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Girls basketball

Monroe City Tournament opens with trio of lopsided victories

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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The opening night of the 98th annual Monroe City Tournament featured a pair of lopsided victories in the girls bracket and only of the four games played being decided in the fourth quarter. The third-seeded Louisiana boys outlasted sixth-seeded Mark Twain 60-54 behind 15 points from Jack Logan. Josh Brothers led […]

Queen of the charts: Schreacke breaks QND career scoring record

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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The phone rings or the text message notification sounds on a Sunday night and Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne knows what it is. Abbey Schreacke wants in the gym. “Of course, I scoot down there to let her in,” Orne said. Had the 6-foot senior guard not had the desire […]

Top-ranked Raiders suffer first loss of season in playoff-like atmosphere against Bruins

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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Almost everything about the way Sunday played out — from the two-hour road trip to playing on a college-sized court — had the hallmark of a classic postseason matchup. All except the end result for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Tied at 45 with four minutes to play in regulation, […]

Photo gallery: QND girls basketball team plays in Sophie Cunningham Classic

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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The final game of a three-day event showcasing high school girls basketball ended up being a thrilling conclusion for the organizers, sponsors and fans of the inaugural Sophie Cunningham Classic at Columbia College’s Southwell Complex. However, it didn’t end quite the way the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team would have liked. […]

Liberty, Pittsfield seventh grade girls basketball teams to play for state championships

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The Liberty seventh grade girls basketball team will play for a state championship. So will the Pittsfield seventh graders. The Brown County and Quincy Junior High School eighth grade teams may, too. Liberty reached the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A title game by beating Altamont 31-19 in the quarterfinals and Nokomis 36-19 in the […]

Buehler? Buehler? Buehler? Yes, Buehler hits clutch free throws as QND rallies past Unity

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QUINCY — The moment required Ari Buehler to ignore, focus and follow through. Not an easy task on any front. Fouled with 14.4 seconds remaining in regulation and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team clinging to a two-point lead, the freshman guard first had to become oblivious to the chatter from the Unity players […]

Palmyra girls breathe life into second-half rally, use third-quarter surge to power past Canton

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CANTON, Mo. — Never underestimate the power of a deep breath. Palmyra girls basketball coach Tim Southers said his primary goal at halftime Friday night was to simply try and get his club’s emotions under control. “I just told the girls to breathe and relax,” he said. They listened. And then they responded. The end […]

The Rundown: Stephens scores 49 points, Illini West wins county showdown, Hannibal girls finish strong week

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QUINCY — The first full regular-season Friday night of the prep basketball season gave us a glimpse of what to expect from now until March. That’s epic individual performances, down-to-the-wire games and teams coming of age. Here’s a look at what happened … • The Southeastern boys basketball team raced to an 18-1 lead in […]

The Rundown: QND, Unity girls win ahead of showdown, Central wrestling sweeps, QHS girls capture first WB6 victory

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QUINCY —  A busy Thursday night on both the courts and the mats led to some sterling efforts. Here is a look at what transpired … • The Central wrestling team won a pair of duals, beating Beardstown 40-36 and Illini West 60-18. The Panthers’ Hunter Bolton earned a pair of pins at 160 pounds, […]

Defending state champion QND opens as No. 1 team in Class 2A, Unity starts No. 3 in Class 1A

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QUINCY — The initial Associated Press state basketball rankings set up an intriguing showdown in just two days. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team — the defending Class 2A state champion — opens the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state. The Raiders are 5-0 going into Thursday’s game at West Hancock […]

Photo gallery: Palmyra boys, girls basketball teams sweep twinbill from Mark Twain

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CENTER, Mo. — The Palmyra girls basketball team is showing what it takes to win convincingly. The Palmyra boys are showcasing what it takes to win tough. Tuesday night, that combination led to a doubleheader sweep. The Palmyra girls blitzed to a 23-7 lead over Mark Twain at the end of the first quarter and […]

The Rundown: QND girls stay undefeated, Brown County girls and boys with statement victories

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The Thanksgiving turkey hangover has passed, and area boys and girls basketball teams are looking to find a rhythm to their seasons. Monday night revealed what is possible when teams find their groove. Here are some of the highlights … • The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team improved to 5-0 with a 73-29 victory […]

QND girls basketball team ramps up pressure, completes weekend sweep with easy victory

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QUINCY — By the midpoint of the first quarter there was only one real question surrounding the Quincy Notre Dame-Warrenton girls basketball matchup that was playing out at The Pit. Would Warrenton wind up with more points or turnovers by game’s end? If your choice had been “points” you would have been correct, but only […]

After suffering 3-point loss at the Pit, Butler College Prep coach wants to see QND girls in state title game

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QUINCY — Butler College Prep girls basketball coach Xaver Walton got exactly what he wanted. The Lynx returned seven players from last year’s team that lost by three points to Minonk Fieldcrest in the Class 2A super-sectional. When Walton learned defending Class 2A state champion Quincy Notre Dame was looking for a team to play […]

QHS girls basketball team uses second-half rally to nearly topple reigning WB6 champion

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QUINCY — The second-half rally and fight to the finish the Quincy High School girls basketball team engaged in Tuesday night had two components. “We totally changed our mindset,” Blue Devils senior guard Leah Chevalier said. “And a few people hit shots.” It was nearly enough to topple the reigning Western Big 6 Conference champion. […]

Raiders open title defense with familiar out-of-the-gate knockout punch of Warriors

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QUINCY — The knockout punch came quickly. Quincy Notre Dame scored early and often Friday night, opening its girls basketball season with a relatively easy 68-39 victory over Hardin Calhoun at The Pit. “I felt we played with a lot of confidence,” QND senior Blair Eftink said. “We were excited to play.” The game was […]

Blue Devils put attacking arsenal on display in season-opening victory over Crimsons

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QUINCY — Quincy High School girls basketball Brad Dance talked throughout the preseason about how he felt his squad was going to shoot the ball better and score at a much higher rate. When the curtain opened on a new season Tuesday night, the Blue Devils backed that up. Four players finished in double figures […]

QND’s Schreacke verbally commits to play basketball at Mizzou

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QUINCY — Abbey Schreacke figured Wednesday’s trip to Columbia, Mo., for an official visit with the University of Missouri women’s basketball program might end with giving Tigers coach Robin Pingeton a verbal commitment. “I was thinking about it a lot and just waiting for the right moment,” Schreacke said. It came when she learned her […]

JWCC Show-Me Spotlight: Goats and guarding made for quick summer for Palmyra’s Williams

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PALMYRA, Mo. — The goats have gone to college. After Clare Williams, her brother Noah, and their cousin, Pierce White, finished showing goats at the Missouri State Fair, the animals were transported to the University of Missouri in Columbia for college students to observe and work with them. They earned a break from the fair […]

Schuckman: Making memories proves as important as making buckets in Muddy River Showcase

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QUINCY — Delaney Straus felt insulted. As the Missouri girls were milling around John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center ahead of Saturday’s Muddy River Showcase, the Marion County standout overheard a conversation in which a tongue-in-cheek prediction about the boys game was made. However, she thought the prediction of a 24-point Illinois victory was […]

Six is enough: Illinois girls outrun, outlast Missouri despite diminished roster to capture Muddy River Showcase

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QUINCY — By the time she finally had a chance to sit and relax for a moment, Caydee Kirkham felt the aftereffects of spending 39 of the 40 minutes in the inaugural Muddy River Showcase girls basketball game on the floor. “My legs are cramping a lot,” she said. “But it was fun, so that’s […]

Photo gallery: Muddy River Showcase girls basketball all-star game

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QUINCY — The inaugural Muddy River Showcase got off to a rousing start as the Illinois girls all-stars overcome diminished depth to outrun Missouri and post a 67-55 victory Saturday at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the intensity, camaraderie and enjoyment of the players and coaches […]

Muddy River Showcase: All-stars on both sides taking business-like approach to girls game

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QUINCY — After running up and down the court for the better part of an hour Thursday night, the Illinois girls all-stars wrapped up their final practice before Saturday’s inaugural Muddy River Showcase. They weren’t quite done, though. Hallie Ray and Abbie Johnson, teammates at Illini West, asked if they could stick around John Wood […]

Muddy River Showcase: Marion County’s Keilholz understands need to fulfill family tradition

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Muddy River Showcase: Illini West’s Johnson looking to give back to small-town community

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Muddy River Showcase: When opportunity knocked, Monroe City’s Moss answered

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Muddy River Showcase: Caring for kids comes natural for Highland’s Goings

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Muddy River Showcase: Illini West girls’ record-setting season comes complete with all-stars

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Muddy River Showcase: Multi-sport standouts fill Missouri girls all-star roster

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general […]

Commemorative editions highlight magical postseasons for QND girls, Liberty boys basketball teams

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QUINCY — Want to relive the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s postseason run to the Class 2A state championship? Would you want to revisit the Liberty boys basketball team’s pursuit of the highest state tournament finish in program history? Here’s your chance. Muddy River Sports has put together a pair of commemorative editions, highlighting […]

Muddy River Showcase: Illini West’s Surprenant will guide Illinois girls all-star team

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The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. CARTHAGE, Ill. — Grant Surprenant took a hiatus from basketball […]

Champaign News-Gazette names QND’s Schreacke as All-State Player of the Year

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QUINCY — Each time Abbey Schreacke sees someone wearing an Illinois, Mizzou or Indiana t-shirt or sweatshirt, it catches her eye. “I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m talking to them,’” she said. “That makes it kind of cool.” There are a myriad of college coaches chatting up the Quincy Notre Dame junior all-state basketball player on the […]

Southers returns to head coaching position as he is tasked to lead Palmyra girls basketball program

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PALMYRA, Mo. — Timothy Southers’ interest in watching the Palmyra girls basketball team develop was piqued from the start. “Being on the front line of watching of them this year, watching how they competed this year was very intriguing,” Southers said. “I remember the very first time I saw them play after (Palmyra boys basketball […]

Girls basketball Player of the Year: QND’s Schreacke shows leadership on and off court

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QUINCY — In the hallway outside the Illini West gym, in the wake of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 40-38 victory in a battle of state-ranked teams, Raiders freshman guard Sage Stratton struggled to shake what might have been. With less than four seconds remaining and QND inbounding the ball from the baseline, […]

Girls basketball Coach of the Year: Orne returning to bench brings championship back to QND

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QUINCY — It’s better to burn out than fade away. Those words are in the lyrics to the rock anthem “Rock of Ages,” released by Def Leppard in May 1983. Four decades later, they still ring true. Eric Orne burned out, but he never faded away. Following the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball program’s fifth […]

Unveiling the inaugural Muddy River Sports girls basketball all-area team

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The success of teams throughout the area on the girls basketball scene led to a vast number of players on both sides of the Mississippi River receiving postseason honors. Here is the inaugural Muddy River Sports all-area team, with the the 10 players listed in alphabetical order:

Crim: Turpin’s mission of helping student-athletes has never changed even as her job and title have

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NORTH PORT, Fla. — Once a coach, always a coach. While it has been 28 years since Kathy Turpin walked away from Culver-Stockton College as the winningest women’s basketball coach in school history, never to coach another college game, she is still doing her part to create an atmosphere for student-athletes to succeed. The competitive […]

Celebration fit for a champion: QND girls enjoy fire truck ride after winning Class 2A state title

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QUINCY — Muddy River Sports correspondent Ron Kinscherf captured images of the homecoming for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, which won the Class 2A state championship Saturday with a 63-56 victory over Winnebago in the title game at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. Below is a gallery of his pictures.

‘Everyone worked for this’: QND girls basketball team finishes magical season with Class 2A state championship

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NORMAL, Ill. — Blair Eftink looked down at the state championship medal hanging around her neck and shook her head from side to side, almost in disbelief. “It’s crazy,” she said. Eftink then glanced around at her Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball teammates, who were milling about in the hallway outside the media room in […]

Schuckman: In toughest of times, Raiders stand resolute as ‘pillar of strength’ for Orne

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NORMAL, Ill. — Friday morning, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players filed into St. Augustine Catholic Church, the quaint centerpiece of a devout congregation in their coach’s hometown of Ashland. Their mission was two-fold. Say a solemn goodbye to Mary Sue Orne, the mother of Raiders coach Eric Orne who passed away in the […]

Schreacke’s epic state tournament performance is one of legendary status

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NORMAL, Ill. — The pain of slightly spraining her right ankle hobbled Abbey Schreacke for a short stretch of the second quarter Saturday. Yet, it was getting poked in the eye that brought her tears. “Once I got poked in the eye, I forgot about the feeling in the ankle, too,” Schreacke said. No one […]

Photo gallery: QND girls basketball team wins Class 2A state championship at Redbird Arena

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NORMAL, Ill. — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena chronicling the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 63-56 victory over Winnebago in the Class 2A state championship game. Here is a gallery of images Schuckman collected throughout the Raiders’ run to a sixth state championship in program […]

‘You just don’t want it to end’: Raiders to play for state championship after confidence-soaring victory in semifinals over Panthers

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NORMAL, Ill. — Redbird Arena can’t exactly be called cavernous, but the shooting background can create a need for an adjustment. Blair Eftink didn’t seem to mind, especially when 3-pointer after 3-pointer kept falling during warmups. “Abbey (Schreacke) was telling me the depth perception was a lot different than where we normally play,” Eftink said. […]

Schreacke beats buzzer twice, gives QND girls needed momentum in state semifinal victory

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NORMAL, Ill. — The ball ending up in Abbey Schreacke’s hands with the seconds ticking away didn’t come as a surprise. Neither did the fact she made the shot. Well, the first one wasn’t a shocker. The second made those inside Redbird Arena either jump for joy or drop their head into their hands. Schreacke, […]

State tournament notebook: Raiders to take advantage of extra day to prep for title game

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NORMAL, Ill. — A dramatic change in the way the Illinois High School Association schedules the boys and girls state basketball tournament games has completely altered the weekend plans. It’s a blessing in disguise for Quincy Notre Dame. After beating Pana 56-44 Thursday afternoon in the Class 2A girls state semifinals at Illinois State University’s […]

QND’s Schreacke repeats as leading vote-getter for Associated Press Class 2A all-state team

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QUINCY — Abbey Schreacke has been the most dominant player on the court nearly every game this season. So it came as no surprise when she was the leading vote-getter for the Associated Press Class 2A all-state teams, which were released Wednesday. The 5-foot-10 junior guard topped a list of five first-team standouts, three of […]

‘It’s like our homecoming’: Raiders outlast Pioneers to win super-sectional, earn chance to return to Redbird Arena for final four

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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Doubt never fully surfaced. Concern may have. Yet, no matter what level of uneasiness the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players actually felt during the course of Monday night’s Class 2A Beardstown Super-Sectional, the unshakeable belief they have in each other always prevailed. “We stuck together,” junior guard Abbey Schreacke said. “That’s […]

Eftink shrugs off off-kilter shooting to make clutch free throws, send QND girls to state final four

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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Disbelief. It spread across Blair Eftink’s face. With 23.8 seconds remaining in Monday night’s Class 2A Beardstown Super-Sectional and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team clinging to a two-point lead, Eftink had the chance to provide a little bit of separation. Instead, her first free-throw attempt in a 1-and-1 situation rattled […]

Scoreboard for Saturday, February 26

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Boys basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 championship Monroe City 69, Highland 40. Click here for the story. Girls basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 championship South Shelby 59, Palmyra 55. Click here for the story. Men’s basketball At Meyer Sports Center, Bolivar, Mo. Southwest Baptist 86, Quincy University […]

South Shelby freshman buries go-ahead 3-pointer, ruins Palmyra’s chance for district upset

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MONROE CITY, Mo. — A freshman who came off the bench made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the Class 3 District 6 championship game. It just didn’t happen to be one of the Palmyra girls basketball team’s talented underclassmen. South Shelby’s Belle Roush drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key […]

Scoreboard for Friday, February 25

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Boys basketball At Alton, Ill. Class 4A Alton Regional Quincy High School 56, O’Fallon 49. Click here for the story and photos. At Beardstown, Ill. Class 2A Beardstown Regional Quincy Notre Dame 48, Pleasant Plains 37. Click here for the story and photos. At Griggsville, Ill. Class 1A Griggsville-Perry Regional Liberty 59, Winchester West Central […]

QND girls respond to early deficit, fend off Alton Marquette to win Class 2A sectional title

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WAVERLY, Ill. — Why worry? That’s exactly what the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players were thinking. Alton Marquette hit the Raiders with an opening salvo Friday night, scoring the first six points of the Class 2A Waverly Sectional championship game and forcing QND coach Eric Orne to burn a timeout after only 2 minutes, […]

Scoreboard for Wednesday, February 23

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Boys basketball At Beardstown, Ill. Class 2A Beardstown Regional Quincy Notre Dame 57, Illini West 37. Click here for the story and photos. Pleasant Plains 63, West Hancock 61. Click here for the story and photos. At Griggsville, Ill. Class 1A Griggsville-Perry Regional Liberty 61, Griggsville-Perry 47. Click here for the story and photos. Winchester […]

Palmyra girls need overtime to dispatch Highland, will face South Shelby for district championship

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MONROE CITY, Mo. — A 13-point halftime lead evaporated, forcing the second-seeded Palmyra girls basketball team to show some serious resolve in order to keep its season on the rails. The youthful Panthers played with poise when it mattered. Highland’s Ansley Bringer hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to force overtime, but […]

Scoreboard for Tuesday, February 22

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Boys basketball At Alton, Ill. Class 4A Alton Regional Quincy High School 49, Edwardsville 37. Click here for the story. At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 South Shelby 50, Mark Twain 47: Jaaron Durbin’s 3-pointer at the buzzer pushed the fourth-seeded Cardinals into a semifinal matchup with top-seeded Monroe City on Thursday. Durbin […]

All for one, one for all: Raiders kickstart sectional semifinal victory with production from entire lineup

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WAVERLY, Ill. — The attention opposing defenses pay Abbey Schreacke is warranted. But if Blair Eftink and the rest of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s starting five attack the basket with the kind of vengeance they did Tuesday night, opponents will find it harder and harder to double- or triple-team Schreacke. Stopping the […]

Power outage: Inability to score keeps Chargers from putting together another dramatic rally

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WAVERLY, Ill. — The team with a penchant for fourth-quarter magic needed to drum up another miracle moment. Shots have to fall for that to happen. Tuesday night, in the semifinals of the Class 2A Waverly Sectional, the Illini West girls basketball team couldn’t make a field goal to start a rally until the deficit […]

Scoreboard for Monday, February 21

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Girls basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 Monroe City 29, Mark Twain 25: Taylor Pfaff’s basket just before the buzzer at the end of the third quarter gave the fifth-seeded Panthers their first lead. Although the fourth-seeded Tigers tied the game at 19 early in the fourth quarter, Mackenzie Moss scored five […]

Scoreboard for Saturday, February 19

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Boys basketball At The Pit, Quincy Class 2A Beardstown Regional Quincy Notre Dame 64, Rushville-Industry 25. Click here for the story and photos. At Carthage, Ill. Class 2A Beardstown Regional Illini West 69, Beardstown 50: Max Richardson scored 28 points and Nolan Deitrich added 14 as the Chargers advanced to the semifinals to face Quincy […]

Duck hunting: Brown County girls ramp up defensive pressure to beat Havana, win regional title

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LEWISTOWN, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team turned up the defensive heat to cook the Havana Ducks. The Hornets limited Havana to just three made field goals in the first half and scored 18 consecutive points during a six-minute stretch overlapping the second and third quarters Saturday afternoon to roll to a convincing […]

Scoreboard for Friday, February 18

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Boys basketball At The Pit, Quincy Quincy Notre Dame 69, Keokuk 43. Click here for the story and photos. At Monroe City, Mo. Monroe City 62, Macon 48: The Panthers wrapped up a perfect run through the Clarence Cannon Conference to win their fourth consecutive league championship. Girls basketball At Jim Belz Gym, Springfield, Ill. […]

Raiders rev up in second quarter, win regional championship behind Schreacke’s 29 points

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s struggling start was erased when Abbey Schreacke scored with 6.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Raiders’ the lead. QND never trailed again. Off a Williamsville turnover with 15.1 seconds left in the quarter, QND got the ball into Schreacke’s hands, and […]

Healthy Arnsman scores 30 points, guides Mustangs to Class 1A regional championship

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BIGGSVILLE, Ill. — The winter storm that forced a 24-hour postponement of the Class 1A Biggsville Regional championship game might have been a blessing in disguise for the Unity girls basketball team. Abingdon-Avon must have felt like it was a curse. Tuesday night, prior to the regional semifinal victory over Monmouth United, Mustangs junior forward […]

Illinois girls basketball regionals: QND fends off Plains in second half, QHS cannot stop Alton’s run

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The difference between the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team advancing to a regional championship and Quincy High School falling short of that goal is a matter of minutes, not so much a matter of points. The Raiders shut down Pleasant Plains long enough to survive. The Blue Devils needed 90 seconds of timely stops […]

Scoreboard for Monday, February 14

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Boys basketball At Liberty, Ill. Liberty 68, Rushville-Industry 35: The Eagles improved to 24-5 and wrapped up the West Central Conference championship. At Augusta, Ill. Southeastern 70, Unity 47: The Suns continue rolling toward the postseason as Danny Stephens scored 29 points and Ramsey Fry added 28. Melvin McMillen led the Mustangs with 16 points, […]

Chargers, Panthers prepare for showdown No. 3 with regional championship at stake

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CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Illini West girls basketball team dispelled the adage “it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season” once already. Thursday night, the Chargers have to do it again to keep their season alive. This one will be as tough as the earlier chore. Illini West, seeded second in […]

Quick start, suffocating defense carry Hornets into Thursday’s regional championship

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LEWISTOWN, Ill. — The second-seeded Brown County girls basketball team scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 20 points and finish off a 63-41 victory over sixth-seeded Lewistown in Monday’s semifinals of the Class 1A Lewistown Regional. Ahead 43-33 entering the fourth quarter after managing just eight points […]

Raiders pick up some postseason momentum by beating state-ranked Crusaders on road

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In the wake of a loss to No. 1-ranked Brimfield on the road Wednesday night, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated another tough test awaited with Friday’s trip to Jefferson City Helias. He probably never envisioned how tough it would be to get off the bus. The Raiders, […]

Scoreboard for Thursday, February 10

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Boys basketball At Rushville, Ill. Central 79, Rushville-Industry 57: Panthers junior forward Isaac Genenbacher proved unstoppable in the post, scoring nine points in the pivotal second quarter. Central outscored Rushville 21-9 in the second quarter and maintained the double digit lead the remainder of the game. Genenbacher finished with a career-high 33 points without a […]

Blue Devils taking straightforward approach into postseason after upending Rocks in WB6 finale

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QUINCY — Four years ago as a freshman, Laci Novosel was scared to even look at the basket. In her final regular season game in the QHS gym on Thursday night, the senior caught the ball at the free-throw line, attacked off the dribble and scored at the rim like a seasoned veteran, providing 10 […]

Scoreboard for Wednesday, February 9

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Boys basketball At Voshall Gym, Pittsfield, Ill. Pittsfield 59, Jerseyville 56: The Saukees erased a 14-point deficit to force overtime and got five points from Nate Scranton in the extra period to snake out a victory. Scranton finished with 23 points as Pittsfield outscored Jerseyville 9-6 in overtime. TJ Reel added 16 points for the […]

In battle of No. 1-ranked teams, Brimfield takes QND ‘to the woodshed’ with 24-point victory

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BRIMFIELD, Ill. — As disheartening as it was to carry home a 24-point loss from a battle of two of the state’s No. 1-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne tried to remind the Raiders tomorrow is a new day. And another game awaits. “Maybe it’s a good thing we have a […]

Illinois girls basketball state rankings: QND heads into postseason No. 1 in Class 2A

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QUINCY — In the final state rankings before the Illinois girls basketball postseason begins, not much changed for the area teams. Quincy Notre Dame remains ranked No. 1 in Class 2A and Illini West is No. 3, although the Chargers are now tied with Pana, which is enjoying a 29-1 season and has not lost […]

Palmyra girls weather first-half storm, Monroe City boys take control early in CCC victories

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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Monroe City girls basketball team had everyone thinking upset. The Palmyra boys never got that chance. In a Clarence Cannon Conference showcase doubleheader Tuesday, the two teams either state ranked or in that conversation walked away with victories, albeit in decidedly different manners. Outscored 16-4 in the first quarter and […]

Scoreboard for Monday, February 7

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Boys basketball At The Pit, Quincy Southeastern 62, Quincy Notre Dame 52. Click here for the story and photos. At Canton, Mo. North Shelby 67, Canton 58: Preston Brewer led the Tigers with 17 points as they fell to 6-14 overall. Robert Uhlmeyer led the Raiders with 19 points. Girls basketball At Macomb, Ill. Illini […]

Scoreboard for Saturday, February 5

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Boys basketball At Blue Devil Gym, Quincy Quincy High School 62, Webster Groves 54. Click here for the story. At The Pit, Quincy SuperFan Shootout Jacksonville Routt 36, Quincy Notre Dame 35. Click here for the story and photos. Monroe City 54, Liberty 53. Click here for the story, photos and video. Winchester West Central […]

SuperFan Shootout: Edwardsville pulls away from QND in fourth quarter in showdown of two girls basketball dynasties

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QUINCY — Sydney Harris said she and her Edwardsville girls basketball teammates tend to struggle following a long bus ride. That haul from Madison County to Quincy, however, proved to be little or no problem when the Tigers outlasted Quincy Notre Dame 66-54 in Saturday night’s marquee matchup in the SuperFan Shootout at The Pit. […]

SuperFan Shootout Roundup: Mustangs overwhelm Cougars with balanced offense

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QUINCY — Four players scored in double figures for the Unity girls basketball team in a resounding 73-31 victory over Winchester West Central on Saturday afternoon during the SuperFan Shootout at the Pit. Unity (23-4) led 18-10 after the first quarter, then outscored the Cougars 20-4 in the second quarter. The lead never dipped below […]

Game Night Guide: WB6 clash, SuperFan Shootout, wrestling regionals highlight weekend

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QUINCY — A colossal conference clash. A cross-river showdown of state-ranked teams. A collegiate matchup with first place in the conference on the line. And champions to be crowned. It’s going to be quite a weekend. The madness starts Friday night when the Quincy High School boys basketball team travels to Moline with the chance […]

Scoreboard for Thursday, February 3

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Girls basketball At QHS gym, Quincy Quincy High School 45, United Township 37. Click here for the story. Men’s basketball At TRAC, Springfield, Ill. Quincy University 80, Illinois-Springfield 74. Click here for the story. At Morden Center, Lamoni, Iowa Culver-Stockton College 63, Graceland 51: A second-half surge offensively carried the Wildcats to a season sweep […]

Blue Devils find way to heat up offense, rally in second half to beat Panthers in WB6 play

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QUINCY — Brad Dance didn’t have an explanation for the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s inability to make a shot the first 10 minutes, 35 seconds of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. He figures the snow might be the case. “We had a shootaround this morning, basically a light practice for about […]

Muddy River Showcase to bring back Illinois vs. Missouri all-star basketball games

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QUINCY — Brad Hoyt remembers fondly going head-to-head with players from the opposite side of the Mississippi River in a summer all-star basketball game while creating long-lasting relationships with rivals he played against during the regular season. “There are stories from that game that we still share,” Hoyt said. And it’s been almost 30 years […]

Liquor Booth Shot of the Game: Moss makes two clutch free throws to lift Panthers

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MONROE CITY, Mo. — The first free throw was pure. The second didn’t go quite as planned. Still, Mackenzie Moss gave the Monroe City girls basketball team the advantage it needed to snare a 36-34 victory over Hannibal last Friday night. Fouled with 2.3 seconds remaining in regulation and the game tied at 34, the […]

Scoreboard for Tuesday, February 1

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Boys basketball At Liberty, Ill. Liberty 78, Western 39: The Eagles, ranked fifth in Class 1A, tuned up for a weekend showdown with Monroe City, the No. 1-ranked team in Missouri Class 3, by overwhelming the Wildcats and earning their 20th victory of the season. Cannen Wolf led the Eagles with 23 points, while Breiton […]

Scoreboard for Monday, January 31

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Boys basketball At Mendon, Ill. Illini West 73, Unity 41: The Chargers finally put the finishing touch on their Hancock County Tournament championship by outgunning the Mustangs in the weather-delayed finale. Nolan Deitrich made four 3-pointers and scored 14 of the Chargers’ 16 points in the first quarter as they bolted to a 16-10 lead. […]

Top-ranked Raiders win another road game against state-ranked opponent

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SHELBINA, Mo. — Any addition to the schedule two weeks before regional play begins needs to be done strategically and with purpose. That’s why hitting the road to face a top-10 team in a hostile environment made sense to Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class […]

Scoreboard for Saturday, January 29

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Girls basketball At Bethalto, Ill. Quincy Notre Dame 60, Bethalto Civic Memorial 46. Click here for the story. At Homer B. Musgrove Fieldhouse, Sterling, Ill. Quincy High School 69, Sterling 19: The Blue Devils picked up another Western Big 6 Conference victory, limiting the Golden Warriors to one field goal in the first quarter. Quincy […]

Top-ranked QND relies on defense in fourth quarter to hold off No. 8 Civic Memorial

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BETHALTO, Ill. — The fourth-quarter offensive miscues — four turnovers and zero converted field goals — committed by the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team on Saturday afternoon proved it may be withering from pressure. What ultimately kept the Raiders upright was their defense. Despite going the final eight minutes without a basket, QND was […]

Scoreboard for Friday, January 28

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Boys basketball At Homer B. Musgrove Fieldhouse, Sterling, Ill. Quincy High School 60, Sterling 32. Click here for the story and video interview. At Liberty, Ill. Liberty 57, Brown County 52: A 20-point lead at the end of the third quarter got uncomfortably tight near the end as the Hornets rallied. The fifth-ranked Eagles used […]

Scoreboard for Thursday, January 27

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Boys basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Columbia Father Tolton 59, Monroe City 41: In a battle of state-ranked teams, the Trailblazers gained the edge by limiting the Panthers to 15 combined points in the second and third quarters. Monroe City, ranked second in Class 3 according to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association polls, trailed 32-18 […]

Blue Devils gain confidence with second straight victory over 17-win opponent

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QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team just might be peaking at the perfect time. The Blue Devils’ 40-25 Western Big 6 Conference victory Thursday night over a 17-win Galesburg club was the second straight win over a quality opponent, evening Quincy’s record at 8-8. Earlier this week, the Blue Devils downed Springfield […]

Illinois girls state basketball polls: Quincy Notre Dame moves to No. 1 in Class 2A

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QUINCY — For the first time since 2012, when the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team won the second of its three straight state championships, the Raiders are the No. 1-ranked team in the state. QND and Winnebago switched spots atop the Class 2A state poll after the Raiders beat third-ranked Illini West on the […]