Raiders introduce themselves to CS8 with dominant performance against Spartans

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame football team made its intentions clear from the start.

The Raiders were going to own the trenches.

After receiving the opening kickoff Friday night at Advance Physical Therapy Field, the state-ranked Raiders’ first four plays were running plays that generated 54 yards with Ivan Hun scoring on a 12-yard gallop just 41 seconds into the game.

It set the tone for a 43-0 victory over Springfield Southeast in QND’s debut in the Central State 8 Conference.

“We talked a lot about that. We wanted to make sure we started off 1-0 in this conference,” QND senior wide receiver Jack Brenner said. “We obviously want to have a winning record, and we want to go through this conference and win games.”

That starts by controlling the line of scrimmage

“We talk to these guys all the time about winning up front, whether it’s offense or defense,” said Raiders coach Jack Cornell, whose team is No. 5 in the latest Class 2A state poll. “The team that owns the line of scrimmage is going to own the football game. And our guys certainly did that tonight.”

It was immediate and impactful.

“We talk a lot about scoring on our first drive, whether it’s in the first half or the second half,” Cornell added. “Putting the thing in the end zone with our first offensive series is big. I think it gives us confidence and momentum going forward.”

The Raiders (2-1, 1-0 CS8) ran for more than 300 yards with Hun and junior Oliver Triplett contributing nearly 270 yds. Hun added another touchdown on a 34-yard scamper on QND’s first play of the second half.

Junior quarterback Hunter Schuckman chipped in three touchdowns. He threw two touchdown passes to senior Jack Brenner and ran for one on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

Brenner’s first touchdown was a 19-yarder. His second touchdown capped a 12-play drive in the final two minutes of the first half. On fourth and 4, Schuckman hit Brenner on a 23-yard pass to put the Raiders up by three touchdowns at the half.

Schuckman pump faked to the flat before hitting Brenner going downfield.

“We try to set up our deep shots by setting up with short passes,” Brenner said. “Short passes and then go deep. We’re just going to set it up before we go deep.”

Sophomore Abel Berhorst capped the Raiders’ scoring with his first varsity touchdown with 4:42 left in the game.

“For us to come out on a solid foot in game No. 1 gives us a lot of confidence going into the rest of the schedule,” Cornell said of the CS8 debut. “I’m very proud of the way that our guys were able to come out and play.”

Early in the second half, QND senior linebacker Taylin Scott set the school record for career tackles by notching his 292nd stop. 

“I could not have imagined that this is where I would be, and I’m proud of who I’ve become,” Scott said.

Scott attributes joining the wrestling team after that freshman season to helping him improve.

“It was the leverage, the footwork, the form, everything,” Scott said. “Wrestling just helped me become the player I am.”

Those things will be vitally important next week when QND welcomes Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin to Advance Physical Therapy Field. The Cyclones, who have six state championships to their credit, rallied in the second half Friday night for a 35-10 victory over Jacksonville.