Back home again: Quincy girls start fast en route to 58-28 thumping of Hannibal

Quincy High School's Leila Dade tries to stop Hannibal's Alyson Falconer from shooting during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — Leah Chevalier’s reasoning was understandable. Slightly flawed, maybe, but completely understandable. “This win allowed us to finish unbeaten at home,” said the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s senior point guard following Wednesday night’s 58-28 victory over Hannibal in front of a crowd of about 550 at the QHS gym. But … ummm…

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Illinois girls basketball state rankings: QND, Central-Southeastern hold steady

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team will take a No. 3 ranking in Class 3A into the postseason. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (7) 31-0 79 1 2. Alton 27-2 65 2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 23-3 63 3 4. Maine South 27-1 48 5 (tie) Nazareth 24-3 48 4…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils celebrate Senior Night by finishing 9-0 in QHS gym

Quincy High School's Taylor Fohey wrestles for possession of the basketball with Hannibal's Katelynn Ferguson-Minor during Wednesday night's girls basketball game in the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team led 21-3 after the opening eight minutes and went on to defeat Hannibal 56-26 at the QHS gymnasium. The game had a celebratory feel to it, despite the Blue Devils (23-6) coming off a loss on Saturday in Blue Devil Gym to United Township. QHS coach…

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‘Unfinished business’: Palmyra girls gain revenge for earlier loss to Monroe City

Palmyra's Sydney Compton dribbles past Monroe City's Audri Youngblood during Tuesday night's high school girls basketball game at Monroe City High School. | Photo courtesy of Alicia Deming

MONROE CITY, Mo. — Palmyra girls basketball coach Kelsey Stuart referred to the rather one-sided 50-28 victory over rival Monroe City as “unfinished business.” There might have been a wink in her eye when she said that. At the very least, there was the distinct hint of a wry smile. Palmyra made no secret of…

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QND girls dominate final three quarters 43-9 to blow out defending Class 1A state champions

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Hummel, left, and Sage Stratton defend Okawville's Alayna Kraus during Saturday night's high school girls basketball game during the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — No rest for the weary? Well, there is a bit of a respite now for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders completed a grueling five-games-in-five days sojourn with a dominating 52-25 victory Saturday night at The Pit over defending Class 1A state champ Okawville during the American Family Insurance-KHQA Superfan Shootout.…

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C-SE girls race to 17-point halftime lead, force 26 Palmyra turnovers to win 15th consecutive game

Central-Southeastern's Agnes Genenbacher tries to shoot a reverse layup while Palmyra's Candra King tries to block the shot during Saturday afternoon's girls basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | Photo courtesy of Mike Pritchard

QUINCY – About 20 hours after rallying late to beat South Shelby in a Clarence Cannon Conference game at home, the Palmyra girls basketball team discovered Central-Southeastern doesn’t give up leads so easily. Lauren Miller scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter and C-SE grabbed a 17-point halftime lead Saturday afternoon…

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Quincy girls held to lowest point total since 2017, lose WB6 showdown with United Township

Quincy High School's Jada Brown looks to shoot while United Township's Lorena Awou defends during Saturday's high school girls basketball game in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

QUINCY — The knockout punch came early, and it was impressive. Unlike recent United Township victories over the Quincy High School girls basketball team, when the outcome was in doubt until the final seconds, Saturday’s verdict was never in question from about midway through the second quarter. With 6-foot-5 Lorena Awou — a North Carolina…

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Fast finish in fourth fuels furious Palmyra girls’ comeback in victory over South Shelby 

Palmyra's Clare Williams, who scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds goes up for a shot during Friday night's girls basketball game against South Shelby in Palmyra, Mo. | Photo courtesy of Alicia Deming

PALMYRA, Mo. — When asked if she had been worried at any point, Palmyra junior point guard Clare Williams responded matter-of-factly, “I knew we’d eventually have a run.” Palmyra did just that Friday night, rattling off 12 straight points in the fourth quarter on the way to a 50-44 Clarence Cannon Conference girls basketball victory…

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Sweet Sixteen: Pieper turns in 19-point performance on birthday as QND girls edge Clopton

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper looks to shoot over Clopton's Ashlyn Noah during Friday night's high school girls basketball game at the KHQA Superfan Shootout in the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — There are not many better ways for a 16-year-old to celebrate her birthday than to spend it with her friends. Tristan Pieper’s friends took care of her Friday night.  Pieper, a sophomore, led all scorers with 19 points as the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team fought off Clopton 44-37 at the American…

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Photo Gallery: With defending champions on tap for Saturday, Raiders hold off late Clopton rally

Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler tries to dribble up the court while guarded by Clopton's Jasmine Hammett during Friday night's girls basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout on Friday night at the Pit. | David Adam

Eight straight points, capped off by two 3-pointers, pulled Clopton within 40-37 with 6:40 to play in the game, but a driving layup by Raiders guard Ari Buehler broke Clopton’s momentum, and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held on for 44-37 victory on Friday night at the Pit. Junior Sage Stratton and sophomore…

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QHS girls climb one spot in Associated Press Class 4A poll; C-SE rises one spot in 2A, QND drops one spot in 3A

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Wiewel tries to block a shot by Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier during Tuesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (4) 29-0 66 1 2. Alton (3) 25-1 64 2 3. Bolingbrook 21-2 55 3 4. Nazareth 21-3 38 5 5. Maine South 25-1 37 4 6.…

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Stratton reaches 1,000 career points as Notre Dame girls rebound after rare loss

Pittsfield's Sophie Gengler drives to the basket while Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton defends during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. | David Adam

QUINCY — When Sage Stratton dropped through a second-quarter field goal Wednesday night, the game came to an immediate halt. Public address announcer Frank Cash then informed the crowd at The Pit that Stratton, a junior guard for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, had become the 17th player in the long and storied…

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Photo Gallery: Raiders bounce back after loss to QHS by overwhelming Pittsfield

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper, center, gets tied up by Pittsfield's Taylor Peebles, left, while Hannah Williams defends during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. | David Adam

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team earned a much-needed victory Wednesday night with a 55-37 decision over Pittsfield at the Pit. The Raiders rebounded 24 hours after getting thumped by crosstown rival Quincy High School 47-24. Notre Dame led 34-10 halftime and 43-19 after three quarters. Pittsfield (10-11) rebounded with a strong fourth quarter,…

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One off the checklist: Blue Devils lead wire to wire in victory over cross-town rival Raiders

Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier reaches back to grab a rebound during Tuesday night's girls basketball game against Quincy Notre Dame at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — How well is the Quincy High School girls basketball team playing at the moment? “I think we’re probably playing the best ball we have all season right now,” senior center Taylor Fohey said following Tuesday night’s 47-24 victory over rival Quincy Notre Dame at The Pit. It would be difficult to dispute Fohey’s…

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Photo Gallery: Fohey, Brown combine for 31 points, 17 rebounds for QHS girls

Quincy High School's Laila Dade, right, drives to the basket while Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler, left, defends during Tuesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

The Quincy High School girls basketball team, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A, led wire-to-wire in a 47-24 victory on Tuesday night at the Pit. The Blue Devils held Quincy Notre Dame, ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, to its lowest offensive output in 97 games, dating to late in the 2020-21 season when the…

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Blass sparks fourth-quarter comeback as QU women erase 10-point deficit to win on road

Mikayla Huffine | MRN File Photo

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Trailing by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, the Quincy University women’s basketball team outscored Southwest Baptist 22-4 during the final 10 minutes and won 72-65 on Saturday afternoon at the Meyer Sports Center in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game. The victory keeps the Hawks (7-12, 6-7 in the GLVC) in…

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Blue Devils shoot 68 percent from field, win impressively in battle of state-ranked conference foes

Quincy's Jada Brown goes up for a shot while Galesburg's Syriah Boyd tries to defend during Thursday night's girls basketball game at the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam

QUINCY — It isn’t supposed to look that easy. The inside scoring of Jada Brown … the perimeter shooting of Myley Longcor … the post passing from the perimeter … the defensive pressure on Galesburg’s guards … it all came together on Thursday night in a masterful performance. A game between two state-ranked girls basketball…

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Pieper helps QND girls pull away in second half to defeat South Shelby

Tristan Pieper, shown in a game earlier this season against Highland (Ill.), scored 16 points on Thursday night against South Shelby. | MRN File photo

SHELBINA, Mo. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held South Shelby to just 16 points in the second half in posting a 53-40 victory on Thursday night. The Raiders led 27-24 at halftime, and they made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to Tristan Pieper. She scored eight of her game-high…

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Photo Gallery: Freshman Brown contributes 28 points, nine rebounds in victory over Silver Streaks

Quincy's Leah Chevalier, right, dribbles to the baseline while Galesburg's Kiarra Kilgore defends. | David Adam

QUINCY — Freshman Jada Brown scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help the Quincy High School girls basketball team defeat Galesburg 62-43 in a Western Big Six Conference game Thursday night at the QHS gymnasium. The Silver Streaks led 2-0, and the Blue Devils quickly grabbed the lead and never relinquished it. MRN…

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QHS girls stay at No. 8 in Class 4A poll, while QND girls move up one spot to No. 3 in Class 3A

Quincy Notre Dame's Eric Orne talks to his team during a timeout in a game at John Wood Community College in December. | Muddy River News file photo by Addi Sanger

Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (7) 27-0 106 1 2. Alton (3) 24-1 92 T2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 20-2 88 T2 4. Maine South 22-1 75 4 5. Nazareth 18-3 61 5 6. Normal…

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Monroe City’s turnaround continues with victory over Canton in tourney title game

Monroe City's Maridith Gares puts up a free-throw attempt during Saturday night's championship game of the 81st Tony Lenzini Tournament in Palmyra, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — Maridith Gares knows exactly when the Monroe City girls basketball team’s season did an about-face. “We had just lost by 20 points to Elsberry, and we all knew something had to change,” the 5-foot-7 senior guard said. And it most certainly has. More proof of that tcame Saturday night when Monroe City…

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Panthers pluck Ducks with overwhelming first quarter to win ninth straight game

Central-Southeastern's Lauren Miller scored 26 points in guiding the Panthers to a 59-40 victory over Havana on Thursday night in Camp Point, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Havana girls basketball coach Michelle Brady cut right to the chase. “We got our teeth kicked in,” Brady said without one bit of hesitation at the onset of her postgame assessment. Brady’s remark came moments following state-ranked Central-Southeastern’s 59-40 victory on a Thursday night when the outcome was all but decided…

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Shutting out Chargers in second quarter propels state-ranked Raiders to victory

Quincy Notre Dame guard Sage Stratton scored 16 points in Thursday night's victory over Illini West in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — A slow start didn’t translate to a sluggish finish for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Defense turned everything around. Trailing Illini West 9-7 at the end of the first quarter Thursday night, the state-ranked Raiders shut out the Chargers in the second quarter, then scored 23 points in the third…

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Illinois girls basketball state rankings: QHS up two spots in Class 4A, QND and Central-Southeastern remain in poll

The Quincy High School girls basketball team moved up to No. 8 in this week's Associated Press Class 4A state poll. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (5) 22-0 75 1 2. Alton (2) 21-1 67 3 (tie) Bolingbrook (1) 18-2 67 5 4. Maine South 20-1 42 2 5. Nazareth 15-3 38 6 6.…

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State-ranked Palmyra girls roll in opening round of Tony Lenzini Tournament

Palmyra guard Alaina Loman handles the ball during Monday night's game against Van-Far in the opening round of the Tony Lenzini Tournament in Palmyra, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — The target on their backs isn’t bothering the Palmyra girls basketball players. Ranked fifth in the latest Class 3 state poll and seeded No. 1 for the 81st Tony Lenzini Tournament, the Panthers outscored Van-Far 24-1 in the second quarter Monday night and cruised to a 69-37 victory in the opening round…

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Unrelenting defensive effort carries QHS girls basketball team to WB6 victory over Rocky

Quincy High School guard Leah Chevalier, left, looks to throw a pass to the post during Thursday night's game against Rock Island at the QHS gym. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a disappointing loss behind it. Another dynamic defensive effort helped do that. Rock Island made just one field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym, trailed by as many as 14 points early and couldn’t…

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Lantz, Panthers take control early in dispatching Chargers to finish CSE Classic pool play undefeated

Central-Southeastern senior guard Brilyn Lantz scored 19 points in Thursday's victory over Illini West in the CSE Classic in Camp Point, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Brilyn Lantz preferred to look at the big picture following the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s 48-38 victory over Illini West. Sure, she posted team highs of 19 points and five rebounds Thursday night during the final game of pool play in the 31st CSE Classic, but she was most concerned with…

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Prairie State Profile: Robinson gives Bombers leadership, confidence heading into new year

Macomb junior guard Kylie Robinson led the Bombers to a fifth-place finish at the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic and was named to the all-tournament team. | Submitted photo

MACOMB, Ill. — As challenging as 2023 seemed to be at times for Kylie Robinson and the Macomb girls basketball team, the year ended with the right springboard to brighter days. The Bombers finished fifth in the 41st Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, winning four of five games over a four-day span the week between Christmas…

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Illinois girls state basketball rankings: QND slides up to No. 3, QHS and CSE remain in top 10s

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team moved up to No. 3 in the Class 3A state poll this week. | Addi Zanger photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (2) 18-0 45 1 2. Maine South 20-0 44 3 3. Alton (3) 15-0 40 2 4. Normal Community 18-2 23 4 5. Bolingbrook 14-2 22 5 6.…

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Unable to score in overtime, Blue Devils suffer loss in Sophie Cunningham Classic

Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance talks to his team during a timeout in Sunday's game against Columbia Battle in the Sophie Cunningham Classic in Columbia, Mo. | Photo courtesy Sophie Cunningham Classic

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team had its chances. Forced to go to overtime against Columbia Battle in Sunday’s Sophie Cunningham Classic, the state-ranked Blue Devils failed to score on all five possessions in the extra period and suffered a 42-38 loss at Columbia College’s Southwell Gymnasium. The Spartans outscored the…

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Koerkenmeier’s last-second field goal gives Mater Dei edge in rematch with QND girls

Quincy Notre Dame guard Sage Stratton looks to drive to the basket during Saturday's game against Breese Mater Dei in the Breese Central PAWS Shootout in Breese, Ill. | Photo courtesy Jeremy Chawgo

BREESE, Ill. — On the final possession of regulation in Saturday afternoon’s state tournament rematch, the Breese Mater Dei girls basketball team adapted Wee Willie Keeler’s most famous quote to suit its needs. Instead of “hit ‘em where they ain’t,” as the National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee is credited with saying, the Knights decided…

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Turnovers, struggles engaging offensively cost Palmyra girls chance to win Highland tourney title

Palmyra forward Candra King looks for room to attack the basket between two Keokuk defenders during Saturday's championship game of the Highland Tournament in Lewistown, Mo. | Addi Zanger photo

LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The numbers don’t lie. “This was not our best game,” said Palmyra girls basketball coach Kelsey Stuart, shaking her head Saturday evening as she dissected a 48-40 loss to Keokuk in the finals of the 52nd Highland Tournament. The state-ranked Panthers, who saw a four-game win streak come to an end, turned…

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Locking down defensively allows Blue Devils to kickstart 2024 with WB6 victory

Quincy High School's Bri Lannerd, left, goes up for a shot while Moline's Taleah Tirrell goes for the block during Thursday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym. | Samantha Carmean photo

QUINCY — Taylor Fohey’s reaction spoke volumes. “Really?” she said with wide eyes and an I-didn’t-know-that expression when told the Quincy High School girls basketball team didn’t allow Moline to score a field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. “Honestly, I don’t think too much about what we’re…

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Illinois girls state basketball rankings: QHS, QND, Central-Southeastern all in respective top 10s

The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is one of three area teams to be ranked in the Associated Press state polls. | David Adam photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous rank. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (3) 18-0 62 2 2. Alton (3) 15-0 58 3 3. Maine South (1) 18-0 52 7 4. Normal Community 17-1 42 8 5. Bolingbrook…

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‘I knew we weren’t going to give up’: Central-Southeastern overcomes 16-point deficit to repeat as State Farm Holiday Classic champs

Members of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team celebrate after receiving the gold ball trophy for winning the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic in the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is becoming pretty good at playing from behind. Eleven days ago, the Panthers trailed Quincy Notre Dame 27-2 but had two chances to win the game in a 35-31 loss. Twenty-four hours before playing in the small school girls bracket championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic,…

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Photo Gallery: CSE captures third gold ball in school history

Central-Southeastern's Brilyn Lantz looks at the official after battling Galena's Nevaeh Hauber for a loose ball during Saturday afternoon's championship game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to hand Galena its first loss in a 45-40 victory in the championship game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the game.

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Brown’s 31 points help Blue Devils bounce back after late night to take third-place trophy

Freshman Jada Brown scored 31 points in Quincy High School's victory over Washington in the third-place game of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Saturday afternoon. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together.  In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…

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Photo Gallery: First trip to State Farm Holiday Classic proves to be fruitful for QHS girls

Quincy High School's Leila Dade goes flying out of bounds after she was pushed by Washington's Aisley Redlingshafer during Saturday's third-place game in the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…

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C-SE girls burn most of final five minutes off clock, move into title game at State Farm Holiday Classic

Central-Southeastern's Karly Peters drives to the basket while being guarded by Angel Dickerson from Kankakee Bishop McNamara during Friday's semifinal game in the small school girls bracket in the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center in Bloomington. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — High school basketball fans clamoring for a shot clock would not have enjoyed the final five minutes of Central-Southeastern’s 39-25 victory over Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket in the State Farm Holiday Classic on Friday night at the Shirk Center. Once the Panthers built their…

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Potential game-tying shot doesn’t fall as QHS girls lose in overtime in State Farm Holiday Classic semifinal

Quincy High School's Leila Dade splits Morton defenders Isabella Hutchinson, left, and Paige Selke during Friday night's semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…

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Photo Gallery: Central-Southeastern earns chance to defend championship with victory over Bishop McNamara

Central-Southeastern's Lauren Miller dribbles to the basket while being guarded by Bishop McNamara's Angel Dickerson during Saturday's semifinal of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center in Bloomington. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team only led 18-17 at halftime but pulled away in the second half to defeat Kankakee Bishop McNamara 39-25 in the semifinals of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center on Friday. CSE will play Galena for the title at 3:30…

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Photo Gallery: Foul problems hinder Blue Devils in semifinal setback to Morton

Quincy High School's Cameran Byquist is fouled by Morton's Paige Selke during the Blue Devils' 42-40 overtime loss during Friday night's semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey, Jada Brown and Myley Longcor all spent significant time on the bench either in foul trouble or nursing an injury during the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 42-40 overtime loss to Morton during Friday night’s semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic…

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Holiday tournament central; Friday’s scores, Saturday’s schedule and livestream links

QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Friday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Collinsville 44, Quincy High School 39 At State Farm Holiday Classic Small School Bracket At Bloomington High School Minonk Fieldcrest 64, Quincy Notre Dame 40 Quincy Notre Dame 78, Rockford Lutheran…

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‘We wanted to be ticks on their belly buttons’: CSE dominant defensively in second half of quarterfinal victory

Central-Southeastern's Lauren Miller, right, dribbles past Stanford Olympia's Grace Carter during Thursday afternoon's girls basketball game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long knew some people might think he was trying to be funny, but when it comes to girls basketball, he’s usually quite serious. “We told (the Panthers) we wanted to be ticks on their belly buttons,” Long said after his team’s 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals…

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Fohey, Brown combine to make all but two of Quincy’s field goals in victory over Peoria Richwoods

Taylor Fohey, who scored 26 points, drives to the basket during Quincy High School's girls basketball game against Peoria Richwoods during the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday night at Normal Community High School. | David Adam photo

NORMAL, Ill. — After one of Taylor Fohey’s seven second-quarter baskets Thursday night, the frustration among the Peoria Richwoods girls basketball players was evident.  As Fohey drove to the basket and muscled up two more points, one of the Lady Knights said, “What do you want me to do?” Fohey scored 20 first-half points to…

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Photo gallery: Panthers allow just eight points in second half in rout of Stanford Olympia

Central-Southeastern's Carly Peters, right, is guarded by Stanford Olympia's Raquel Birky during Thursday afternoon's game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team forced 18 second-half turnovers and didn’t allow a field goal for nearly a quarter and a half in a 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals of the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday afternoon at Bloomington High School. MRN…

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Photo Gallery: Victory over Richwoods ensures QHS will play two state-ranked teams at State Farm Holiday Classic

Quincy High School's Leila Dade looks to pass while guarded by Peoria Richwoods' Kamryn Heider during Thursday night's game in the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal Community High School. | David Adam photo

NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy High School’s 56-40 victory over Peoria Richwoods on Thursday night assures the team two more games against state-ranked teams in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils play Morton in the semifinals on Friday and either Washington or Normal Community on Saturday. MRN Editor…

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Frustrated Fohey finishes with flourish, scores 1,000th career point as QHS girls win State Farm Holiday Classic opener

Taylor Fohey heads to the basket to score her 1,000th career point during Quincy High School's girls basketball game Wednesday night against Springfield during the State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey admitted she was counting down the points. She also admitted that might have been why she wasn’t scoring many on Wednesday night. She started the game 14 points shy of reaching 1,000 for her career. The Quincy High School girls basketball team led Springfield 48-36 midway through the fourth quarter,…

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Central-Southeastern clamps down on Normal U-High in opening-round victory

Junior guard Lauren Miller led the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team with 22 points in the opening-round victory over Normal U-High at the State Farm Holiday Classic. | Muddy River Sports file photo

NORMAL, Ill. — The No. 1 seed played like the No. 1 seed. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s defensive intensity frustrated and stymied Normal U-High from start to finish in Wednesday night’s 67-19 victory in the opening round of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal Community High School. It…

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Photo Gallery: QHS girls place three in double figures in State Farm Holiday Classic debut

Quincy High School guard Bri Lannerd pushed the ball up the court against Springfield during Wednesday's opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jada Brown scored 16 points, Taylor Fohey scored 14 and Myley Longcor added 11 in the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 58-38 victory over Springfield in the first round of the large school bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of…

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Tournament central: Check out the holiday basketball tournament brackets

QUINCY — Here are the brackets for holiday boys and girls basketball tournaments involving area teams: Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic State Farm Holiday Classic small school boys State Farm Holiday Classic small school girls State Farm Holiday Classic large school girls Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic MVIT St. Dominic Christmas Tournament (boys…

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Big first quarter carries West Hancock, while Central-Southeastern relies on suffocating defense

Central-Southeastern's Claire Huston battles for a loose ball during Thursday night's game against Fort Madison (Iowa) in the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College's Student Activity Center. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A pair of girls basketball teams hoping to build momentum before tackling the challenging task of being the No. 1 seed in a holiday tournament gained a much-needed boost Thursday night. It just happened to come in vastly different ways. West Hancock, the No. 1 seed in the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, used…

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Photo gallery: West Hancock, Central-Southeastern cap Rumble on the River with victories

West Hancock's Lillie Woodworth fakes an inbounds pass during Thursday's game against Columbia (Mo.) Father Tolton in the Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The West Hancock and Central-Southeastern girls basketball teams put a cap on the 16th Rumble on the River Holiday Shootout with victories Thursday night. The Titans beat Columbia (Mo.) Father Tolton 58-49 and the Panthers dispatched Fort Madison (Iowa) 49-16. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening at John Wood Community…

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Rumble on the River final scoreboard

QUINCY — Here is a look at the scoreboard for the 16th Rumble on the River Holiday Shootout: Played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center Friday, December 15 Quincy Notre Dame girls 59, Hannibal 21 MVP — QND’s Sage Stratton Saturday, December 16 North Shelby girls 38, Payson Seymour 33 MVP — North…

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Raiders show no let up in rumbling to victory over Burlington Notre Dame

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper, right, goes up for a shot during Wednesday's game against Bulrington (Iowa) Notre Dame in the Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — After seeing an apparent blowout turn into a nail-biting victory Monday night against Central-Southeastern, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated to his team the importance of playing with the same intensity for four quarters. Consider the message received. Behind the perimeter shooting of guard Sage Stratton and a smothering defense,…

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Tale of two halves: QND outlasts Central-Southeastern despite Panthers’ epic rally

Central-Southeastern's Lauren Miller, right, pressures Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton during Monday night's game at The Pit. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — Eric Orne’s post-game expressions captured his thoughts perfectly. There was the occasional wince, coupled with the rubbing of the top of his head with the palm of his hand. Even an occasional sigh. “Today is my birthday … and I feel like I aged 10 years tonight,” said Orne, the veteran Quincy Notre…

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Photo gallery: Missouri squads gain edge on third night of Rumble on the River

Palmyra's Bear Bock dives a loose ball while surrounded by sevreral Payson Seymour players during Monday night's matchup in the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College's Student Activity Center. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Monday night proved to be Missouri’s night. Three Missouri squads — the Monroe City boys and girls basketball teams along with the Palmyra boys — snared victories at the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Monroe City girls used eight points apiece from JWCC signee…

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Rumble on the River Day 3 scoreboard and upcoming schedule

QUINCY — Here is a look at the scoreboard and upcoming schedule for the 16th Rumble on the River: Played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center Friday, December 15 Quincy Notre Dame girls 59, Hannibal 21 MVP — QND’s Sage Stratton Saturday, December 16 North Shelby girls 38, Payson Seymour 33 MVP —…

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Eversman’s baseline jumper caps comeback, lifts QND girls to victory in Rumble on the River

Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton, left, looks to pass out of trouble during the Raiders' 51-49 victory over Troy (Mo.) Buchanan in the Rumble on the River on Saturday at John Wood Community College. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Sage Stratton could see it in Marie Eversman’s approach. “She was not scared,” Stratton. Not at all. The freshman guard’s baseline jumper with two seconds remaining in regulation Saturday afternoon gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball a 51-49 victory over Troy (Mo.) Buchanan in the 16th Rumble on the River at John…

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QHS’s twin towers power way past Cairo Northwest during Rumble on the River victory

Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier pressures Cairo (Mo.) Northwest guard Mallori Hankins during Saturday's game in the Rumble on the River. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown are at opposite ends of their high school careers, one signed to play college basketball next season and the other about to finish the first semester of her freshman year. Yet, when they meet in the middle, they are as formidable as any twin towers around. Cairo (Mo.)…

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Photo gallery: Full slate of games on second day of Rumble on the River

Hannibal's C.J. Anderson attempts to avoid a trap from Illini West's Reece Shoup, top, and Colby Robertson, right, during Saturday's game in the Rumble on the River. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Rumble on the River rumbled on Saturday with eight games being played at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was there for half of the slate and put together this photo gallery:

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‘We put defense first’: Raiders put clamps on Pirates’ attack to run away with Rumble victory

Quincy Notre Dame's Marie Eversman, right, pressures Hannibal's Malia Stolte during the first half of Friday night's game in the Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College's Student Activity Center. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Sage Stratton’s assessment of the nearly 12-minute stretch in which the Hannibal girls basketball team went without a field goal Friday night should attract as much attention as the effort itself. “We put defense first and we work hard on defense,” the Quincy Notre Dame junior guard said. “It doesn’t matter what court…

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Photo gallery: QND, Hannibal girls kick off Rumble on the River

Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler, left, and Sage Stratton react to a play made by a teammate during the fourth quarter of Friday night's victory over Hannibal in the Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College's Student Activity Center. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s defensive dominance led to a 59-21 victory over Hannibal on Friday night in the opening game of the 16th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:

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Pittsfield eighth grade girls basketball team wins IESA Class 3A state championship

The Pittsfield eighth grade girls basketball team won the Class 3A state championship with Thursday night's 39-20 victory over Germantown Hills. | Photo courtesy Pikeland School District

GERMANTOWN HILLS, Ill. — The Pittsfield eighth grade girls basketball team is coming home with a state championship. Pittsfield outscored Germantown Hills 12-2 in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Illinois Elementary School Association Class 3A title game, setting the tone for a 39-20 victory at Germantown Hills Middle School. The Lady Braves finished their…

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Three area girls basketball teams crack top 10 in first Illinois state rankings

Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long's team is ranked No. 8 in Class 2A in the initial Associated Press state poll. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

CHICAGO — Here is a look at the Illinois Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School                       W-L   Pts  1. Bolingbrook (4)           9-0   71   2. Loyola (2) …

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Home is where victories are: QND girls run win streak at The Pit to 24 straight by beating Palmyra

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper, right, attempts to block a shot by Palmyra's Candra King during Tuesday night's game at The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — Above all else, protect The Pit. That’s more or less an unwritten rule when it comes to the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders’ home floor — a.k.a. The Pit — is more than a safe haven for the QND team. It has become a full-fledged basketball sanctuary for one of…

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Photo gallery: QND boys and girls sweep cross-river doubleheader from Palmyra

Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton dives for a loose ball during Tuesday night's game against Palmyra at The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The Pit is a tough place for opposing teams to win. Tuesday night, the Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams saw why. A strong start by the Quincy Notre Dame boys led to a 54-42 victory, while the QND girls pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 45-35 victory — their 24th…

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Nothing but net: Williams’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifts Palmyra girls to tourney championship

The Palmyra girls basketball team won the championship of the 99th Monroe City Tournament by beating South Shelby 64-61 Saturday night in Monroe City, Mo. | Submitted photo

MONROE CITY, Mo. — By design, Clare Williams’ first option was to pass the ball. Fortunately, that did not work out. Williams wound up unleashing a 22-foot bomb that found nothing but net as time expired Saturday night, sending the Palmyra girls basketball team to a 64-61 victory over South Shelby in the finals of…

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Western seventh grade girls basketball team finishes as Class 1A state runner-up

The Western seventh grade girls basketball team finished second in the IESA Class 1A state tournament. | Submitted photo

ASSUMPTION, Ill. — It took the best defensive team in the state to derail the Western seventh-grade girls basketball team’s state championship dreams. Washington St. Patrick, which didn’t allow more than 13 points in any postseason game, clamped down defensively on the Wildcats in a 22-6 victory Thursday night in the IESA Class 1A state…

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Prairie State Profile: Woodworth is enjoying grand time helping Titans succeed

West Hancock senior Lillie Woodworth celebrates scoring her 1,000th career point earlier this season. | Photo courtesy West Hancock athletics

HAMILTON, Ill. — Lillie Woodworth is part of the final class of high school student-athletes who had their careers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Hancock basketball standout played only nine games as a freshman when the Illinois High School Association altered its calendar and shrunk season lengths  in hopes of getting all fall,…

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Silver Streaks’ perimeter game leads to critical WB6 victory over Blue Devils

Quincy High School's Bri Lannerd, right, drives to the basket during Thursday night's Western Big 6 Conference game against Galesburg at John Thiel Gym in Galesburg, Ill. | Photo courtesy Steve Davis

GALESBURG, Ill. — It didn’t matter what defense the Quincy High School  girls basketball team employed. Galesburg found a way to beat it. The Silver Streaks were able to get into gaps and knock down perimeter jumpers, burying nine 3-pointers while securing the top spot in the Western Big 6 Conference with a 55-41 victory…

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Central-Southeastern ratchets up defensive effort in second half to run away from Illini West

Central-Southeastern guard Karly Peters helped spark a 46-22 victory over Illini West on Monday night in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Karly Peters did not offer any excuses. Nor did she try to sugarcoat the first-half performance turned in by the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team. “We weren’t working hard enough on defense in the first half, but we kind of locked it down in the second half,” said Peters, a 5-foot-9 junior. That…

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Blue Devils’ defensive dominance continues in another WB6 whitewashing

Quincy High School forward Taylor Fohey pressures a Sterling player during Saturday's Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — There is no quantitative goal the Quincy High School girls basketball players set for what they hope to accomplish defensively each game. However, there is an emotional response they look to achieve. “I guess the goal would be to kind of embarrass the opponent in a sense,” senior point guard Leila Dade said.…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls basketball team overwhelms another WB6 foe with defense

Quincy High School freshman forward Jada Brown, left, gains position on the block during the first half of Saturday's game against Sterling at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team limited Sterling to five points in the first quarter and 11 overall in the first half, rolling to a 21-point lead by halftime and cruising to a 52-29 victory in Western Big 6 Conference action Saturday at the QHS gym. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…

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Putting away victory over Canton part of evolution for Palmyra girls basketball team

Palmyra guard Clare Williams puts up a shot during the first half of Friday night's game against Canton in Palmyra, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — The question is twofold. Just how good is the Palmyra girls basketball team at this point? Conversely, how accomplished can it eventually become? Junior guard Clare Williams said the evolution of this year’s club will be a process. It’s a long season and success will likely be measured by increments, not exclamation…

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Photo gallery: Palmyra basketball teams sweep doubleheader from Canton

Palmyra forward Candra King puts up a shot during Friday night's game against Canton in Palmyra, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — The Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams completed a sweep of Canton on Friday night with the boys winning 57-37 and the girls battling for a 48-39 victory. Photographer Mathew Kirby spent his evening in the Palmyra gym and put together this photo gallery:

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Titans give Raiders tussle, but third-quarter run tilts game in QND’s favor

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper was one of four players to score in double figures during Thursday night's victory over West Hancock at The Pit. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — Tristan Pieper cut right to the chase in her postgame assessment of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 60-54 victory over West Hancock. “We knew they’d be strong,” said Pieper, a 6-foot sophomore who was one of four Raiders to score in double figures Thursday night at The Pit. In a game…

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Photo gallery: Palmyra basketball teams sweep doubleheader from Mark Twain

Palmyra senior guard Taytum White scores during Tuesday's season opener against Mark Twain in Palmyra, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — The Kelsey Stuart coaching era is off and running. The Brian Rea coaching era continues to breed success. The combination should make for an entertaining winter in the Flower City. The Palmyra girls basketball team stormed past Mark Twain 58-24 on Tuesday night in the Panthers’ season opener and Stuart’s first game…

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Raiders hold off Bulldogs to secure 1,000th victory in girls basketball program’s history

Quincy Notre Dame’s Tristan Pieper, right, looks to shoot while being defended by Highland’s Larissa Taylor during the second half of Saturday night’s girls basketball game during the Gully Transportation Shootout in The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 37-31 victory over Highland on Saturday evening was the 1,000th in program history. But that historic win did not come without a struggle. QND, which remains undefeated at 4-0, was not able to put away Highland (1-4) until the final minute of play at The Pit.…

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Photo Gallery: QND girls basketball team stays unbeaten with home victory over Highland (Ill.)

Quincy Notre Dame's Marie Eversman looks to pass the ball while Highland's Sophia Fleming guards her during Saturday night's girls basketball game at The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team remained unbeaten after four games with a 37-31 victory over Highland (Ill.) on Saturday during the Gully Transportation Basketball Shootout in the Pit. Jenna Durst had 14 points, and Sage Stratton had 12 for the Raiders. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from…

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In-your-face defense never goes out of style for QND girls basketball team

Quincy Notre Dame’s Jenna Durst, background left, and Marie Eversman force a jump ball with Belleville Althoff’s Emilee Travnicek during Friday night’s girls basketball game in the Gully Transportation Shootout in The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The players may graduate, but the in-your-face style the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball program plays year-to-year doesn’t seem to go anywhere. The Raiders’ suffocating defense once again was on display in their 52-27 win over Belleville Althoff in Friday’s start to the two-night Gully Transportation Shootout at The Pit. QND (3-0) forced…

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Photo Gallery: QND girls force 32 turnovers in victory over Belleville Althoff

Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler, right, goes up with her left hand for a layup while Belleville Althoff's Riley Fairborn defends during Friday night's game in the Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team remained unbeaten after three games with a 52-27 victory over Belleville Althoff on Friday night during the Gully Transportation Shootout in The Pit. Tristan Pieper led the Raiders with 13 points and Sage Stratton added 11. QND forced 32 turnovers by the Crusaders. MRN Editor David…

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Defense takes center stage for Blue Devils as curtain rises on home opener

Quincy High School forward Taylor Fohey looks to score in the first quarter of Wednesday night's game against Pleasant Plains at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The curtain splitting the Quincy High School gym into two distinct segments slowly started to rise when Wednesday night’s junior varsity girls basketball game ended. Behind it sat the QHS pep band, ready to belt out the school fight song, among other tunes. “I love our band,” QHS senior forward Taylor Fohey said.…

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