QND’s Eftink joins select company with runner-up finish at Class 1A state golf tournament

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Beau Eftink fired a 1-under 71 during Saturday's second round of the Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill., and finished as the state runner-up. | Photo courtesy Brian Hendrian

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Beau Eftink learned the value of patience through the agony of waiting Saturday afternoon. The Quincy Notre Dame sophomore golfer posted a 1-under 71 in the second round of the Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course and was the clubhouse leader at 1-over 145 when he finished his round.…

Read More

Raiders rebound to finish sixth at state golf tourney, Chargers’ Bruns shoots 73

Brown County's Rioth Wort lines up a putt during the second round of the Class 1A state golf tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill. | Photo courtesy Greg Wort

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Saturday turned into a bounce-back day for the Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team and several area golfers. After tying for eighth and narrowly making the cut following the first round of the Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course, the Raiders shot the third lowest round of the day,…

Read More

Whipping wind blows QND boys golf team’s chances off course in opening round at state

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Beau Eftink fired a 2-over 74 and sits tied for fifth after the first round of the Class 1A state golf tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill. | Matt Schuckman file photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys golf coach Brian Hendrian was monitoring the barrage of birdies coming from the first wave of golfers to hit Prairie Vista Golf Course on Friday morning when he received a text message. Michael Venvertloh’s father, Bruce, let Hendrian know his senior golfer had holed out for an eagle…

Read More

Carthage junior high baseball team finishes third at Class 1A state tournament

The Carthage junior high baseball team finished third at the IESA Class 1A state tournament, beating Paris Crestwood 9-7 in the third-place game at Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill. | Submitted photo

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — A four-run third inning gave the Carthage junior high baseball team the lead and the Blueboys scored in every inning thereafter to beat Paris Crestwood 9-7 in the third-place game of the IESA Class 1A state tournament on Saturday. The Blueboys finish their season with a 23-5 record. Carthage beat Joliet…

Read More

Carpe diem: Anderson, Raiders seize opportunity to play for soccer state championship

The Quincy Notre Dame soccer players run over to acknowledge their fans after they defeated Elmhurst Timothy Christian 4-1 in a Friday's semifinal game of the Class 1A state tournament at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Opportunity may have passed Tanner Anderson by once. He vowed it wouldn’t happen twice. Belleville Althoff may want to take note of that. Anderson, a senior forward on the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team and the Raiders’ career leader in goals scored, missed his chance to play for a state…

Read More

Call him what you will, but Schuette’s presence and restarts are making him name to remember

Quincy Notre Dame defender Deakon Schuette eyes an incoming ball in the air as he jostles with Elmhurst Timothy Christian midfielder Jake Firnsin during the Raiders' 4-1 victory in the Class 1A state semifinals Friday night at EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — An ongoing problem throughout the boys soccer postseason has been the inability of public address announcers to pronounce Deakon Schuette’s last name correctly. During the Class 1A Mendota Sectional, the Quincy Notre Dame senior defensive midfielder was referred to as “Shoot.” In the second half of Friday’s Class 1A state semifinal…

Read More

Passing the baton: Seniors teach, mold underclassmen in order to sustain QND soccer legacy

Quincy Notre Dame freshman defender Channing Trevino, right, is part of the young cast of players responsible for taking this weekend's Class 1A state tournament experience and helping continue the QND boys soccer program's legacy in the future. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The nerves and excitement have been tempered some by contributing to the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team’s postseason run, but freshman defender Channing Trevino won’t soon forget the day he got his first start. “It was pretty exciting when against Normal U-High they said I was going to be starting,” Trevino said.…

Read More

Eagles’ Arnold, Chargers’ Deitrich close prep golf careers with strong finishes

Liberty's Blake Arnold, center, poses for a photo with the Illini West boys golf team after competing in the Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill. | Submitted photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Blake Arnold ended his high school golf career in fitting fashion. Nolan Deitrich did, too. Arnold, the Liberty senior, made a birdie on the par-4 18th hole Saturday at Prairie Vista Golf Course, putting a cap on a round of 7-over 79 that left him tied for 13th with a 156 total…

Read More

New nine, new outlook: Chargers lock in after making turn, fight way into top eight at state golf

Illini West's Nick Bruns tees off during Friday’s round in the Class 1A state boys golf tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Wesley Robertson intended to hit his driver off the tee on the Prairie Vista Golf Course’s 367-yard, par-4 18th hole to wrap up his round Friday. When the Illini West freshman boys golfer learned a par was all he needed to help the Chargers live to play another day, Robertson went back…

Read More

‘We hit them right at ’em’: Hornets see state title aspirations snuffed out by Cardinals’ defense

The captains of the Brown County baseball team accept the second-place team trophy after losing to Louisville North Clay 12-4 in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

PEORIA, Ill. — These weren’t Texas leaguers, nubbers or Punch-and-Judy pokes coming off the bats of the Brown County baseball players. “There weren’t a lot of balls hit soft,” first baseman Mason Henry said. “Every ball was hit on the screws.” Too often, though, they were within the reach of the Louisville North Clay outfielders.…

Read More

Schuckman: Support of Brown County community helps Hornets see journey and legacy matter more than final outcome

The Brown County baseball team poses for pictures with its Class 1A second-place state trophy Saturday at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

PEORIA, Ill. — Disappointment lingered, but only for so long. By the time the Brown County baseball players cleaned up their dugout and made their way to the grassy berm in the right-field corner, the green-clad wave of Hornets fans who had invaded Dozer Park on Saturday were ready to fete their conquering heroes. The…

Read More

Photo gallery: Brown County baseball team takes second at Class 1A state tournament

From left to right, Brown County's Sam Carr, Colby Wort and Mason Henry take the field during lineup introductions before the Class 1A state championship game Saturday at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

PEORIA, Ill. — The traffic along Highway 24 between Peoria and Mount Sterling was steady late Saturday afternoon. After all, most of Mount Sterling made the trek to River City in order to watch the Brown County baseball team play for the Class 1A state championship. Although the Hornets lost 12-4 to Louisville North Clay…

Read More

Remaining resolute: QND girls soccer team’s determination leads to spot in state title game

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players celebrate Sophie Gramke's goal in the first half of Friday's Class 1A state semifinal against Normal U-High at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The resolve of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team continues to be put to the test. The biggest challenge awaits. The Raiders will play for a state championship without their leading scorer and all-state candidate. “We try to come in with a good mindset and try to control the emotions,” sophomore…

Read More

Gramke plays with confidence, comes through with clutch goal in QND’s title pursuit

Quincy Notre Dame's Sophie Gramke, left, makes a move against a Normal U-High defender during Friday's Class 1A state semifinal at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Sophie Gramke never figured out why. So she concentrated on the how. How does she get better? How does she regain her knack for scoring? How does she find the spark that seemed to be missing? The rest of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players showed her how Friday night. “Coming…

Read More

Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team vs. Normal U-High in Class 1A state semifinals

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players react during the introduction of the starting lineups prior to Friday's Class 1A state semifinal against Normal U-High in Naperville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team advanced to the Class 1A state championship game with a 1-0 victory over Normal U-High in Friday’s semifinals at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on the North Central College campus. Photographer Randy Dickerman captured images throughout the contest. Check out his work in this photo gallery:

Read More

‘She’s been an unsung hero’: Keck’s return from knee injury solidifies QND’s pursuit of state title

Quincy Notre Dame junior midfielder Anna Keck controls the ball while pushing forward on the attack during the sectional semifinal against Piasa Southwestern in the Class 1A sectional semifinals at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Lying on the turf with athletic trainer Kyle Leapley tending to her right knee, Anna Keck could have had the “oh, no, not again” scenario running through her head. Instead, she focused on “get me back out there” thoughts. “I didn’t want to let my team down,” said Keck, a junior defensive midfielder…

Read More