Blue Devils score 51 points in first quarter, rout Pioneers to guarantee themselves playoff berth

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Quincy High School football coach Rick Little wants to see the Blue Devils play with an edge — no matter the opponent.

If not, he knows it can prove costly.

That will be a point of emphasis this week in preparation for the regular-season finale at home against Rock Island following Saturday night’s 65-13 victory over Rock Island Alleman in Western Big 6 Conference play at Almquist Field.

“Something I’m going to stress with the boys is to have an edge and the need to play a tough game and really dig in like that is a big deal,” Little said. “We all know Alleman is a team that has struggled all season, but we didn’t have that edge tonight. There really wasn’t an edge to us throughout the course of a game.

“Now, you have to come back and play like your back’s against the wall, because Rocky’s is. And obviously we want to help ourselves. So our focus has to be playing with that edge and to be ready.”

The victory guarantees Quincy (6-2, 4-2 WB6) a postseason berth for the first time since 2018 and opens up the possibility of earning a first-round home playoff game should the Blue Devils beat the Rocks on Friday.

Meanwhile, Rock Island (4-4, 3-3 WB6) must win to become playoff eligible.

“There’s going to be a lot at stake,” Little said.

That’s why he’s concerned about finding an edge.

Alleman, which hadn’t scored more than six points in a game since winning its season opener and had only two touchdowns in WB6 play, stunned everyone by scoring on a 79-yard pass play from junior quarterback Daniel VanDeHeede to senior wide receiver Kaleb Skeffington on the first play of the game.

“It was a really good throw and catch,” Little said. “To their credit, they executed.”

The Blue Devils did, too, once they got the ball.

Senior running back Brian Douglas scored on Quincy’s first offensive play, ripping off a 65-yard touchdown run. After a fumbled snap on a punt attempt by Alleman led to a safety, Blue Devils sophomore Jeraius Rice returned the free kick 61 yards for a touchdown and the rout was on.

By the end of the first quarter, Quincy led 51-7.

Douglas scored on runs of 15 and 2 yards, giving him three touchdowns in the game’s first seven minutes, and sophomore quarterback Bradyn Little connected with Tykell Hammers and Gregory Quince on 63- and 58-yard scoring passes. Rice’s 18-yard TD run capped the first-quarter barrage.

Rice added an 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and Kory Fletcher scored on a 23-yard run in the third quarter for Quincy.