‘Collinsville out-toughed us tonight’: Kahoks deny Blue Devils tourney title with physical play in critical stretches

Collinsville center Zach Chambers blocks a shot by Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III in the final seconds of Friday night’s championship game of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decked out in his travel gear with his backpack slung over his shoulders, Ralph Wires emerged from the Quincy High School locker room with a basketball in hand and casually strolled onto the Vergil Fletcher Gym floor. At the opposite end of the court from where Collinsville celebrated its championship of the…

Read More

Photo gallery: Blue Devils, Kahoks go toe-to-toe in battle of Class 4A heavyweights

Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas talks to his team during Friday night's championship game of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic against Collinsville at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The difference between the Quincy High School and Collinsville boys basketball teams isn’t substantial, but it is apparent. The Kahoks are tougher. At least they were Friday night. Collinsville won the championship of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic with a 44-39 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym, improving to 16-0 in…

Read More

Pair of undefeated titans to go head-to-head as Quincy will face Collinsville for tourney title

Quincy High School coach Andy Douglas will lead the Blue Devils against Collinsville in a battle of unbeaten teams in the championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Tyler Sprick insisted the Quincy High School boys basketball players didn’t look too far ahead when checking out the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic bracket. “It was, ‘Who’s on our list and what do we have to do to beat them?’’ the senior guard said. Still, the Blue Devils knew what potentially…

Read More

Are Blue Devils, Kahoks on collision course for undefeated showdown in holiday tourney championship game?

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III has been named to the all-tournament team in both of his appearances in the Collinsville Prairire Farms Holiday Classic. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — It has been a quarter century since the Quincy High School boys basketball team last won a holiday tournament championship. Is this the year the drought ends? No Quincy team has gone into the Christmas break with a better record in the 26 seasons since the Blue Devils won the championship of the…

Read More

Quarter century of memories: Wires’ buzzer-beater sinks Kahoks in sectional semifinal

Quincy High School guard Ralph Wires, right, reacts to making the game-winning shot at the buzzer in the Class 4A sectional semifinals against Collinsville in 2022. | Matt Schuckman photo

Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman began covering the Quincy High School boys basketball program during the 1998-99 season, and since he recently wrapped up his 25th season following the Blue Devils, he put together a list of his 25 most memorable games. Here is today’s installment: March 1, 2022 — Quincy 34, Collinsville 32 QUINCY —…

Read More

‘You have to stay with it’: Blue Devils rally from 14-point deficit to win regional championship

Quincy High School guard Tyler Sprick reacts to making the go-ahead 3-pointer with two minutes remaining in regulation Friday night in the Class 4A regional championship game against Collinsville at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Tyler Sprick said he never looked at the scoreboard, but he was fully aware of the situation the Quincy High School boys basketball team faced. No one went as far as to call it dire, but there was trepidation. Blindsided at the start of Friday night’s Class 4A Quincy Regional championship game as…

Read More

Photo gallery: QHS rallies to beat Collinsville for Class 4A regional championship

The Quincy High School boys basketball team's bench celebrates late in the fourth quarter of Friday night's Class 4A Quincy Regional championship game against Collinsville at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team didn’t take the lead for good until Tyler Sprick made a 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:55 remaining in regulation Friday night, but it cemented a rally from a 14-point deficit as the Blue Devils beat Collinsville 53-47 for the Class 4A Quincy Regional championship…

Read More

Late goal not enough to keep QHS boys soccer team’s season afloat in regional semifinal loss

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Carter Venvertloh gave the Quincy High School boys soccer team a chance for an epic rally. It just never materialized. Venvertloh, the senior forward, scored with 4:40 remaining in regulation to cut into top-seeded Collinsville’s three-goal lead in Wednesday night’s Class 3A regional semifinal at Kahok Stadium. However, the Blue Devils couldn’t…

Read More

Clutch performances from Blue Devils’ supporting cast lead to sectional semifinal victory

Quincy High School's Reid O'Brien smiles after making a defensive play during the first half of Tuesday's Class 4A sectional semifinal game against Collinsville at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Matt Schuckman photo

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Reid O’Brien dared the Collinsville boys basketball team to do it again. “If you leave me open, I’m going to make it,” he said with a smirk and a shrug. The Kahoks left him wide open twice. The Quincy High School junior guard made them both times. Tied at 17 at halftime…

Read More

Wreck it, Ralph! QHS sophomore guard’s game-winning layup ends Kahoks’ win streak, sends Blue Devils into sectional title game

Quincy High School's Jeremiah Talton, left, and Ralph Wires react after Wires made a layup as time expired to give the Blue Devils a 34-32 victory over Collinsville in the Class 4A sectional semifinals Tuesday night at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Matt Schuckman photo

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Any aspect of the final sequence — the split, the bounce or the bucket — could have been negated by a whistle. Ralph Wires prayed he wouldn’t hear one. With time evaporating rapidly and overtime looming, the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s sophomore point guard found himself in a now-or-never situation.…

Read More