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QUINCY — Spending five consecutive games watching from the sideline with a tweaked back is not a scenario Brock Evans wants to revisit. “It was awful,” said Evans, a senior midfielder who hadn’t played for the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team prior to Tuesday’s game against Hannibal. “Just the thought of it in my…
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QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys soccer team retaliated the way it should. The Blue Devils locked down. Tasked with handling Rock Island’s physical style in Tuesday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game, QHS parlayed Carter Venvertloh’s goal two minutes into the second half and two critical saves by goalkeeper Lucas Shepherd in the…
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QUINCY — One undrafted free agent defied the odds. Another’s pursuit of an NFL career isn’t over. The ever-evolving NFL rosters could create unique opportunities for both. Former Western Illinois University wide receiver Dennis Houston made the Dallas Cowboys’ 53-man roster after final cuts were announced Tuesday. Meanwhile, former Culver-Stockton College All-American offensive tackle Andrew…
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MENDON, Ill. — Spend enough time exploring YouTube, TikTok or any other video streaming service and you are bound to run across an entrance or hype video featuring an offensive lineman devouring something. With that in mind, Brady Muegge knew he needed to be different. Biting the cap off a bottle of syrup accomplished that.…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The five returning players that sat to each side of Western Illinois University football coach Myers Hendrickson at media day felt like they had a stake in the rebuilding of the Leathernecks. In a time when the NCAA’s transfer portal makes it easy to find a way out, those players wanted to…
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QUINCY — The first full weekend of the fall sports season was filled with highlights — from verbal commitments to grand slams, from playoff victories to historic sweeps. Here is a look at what made us take notice … • Wrestling has always been a family affair for the Arches. It will continue to be…
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QUINCY — The past, current and future of the sport mod series was on display during the post-feature celebration Sunday night at Adams County Speedway. The trio of Adam Birck, Tanner Klingele and Logan Cumby each had reason to raise their fists in exultation on Championship Night at 8000 Broadway. Even though Birck struggled to…
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QUINCY — A mild sense of relief mixed with some lingering frustration. That adequately sums up how the Quincy University men’s soccer team felt walking away from Sunday’s 2-2 draw with North Michigan at Legends Stadium. The Hawks surrendered a one-goal lead in the second half and had to fight, scrap and throw everything they…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team refused to be denied, while the Quincy High School squad got over the hump. That made the day-long QHS Early Bird Invitational Tournament a success on all fronts. The Raiders swept five consecutive matches and overcame a five-point deficit in the second set of the title match…
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QUINCY — The tournament bookends defensively might not have been ideal, but the persistence and aggressiveness with which the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team attacked in between those moments led to a championship effort. The Raiders finished 3-0 and won the title of the 33rd annual QND/Quincy Recycle Tournament at Advance Physical Therapy Field,…
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QUINCY — What might have been an otherwise ho-hum wrap-up to the points racing portion of the Adams County Speedway season could very well end with an exclamation point. Race director Blake Dotson informed Muddy River News late in the week that Jeffrey DeLonjay and Jimmy Dutlinger will enter Sunday night’s final round of points…
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QUINCY — Jeraius Rice plopped himself down at midfield Friday night, looking as happy as someone seeing their first snow. Rice and several of his Quincy High School football teammates made “snow angels” at Advanced Physical Therapy Field to celebrate the Blue Devils’ 21-13 victory over crosstown rival Quincy Notre Dame. Rice, a sophomore tailback,…
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QUINCY — A game of two-hand touch played by a gaggle of kids wearing their Junior Raiders football jerseys unfolded beneath the large oak and blaze maple trees casting shade across the uneven grassy space near the tennis courts in South Park. Kickoff for the season-opening showdown between Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Jefferson City Helias’ systematic control of Friday night’s season-opening football game against Hannibal was no accident. And it might be a harbinger of how future opponents will try to silence the Pirates, who were beaten 31-21 in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 2,500-plus at Porter Stadium. The best chance to derail…
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QUINCY — Terry Bower took a weekend hobby of creating delectable barbeque and wood-smoked meats and turned into a professional career as a pitmaster on the Kansas City Barbeque Society circuit. He’s traveled the Midwest getting calls and winning honors at some of the most prestigious events. In this episode of “Schuck on a Truck”…
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QUINCY — What does “Friday Night Lights” mean to you? That was the question we posed to several area football players and coaches during the week leading up to the season opener. Here are some of the responses: “When I think of Friday Night Lights, I get excited inside. Thinking of the cheers, the pads…
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Week 1 of the high school football season got off to an early start with Brown County and Pittsfield playing host to opening-week games on Thursday night. The rest of the slate is split over Friday and Saturday as the official shortage across Illinois is forcing teams to make adjustments. Here is the schedule for…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The oddity of starting the high school football season one night earlier than nearly every other team in the state seemed to fade once kickoff neared. “It was a little bit weird,” Brown County senior wingback Cole Behymer said. “Overall, it kind of felt the same to me whenever I was…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — The goats have gone to college. After Clare Williams, her brother Noah, and their cousin, Pierce White, finished showing goats at the Missouri State Fair, the animals were transported to the University of Missouri in Columbia for college students to observe and work with them. They earned a break from the fair…
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QUINCY — Faith Kientzle’s smile never fades. Why should it? Volleyball season is officially here. “It’s supposed to be fun,” said the Quincy Notre Dame senior libero, who has already verbally committed to Lincoln Land Community College. “And that’s what Coach told us. Just go out there and have fun and the other stuff will…
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Here is the Muddy River Sports preview of the 15 high school football teams in our coverage area. For mobile users, click on “Friday Night Lights” below to open the PDF.
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AUGUSTA, Ill. — An opportunity to watch an NCAA Division I women’s volleyball program play an exhibition match presented itself to the Southeastern volleyball players and heightened the Suns’ anticipation for their own season opener. “It was like I had an adrenalin rush,” said Summer Ramsey, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter. “I don’t even know why.…
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QUINCY — It’s not where or how you start. It’s about where and how you end. So the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team will take Monday’s 3-0 loss to Peoria Notre Dame in the season opener at Advance Physical Therapy Field as a lesson learned and figure out how to make the ending better…
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QUINCY — Looking back, Tanner Klingele will readily admit there are some feature finishes he would like to have the opportunity for a do over. Specifically, two finishes. Only twice this year has the 27-year-old sport mod driver wound up outside the top 10 in the series’ 15 main events at Adams County Speedway. And…
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QUINCY — Blake Arnold has figured out how to eliminate the chaos, keep things simple and avoid the kind of mistakes that can derail a solid round of golf. Only one player was better at it Saturday. Springfield’s Peyton Woods shot 1-under on both nines at Westview Golf Course to post a 2-under 69 and…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield boys golf team took advantage of playing on its home course Saturday, posting three scores in the 80s to capture the team championship of the Pittsfield Invitational at Old Orchard Country Club. The Saukees shot a 345, followed by Illini West at 351 and Rushville-Industry at 381. Illini West’s Nolan…
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QUINCY — Some dirt-track reflections as the inaugural Adams County Speedway season begins to wind down … Here is one observer’s thoughts about the frontrunners for some awards that we’ll be monitoring quite closely over the final two weeks of points racing the final overall six weeks of competition: Driver of the Year Austen Becerra’s…
Read Full Article QUINCY — After a few days of practice, Quincy High School girls tennis coach Mike Terry likes what he sees. “We have a bunch of options,” he said. “So, we’ve got a lot of flexibility in both singles and doubles.” It starts with the four returning letterwinners. Senior Audra Cain, juniors Lily and Phoebe Hayes…
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QUINCY — Long before the sound of tennis balls bouncing off the hard courts or banging off the fences began echoing through South Park, Quincy Notre Dame girls tennis coach Theresa Quintero knew this would be a unique season. That hasn’t changed now that matches are underway. Raiders senior Lia Quintero, the No. 1 singles…
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QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s soccer team appears to have the right mix of experience and talented new blood to make its attack electric. Eliminate some youthful mistakes defensively and the Hawks could find themselves in the heart of a title chase in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Thursday night in an exhibition match…
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CANTON, Mo. — Pat Atwell enjoyed a trip down memory lane, and his family went along for the ride. While the stories told may have been embellished just a little, what can’t be overexaggerated is the impact Atwell has had on multiple communities and countless people throughout a career as a standout baseball player, a…
Read Full Article METAMORA, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls golf team appears ready to make another run at a state tournament berth. The Blue Devils posted two of the top three individual scores and took first place Wednesday in the ninth annual Redbird Classic at Metamora Fields. QHS posted a 320 team score to distance itself…
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Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman and his cohort, Don O’Brien, talk Better Call Saul and college football on the latest episode of the “Muddy River Breakdown with Schuck and DOB.”
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QUINCY — Depth is a luxury the Quincy Notre Dame girls volleyball players appreciate. It also creates a challenge they embrace. “If you’re working hard, it makes another person work hard,” senior outside hitter Avery Keck said. “You’re pushing each other all the way. You’re competing for a spot, but you’re also supporting your team…
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QUINCY — In all likelihood, a year from now Jeffrey DeLonjay will be well into his rookie season behind the wheel of a crate late model. Before that, however, he hopes to close the book on his stay in the 4-Cylinder division with his first track championship at Adams County Speedway. The 21-year-old DeLonjay moved…
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QUINCY — Revamping a defense that statistically ranked among the worst in NCAA Division II last fall starts with a single mission. Become more aggressive. The Quincy University football program’s first scrimmage of the preseason revealed a defense hell bent on being a collective nuisance. The Hawks swarmed ball carriers, harassed wide receivers and delivered…
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QUINCY — Blustery conditions beneath a bright sun turned Spring Lake Country Club’s 18-hole golf course into a challenging track Saturday afternoon. Quincy Notre Dame’s Konnor Craven posted his second straight solid round, shooting a 2-over 74 to earn medalist honors in a quadrangular in which only three golfers broke 80. The Raiders won the…
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QUINCY — Coming off a 4-0 loss to Western Illinois University in the first exhibition game of the fall, the Quincy University women’s soccer team played Indian Hills Community College to a 1-1 tie in Saturday’s exhibition at Legends Stadium. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured some of the action through his camera lens.…
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QUINCY — There’s an anxiousness shared by the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players. “I wish we could play tomorrow,” senior midfielder Colin Kurk said. Knowing the season opener against Peoria Notre Dame isn’t until August 22, the Raiders have to temper their enthusiasm. “We have to get through the two weeks of practice first,”…
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QUINCY — I’ve been covering dirt-track racing at 8000 Broadway for almost a quarter of a century. I have not missed a night of racing at Adams County Speedway in more than 15 years, and less than five total since 1999. The only reason I mention this is I feel I have at least a…
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QUINCY — If Blake Arnold can replicate the back nine of his first event of the prep golf season, it could turn out to be a banner senior season. The Liberty golfer posted a 2-under 33 on the back nine Thursday at Westview Golf Course, allowing him to card an even-par 71 and earn individual…
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HAMILTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame’s Hana Knuffman shot a 40 on the back nine Thursday at Deer Run Golf Course and posted an 83 to take medalist honors in the Lady Titan Invitational hosted by West Hancock. The QND girls golf team won the season-opening event with a 363. Macomb was second at 389…
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QUINCY — While watching his older brothers enjoy stellar high school soccer careers, Carter Venvertloh dreamed of the moment he’d be front and center in Quincy High School’s attack. That time is now. A four-year varsity player who was an Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association all-sectional selection as a junior, Venvertloh has watched the…
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PALMYRA, Mo. — Long before practices began this week, Palmyra football coach Kevin Miles preached trust needed to be the Panthers’ battle cry. Trust the process. Trust each other. Trust the work will lead to the right outcome. Add trust in overcoming adversity to the list of mantras. Before Wednesday morning’s practice, Miles informed his…
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ALTON, Ill. — The beauty and cruelty of baseball can happen simultaneously, much the way they did Tuesday night. Although a once six-run lead had been chiseled to three heading to the bottom of the ninth inning, the Quincy Gems were two outs away from advancing to the Prospect League’s best-of-3 championship series. One swing…
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BARING, Mo. — Jason Killday views the Truman State University football team’s start of preseason workouts the way he wants each of the Bulldogs to see things. It’s a brand new day. A year ago, when the Bulldogs went 9-3 and won the America’s Crossroads Bowl, Truman State established a single-season school record for yards…
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QUINCY — Above all else, Logan Cumby was able to remain patient. Cumby sat tantalizingly close to the lead in the sport mod feature Sunday night at Adams County Speedway, but instead of trying to be proactive he chose to be reactive. That was a wise decision. He sensed there would be trouble between race…
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QUINCY — Brad Gyorkos called it. With the Quincy Gems’ Logan Voth on third base and Hayden Moore on second with one out in the sixth inning Sunday night, the Normal CornBelters summoned left-hander Ryan Weaver from the bullpen before Andrew Fay came to the plate. While Weaver warmed up, Voth turned to Gyorkos, the…
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QUINCY — Quincy Gems manager Brad Gyorkos made the right move at the right time. The Gems had just taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a solo home run by Luke Napleton and a wild pitch that allowed Lucas Loos to score. Quincy went on to load the…
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QUINCY — Michael Longo kept searching for an edge he couldn’t find. Having played soccer the majority of his life — the former Quincy High School all-stater enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Lewis & Clark Community College and Millikin University — he found himself missing the drive it provided. About the time he was…
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QUINCY — The only thing that kept Tim O’Connor from completely dominating the Burlington Bees on Friday night was a pitch count. O’Connor limited the Bees to one hit through 6 2/3 innings, but Prospect League rules forced him to be taken out of the game after 97 pitches. Stefan Stockwell came in to retire…
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QUINCY — Adams County Speedway returns to action Sunday night following last week’s scheduled break before the home stretch of points racing begins. There are just four Sunday nights remaining prior to track champs being crowned August 28. Here’s all you need to know, numerically speaking, when the cars return to the dirt, starting at…
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QUINCY — Reunited and it feels so good. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman and the newest addition to the Muddy River Sports team, Don O’Brien, spent 13 years working side-by-side in the sports department of the Quincy Herald-Whig and sharing the studio for shows such as “The Sports Writers Journal” and “WGEM SportsCenter.” A…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — After scoring seven runs in the second inning to take a 7-2 lead, the Quincy Gems didn’t score in the final seven innings and lost 12-7 to the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on Thursday night in a Prospect League game at Robin Roberts Field. The Gems used seven hits to score all of…
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CANTON, Mo. — Upon arriving on the Culver-Stockton College campus, Jase Orndorff heard the stories of the bleak days of the football team. He doesn’t want the Wildcats to ever experience that again. “Now it’s my job as the quarterback and one of the captains to keep us playing at a high level,” said Orndorff,…
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ROXANA, Del. — A glimmer of hope is all that was needed. When the Illinois District 17 softball team headed to the Central Regional in Michigan, advancing to the Senior League Softball World Series was still a pipedream, even if a spot in the 10-team field was only four victories away. “I think there were…
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QUINCY — The Normal Cornbelters were just a few feet away from tying the score in the eighth inning on Wednesday night. However, Zach Goodman’s fly ball with two runners on base and two outs was caught up against the right-field wall, and the Quincy Gems added a run in the bottom of the eighth…
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ROXANA, Del. — Emma Henry couldn’t let her twin sister have all the fun. One day after Grace Henry jacked a grand slam as part of a nine-run inning that propelled the Illinois District 17 team to a victory in its opening game of the Senior League Softball World Series, Emma Henry followed suit with…
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ALTON, Ill. — The Quincy Gems were officially eliminated from any chance of winning the second half title in the Prospect League’s Great River Division with a 3-1 loss to the Alton River Dragons on Wednesday night. The Gems (9-15 second half, 28-28 overall) are six games behind first-place Normal with four games left to…
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QUINCY — Noah Harbin didn’t bother with a rebuttal. He just shook his head. Sitting across the table from his older brother, Alex, while listening to him talk about their relationship in baseball terms, Noah rocked back in his chair and nodded in agreement as Alex explained the advice he was imparting in order to…
Read Full Article FRANKFORD, Del. — The Illinois District 17 softball team packed the lumber for the long road trip. In the opening game of pool play at the Senior League Softball World Series at Bruce Layton Field, the Land of Lincolners scored 12 runs in the first two innings and pounded out 18 hits in a 17-13…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Just when it appeared the Quincy Gems had rallied to keep their flickering hopes alive to win the second half title in the Prospect League’s Great River Division, the Normal Cornbelters extinguished those hopes. Normal scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Quincy 6-5 on Monday night…
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LIBERTY, Ill. — The signs taped to the front doors of Liberty High School saying “Gym Closed” were a clear indication the administration didn’t want anyone coming around. Even if such warnings were ignored, no one was getting in the gym anyhow. Chains and padlocks on the doors ensured that. There was work to be…
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QUINCY — Jeff Remington’s 6-year-old son, Noah, noticed the gun case leaning against the cabinet near the garage door and became instantaneously curious. “Is it time to go hunting?” he asked. Not yet, but it was time to get prepped, which is why the Ruger .22 rifle was in the hard travel case. Remington made…
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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Quincy Gems fell behind 4-0 in the first inning to the Cape Catfish and never could catch up in a 10-8 loss Sunday afternoon in a Prospect League game at Capaha Field. The Gems (28-26 overall, 9-13 second half) are in third place in the Great River Division, 4 ½…
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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Quincy Gems led 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning but gave up three runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth in a 7-5 loss Saturday night to the Cape Catfish in a Prospect League game at Capaha Field. Quincy (28-25 overall, 9-12 second half) is in…
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QUINCY — Glenn Sanders has been synonymous with the outdoors and the opportunities afforded to youth anglers and hunters his entire life. A retired sergeant with the Illinois Conservation Police, Sanders currently is the president of the Mississippi Valley Hunters and Fishermen’s Association and arguably West-Central Illinois’ strongest advocate for wildlife resources. Sanders and Muddy…
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CENTER, Mo. — Austin Leake understood the opportunity to chase his dream of coaching football at the college level came at a rather inopportune time. He wasn’t going to pursue it if anyone within his family, the Mark Twain coaching staff or the Mark Twain administration had serious reservations. The gentle nudge from their overriding…
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DETROIT — Chasing the cutline as headed to the second nine Friday in the second round of the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, Luke Guthrie seemed poised to make a run. He stuck his approach on the par-4 second hole within two feet of the cup and made the birdie putt. He followed by hitting…
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QUINCY — There will be no racing Sunday night at Adams County Speedway — hey, we all deserve a week off now and then — so it’s a good time to examine the five weekly series as they head toward the final four weeks of points racing. The track champs will be crowned Aug. 28,…
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DETROIT — The end of Luke Guthrie’s opening round at the Rocket Mortgage Classic didn’t mirror his stellar start. That leaves the Quincy native with some work to do Friday in order to play the weekend in his second PGA Tour event of the season. Guthrie opened his round with three birdies in the first…
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QUINCY — Pitchers for the Alton River Dragons walked 13 Quincy Gems and hit two more on Thursday night, but the Gems mustered just five hits and lost 12-4 in a Prospect League game at QU Stadium. The Gems (8-11 second half, 27-24 overall) are in third place in the Great River Division, 4 ½…
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QUINCY — John Wood Community College athletic director Brad Hoyt’s short list of candidates to consider for the women’s basketball coaching position didn’t change because of the relatively short timeframe in which he had to conduct his search. Lauren Bogle’s name was always there. “Her energy and her commitment while she was here has resonated…
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QUINCY — Although it’s a birthday generally celebrated without much hullabaloo — Nos. 18 and 21 bear more significance — Lucas Loos made certain No. 20 would be unforgettable. There’s a memento to serve as his reminder of it, too. After the Quincy Gems third baseman watched a series of birthday wishes from family and…
Read Full Article WASHINGTON, Mich. — A birdie-filled 18 holes earned Quincy native Luke Guthrie the opportunity to tee it up on the PGA Tour this week. Guthrie rolled in seven birdies during his round of 6-under 66 at The Orchards Golf Club in the Monday qualifier for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, tying for first place and earning…
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ALTON, Ill. — After the power went out for 42 minutes at Lloyd Hopkins Field on Monday night, the Quincy Gems’ power seemed to flicker to life when play resumed. However, a two-run fifth inning was only a brief spark as the Gems scored only one more run after that in a 6-3 loss to the…
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QUINCY — This may have been Austen Becerra’s signature victory at Adams County Speedway. The 28-year-old driver from Carthage, who already has two track titles to his credit in the old sport compact class and appears headed toward a third in this year’s loaded modified division, literally brought most of the Sunday night crowd to…
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QUINCY — Those who survived Saturday’s sweltering temperatures and conditions in order to reach the finals of the doubles portion of the Quincy Open City Championships were rewarded with near perfect weather on championship Sunday. The threat of rain contributed to that. Cloudy conditions looming over the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park dropped temperatures…
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QUINCY — Here is a look at the action from Sunday’s finals in the doubles portion of the Quincy Open Tennis Championships at the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park through the lens of Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s camera.
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QUINCY — The Quincy Gems’ uniforms are among the best in the Prospect League. It’s a clean look, with the team nickname in nice, big letters across the front of the home jerseys and blue piping down the chest, around the neck and around the sleeves. The large “Q” makes the white hats simple and…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Gems were two outs away from evening their record at .500 in the second half, but the O’Fallon Hoots capped off a seven-run ninth inning with a grand slam in a 10-7 victory in a Prospect League game on Sunday night at QU Stadium. The Gems (7-9 second half, 26-22 overall)…
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PERU, Ill. — A pair of Culver-Stockton College pitchers teamed up to pitch a four-hitter on Saturday night in the Quincy Gems’ 6-2 victory over the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp in a Prospect League game at Veterans Memorial Park. The Gems (7-8 second half, 26-21 overall) are tied for second place with Burlington in the…
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QUINCY — Seth Anderson stepped in as a freshman with the Saint Louis University men’s soccer program last fall and made an immediate impact as the Billikens went 16-1-4 and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. The former Quincy Notre Dame all-state striker sat down with Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman to discuss…
Read Full Article CLINTON, Iowa — The Quincy Gems fought to overcome a four-run deficit but ran out of pitching in a 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Clinton LumberKings on Friday night in a Prospect League game at NelsonCorp Field. The Gems (6-8 second half, 25-21 overall) are 2 ½ games behind Normal for first place in the…
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QUINCY — It’s never too early to start planning for 2023 if you are Blake Dotson, the director of racing at Adams County Speedway. Since the weatherman was unkind last weekend when some heavier-than-expected overnight showers washed out Sunday’s program, Dotson had some extra time to look down the road with an eye toward not…
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QUINCY — After letting a four-run lead slip away, the Quincy Gems scored a combined 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings Thursday night — highlighted by Dylan Wipperman’s grand slam in the sixth — to defeat the O’Fallon Hoots 16-6 in a Prospect League game at QU Stadium. The third-place Gems (6-7 second…
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QUINCY — Tim Schrage marvels at his 3-year-old daughter’s ever-present smile. “She’s the happiest kid I’ve ever seen,” he said. Schrage doesn’t want to squander the chance to see that smile as often as possible. That explains why he resigned Monday as the Culver-Stockton College men’s golf coach after 11 seasons at the helm. “I…
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FRISCO, Texas — D.A. Weibring was keeping an eye on the Open Championship, wondering whether rain would cancel an afternoon trip to the driving range with a grandson and anticipating the arrival the following day of four grandkids ages 6 and under for a sleepover. “You want to know what the old guy is up…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — It started with a selfie and ended with a shower. Everything happening in between helped ensure Saturday night’s eighth installment of the Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star Game — the first since 2019 — became a full-tilt celebration of high school baseball. From bunts to bad hops, knee-bending curveballs to wild throws, and…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday night at Clemens Field as the eighth Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star baseball game unfolded. Here is a gallery of the images he collected both on the field and in the stands:
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ELMONT, N.Y. — Former Quincy University quarterback Dustin Jacoby won his seventh consecutive fight on Saturday, knocking out Da-un Jung in the first round of their light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout. After stinging Jung with a stiff jab midway through the first round, Jacoby launched a right hand that caught Jung on the temple and…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Like nearly every other big event during the summer of 2020, the Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star baseball game fell victim to a global pandemic. But Kevin and Aaron Peters, the Monroe City father-son duo who are the braintrust and the legs behind this event, never lost faith the game could return in…
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QUINCY — We’re a little past the midway point of the dirt-track racing season at Adams County Speedway, and it’s safe to say there is one name that stands out when it comes to breakout drivers of 2022. Reed Wolfmeyer has emerged as a legitimate threat in an already-loaded sport mod series. At times, Wolfmeyer,…
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QUINCY — Has wiffle ball become the forgotten game? Quiet fields and empty side streets suggest so. Temperatures pushed toward 90 degrees Wednesday afternoon when three kids and two adults cast their lines into the ponds near R.J. Peters Drive running through South Park. Although they hadn’t caught any fish, they had been there for…
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QUINCY — If there is a universal truth Norm Rodriguez can take from his nearly three decades coaching women’s basketball at John Wood Community College, it might be this. Even the best laid plans go awry. Rodriguez intended to coach one more season and then join his wife, Anita, at their new home in Tennessee,…
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QUINCY — B.J. Wilson understood Quincy University football coach Gary Bass had a vision. That doesn’t mean Wilson shared it. “I did not think I was going to like O-line,” said the 6-foot-6, 320-pound offensive tackle. Bass felt Wilson’s mixture of size and athleticism — he was a 240-pound tight end from St. Louis University…
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QUINCY — The porch door casually swung open, the way it does five or six times per day or as many times as Buster gets the inkling to go outside. Only this time, our 12-year-old cheagle didn’t follow the swinging of the door by bounding down the three steps leading to the sidewalk. He froze.…
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Chandler Hayden has always defied stereotypes. “Doing things out of the norm builds confidence,” she explained. The 2019 graduate of Pittsfield High School is anything but typical. And perhaps her boldest move yet came last month when Hayden, a University of Tennessee track and field thrower, was one of 15 college athletes…
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