Posts Tagged ‘Girls basketball’
The Scoreboard: Wednesday, January 11
Boys basketball Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 48, Unity 43 West Hancock 59, Illini West 38 Winchester Invitational Tournament Griggsville-Perry 52, Winchester West Central 49 Liberty 49, Carlinville 34 Girls basketball Quincy High School 46, Geneseo 44 (OT) CSE Lady Panther Classic South Fulton 48, Liberty 33 Lewistown 57, Rushville-Industry 23 Men’s basketball John Wood Community…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern’s closing kick cements victory over Unity in Lady Panther Classic pool play
CAMP POINT, Ill — Lauren Miller never broke a sweat, let alone panicked. “We knew it was going to be a long game,” the Central-Southeastern sophomore said. Long and grueling. Miller and her CSE girls basketball teammates were not rattled when Unity bolted to a sizable advantage in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s showdown…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Tuesday, January 10
Boys basketball Quincy High School 71, Geneseo 26 Canton 72, Highland 51 Kirksville 49, Palmyra 37 Monroe City 50, Hannibal 39 Marion County 47, Bucklin 32 Winchester Invitational Tournament Carrollton 53, Western 45 Triopia 65, Pleasant Hill 38 Girls basketball Palmyra 48, Kirksville 41 Canton 56, Highland 30 Bucklin 36, Marion County 34 Keokuk 48,…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Monday, January 9
Boys basketball Marion County 58, Wellsville-Middletown 53 Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 55, Illini West 37 West Hancock 72, Unity 50 Winchester Invitational Tournament Jacksonville Routt 76, Payson Seymour 70 (OT) Central 49, Brown County 40 Girls basketball Macomb 46, North Fulton 31 Centralia 62, Hannibal 37 Wellsville-Middletown 52, Marion County 42 CSE Classic Lewistown 44,…
Read MoreCrim: Spending time with Tommy Joe is treasure that lasts forever
MACON, Mo. — My cellphone rang the day after Christmas. I looked at the screen to see it was Tom Sneed, or Tommy Joe as he was called growing up, a moniker some of us in the family still use. He’s a second cousin on my mother’s side. It had been a while since we…
Read MoreSchreacke, Raiders return to action with vengeance, topple another state-ranked foe
BREESE, Ill. — Rebounding for his all-state guard while she shot around at The Pit on Friday, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne noticed something a little different. Abbey Schreacke got her groove back. Not that she ever truly lost it, but playing 14 games in the first 21 days of December had…
Read MoreCanton girls see Highland Tournament championship as step in right direction
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The Canton girls basketball team entered the 51st Highland Tournament as the third seed and with a losing record. “I call it the state softball championship hangover,” Canton coach Danielle Baker, referencing the Tigers’ Class 1 state title from last October. “It took us a little while to get going.” This week,…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: Unity climbs to No. 2 in Class 1A, QND stays atop Class 2A poll
Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Fremd (1) 15-1 91 3 2. Geneva (5) 12-2 89 10 3. Hersey 15-3 78 1 4. Bolingbrook (2) 13-1 77 4 5. Normal Community (2) 16-0 54 8 6. Alton (1)…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern slays another monster in winning State Farm Holiday Classic championship
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long referred to top-seeded Paris as “a monster.” Consider his squad the beast slayers then. The Panthers completed a remarkable run to the State Farm Holiday Classic championship Friday afternoon, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final 18.2 seconds to hand the Tigers their first…
Read MoreLockdown defense carries Central-Southeastern into State Farm Holiday Classic title tilt
NORMAL, Ill. — Because of the widespread success of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players across all sports, it’s easy to forget how youthful the Panthers are. “I know,” C-SE coach Matt Long said. Still, a majority of the time, C-SE has three sophomores, sometimes four, on the floor. That makes this week’s run to the…
Read MoreCall it payback: Unity buries Illini West in fourth quarter, will play for tourney title at Beardstown
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — This time, the roles were reversed. When the Unity girls basketball team defeated Illini West 50-35 in Wednesday night’s semifinals of the 40th Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown High School, the victory helped exorcise at least some of the memories from a year ago. “(Illini West) beat us three times last season,…
Read MoreC-SE knocks off SHG with dynamic defensive effort in second half of tourney quarterfinal
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Matt Long made it sound so simple. “In the second half, I thought we had a lot of energy and effort and it turned the game for us,” the veteran Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach said. The tenaciousness defensively brought about by playing with more energy and effort certainly did that. A five-point…
Read MorePlucking the Ducks: Brown County overwhelms Havana to earn spot in Beardstown title game
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Obviously, the victory itself was important for the Brown County girls basketball team. The 50-29 win Wednesday night over Havana moved the Hornets into the finals of the 40th Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown High School while improving their record to 14-1. But of equal significance was how Brown County’s victory materialized.…
Read MorePanthers lock down in closing stretch to quell Fightin’ Irish comeback
NORMAL, Ill. — Having watched a nine-point advantage dwindle to three, the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players simply refused to let Kankakee Bishop McNamara draw any closer. The Panthers made their free throws, too. Central-Southeastern outscored Bishop McNamara 8-2 over the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds of regulation Tuesday night and earned a 36-27 victory in…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament roundup: Chargers, Mustangs, Hornets reach semis at Beardstown
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — A dynamic defensive effort pushed the Illini West girls basketball team back to the semifinals of the 40th Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic. The fifth-seeded Chargers held fourth-seeded Lewistown to two points in the second quarter and 10 points overall in the first half Tuesday, winning the quarterfinal matchup 42-26. Illini West (11-4)…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament Scoreboard: Tuesday’s results, Wednesday’s schedule
Tuesday’s Games Boys State Farm Holiday Classic At Normal West A Gym, Normal, Ill. No. 8 El Paso-Gridley 55, No. 9 East Dubuque 41 No. 1 St. Joseph-Ogden 78, No. 16 Annawan 28 No. 4 Rockford Lutheran 78, No. 13 Stanford Olympia 46 No. 5 Quincy Notre Dame 73, No. 12 Providence St. Mel 42…
Read MoreQHS girls split first two games at Dixon tourney
DIXON, Ill. — The strong decision-making, aggressiveness and confidence Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance enjoyed seeing from the Blue Devils on Tuesday morning dissipated to a more stagnant effort in the afternoon. It’s why QHS split its first two games in the Dixon KSB Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils opened with a…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament Scoreboard: Monday’s results, Tuesday’s schedule
Monday’s games Boys MVIT At Mendon, Ill. Unity 63, Bushnell-Prairie City 40 Payson Seymour 53, Rushville-Industry 33 Girls Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic At Beardstown, Ill. Unity 59, Beardstown 27 Beardstown 48, South Fulton 41 Jacksonville Routt 55, North Greene 19 Macomb 63, Jacksonville Routt 56 Lewistown 62, West Hancock 40 West Hancock 51, Liberty 25…
Read More2022 Holiday Tournament brackets
Here is a look at the brackets for the high school basketball holiday tournaments involving area teams: Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Boys Bracket Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament US Bank Holiday Tournament Dixon-KSB Holiday Classic Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Girls Bracket
Read MoreSchuckman: Highly successful Rumble on the River could benefit from participation from QHS, QND boys teams
QUINCY — Chris Duesdieker earned the right to sit and smile. As the 16th and final game of the 15th annual Rumble on the River headed to the fourth quarter Wednesday night with a pair of state-ranked teams — Southeastern, No. 1 in Illinois Class 1A, and Bunker, No. 3 in Missouri Class 1 —…
Read MoreDecember to remember: Raiders cap hectic three-week schedule with another grind-it-out victory
QUINCY — Eric Orne wants the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players to relish a well-earned holiday reprieve. “They get to rest,” the veteran coach said, “and they get to enjoy some family time.” The Raiders get to do so as far away from the gym as they wish. “He told us to forget about…
Read MoreRumble on the River: Mustangs sweep Panthers behind two stout defensive efforts
QUINCY — Nick Maynard made two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining in regulation Tuesday night to help the Unity boys basketball team seal a 45-41 victory over Monroe City in the 15th annual Rumble on the River. It also completed a sweep for the Mustangs, as the Unity girls, ranked third in Class 1A,…
Read MoreCrim: Shields’ impact felt in area athletic circles for decades
NEW SALEM, Ill. — Jim Shields retold the story of a reporter once asking him about the difference between coaching boys and coaching girls in high school basketball. “I said the boys never gave me a state championship,” Shields laughed. It was a vintage answer by a career coach, a straight shooter, a man who…
Read MoreQND girls developing depth during December’s endless run of games
QUINCY — No rest for the weary. At least not for a few more days. The December schedule that has the top-ranked Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team playing 13 games in 21 days is nearing its end. Two games in a three-day span will wrap it up before the Raiders go 17 days until…
Read MoreSecond-quarter surge carries top-ranked Raiders to victory in milestone moment for Orne
QUINCY — Eric Orne’s milestone moment came at home … sort of. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach reached the 500 career victory plateau Friday night with a 58-42 victory over Mascoutah in the opening game of the four-day, 16-game Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Although the…
Read MoreQJHS eighth grade girls basketball team wins Class 4A state championship
NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Junior High School eighth grade girls basketball team won the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 4A state championship Thursday night, beating Danville North Ridge 40-26. The Comets outscored the Ridge Runners 13-2 in the first quarter at Normal Parkside Junior High and led 20-6 at halftime. Jada Brown went 10…
Read MorePayson girls basketball coach resigns amid investigation by Adams County Sheriff’s Office
PAYSON, Ill. — Payson Seymour girls basketball coach Bert Koehler resigned Wednesday from his duties as a teacher and coach amid an investigation being conducted by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Koehler, who was a junior high math teacher, is being investigated for allegedly exchanging text messages with a 14-year-old student. He submitted his resignation…
Read MoreRaiders’ reward for finishing road swing by beating Panthers is finally getting day off
PALMYRA, Mo. — No rest for the weary? Well, not quite. “We’ll have a day off Wednesday, but then it’s back to work,” Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne said. Notre Dame’s 51-19 victory over Palmyra on Tuesday night marked the end of a five-games-in-six-days stretch for the Raiders. All those games were on…
Read MoreRaiders survive another challenging road game on night Schreacke reaches 2,000 career points
HAVANA, Ill. — The long road home is nearly complete. Only 40 or so miles to go, although the last leg promises to be as tough as any of the others the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team has traveled. Monday night’s trip — the fourth of five road games in six days — was…
Read MorePalmyra girls make statement by upending South Shelby for tourney championship
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Palmyra girls basketball team was better-equipped for such a challenge. South Shelby is still a work in progress. Palmyra, which emerged with a 56-54 victory in Saturday night’s championship round of the 98th annual Monroe City Tournament, was able to maneuver through crunch time with just enough moxie to preserve…
Read More‘Money, it’s gotta be the shoes’: Switch to old sneakers gets QND’s Eftink back in rhythm as Raiders win third straight road game
BREESE, Ill. — Unable to find her long-range shooting stroke recently, Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Blair Eftink elected to change one key component to her game. Money, it’s gotta be the shoes. Switching to her old kicks this weekend, Eftink regained her perimeter shot by burying her first five 3-point attempts Saturday afternoon. Her…
Read MoreQJHS, Brown County to play for eighth grade girls basketball state titles, Pittsfield to vie for third
Two area eighth grade girls basketball teams will play for Illinois Elementary School Association state titles, while a third will battle for third place. Quincy Junior High School and Brown County advanced to their respective championship games by winning twice Saturday, while Pittsfield suffered a five-point loss in the semifinals. QJHS opened with a 39-10…
Read MoreTorrid start from 3-point range carries top-ranked QND girls to another road victory
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A Blair barrage put the top-ranked Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team on the right path to another victory. Senior guard Blair Eftink opened Friday night’s game at Belleville Althoff with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and another from the left corner, setting the stage for a 57-38 victory…
Read MorePittsfield seventh grade girls win IESA state championship, Liberty takes second
AUBURN, Ill. — By the end of the first quarter of the Illinois Elementary School Association seventh grade Class 3A girls basketball state championship, the intrigue was mostly gone. The Pittsfield Lady Braves saw to that. Pittsfield overwhelmed Paris Mayo 19-2 in the first quarter, went on another 12-2 run in the third quarter and…
Read MoreBlue Devils’ second-half effort takes shine off Silver Streaks’ undefeated WB6 record
QUINCY — Too many turnovers and too few defensive rebounds made for way too long of a second quarter Thursday night for the Quincy High School girls basketball team. At halftime, the Blue Devils made certain to change that before the outcome was too far gone. Asia Seangmany buried a 3-pointer from the left corner…
Read MoreCompton powers Palmyra girls into title game at Monroe City Tournament
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Palmyra girls basketball team gets its first shot at the champs. The second-seeded Panthers marched their way into the championship game of the 98th annual Monroe City Tournament by beating third-seeded Highland 71-46 in Thursday night’s semifinals. By doing so, the Panthers (5-0) will face top-seeded and reigning Clarence Cannon…
Read MorePalmyra boys, South Shelby girls earns spots in Monroe City Tournament title games
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Palmyra boys basketball team used a 12-point burst at the start Wednesday night to slingshot its way into the championship game of the 98th annual Monroe City Tournament. The South Shelby girls used stellar defense to do the same. The second-seeded Panthers rode their strong start to a 57-50 victory…
Read MoreThree area eighth grade girls basketball teams advance to state tournaments
Three area eighth grade girls basketball teams earned spots in their respective state tournament fields by winning sectional championships Wednesday night. Brown County beat Abingdon-Avon 41-25 in Class 2A. The Hornets (23-2) will face Mount Pulaski (22-1) in the state quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Saturday in Havana. Pittsfield beat Williamsville 43-13 in Class 3A. The…
Read MoreInspired by pregame chat, Stratton carries scoring load for top-ranked Raiders in victory over Cardinals
QUINCY — When you face the No. 1-ranked girls basketball team in Class 2A with the reigning state player of the year, the goal becomes quite obvious. Slow down Abbey Schreacke. Many try. Most fail. Tuesday night, Pleasant Plains succeeded in limiting Schreacke, Quincy Notre Dame’s all-state senior forward, to a season-low 13 points in…
Read MoreTop-seeded Panthers find no easy path to semifinals, survive push from Mustangs
MONROE CITY, Mo. — Despite being limited to just four points in the third quarter Tuesday night, the Monroe City boys basketball team was able to fend off Marion County’s upset bid and advance to the semifinals of the 98th annual Monroe City Tournament. The top-seeded Panthers secured a 51-45 victory over eighth-seeded Marion County…
Read MoreThe Rundown: QHS girls handle Macomb at home, QND wrestlers win pair of duals, Illini West and Dietrich rally for victory
QUINCY — A busy Tuesday night saw action taking place on the hardwood and the mats. Here’s a look at some of the area highlights … • Already leading by 14 points at halftime, the Quincy High School girls basketball team used a strong dose of Taylor Fohey in the second half to finish off…
Read MoreJWCC Prairie State Profile: Unity’s Arnsman sets sights on carrying success from Unity to QU
MENDON, Ill. — Ashlynn Arnsman sees her future with a clear view. For those whose sights are a little more murky, she has a plan to help them, too. The Unity multi-sport standout who recently signed a national letter of intent with the Quincy University women’s basketball team plans to study biology and use her…
Read MoreMonroe City Tournament opens with trio of lopsided victories
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…
Read MoreQueen of the charts: Schreacke breaks QND career scoring record
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…
Read MoreTop-ranked Raiders suffer first loss of season in playoff-like atmosphere against Bruins
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,…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls basketball team plays in Sophie Cunningham Classic
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.…
Read MoreLiberty, Pittsfield seventh grade girls basketball teams to play for state championships
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…
Read MoreBuehler? Buehler? Buehler? Yes, Buehler hits clutch free throws as QND rallies past Unity
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…
Read MorePalmyra girls breathe life into second-half rally, use third-quarter surge to power past Canton
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…
Read MoreThe Rundown: Stephens scores 49 points, Illini West wins county showdown, Hannibal girls finish strong week
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…
Read MoreThe Rundown: QND, Unity girls win ahead of showdown, Central wrestling sweeps, QHS girls capture first WB6 victory
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,…
Read MoreDefending state champion QND opens as No. 1 team in Class 2A, Unity starts No. 3 in Class 1A
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Palmyra boys, girls basketball teams sweep twinbill from Mark Twain
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…
Read MoreThe Rundown: QND girls stay undefeated, Brown County girls and boys with statement victories
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…
Read MoreQND girls basketball team ramps up pressure, completes weekend sweep with easy victory
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…
Read MoreAfter suffering 3-point loss at the Pit, Butler College Prep coach wants to see QND girls in state title game
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…
Read MoreQHS girls basketball team uses second-half rally to nearly topple reigning WB6 champion
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.…
Read MoreRaiders open title defense with familiar out-of-the-gate knockout punch of Warriors
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…
Read More2022-23 Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section
Here is the Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section, delving into teams from Illinois and Missouri as the 2022-23 season gets underway. Click the link below to download the section.
Read MoreBlue Devils put attacking arsenal on display in season-opening victory over Crimsons
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…
Read MoreQND’s Schreacke verbally commits to play basketball at Mizzou
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…
Read MoreJWCC Show-Me Spotlight: Goats and guarding made for quick summer for Palmyra’s Williams
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase doubleheader broadcast
You can watch both games of the inaugural Muddy River Showcase right here.
Read MoreSchuckman: Making memories proves as important as making buckets in Muddy River Showcase
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…
Read MoreSix is enough: Illinois girls outrun, outlast Missouri despite diminished roster to capture Muddy River Showcase
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Muddy River Showcase girls basketball all-star game
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: All-stars on both sides taking business-like approach to girls game
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Marion County’s Keilholz understands need to fulfill family tradition
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Illini West’s Johnson looking to give back to small-town community
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: When opportunity knocked, Monroe City’s Moss answered
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Caring for kids comes natural for Highland’s Goings
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Illini West girls’ record-setting season comes complete with all-stars
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Multi-sport standouts fill Missouri girls all-star roster
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…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: Talking about the Muddy River Showcase
Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman talks with JWCC Athletic Director/Men’s Basketball Coach about the inaugural Muddy River Showca
Read MoreCommemorative editions highlight magical postseasons for QND girls, Liberty boys basketball teams
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…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase: Illini West’s Surprenant will guide Illinois girls all-star team
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…
Read MoreChampaign News-Gazette names QND’s Schreacke as All-State Player of the Year
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…
Read MoreSouthers returns to head coaching position as he is tasked to lead Palmyra girls basketball program
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…
Read MoreGirls basketball Player of the Year: QND’s Schreacke shows leadership on and off court
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,…
Read MoreGirls basketball Coach of the Year: Orne returning to bench brings championship back to QND
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…
Read MoreUnveiling the inaugural Muddy River Sports girls basketball all-area team
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:
Read MoreCrim: Turpin’s mission of helping student-athletes has never changed even as her job and title have
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…
Read MoreCelebration fit for a champion: QND girls enjoy fire truck ride after winning Class 2A state title
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.
Read MoreStandalone: QND girls celebrate at end of state championship game
‘Everyone worked for this’: QND girls basketball team finishes magical season with Class 2A state championship
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…
Read MoreSchuckman: In toughest of times, Raiders stand resolute as ‘pillar of strength’ for Orne
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…
Read MoreSchreacke’s epic state tournament performance is one of legendary status
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls basketball team wins Class 2A state championship at Redbird Arena
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…
Read More‘You just don’t want it to end’: Raiders to play for state championship after confidence-soaring victory in semifinals over Panthers
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.…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy Notre Dame vs. Pana in Class 2A girls basketball state semifinal
Schreacke beats buzzer twice, gives QND girls needed momentum in state semifinal victory
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,…
Read MoreState tournament notebook: Raiders to take advantage of extra day to prep for title game
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…
Read MoreQND’s Schreacke repeats as leading vote-getter for Associated Press Class 2A all-state team
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…
Read More‘It’s like our homecoming’: Raiders outlast Pioneers to win super-sectional, earn chance to return to Redbird Arena for final four
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…
Read MoreEftink shrugs off off-kilter shooting to make clutch free throws, send QND girls to state final four
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…
Read MoreScoreboard for Saturday, February 26
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…
Read MoreSouth Shelby freshman buries go-ahead 3-pointer, ruins Palmyra’s chance for district upset
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…
Read MoreScoreboard for Friday, February 25
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…
Read MoreQND girls respond to early deficit, fend off Alton Marquette to win Class 2A sectional title
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,…
Read MoreScoreboard for Wednesday, February 23
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…
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