Muddy River TV+
WINCHESTER, Ill. — On a farm pond in rural Scott County, Jacksonville football coach Mark Grounds showed the ability to slay 5- and 6-pound catfish over and over again. What he has done as president of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association is more impressive. The long-time Crimsons skipper has enhanced a network of…
Read Full Article 
PALMYRA, Mo. – A fortunate stroke of serendipity introduced Jacob Barnes to disc golf. His aunt, Erin Moore, a physical education teacher in Texas, was visiting family the summer before Barnes entered fourth grade. The two went out to play miniature golf, and Barnes requested a return engagement the following day. Moore had another idea.…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Magnolia Schrage is carrying on a family tradition. The 4-year-old Quincy golfer competed this week in the 50th annual Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships at the Knights of Columbus Par-3 Course, following in the footsteps of her father, Tim, who played in the event growing up in Quincy. After finishing her five-hole round…
Read Full Article 
Videographer Justin Bailey put together a highlight package from Saturday’s Muddy River Showcase, which ended with an Illinois sweep. The Illinois girls won 87-48 and the Illinois boys won 118-80 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.
Read Full Article 
PEORIA, Ill. — A record-setting season would have been incomplete without a victory on the final day of play. The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team understood that and made certain that happened, beating DePaul College Prep 7-2 in the Class 2A third-place game Saturday at Dozer Park. Winning the third state trophy in program history…
Read Full Article 
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The highs and lows of sports intersected with the tragedy and triumph of life in a 48-hour span for the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players. They found a way to make history through it all. A 13-1 victory over Bloomington Central Catholic in the Class 2A Springfield Super-Sectional at Lincoln Land Community…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Marko Cucuk understands the competition intensifies this week. Still, the Quincy Notre Dame tennis player is heading to the Class 1A state tournament on quite a roll. The recent QND graduate, who is making his third straight tournament appearance in the singles draw, won the singles bracket at the Class 1A Chatham Glenwood…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The root of their lies in their success of their sons, but the parents of the Quincy University baseball players have formed a bond that is as tight as a baseball family gets. The shared a house during the season-opening road trip to Florida. They tailgate together wherever the Hawks play. They text.…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Mark Longo was asked to coach the inaugural Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team with no expectations and no preconceived notions of success. The next coach won’t be so lucky. From 1990 until now — 33 seasons total — Longo has been the only head coach the Raiders have had, and with him…
Read Full Article 
EWING, Mo. — When Payton Miller made it home Friday night, she had some serious packing to do. Saturday, she was off to Shelbina to compete in the Class 2 sectional track and field meet with the Highland girls track team. That night, she and her family headed to Springfield, Mo., to get prepared to…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer programs played their first seasons in the spring of 1990 and have been scheduled to meet twice every spring since. Not once in the first 32 seasons of head-to-head competition — they didn’t play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic — had…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The highs and lows — things both Lance Logsdon and Mattison Norris experienced throughout the Quincy University athletic careers — never sidetracked either, largely because of their competitive nature and dogged determination, but also because they had each other. The record-setting slugger for the QU baseball team and the All-American outside hitter for…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Hunter Voth refuses to let anything stand in the way of his dream of someday becoming the radio play-by-play voice of the St. Louis Cardinals. Autism is one of those obstacles he simply pushes past. A Unity High School graduate who is a student assistant with the John Wood Community College men’s basketball…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The image of Chris Duerr roaming the sidelines or basepaths with a camera on his shoulder is iconic. It’s also expected when the magnitude of the event rises, much the way the Quincy High School vs. Quincy Notre Dame matchups do. Wednesday night, the KHQA sports director was at the QHS softball field…
Read Full Article 
CANTON, Mo. — Dorian Hobbs Jr. found his way home. A former Culver-Stockton College student-athlete and assistant coach with the men’s basketball team, Hobbs joined the Millikin University coaching staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in May 2021. However, his ties to C-SC made him want to return after Aaron Hill resigned as…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Sean Taylor put himself in rare company when the Moline boys basketball team won the Class 4A state championship with its 59-42 victory over Lisle Benet Academy at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. The former Quincy High School coach has now led two schools to a state championship, having won the Class…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — With spring break taking place on the backend of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s third-place finish at the Class 2A state tournament, the Raiders had to wait an extra week for their fire truck ride and welcome home celebration. The time lapse gave the Raiders time to appreciate all they had…
Read Full Article 
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Amber Louderback’s determination cannot be undersold or overstated. She’s passionate, committed and tough. It’s why the Camp Point Central freshman became the first girls wrestler in program history to earn a medal at the state tournament, finishing fourth in the 125-pound class recently during the event held at Grossinger Motors Arena…
Read Full Article 
PAYSON, Ill. — Lane Barker was not designed to take the last shot. Fortunately, he did. Barker, a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard, buried a 3-point field goal from the left corner with 2.4 seconds to play Wednesday night, sending Payson Seymour to a 41-38 upset of New Berlin in the Class 1A regional semifinals. New Berlin…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Riley Martin admits it’s been a short offseason, but that hasn’t diminished his readiness for spring training. “I feel like I’ve put in some good work this offseason,” he said. “I’m excited to get back and get started.” The former Quincy University left-handed All-American hurler will head to Mesa, Ariz., next week to…
Read Full Article 
Okay, so it’s not Andy Reid, but publisher Bob Gough chats with Jerry Nall of Camp Point, who shares a striking resemblance to a certain football coach for a professional team in Missouri.
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The dip in temperatures and rainy weather forced “Schuck on a Truck” to become “Schuck in the Stands” this week, but it’s appropriate since the stands at Blue Devil Gym this weekend should be filled with basketball junkies and passionate fans. The fifth Quincy Shootout brings a nationally respected field to the Gem…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Paul Zilinskas never saw what happened after he released his shot. JJ Schwepker’s reaction told him all he needed to know. With two seconds remaining in regulation Monday night and the Quincy University men’s basketball team trailing Drury by a point, Zilinskas caught an inbounds pass while moving toward the basket. He collided…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse, Bryor Newbold and the Quincy High School wrestlers have spent most of their season flatbacking opponents. Coming off a victory in the 29-team Murdale Invitational last weekend in Carbondale, Ill., the Blue Devils get the chance to showcase their depth and talent in front of a home crowd at the Quincy…
Read Full Article Ben Marth now will regularly join Matt Schuckman on Muddy River Breakdown.
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman drove his pickup truck across the state, chasing stories of success for area athletes and teams. Along the way, “Schuck on a Truck” became a fun way to introduce our readers to the personalities of athletes and coaches and celebrate state titles. Here is a look at…
Read Full Article 
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Come Friday, the Camp Point Central football team will walk into Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus for the Class 1A state championship game to square off with Lena-Winslow, the reigning state champion who has won five state championships since 2010. Leading the way with be an experienced, stout…
Read Full Article 
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Central football players have traded cut-off t-shirts and shorts for stocking caps and sweatshirts. When that takes place, something more significant has, too. In this case, the Panthers have reached the Class 1A state semifinals for the fourth time in program history. Central (12-0) travels for the first time this…
Read Full Article 
LIBERTY, Ill. — Liberty junior Arianna Neisen will run at Detweiler Park this weekend. Quincy High School senior Eric McClelland will, too, in what is the ultimate weekend for Illinois prep cross country runners. The state meet takes place Saturday in Peoria with three classes running 3-mile races on both the boys and girls sides.…
Read Full Article EAST PEORIA, Ill. — They grew curious — possibly more concerned — whether the suspension on Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s pickup truck could hold the weight of the entire Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team piled into the truck’s bed. Much like the Raiders throughout the postseason, Schuck’s truck held up just fine.…
Read Full Article 
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team clamped down on Bloomington Central Catholic’s attack and limited the Saints to one shot in the first half of Wednesday’s 5-1 victory in the Class 1A Chillicothe Super-Sectional. That effort is carrying the Raiders to the final four in East Peoria, where they will play…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Growing up, the best part of the calendar rolling into October meant hunting season was upon us and I had the opportunity to spend more time with my dad. No matter what we did outdoors, I was right by his side. That hasn’t changed in adulthood. With the archery deer season in full…
Read Full Article 
LIBERTY, Ill. — A decorated high school golf career came to an end last Saturday when Liberty senior Blake Arnold finished tied for 13th at the Class 1A state tournament, and he finished it with a birdie on his final hole. In the process, Arnold became the highest individual state finisher in Liberty golf history.…
Read Full Article 
MONROE CITY, Mo. — Andre White spent a majority of his summer traveling across the United States with his son, Dez, on the AAU basketball circuit, and the reward of seeing his son achieve the dream of receiving an NCAA Division I scholarship is priceless. The fact Dez White will be playing for a former…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Tyler Tomlinson is doing what every successful coach does. He’s accepting the need to change. The first four games of the Culver-Stockton College women’s soccer team’s season didn’t go as well as hoped, so Tomlinson and his staff began retooling how the Wildcats need to play. It seems to be working. The Wildcats…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — With the game tied at 3 and less than five minutes remaining in regulation, the ball found Tanner Anderson’s foot. From there, it found the back of the net. The Quincy Notre Dame senior forward scored the game-winning goal in a 4-3 victory over Quincy High School on Thursday night at Advance Physical…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Quincy University football coach Gary Bass felt a productive offseason prepared the Hawks to be ahead of the game when fall practices began. With good weather and depth at nearly every position, the Hawks have taken advantage of every opportunity leading up to Thursday’s season opener. Bass joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read Full Article 
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”…
Read Full Article 
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…
Read Full Article 
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…
Read Full Article 
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 
QUINCY — The Quincy Gems won 13 games in a 16-game span in the first half of the Prospect League season, propelling them to first place in the Great River Division and guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Gems manager Brad Gyorkos joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — When Andrew Smith realized he’d made his first hole-in-one, nearly every golfer scattered across the Spring Lake Country Club layout knew it. “I just jumped out of the golf cart while it was going 15 miles per hour,” Smith said. When he made his second ace 10 days later, the reaction was a…
Read Full Article 
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Golf is taking Quinn Thomas places most 16-year-olds can’t fathom. Recently, it had him walking fairways once crossed by legends. Thomas, who will be a junior at Hannibal High School in the fall, played in the 115th Missouri Amateur Championship, which meant teeing it up on the iconic Bellerive Country Club layout…
Read Full Article 
MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The Brown County baseball team reached historic heights during the 2022 season. The Hornets went 28-5, setting the program’s single-season record for victories. They won the first sectional title in program history and became the first team in any sport at Brown County to reach a state final four. After finishing…
Read Full Article 
MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The Brown County baseball team will be making the program’s first appearance in the state final four Friday when it faces Ottawa Marquette at 10 a.m. at Peoria’s Dozer Park in the Class 1A state semifinals. Hornets coach Jared Hoots sat down with Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman for an…
Read Full Article 
Muddy River Sports sets a record for most people in the bed of Matt Schuckman’s truck as Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo and the whole team join in following the sixth state title in program history.
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — The QUuncy University baseball team is making its seventh straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional this week, the longest such streak in the region. The Hawks open play at 11 a.m. Thursday against Northwood in Caledonia, Mich. QU coach Matt Schissel joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the…
Read Full Article 
Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman talks with JWCC Athletic Director/Men’s Basketball Coach about the inaugural Muddy River Showcase high school all-star basketball game.
Read Full Article 
Jordan Hildebrand’s decision to stay at Millikin University for an extra year of eligibility, pursue a master’s degree and help the Big Blue women’s basketball team chase NCAA glory turned out to be a wise move. Not only will Hildebrand walk away later this year with two degrees in her hip pocket, but the 6-foot…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Tanner Stuckman’s basketball career has been built around hard work, determination and an unwillingness to be told he couldn’t succeed. That’s why professional opportunities are coming his way. A graduate of Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy University, the 6-foot-9 Stuckman is currently playing in the National Basketball League of Canada for the Windsor…
Read Full Article 
CARROLLTON, Ill. — Football is in Cody Leonard’s blood. Try as he might to turn the page to the next chapter of his life, the former Quincy University All-American linebacker couldn’t ditch the itch to continue playing. Now, he has that opportunity. Leonard has signed a professional contract to play with the Kuopio Steelers in…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — As a kid, Kyle Cartmill chose to be the Blue Devil mascot for his Halloween costume. His passion for the Quincy High School boys basketball program has never waned, no matter where life’s road has taken him. Cartmill, a 1995 QHS graduate, became a Hall of Fame player who enjoyed a solid career…
Read Full Article 
The glimmer in Nick Kramer’s eye shined when he began talking about the situation he will be walking into this weeked. He’s entering his father’s old neighborhood. With that comes the understanding of history, tradition and legacy. Jack Kramer is part of all three when it comes to the Quincy High School boys basketball program,…
Read Full Article 
AMES, Iowa — Patience, persistence and commitment are paying off for Jirehl Brock. One of the most decorated football players in Quincy High School history, Brock spent his first three seasons at Iowa State University playing behind consensus All-American tailback Breece Hall. It meant limited opportunities and limited carries, but he never wavered on Iowa…
Read Full Article 
Matt Powers grew up in Quincy and was a senior on the 1996-97 Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team, which was the first coached by Scott Douglas in his legendary career. Now, aside from running his own financial planning and investment firm, Powers is the organizer of the Highland Shootout, one of the premier one-day…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Luke Guthrie’s 10-year anniversary as a professional golfer is looming. So is the opportunity for the Quincy native to reinvigorate his career. Following his 11th-place finish in the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School, Guthrie earned conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2022 season. He went on…
Read Full Article 
Andy Schmitt’s love of competition and sports morphed into a passion for the processes coaches, athletes and teams go through over the course of a season and beyond to elevate their game to a championship level. The Quincy High School graduate saw it first hand as a student manager with the University of Illinois men’s…
Read Full Article 
Graham Spraker reinvented himself as a pitcher and could find himself pitching in the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen in the near future. The former Quincy University right-hander, who was a 31st round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 2017 after leading the Hawks to the NCAA Division II World Series, is coming off an…
Read Full Article 
The name is the same. And if you watch Wentric Williams III run with the football tucked tightly in his right arm, you’ll see glimpses of his father. And then there’s that million-watt smile. It’s part of what made Wentric Williams II electric. His namesake shares that electricity. But be clear about one thing —…
Read Full Article 
Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman talks to long-time local soccer coach Matt Longo about his career, his legendary father and Cardinal baseball.
Read Full Article 
Muddy River Sports editor Matt Schuckman and Quincy Notre Dame athletic director Bill Connell reunite on the tailgate of Schuckman’s pickup truck to reminisce about the origins of the post-practice tailgate interviews and discuss everything from Connell’s football coaching career to the impact COVID had on athletics over the past year to his son battling…
Read Full Article - « Previous
- 1
- 2