‘We never lost faith and we never gave in’: Resilient effort not enough to keep Raiders’ postseason run alive

By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor | November 5, 2023
Quincy Notre Dame running back Ivan Hun, left, gets hit by a Nashville defender during Saturday's Class 2A second-round playoff game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The team which grasped onto a flicker of hope weeks ago and let it light the way to the playoffs tried everything imaginable Saturday to keep that flame from dying out. Still, the Quincy Notre Dame football players discovered what flickers usually fades away. Nashville brought the extinguisher. An Isaac Blazier 5-yard touchdown…

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Photo gallery: QND fights to overcome first-half deficit, falls short in second-round playoff loss

By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor | November 5, 2023
Quincy Notre Dame's Gavin Doellman, left, heads into the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown during the second half of Saturday's Class 2A second-round playoff game against Nashville at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame senior center Ben Schwartz called the never-give-in attitude of the QND football team is tradition. Saturday, the Raiders upheld the tradition, battling until the final snap in a 27-18 loss to Nashville in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was at Advance…

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Blue Bullets take kick out of Mustangs with stingy defensive effort in first half of playoff game

By Aaron Frey | October 30, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Ill.  — As the Unity-Payson football team broke its final postgame huddle of the season, senior quarterback/defensive back Ryle Duke found coach Matt Woodworth. The two embraced, heads buried in each other’s shoulders for several moments, following the Mustangs’ 33-14 Class 2A first-round playoff loss Saturday afternoon at Knoxville. “In every year, you hate…

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