Sports Spotlight
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team plays only one game in the next 10 days, giving the Blue Devils a chance to recharge, refocus and recover. All are needed. Sunday’s 60-54 overtime loss to Strafford (Mo.) in the Sophie Cunningham Classic at Columbia College’s Southwell Complex marked Quincy’s third game in…
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QUINCY — Keshaun Thomas despises the idea of coasting into halftime. “Everybody has to go out there and hustle their hardest, no matter how much we’re up,” said Thomas, the 6-foot-6 senior forward with a relentless motor who has helped the Quincy High School boys basketball rise to No. 1 in the Class 4A state…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The moment nearly swept the Quincy High School girls basketball team away. Playing in the Sophie Cunningham Classic at Columbia College’s Southwell Complex on Saturday, the Blue Devils had the opportunity to meet Cunningham, the former Mizzou standout and current Phoenix Mercury guard, and experience what it is like to play in…
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BREESE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team couldn’t speed up top-ranked Breese Central the way it has so many opponents during the undefeated start to this season. That explains why the Raiders suffered their first loss Saturday. Breese Central committed just 11 turnovers, while shooting 45.7 percent from the field in a…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — As the second half played out, the ending seemed inevitable. Minute by minute, possession by possession, the Keokuk girls basketball team’s commanding inside presence methodically wore down Palmyra until eventually collecting a 65-62 victory in the championship game of the 53rd Highland Tournament. Keokuk’s title was its second straight and came largely…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Jaxon Clark and Preston Brewer were the marquee names heading into the finals of the 53rd Highland boys basketball tournament. And neither disappointed. Clark, however, benefitted from a deeper supporting cast in helping Keokuk (Iowa) turn back Canton 59-52 before a crowd of about 575 Saturday afternoon patrons. Clark, a 6-foot-10 junior…
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QUINCY — Just when it appeared momentum was on its side, the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team hit a wall. The Trail Blazers overcame early shooting woes to gradually whittle a 16-point first-half deficit against Parkland College to three with 2 minutes, 10 seconds left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer from…
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QUINCY — Riding a two-game winning streak and having won four of its previous six games, the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team was eyeing a signature victory over nationally-ranked Parkland College on Saturday afternoon. The Cobras, smarting from being upset three days earlier by Danville, would have none of it. Guard Drew Lewis…
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QUINCY — The No. 1-ranked team in the state isn’t showing any signs of taking it easy on anyone. The Quincy High School boys basketball team — No. 1 in Class 4A — built a 22-point lead by halftime Saturday night and cruised to an 80-56 victory over Springfield at Blue Devil Gym. Quincy improved…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The championships of the 53rd Highland Tournament are heading north of the state line. The Keokuk (Iowa) boys and girls basketball teams swept Saturday’s title games, beating Palmyra 65-62 in the girls matchup and knocking off Canton 59-52 to win the boys title. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was courtside for…
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QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams couldn’t get over the hump Saturday afternoon in Mid-West Athletic Conference play. The JWCC women ran out of gas after trimming the deficit to three in their 78-62 loss to Parkland at the Student Activity Center, while the JWCC men trailed from start…
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QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Saturday, Jan. 11: Boys basketball Quincy High School 80, Springfield 56 Hancock County Tournament Illini West 54, Southeastern 46 Mendon Unity 80, West Prairie 72 (OT) Winchester Invitational Jacksonville Routt 42, Griggsville-Perry 35 Triopia 60, Western 26 Calhoun 62, Carlinville 46 Petersburg PORTA 45, North Greene 23…
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QUINCY — In the locker room after the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s 59-56 loss to Vashon on Jan. 4 — the Blue Devils’ first setback of the season — the attention turned to how to move forward. Four seniors — Dom Clay, Bradley Longcor III, Kamren Wires, and Keshaun Thomas — stood up…
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QUINCY — The top-ranked Quincy High School boys basketball team scored the first 10 points Friday night and never let up in a 90-34 victory over Rock Island Alleman in Western Big 6 Conference play at Blue Devil Gym. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Friday, Jan. 10: Boys basketball Quincy High School 90, Rock Island Alleman 34 Payson Seymour 56, Illini West 55 Williamsville 68, West Hancock 60 Rushville-Industry 61, Southeastern 43 Highland Tournament Third-place game Palmyra 62, Kirksville 57 Girls basketball Highland Tournament Third-place game Highland 31, Canton 29
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QUINCY — Calvin and Charlie Lavery find themselves among a small group of Quincy athletes who can call themselves collegiate national champions. The Quincy Notre Dame graduates helped the North Central College football team win the NCAA Division III national championship with last Sunday’s 41-25 victory over Mount Union in the Alonzo Stagg Bowl. It…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — University of Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock borrowed a page from Hannibal football coach Jeff Gschwender’s master plan. In a gut-check moment, give Aneyas Williams the ball. At the start of the second half of Thursday night’s Orange Bowl, with the Fighting Irish trailing Penn State 10-3, Williams provided the spark…
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Technically speaking, Tigers take advantage of jumpstart to earn spot in Highland tourney title tilt
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Canton’s Preston Brewer walked calmly to the free-throw line and swished four foul shots. Before the game had even started. The Canton boys basketball team had been awarded the four free throws for technical fouls assessed to Palmyra for pregame dunking, which is forbidden in high school games in most states. Those…
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QUINCY — There was no hangover from a showdown. Two days after playing state-ranked Central-Southeastern in arguably one of the most physical and intense games of the season and earning a 37-36 victory, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team showed no signs of letting down. The Raiders, ranked second in Class 3A, held Beardstown…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Thursday, Jan. 9: Boys basketball Brown County 63, Rushville-Industry 58 Triopia 75, Pleasant Hill 71 Calhoun 59, Payson Seymour 42 Cairo 59, South Shelby 56 Highland Tournament Canton 66, Palmyra 52 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 73, Beardstown 11 Quincy High School 61, Moline 58 Pittsfield 69,…
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INDIANAPOLIS — With the weather wiping out last Sunday’s matchup with Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy University women’s basketball coach Courtney Boyd said it felt like the Hawks hadn’t played in two weeks. It had only been seven days since their victory over Lincoln. “I don’t know why it felt that way, but it seemed like we…
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QUINCY — Andy Douglas’ one-word response to learning the Quincy High School boys basketball team is the No. 1-ranked squad in the Associated Press state poll for the first time in more than four decades told a small part of the story. His reaction to what it means moving forward illustrated the bigger part. The…
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HAMILTON, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team’s second-half plan was quite simple — put Mercer County away. The Titans went on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the second half and outscored the Golden Eagles 26-11 in the third quarter to run away with a 69-31 victory Wednesday night at…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The rematch is set. The top-seeded Palmyra girls basketball team set up a showdown with third-seeded Keokuk (Iowa) in the finals of the 53rd Highland Tournament by beating Canton 57-34 in Wednesday night’s semifinals, giving the Panthers a chance to avenge last year’s title loss. Keokuk beat Palmyra 48-40 in the championship…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Matt McGhghy is learning to enjoy that 45-mile commute. The second-year Keokuk (Iowa) girls basketball coach has brought his team to the Highland Tournament for the past two seasons and has yet to taste defeat. Third-seeded Keokuk’s latest victory came in Wednesday night’s 54-44 semifinal conquest of second-seeded Highland. That victory sets…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Wednesday, Jan. 8: Boys basketball West Hancock 69, Mercer County 31 Liberty 78, Mendon Unity 76 Griggsville-Perry 39, North Greene 31 Girls basketball Illini West 47, Mendon Unity 40 South Shelby 78, Meadville 22 Highland Tournament Palmyra 54, Canton 34 Keokuk 54, Highland 44 Men’s basketball Central…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The Palmyra and Keokuk girls basketball teams set up a championship rematch by winning their semifinals of the 53rd Highland Tournament on Wednesday night. Muddy River Sports Photographer Addi Zanger was there and put together this photo gallery:
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HAMILTON, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team tuned up for a showdown with second-ranked Williamsville by whitewashing Mercer County 69-31 on Wednesday night at Red Rogers Gymnasium. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was there and put together this photo gallery:
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CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press boys basketball state rankings as compiled by a statewide panel of sportswriters and sportscasters. First-place votes in parenthesis: Class 4A Rank School Total Points Previous 1. Quincy (6) (13-1) 90 T2 2. Kenwood (3) (14-1) 80 1 (tie) Rich Township (1) (9-4) 80 NR 4. Bolingbrook (15-2) 74…
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CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls basketball state rankings as compiled by a statewide panel of sportswriters and sportscasters. First-place votes in parenthesis: Class 4A Rank School Total Points Previous 1. Benet (4) (15-1) 72 2 2. Lyons (2) (16-1) 68 1 3. Kenwood (1) (16-1) 64 3 4. Alton (1) (16-1) 53…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Karly Peters diplomatically handled the question of whether Tristan Pieper fouled her. “I don’t know,” said Peters, a senior guard on the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team. “I mean, I think so, but it doesn’t really matter now.” With Quincy Notre Dame leading CSE 37-34 and three seconds left in Tuesday’s West…
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QUINCY — Who is the No. 1 boys basketball team in the state of Illinois? A handful of candidates have tried to state their case. The Associated Press will release its first state polls of 2025 on Wednesday with Quincy High School potentially being the top-ranked team in Class 4A. There have already been two…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — A battle of state-ranked teams unfolded the way you might expect — no breathing room for either. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, ranked sixth in Class 3A, outlasted Central-Southeastern, receiving votes in the Class 2A poll, 37-36 Tuesday night in Central’s North Gym. Muddy River Sports Photographer Addi Zanger…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Caravan is coming. The St. Louis Cardinals’ annual winter road trip around Missouri and surrounding states is happening again, and the Cardinals Caravan will be stopping at Hannibal-LaGrange University’s Roland Fine Arts Center on Jan. 18. The event begins at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to last two hours. Current and…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Tuesday, Jan. 7: Boys basketball West Hancock 64, Beardstown 19 Illini West 54, Western 31 Macomb 60, Mercer County 31 Pleasant Plains 54, Pittsfield 30 Greenfield-Northwestern 66, Brown County 52 Highland Tournament Canton 56, Clark County 42 Kirksville 72, Highland 34 Keokuk 60, Macon 20 Girls basketball…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The 24-hour period from when Ashton Jaco woke up on Nov. 30 through the morning of Dec. 1 was possibly the most eventful and memorable of her life. The Highland girls basketball coach guided the Cougars to a 55-31 victory over Belleville Althoff in Quincy on Nov. 30, although she hadn’t expected…
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QUINCY — Each week during Muddy Night Hoops powered by Farm & Home Supply — a 90-minute talk show centered on prep basketball — the Starry Star of the Week will be presented to one area student-athlete. Sponsored by Refreshment Services Pepsi, the Starry Star of the Week looks to highlight someone who did something…
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QUINCY — The women’s basketball game between John Wood Community College and Danville Area Community College on Saturday afternoon could have been billed as “Camp Point Central Day.” The coaching matchup featured Kyle Bent (Central Class of 2004) for the visiting Jaguars and Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger (Central Class of 2008) for the host Blazers. Pockets of…
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HIGHLAND, Ill. — There was optimism amid disappointment Saturday night, which is a sign the Quincy High School boys basketball team will be better because of this. For starters, the Blue Devils were adamant a single loss will not derail them. “We are still hungry and not satisfied where we are right now,” senior guard…
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HIGHLAND, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team led four-time defending Missouri Class 4 state champion St. Louis Vashon with five minutes to play in Saturday’s marquee game of the Highland Shootout, but the Wolverines used a closing kick to secure a 59-56 victory. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer was courtside and put together…
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BREESE, Ill. — How do you combat a 6-foot-6 presence looming in the middle of the lane who is 8 inches taller than anyone else on the court? Bury enough 3-pointers to make her wingspan inconsequential. That’s exactly what the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team did Saturday afternoon. The Panthers made six 3-pointers in the first…
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QUINCY — Mark this victory down as comfortably easy. The Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 63-42 victory over Springfield Southeast did not quite qualify as a blowout, but neither was it a nailbiter. “It felt a lot closer than a 21-point game, but at several points it seemed like we were going to blow…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Saturday, Jan. 4: Boys basketball Jacksonville Routt 69, Payson Seymour 60 Griggsville-Perry 55, Illini West 43 Highland Shootout St. Louis Vashon 59, Quincy High School 56 Carl Sandburg Shootout West Hancock 57, Sherrard 47 Girls basketball Quincy High School 63, Springfield Southeast 42 Quincy Notre Dame 58,…
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QUINCY — Jordan Shelton and the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team shook off whatever rust they may have had. In Shelton’s first game of the year and the Trail Blazers’ first game in 21 days, Shelton scored 25 points and John Wood recorded its highest scoring game of the season in a 91-79…
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QUINCY — The missing pieces caught up to the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team against Danville Area Community College on Saturday. With three players injured, the Trail Blazers struggled to meet their halftime goals and saw a two-point deficit balloon to double figures as the Jaguars went on a 19-4 run to close…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s mission on Friday was simple — set the tone, not only for their West Central Conference game against Mendon Unity, but for the new calendar year and the grueling schedule that lies ahead. The Raiders did just that in dispatching the Mustangs 67-20. “You can’t be…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the area scoreboard from Friday, Jan. 3: Boys basketball Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 58, Quincy Notre Dame 55 Mendon Unity 62, Griggsville-Perry 61 Calhoun 70, Brown County 55 South Shelby 73, North Shelby 60 Palmyra 60, Elsberry 52 Canton 68, Schuyler County 41 Clopton 73, Highland 26 Girls basketball…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The play wasn’t executed exactly as Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Greg Altmix had intended, but he can live with the shot, even if it didn’t go in. QND had the ball trailing Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 56-55 and 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter Friday night at Jim Belz Gym.…
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QUINCY — Cymirah Williams’ eyes got big and her smile widened. Asked how comfortable the Quincy University women’s basketball players were getting back on the Pepsi Arena floor for the first time in three weeks and just the second time in the last five weeks, the senior forward gushed over how seamless the transition felt.…
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QUINCY — The decision to postpone Sunday’s Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup with Missouri-St. Louis due to impending weather was hardly ideal for the Quincy University men’s basketball team with no looming breaks in the schedule. Leaving the Hawks extra days to chew on Friday night’s 70-69 loss to Lincoln made it even worse. “It…
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QUINCY — Cleaning out the notebook as 2025 begins to take shape … QU’s Dollard receives All-American honor Quincy University running back Teon Dollard became the program’s third player in the past five years to be named a Don Hansen NCAA Division II honorable mention All-American. Dollard, a 6-foot, 205-pound graduate student who transferred to…
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QUINCY — The stories Muddy River Sports viewers clicked on the most during 2024 dealt with the emotions athletes, coaches and fans endure, be it during a single game or an entire season. There’s frustration and heartache, jubilation and joy, tears and hugs. It serves as a reminder how much heart and soul go into…
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MENDON, Ill. — Everyone in the gymnasium knew sharp-shooter Blake Schwartz was going to take the shot with the Payson Seymour boys basketball team down three points in the final seconds of regulation, but it was up to his teammate, Nick Boone, to get him the ball. “Boone did a great job of being there…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — When Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long burned a timeout 2 minutes, 13 seconds into the second half Monday, his players fully understood why. “We had some dumb turnovers and silly decisions,” senior forward Lauren Miller said. A 14-point halftime advantage had been sliced in half as Bloomington Central Catholic opened the…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — For the first 41 years of the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, the Pittsfield girls basketball team had never so much as reached the championship game. Now, in the 42nd edition, the Saukees have a tournament title to their name, and they will ring in the new year with a zero still in…
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MENDON, Ill. — The finish to the MVIT championship game was as exciting as any title game of any holiday tournament around. The Payson Seymour boys basketball team forced overtime with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Blake Schwartz and then outlasted Mendon Unity 64-62 to win the title. Southeastern took third place with a 55-52 victory…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Pittsfield girls basketball team won the championship of the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic for the first time in the 42-year history of the event, beating West Hancock 53-40 Monday night to complete a four-game run through the tourney field. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was on site for the title…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Mission accomplished. After losing back-to-back years in the championship game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, the Quincy High School boys basketball players set a goal — actually they made it their mission — to win the title this season as a springboard into 2025. In fact, almost two months ago…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The fifth Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic championship the Quincy High School boys basketball team won has some striking similarities to one of the previous four. In 1991, the Blue Devils waltzed to the title, beating four opponents by an average of 15.5 points and hammering Jacksonville 55-40 in the championship game.…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team won its first Christmas holiday tournament championship since 1997, beating The Woodlands Christian Academy (Texas) 68-47 on Sunday night in the title game of the 40th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Photographer Tim Vizer put together this photo gallery from the…
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QUINCY — When it was suggested he begin taking his own photos at games six years ago, Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman had no idea what he was doing. Nor did he know how much fun it could be. Capturing unique moments on and off the playing surface has made the Hall of Fame…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — When a timeout was called midway through the third quarter Saturday night, Kamren Wires gathered his Quincy High School boys basketball teammates and delivered an important message. Let it go, he told them. “He brought all the guys in and was like, ‘Hey, quit complaining about fouls. Quit whining to the officials.…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Sure, winning a third consecutive championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic would be nice. The top-seeded Central-Southeastern girls basketball team received celebratory hugs and pats on the back after Saturday night’s 56-42 victory over Paris in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket. The Panthers earned a spot in Monday’s…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team took Rockridge’s punches. The Titans’ counterpunches came too late. The Titans could not crawl out of a 20-point deficit, and the Rockets won their second consecutive Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament title by defeating the Titans 66-59 on Saturday night at Western Hall. “We woke up a little…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — When all was said and done, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players wanted to go home. “So we kicked it in gear and got home,” Raiders coach Greg Altmix said. The need for rest and recuperation is why. QND finished its stay at the State Farm Holiday Classic with Saturday night’s…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The first three quarters of Saturday afternoon’s game at the Shirk Center in the State Farm Holiday Classic showed just how good the Quincy High School girls basketball team can be. One moment halfway through the fourth quarter showed how fragile that success is. The Blue Devils posted a 61-42 victory over…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Pittsfield girls basketball team better be aware of what West Hancock is doing. The Titans are chopping seeded opponents down to size. West Hancock, seeded 10th in the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, upended a higher seeded opponent for the third straight game Saturday night, knocking off sixth-seeded Carrollton 48-47 in overtime…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The Brown County boys basketball team got accustomed to the early wakeup call. It resulted in the Hornets bringing home some hardware. After playing at 9 a.m. all three days of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament, the Hornets finally got to play an afternoon game Saturday, winning the consolation championship by defeating defeating…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Macomb senior guard Braden Holthaus was unusually tired after the first quarter of Saturday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament third place game against No. 2 seed Peoria Christian. “I was exhausted,” Holthaus said. “That usually doesn’t happen.” The fourth-seeded Bombers playing their fourth game in 48 hours likely had something to do with that…
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MACOMB, Ill. — It was only fitting that Ethan Carlisle stepped to the free-throw line in the final seconds of overtime and put the finishing touches on a fifth-place finish for the Illini West boys basketball team at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. His heroics at the end of regulation were the reason the Chargers were…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team, ranked second in Class 4A, will play in the championship game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic for a third straight year when the Blue Devils face The Woodlands Christian (Texas) at 8 p.m. Sunday at Vergil Fletcher Gym. The Blue Devils reached the…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — By now, the Quincy High School boys basketball players have discovered how much of a challenge it is to make reality match increasingly high expectations. The Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic has taught them that. This is the fourth consecutive season the Blue Devils have reached Christmas either undefeated or with just…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The play actually proved to be meaningless … which is why it was emblematic as well. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team already had built a 30-point lead late in the third quarter Friday night and was on its way to a 56-25 victory over Winnebago in a quarterfinal game in the small…
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MACOMB, Ill. — West Hancock boys basketball coach Jeff Dahl barely recognized his team over the first quarter and change of Friday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament quarterfinal game against Eureka. “It looked like we were disinterested, and I don’t know why because we have to win this to go on,” Dahl said. “It was really irritating.”…
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Some of the area’s top underclass talent will go head-to-head Saturday with a berth in the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic championship game on the line. But don’t count out the old guard from having a say in which team advances. The top-seeded Pittsfield girls basketball team reached the semifinals with a 58-45…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — One night after giving up just 24 points in a resounding victory over Aurora Christian, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed 24 points in the first quarter to Pecatonica. One night after forcing Aurora Christian into 25 turnovers, the Raiders turned it over 23 times themselves. Yet with 6:42 remaining…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — No matter what the Quincy High School girls basketball team did, Chicago St. Ignatius always had an answer. Typically, it was in the form of a 3-pointer. Sally Kennedy’s 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer Friday night gave the Wolfpack a four-point halftime edge, while Reganne Reardon bookended a tide-turning 10-2 run in…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Locked in. Those were the first words Macomb boys basketball coach Jeremy Anderson used to describe his team’s defensive performance against Mercer County in Friday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament quarterfinal game at Western Hall. “I thought the effort defensively was outstanding,” Anderson said. After Mercer County shot 72.7 percent from the field in…
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MOBERLY, Mo. — The state-ranked South Shelby and Highland girls basketball teams put the strength of the Clarence Cannon Conference on display Saturday. Trailing by 12 points at halftime, the Lady Birds rallied for a 52-44 victory over California in the Peak Sport and Spine Holiday Shootout at Moberly Area Community College. Callie McWilliams scored…
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MACOMB, Ill. — As the shots kept falling, all Tre Niederman could do was tip his cap. “There’s really nothing you can do when they don’t miss,” said Niederman, a senior guard on the Illini West boys basketball team. Rockridge put on a shooting clinic in the third quarter of Friday’s second round matchup with…
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The pursuit of its first holiday tournament championship in nearly 30 years is well underway after the Quincy High School boys basketball team dispatched McCluer (Mo.) North 68-46 on Friday afternoon in the 40th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer set up courtside and put…
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QUINCY — The debut episode Muddy Night Hoops, powered by Farm & Home Supply, is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 30 live from the Refreshment Services Pepsi studio in downtown Quincy.
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NORMAL, Ill. — The first round in the small school boys basketball bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic figured to be chock full of competitive games, with seven of the 16 teams receiving votes in the first AP state polls. Three top seeds narrowly won by a combined nine points, and No. 13 seed…
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MACOMB, Ill. — West Hancock sophomore guard Hunter Froman brimmed with confidence when asked about the Titans solidifying their position as the No. 1 seed in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. “I’ve heard people talking about how there’s no real difference between the top four seeds, but I think that’s wrong,” Froman said. “I think we’re…
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NORMAL, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long calls his team’s annual trip to the State Farm Holiday Classic a “business trip.” “One of the biggest reasons why we come here is we’ve won a lot of big games here over the years,” Long said after his team, the No. 1 seed in the…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The Macomb boys basketball team imposed its will when it mattered most. By doing so, the Bombers created the separation they needed to advance to the second round of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. The Bombers trailed Canton (Ill.) 28-26 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter and took a 30-28 lead…
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — If the State Farm Holiday Classic organizing committee had chosen to incorporate the shot clock for this year’s tournament, the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s nine-point halftime lead Thursday night could have been substantially more. “I bet we force another four or five turnovers,” QHS coach Brad Dance said. “Our defense…
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MENDON, Ill. — Blake Arnsman scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter Thursday night and helped the Mendon Unity boys basketball team put away Western 66-61 in the opening round of the MVIT. Noah Voss and Adler Gray each scored 14 points for the Mustangs, who trailed by a point at halftime…
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QUINCY — Here are the schedules and scores from holiday boys and girls basketball tournaments involving area teams: Boys Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic At Collinsville, Ill. Friday, Dec. 27 At Vergil Fletcher Gym Game 1 — Troy Triad 45, Decatur Eisenhower 29 Game 2 — Belleville Althoff 71, Rockford East 53 Game 3 —…
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LEWISTOWN, Mo. — As good as Abby Lay was throughout the regular season at keeping hitters off-balance and wriggling out of trouble, she was exponentially better in the postseason. Just consider this: the Highland softball team’s junior ace did not allow an earned run in the final seven games of the season, including each of…
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NAUVOO, Ill. — When Doug Siegfried watches his nephew Lewis Siegfried play for the West Hancock boys basketball team, it’s almost as if he’s stepped into a time machine. He cannot help but feel like he is watching his brother — Lewis’ father Mike Siegfried — play for Nauvoo-Colusa in the 1990s. “He reminds me…
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QUINCY — Following an emotionally charged weekend that saw the Quincy High School boys basketball team win a pair of games to improve to 9-0, the Blue Devils were given Sunday off to rest and recharge. Not that any of them planned to take advantage of it. “I know guys are already talking about being…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — It was a no-brainer for Karly Peters. The same goes for Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger. When Schwagmeyer-Belger was hired as the head coach of the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team in June, Peters’ decision on where to play college basketball became much easier. “I knew right when she got the job…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Let’s talk basketball. That’s our plan. Muddy Night Hoops, powered by Farm & Home Supply, will debut Dec. 30, bringing you a 90-minute live talk show dedicated to high school boys and girls basketball that will be streamed on Muddy River Sports and its social media platforms. The show will air from 8-9:30…
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QUINCY — Bradyn Little’s name is littered all over the record books. The Quincy High School senior quarterback established new single-season records in every passing category this fall, throwing for 4,130 yards with 263 completions and 47 touchdowns. Each one of those marks ranks among the top 10 single-season performances in Illinois High School Association…
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QUINCY — Keshaun Thomas discovered remaining stoic was no easy chore. Prior to the tip of Saturday night’s game against Quincy Notre Dame at Blue Devil Gym, the Quincy High School boys basketball coaching staff decided to honor the 6-foot-6 senior forward for becoming the school’s all-time leading rebounder, a mark established 44 seasons ago…
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LAGRANGE, Mo. — Joe Heller remembers what Saturdays during basketball season were like growing up. His mom, Carol, would pack the referee bag for his dad, Ed. Five separate changes of clothes were available, each change neatly packed together so Ed could just pull out the next set at each stop. “He was stuck babysitting…
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QUINCY — Anyone who caught sight of Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas on the sideline after the Blue Devils forced a turnover on Quincy Notre Dame’s third possession of Saturday night’s game might have been a little perplexed. Douglas stomped his left foot, slammed his right fist into his left hand and…
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QUINCY — There wasn’t much Quincy Notre Dame’s Beau Etink could say about the Raiders’ crosstown counterparts other than the painstakingly obvious. “It’s quite simple. They’re just really good,” Eftink said. The few words Eftink used to describe the state-ranked Quincy High School boys basketball team couldn’t have been more accurate. After a relatively back-and-forth…
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QUINCY — When Sage Stratton’s transition layup attempt rolled off the rim on the first possession of Saturday’s game, the best thing the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players could do was laugh it off. When Tristan Pieper’s shot from the block on the next possession missed the mark, there was a collective “Oh, no,…
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