Photo gallery: QHS boys move into tourney semifinals by shutting down Althoff

Quincy guard Kamren Wires dribbles under the basket during Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup with Belleville Althoff in the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

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…

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Panthers’ first-quarter blitz knocks Crusaders out, sends Central to Class 1A state semifinals

Camp Point Central's Drew Paben, left, and Conner Griffin celebrate Paben's touchdown reception that extended the Panthers' first-quarter lead to 30-0 against Belleville Althoff in Saturday's Class 1A state quarterfinal matchup in Camp Point, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Many of those attending Saturday’s playoff game at Camp Point Central High School likely passed a particular sign on the west side of Illinois 94. The placard reads: “Small Town. Big dreams.” Oh so true on both accounts. On paper, the Central football team faced a daunting task in its Class…

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Photo gallery: Central football team reaches state semifinals after emphatic start

Camp Point Central's Elijah Genenbacher dives into the end zone during Saturday's Class 1A state quarterfinal victory over Belleville Althoff in Camp Point, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Camp Point Central football team is back in the state semifinals, and the Panthers got there with a burst. Central outscored Belleville Althoff 30-0 in the first quarter of Saturday’s Class 1A state quarterfinal and rode the momentum to a 42-22 victory. Photographer Mike Pritchard put together this gallery of…

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Playoff primer: Central’s stout defense squares off with Althoff’s electric offense

The Camp Point Central football team is looking to return to the state semifinals, but will have to sidestep Belleville Althoff in Saturday's Class 1A state quarterfinal in Camp Point, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

CAMP POINT, Ill. — This isn’t the first time in the postseason the Camp Point Central football team has faced Belleville Althoff. In 2012, the Panthers reached the state semifinals for the first time in program history, only to lose 28-7 to Althoff in the Class 2A semis on Lindenwood-Belleville’s candy-stripe field. The Panthers have…

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Four-star rating: QND soccer team scores three times in second half to upend Althoff and win Class 1A state championship

Quincy Notre Dame players congregate on teammate Deakon Schuette (center) as they celebrate a goal during the second half of the Raiders’ 4-1 victory over Belleville Althoff in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday night at EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Four days ago, Tanner Anderson sat his bag down on the grass, laid the super-sectional plaque on top of it and stopped to oblige a media request. Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer coach Greg Reis suggested he’d take the plaque to the bus to expedite the Raiders’ departure, but Anderson intervened.…

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Return engagement: QND girls soccer team upends defending state champ to return to final four in Naperville

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauryn Peters begins to celebrate as Lia Quintero's header bounces into the goal past the arms of Belleville Althoff keeper Anna Brewer with seven minutes remaining in the second overtime of Tuesday's Class 1A Columbia Super-Sectional in Columbia, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

COLUMBIA, Ill. — The Illinois girls state soccer championships are returning to North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville this weekend for the first time in three years. It’s only fitting Quincy Notre Dame returns, too. As QND coach Mark Longo put it, it is the Raiders’ “home away from home.” Figuring out how to…

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Blue Devils change course at halftime, return energetic in blowing past Crusaders

Jeremiah Talton drives to the basket during the first half of the Quincy High School boys basketball team's opening-round game against Belleville Althoff in the 37th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photo

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Sam Mulherin understands good things happen if you put yourself in the right position. Necessary things happen, too. Mulherin’s energetic pursuit of offensive rebounds helped the Quincy High School boys basketball team shake its first-half slumber and ignited a 31-point third quarter against Belleville Althoff on Monday afternoon at Vergil Fletcher Gym.…

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