saturday on Instagram he will forego his final season of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft after a record-setting career as the…
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QUINCY — Mackenzie Bellows had started her road trip home to Calgary, Alberta, to spend the holidays with her family when Quincy University athletic director Josh Rabe asked if she’d have time for a phone call the next morning. “I said he’s either going to ruin this trip for me or he’s going to make…
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QUINCY — No matter what the Quincy University men’s basketball players find wrapped beneath their Christmas trees, it may pale in comparison to what they received Sunday. They were blessed with the gift of momentum. By outscoring Davenport 18-6 over the final 5 minutes, 17 seconds of regulation, the Hawks head into the holiday break…
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QUINCY — Andy Douglas didn’t need to be boisterous with his halftime speech Saturday night. The Quincy High School boys basketball coach didn’t have to say much at all. “The guys were already talking about what we needed to do before I got in the locker room,” Douglas said. “A lot of it was said…
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QUINCY — The innocence of youth and the confidence of experience. It’s a lethal combination a trio of Quincy High School freshmen seem to possess, and their brashness, play-making ability and no-fear attitude is creating problems for the rest of the Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball teams. Friday night, Moline discovered how devastating those…
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