Sports Spotlight
QUINCY — Tucker Cook understands it may be a while before he can get a tattoo, especially one of any significant size, but he already has a plan for what he wants it to look like and say. The words “iron sharpens iron” will be prominent. “I believe in that,” the Pittsfield junior wrestler said.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Wrestling took center stage Wednesday night at The Pit as the Quincy High School, Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield squad engaged in a series of duals. The Blue Devils beat the Raiders 67-0 and the Saukees 54-6, while Pittsfield scored a 35-33 victory over QND. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat matside…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous rank. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (3) 18-0 62 2 2. Alton (3) 15-0 58 3 3. Maine South (1) 18-0 52 7 4. Normal Community 17-1 42 8 5. Bolingbrook…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Cardinals are coming. The St. Louis Cardinals Caravan is headed to America’s hometown with an event planned for Jan. 12 at Hannibal-LaGrange’s Mabee Sports Complex. The Caravan will be in Hannibal from noon-2 p.m. with autographs, vendors and a presentation featuring current and former players. The players expected to appear are…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes: Class 4A 1. Chicago Curie (4) 14-1 119 2 2. Collinsville (4) 16-0 97 10 (tie) Homewood-Flossmoor (4) 13-1 97 4 4. Normal Community (1) 12-1 82 1 5. Gurnee Warren 15-1 76 8 (tie) Lisle Benet 14-1 76…
Read Full Article KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The run didn’t stop when the third quarter ended. That was bad news for the Quincy University women’s basketball team. Having led by as many as eight points, Quincy saw its advantage completely evaporate in the span of 3 minutes, 33 seconds as Rockhurst closed the third quarter Wednesday night on…
Read Full Article KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three consecutive empty offensive possessions coupled with three consecutive empty defensive possessions put the Quincy University men’s basketball team in an unenviable position. Rockhurst made it uncomfortable the rest of the way, too. The sequence that lasted 1 minute, 54 seconds early in the second half of Wednesday night’s Great Lakes…
Read Full Article MOBERLY, Mo. — Dominant performances from its top grapplers allowed the Hannibal wrestling team to win five duals and capture the championship of the North Central Missouri Conference tournament held Tuesday night at Moberly Area Community College. The Pirates had four wrestlers go 5-0 and two others finish 4-1. In dual action, the Pirates beat…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The biggest headlines of 2023 happened off the court or field of play rather than on it. Here is a look at most viewed stories on the Muddy River Sports site throughout the last season. The list is a direct result of the analytics that show which stories have been clicked on or…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball players packed a six-game losing streak in their belongings and carried it home for the holidays. That’s where they left it. The Trail Blazers ended the 2023 portion of their schedule with back-to-back wins, beating Kishwaukee College 62-51 on Sunday in the JWCC New Year’s Classic…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team’s 62-51 victory over Kishwaukee College on Sunday at JWCC’s Student Activity Center capped a perfect weekend as the Trail Blazers won both of their games in the JWCC New Year’s Classic. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon with the Trail Blazers and…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is becoming pretty good at playing from behind. Eleven days ago, the Panthers trailed Quincy Notre Dame 27-2 but had two chances to win the game in a 35-31 loss. Twenty-four hours before playing in the small school girls bracket championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic,…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to hand Galena its first loss in a 45-40 victory in the championship game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the game.
Read Full Article MACOMB, Ill. — Two of the best defensive teams in the field squared off in the championship game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. As expected, it was a grind-it-out affair. Third-seeded Rockridge built a 10-point halftime cushion despite leading scorer Landon Bull spending the final 6:35 on the bench with two personal fouls and held…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team has some fight in it. That didn’t get left at home during the holiday break. In the Trail Blazers’ first game in two weeks, they scored the final five points, including Joshua Talton’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining in regulation, to snare a 76-73 victory…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together. In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…
Read Full Article GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse’s mission is clear. Show no mercy. The Quincy High School senior wrestler won another tournament title this week, outgrappling a talented field at the 62nd Red Schmitt Holiday Tournament to earn the 165-pound championship and improve to 25-0 overall. That helped the Blue Devils finish sixth in the 27-team…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decked out in his travel gear with his backpack slung over his shoulders, Ralph Wires emerged from the Quincy High School locker room with a basketball in hand and casually strolled onto the Vergil Fletcher Gym floor. At the opposite end of the court from where Collinsville celebrated its championship of the…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — High school basketball fans clamoring for a shot clock would not have enjoyed the final five minutes of Central-Southeastern’s 39-25 victory over Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket in the State Farm Holiday Classic on Friday night at the Shirk Center. Once the Panthers built their…
Read Full Article MENDON, Ill. — The halftime adjustments Unity boys basketball coach Keith Carothers made worked perfectly. The Mustangs trailed Bushnell-Prairie City 27-24 at halftime of Friday night’s championship game of the Mississippi Valley Invitational Tournament before taking the lead with a 17-point third quarter and holding the Spartans to a single point in the fourth quarter.…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — After playing arguably its worst half of the season Friday afternoon, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team returned three hours later to turn in perhaps its most complete overall performance. Thirteen players scored, with eight sinking at least one 3-pointer, to carry the Raiders to a convincing 78-56 victory over Rockford…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The difference between the Quincy High School and Collinsville boys basketball teams isn’t substantial, but it is apparent. The Kahoks are tougher. At least they were Friday night. Collinsville won the championship of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic with a 44-39 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym, improving to 16-0 in…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team only led 18-17 at halftime but pulled away in the second half to defeat Kankakee Bishop McNamara 39-25 in the semifinals of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center on Friday. CSE will play Galena for the title at 3:30…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey, Jada Brown and Myley Longcor all spent significant time on the bench either in foul trouble or nursing an injury during the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 42-40 overtime loss to Morton during Friday night’s semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Friday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Collinsville 44, Quincy High School 39 At State Farm Holiday Classic Small School Bracket At Bloomington High School Minonk Fieldcrest 64, Quincy Notre Dame 40 Quincy Notre Dame 78, Rockford Lutheran…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas hasn’t found a need to burn many timeouts this season. “A majority of games we’re walking away with six timeouts left,” the Quincy High School boys basketball coach said. “I just don’t call a ton.” Even in tight, tense situations, he allows the veteran lineup to navigate its own way. …
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long knew some people might think he was trying to be funny, but when it comes to girls basketball, he’s usually quite serious. “We told (the Panthers) we wanted to be ticks on their belly buttons,” Long said after his team’s 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — After one of Taylor Fohey’s seven second-quarter baskets Thursday night, the frustration among the Peoria Richwoods girls basketball players was evident. As Fohey drove to the basket and muscled up two more points, one of the Lady Knights said, “What do you want me to do?” Fohey scored 20 first-half points to…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Roller coasters certainly are fun if you ride them during a trip to Six Flags or Disney World, but they’re a little rough if they are used to describe a basketball season. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team followed a sloppy first half with a snappy second half in Thursday afternoon’s…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Tyler Sprick insisted the Quincy High School boys basketball players didn’t look too far ahead when checking out the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic bracket. “It was, ‘Who’s on our list and what do we have to do to beat them?’’ the senior guard said. Still, the Blue Devils knew what potentially…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Thursday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Quincy High School 61, Belleville Althoff 48 Quincy High School 57, O’Fallon 46 At State Farm Holiday Classic Small School Bracket At Shirk Center Quincy Notre Dame 60, Stanford Olympia 28…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Two minutes into the second half Thursday night, the Quincy High School boys basketball team found itself trailing O’Fallon by eight points and riding the wrong end of a seven-point scoring binge. Less than 90 seconds later, the game was tied and the tide had completely turned. The Blue Devils used an…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team forced 18 second-half turnovers and didn’t allow a field goal for nearly a quarter and a half in a 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals of the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday afternoon at Bloomington High School. MRN…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy High School’s 56-40 victory over Peoria Richwoods on Thursday night assures the team two more games against state-ranked teams in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils play Morton in the semifinals on Friday and either Washington or Normal Community on Saturday. MRN Editor…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — An eight-minute stretch spanning the final six minutes of the second quarter and the first 2 1/2 minutes of the third quarter in which the Belleville Althoff boys basketball team went scoreless enabled state-ranked Quincy High School to take control of its 61-48 victory Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Collinsville…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — One of the unique aspects of holiday tournament play — at least at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic — is each coach is handed a sheet of halftime stats on the way to the locker room. When Quincy High School coach Andy Douglas perused how his team constructed its 30-point lead…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey admitted she was counting down the points. She also admitted that might have been why she wasn’t scoring many on Wednesday night. She started the game 14 points shy of reaching 1,000 for her career. The Quincy High School girls basketball team led Springfield 48-36 midway through the fourth quarter,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Wednesday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Quincy High School 76, Oakville (Mo.) 38 Click here for complete scores and bracket At State Farm Holiday Classic Pecatonica 55, Quincy Notre Dame 50 Click here for complete scores and…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — The No. 1 seed played like the No. 1 seed. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s defensive intensity frustrated and stymied Normal U-High from start to finish in Wednesday night’s 67-19 victory in the opening round of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal Community High School. It…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Afterward, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas could joke about it. In the moment, it could have been cause for trepidation. With two minutes remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s opening-round game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic and the Blue Devils leading Oakville (Mo.) 16-5, Quincy swingman…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer is convinced his team’s record should be much better than what it is. “I told the guys I think that you’re a 10-1 team versus the 6-5 our record says,” Meyer said after the Raiders lost 55-50 to Pecatonica Wednesday night at Normal West…
Read Full Article COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team perfectly played the role of one of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic favorites with Wednesday’s 76-38 steamrolling of Oakville (Mo.) in the first round at Vergil Fletcher Gym. The Blue Devils piled up 23 assists in shooting 52.6 percent from the field and knocking…
Read Full Article BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jada Brown scored 16 points, Taylor Fohey scored 14 and Myley Longcor added 11 in the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 58-38 victory over Springfield in the first round of the large school bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team never trailed by more than six points but failed to regain the lead in the final 12 minutes of Wednesday night’s 55-50 loss to Pecatonica in the first round of the small school boys bracket during the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal West High…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — Bob Baucom and his officiating crew were preparing to work a game in the Central girls basketball tournament a few years ago when they received a warning from the referees who had worked the previous game as they came off the floor. Keep an eye on the three ladies sitting at…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Opinions, debate and discussion are part of the sports culture, so here is a look at Muddy River Sports’ 10 most viewed columns in 2023: 1. Schuckman: Brock’s black eye brought on by gambling probe will fade and his true character will show “Brock likely won’t face any further charges, but he has…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores from Tuesday and Wednesday’s schedule: Tuesday’s games Boys At MVIT Unity 67, West Prairie 49 Bushnell-Prairie City 66, Western 47 Girls At Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic West Hancock 67, Athens 34 Mendon Unity 42, Beardstown 29 Macomb 40, Illini West 34 Macomb 55,…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — Defense is top priority at Camp Point Central, no matter the sport. “We preach it. It’s not just me preaching it,” said James Barnett, the boys basketball coach whose team enters the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament this week not having allowed an opponent to score 40 points in a game yet this…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here are the brackets for holiday boys and girls basketball tournaments involving area teams: Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic State Farm Holiday Classic small school boys State Farm Holiday Classic small school girls State Farm Holiday Classic large school girls Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic MVIT St. Dominic Christmas Tournament (boys…
Read Full Article QUINCY — It has been a quarter century since the Quincy High School boys basketball team last won a holiday tournament championship. Is this the year the drought ends? No Quincy team has gone into the Christmas break with a better record in the 26 seasons since the Blue Devils won the championship of the…
Read Full Article PAYSON, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 65-37 victory over Payson Seymour left Aden Genenbacher satisfied, but not necessarily overjoyed. “We’re still trying to find our identity,” said Genenbacher, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who scored a game-high 21 points Thursday night. The victory came after back-to-back losses for QND (6-4), which is…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A pair of girls basketball teams hoping to build momentum before tackling the challenging task of being the No. 1 seed in a holiday tournament gained a much-needed boost Thursday night. It just happened to come in vastly different ways. West Hancock, the No. 1 seed in the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, used…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The West Hancock and Central-Southeastern girls basketball teams put a cap on the 16th Rumble on the River Holiday Shootout with victories Thursday night. The Titans beat Columbia (Mo.) Father Tolton 58-49 and the Panthers dispatched Fort Madison (Iowa) 49-16. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening at John Wood Community…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the scoreboard for the 16th Rumble on the River Holiday Shootout: Played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center Friday, December 15 Quincy Notre Dame girls 59, Hannibal 21 MVP — QND’s Sage Stratton Saturday, December 16 North Shelby girls 38, Payson Seymour 33 MVP — North…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Five days before Christmas and Santa Claus is in prime form. Once again, that spelled trouble for the Grinch. In the marquee match of the Wednesday’s youth wrestling event held at The Pit by the Quincy Notre Dame wrestling program, Santa Claus beat the Grinch in an exhibition with dozens of young wrestlers…
Read Full Article QUINCY — After seeing an apparent blowout turn into a nail-biting victory Monday night against Central-Southeastern, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated to his team the importance of playing with the same intensity for four quarters. Consider the message received. Behind the perimeter shooting of guard Sage Stratton and a smothering defense,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Jason Killday has never been a job chaser. “Occasionally, you see something you kind of raise your eyebrow to and think, ‘That’d be interesting,’ said Killday, who spent the last eight seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Truman State football program after six seasons on the Quincy University staff. “My goal has…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the scoreboard and upcoming schedule for the 16th Rumble on the River: Played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center Friday, December 15 Quincy Notre Dame girls 59, Hannibal 21 MVP — QND’s Sage Stratton Saturday, December 16 North Shelby girls 38, Payson Seymour 33 MVP —…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The fortunate thing about the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s schedule is all four of the Tuesday night games on tap the second half of the season will be played at Blue Devil Gym. The unfortunate thing is they’re still on Tuesday nights. For the second consecutive Tuesday, the Blue Devils…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Conference play and rivalry games will remain part of the Illinois high school football landscape for now. But for how long? Tuesday, the Illinois High School Association announced the results of the annual by-law referendum with a proposal for statewide district scheduling for football failing. Of the 727 votes cast, 379 member schools…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Eric Orne’s post-game expressions captured his thoughts perfectly. There was the occasional wince, coupled with the rubbing of the top of his head with the palm of his hand. Even an occasional sigh. “Today is my birthday … and I feel like I aged 10 years tonight,” said Orne, the veteran Quincy Notre…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Monday night proved to be Missouri’s night. Three Missouri squads — the Monroe City boys and girls basketball teams along with the Palmyra boys — snared victories at the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Monroe City girls used eight points apiece from JWCC signee…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here is a look at the scoreboard and upcoming schedule for the 16th Rumble on the River: Played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center Friday, December 15 Quincy Notre Dame girls 59, Hannibal 21 MVP — QND’s Sage Stratton Saturday, December 16 North Shelby girls 38, Payson Seymour 33 MVP —…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The getaway game never got away from the Quincy University men’s basketball team. That should make for a Merry Christmas for all. In the Hawks’ final game before heading home for the holiday break, they held Wayne State to 28-percent shooting from the field in the second half of a 66-55 victory Sunday…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A suffocating defensive effort in the second half of Sunday’s game and a double-double from senior guard Zion Richardson gave the Quincy University men’s basketball team a 66-55 victory over Wayne State and the championship of the Hansen-Spear Holiday Classic. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was at Pepsi Arena and put together…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The mindset was simple for the Quincy High School boys basketball team entering its annual crosstown showdown against Quincy Notre Dame. “We wanted to stomp on their throats at the beginning,” senior Camden Brown said. “Get it done and get it done quick.” The state-ranked Blue Devils did just that with deft precision.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The energy and intensity you’d expect when the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams square off was on full display Saturday night at The Pit. The Blue Devils won 77-47 in front of a raucous crowd. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman and photographer Samantha Carmean were courtside and…
Read Full Article QUINCY — First, some good news regarding the Quincy University men’s basketball team. The Hawks turned back East-West University 84-52 on Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of about 300 at Pepsi Arena in the first round of the two-day Hansen-Spear Holiday Classic. The victory was impressive, even if it came against an overmatched…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Sage Stratton could see it in Marie Eversman’s approach. “She was not scared,” Stratton. Not at all. The freshman guard’s baseline jumper with two seconds remaining in regulation Saturday afternoon gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball a 51-49 victory over Troy (Mo.) Buchanan in the 16th Rumble on the River at John…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown are at opposite ends of their high school careers, one signed to play college basketball next season and the other about to finish the first semester of her freshman year. Yet, when they meet in the middle, they are as formidable as any twin towers around. Cairo (Mo.)…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Rumble on the River rumbled on Saturday with eight games being played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was there for half of the slate and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article QUINCY — Here are the results and the remaining schedule for the 16th Rumble on the River Shootout at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.
Read Full Article QUINCY — Sage Stratton’s assessment of the nearly 12-minute stretch in which the Hannibal girls basketball team went without a field goal Friday night should attract as much attention as the effort itself. “We put defense first and we work hard on defense,” the Quincy Notre Dame junior guard said. “It doesn’t matter what court…
Read Full Article EAST MOLINE, Ill. — The American actors’ union strike that delayed the production of television shows and movies is making it increasingly more difficult for Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas to find new films for entertainment on long bus rides. “At least I can sleep on the bus pretty much anytime,” Douglas…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s defensive dominance led to a 59-21 victory over Hannibal on Friday night in the opening game of the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read Full Article LIBERTY, Ill. — Braden Holthaus admittedly has been searching for his shot during much of the early portion of the basketball season. The Macomb junior guard may have finally found it. Holthaus sank four of his seven 3-pointers in the first quarter — most well beyond the arc — to propel the Bombers to an…
Read Full Article CAMP POINT, Ill. — When asked, Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett has no problem pointing out what is special about senior center Gavin Blewett. “Gavin brings such huge energy, and he stepped up big for us tonight,” Barnett said. Correct on both accounts, Coach. The 6-foot-2 Blewett produced game highs of 14…
Read Full Article QUINCY — With success comes respect, as much as the Quincy High School boys basketball program has earned in quite some time. Andy Douglas wants the Blue Devils to embrace it, but not get consumed by it. “It’s not the outcome of these games that is important,” said Douglas, who has coached Quincy to an…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Here is a look at the Illinois Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts 1. Bolingbrook (4) 9-0 71 2. Loyola (2) …
Read Full Article QUINCY — Chris Duesdieker’s tireless effort is done with one goal in mind. Put the spotlight on area basketball. The collection of talented teams he is bringing to John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center and the intriguing matchups he has created for the 16th Rumble on the River have transformed the event from a…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Appalachian Mountains are calling Gary Bass home. The North Carolina native who spent the past 12 college football seasons coaching at Quincy University, including the last seven as head coach, resigned Tuesday morning after accepting an offer to become the head coach at the University of Virginia-Wise, an NCAA Division II program.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Above all else, protect The Pit. That’s more or less an unwritten rule when it comes to the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders’ home floor — a.k.a. The Pit — is more than a safe haven for the QND team. It has become a full-fledged basketball sanctuary for one of…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The field goal drought lasted more than eight minutes, but it wasn’t long enough to make the Quincy High School boys basketball players fret. “Nah,” junior forward Keshaun Thomas said. “We just had to fight our way back.” They had done so before, albeit on a bigger stage facing more dire circumstances. So…
Read Full Article GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — The battle for Pike County supremacy came down to free throws. The Pittsfield boys basketball team made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 53 seconds of regulation Tuesday night to hold off Griggsville-Perry for a 46-44 victory, handing the Tornadoes their first loss of the season while alloowing the Saukees…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team can’t be kept down. The Blue Devils erased a 10-point first-quarter deficit Tuesday night and led the entire second half in a 61-51 victory over Webster Groves (Mo.) at Blue Devil Gym. Quincy is 8-0 following its final home game of the 2023 portion of its…
Read Full Article QUINCY — As he walked out of the locker room and sat down following Tuesday’s affair with Palmyra, Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher couldn’t help but reflect on what transpired last season against the Raiders’ cross-river rival. “I did not score a single point in that (game) and that kind of pissed me…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Pit is a tough place for opposing teams to win. Tuesday night, the Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams saw why. A strong start by the Quincy Notre Dame boys led to a 54-42 victory, while the QND girls pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 45-35 victory — their 24th…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Missouri Football Coaches Association recognized what anyone who squared off against Hannibal during the past four seasons came to know. Aneyas Williams is the most dynamic player on the field. The senior all-purpose back was named the Class 4 Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-state selection by the…
Read Full Article SHELBINA, Mo. — One of the most powerful running backs in Class 2 led a brigade of seven area players earning all-state honors from the Missouri Football Coaches Association. South Shelby senior Kendal Hammond, who led the Cardinals to 10 consecutive victories before losing in a shootout with Bowling Green in the district championship game,…
Read Full Article MACOMB, Ill. — Joe Davis’ task is to bring gridiron success from east to west. The Eastern Illinois University offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, fresh off an eight-win season in Charleston, Ill., was named Sunday as the new head football coach at Western Illinois University. “Joe clearly met the expectations that we have for our…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Brad Hoyt knows the yo-yo happens. “Finding a way to stop the bounce back is what’s critical,” he said. The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team couldn’t do that Saturday afternoon. Although Milwaukee Area Technical College led from start to finish in an 82-69 victory at the Student Athletic Center, the Trail…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The environment, with the cavernous shooting backgrounds and the legendary coach for whom the Mizzou Arena court is named sitting nearby, did little to impact the Quincy High School boys basketball team. Chaminade’s physicality took care of that on its own. “The toughness level was at a level we hadn’t seen this…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team passed its first major test of the season, beating St. Louis Chaminade 62-54 late Saturday night in the Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou Arena. Freelance photographer J Thomas Taylor captured these images of the Blue Devils for a photo gallery from the game:
Read Full Article MONROE CITY, Mo. — By design, Clare Williams’ first option was to pass the ball. Fortunately, that did not work out. Williams wound up unleashing a 22-foot bomb that found nothing but net as time expired Saturday night, sending the Palmyra girls basketball team to a 64-61 victory over South Shelby in the finals of…
Read Full Article MONROE CITY, Mo. — Not bad for a club that took seven minutes to score its first points of the game. The Palmyra boys basketball team remained unbeaten Saturday night, but the way the it went about it may have been a bit awkward. At least in the first quarter. “We were just running rampant…
Read Full Article JOHNSTON, Iowa — A career milestone came with a championship and a statement. Owen Uppinghouse refuses to be beaten. The Quincy High School senior wrestler earned his 100th career victory Saturday during the Baltzley Invitational, beating two of the top three ranked Class 3A wrestlers in Iowa in the process and winning the 165-pound championship.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Aden Genenbacher pulled back the sleeve of his hoodie to reveal some white athletic tape wrapped around his left wrist and two words written on it. “Don’t suck,” it read. There’s a cross underneath it, too. “I have to think, ‘I need to be aggressive tonight,’” said Genenbacher, a senior shooting guard for…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The gameplan didn’t change, even if the opposing lineup did. The Sterling boys basketball team arrived at Blue Devil Gym for Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference clash without 6-foot-7, 265-pound senior forward Lucas Austin, an all-state offensive tackle who is taking an official football recruiting visit this weekend to West Virginia. “I…
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