Blue Devils come home from bitterly cold road trip with another conference victory

Quincy High School senior forward Taylor Routh scored the first goal in Tuesday night's 4-0 victory over Moline in Western Big 6 Conference play in Moline, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

MOLINE, Ill. — Playing in less-than-ideal conditions is something the Quincy High School girls soccer team has had to embrace. “We have to take the attitude that nothing bothers us,” Blue Devils coach Travis Dinkheller said. “We’re going to be tougher and we’re going to play harder than our opponent.” Once they got their feet…

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QHS, Hannibal fit to be tied, while QND overwhelms West Plains on tourney’s first night

Hannibal's Abbie Martin drives the ball up the left sideline during Friday night's game against Quincy High School at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Friday night felt more like November football weather than the spring soccer season at Flinn Stadium with temperatures dipping close to the freezing mark and wind chills falling below 30 degrees. It didn’t put a chill on the fervor of a cross-river rivalry. The Quincy High School girls soccer team built a one-goal…

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Photo gallery: QHS, Hannibal, QND kick off weekend girls soccer tournament

Quincy High School senior midfielder Rian Moore directs the play off a throw-in during Friday night's game against Hannibal at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School and Hannibal girls soccer teams played to a 2-2 draw Friday night at Flinn Stadium, while Quincy Notre Dame beat West Plains (Mo.) 6-0 on the opening night of the QHS Kickoff Showcase. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent time at Flinn Stadium and put together this photo…

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Blue Devils bolt out of gate with 10-goal outburst to wallop Rocks in season opener

Quincy High School senior midfielder Bri Lannerd scored four goals in the Blue Devils' season-opening 10-1 victory at Rock Island on Tuesday night. | Matt Schuckman photo

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — One of the managers for the Quincy High School girls soccer team warned Blue Devils coach Travis Dinkheller when he watches the video footage of Tuesday night’s season opener he might hear a noticeable gasp or comment about the first goal. It happened so quickly, it took everyone by surprise. Off…

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Photo gallery: Stolte’s first goal, Wilson’s complete game help Hannibal enjoy banner day

Hannibal right-hander Kane Wilson delivers a pitch during Tuesday's game against Wentzville Holt at Veterans Field in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Malia Stolte didn’t settle for scoring her first varsity goal in the Hannibal girls soccer team’s 8-0 victory over Warrenton on Tuesday night at Veterans Field. She went ahead and recorded her first career hat trick as well. Kane Wilson didn’t settle for his first victory of the season for the Hannibal…

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Success on set pieces helps QND girls soccer team ‘set the tone for the rest of the season’

Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton, right, collides with Jefferson City Helias' Liza Kemna while challenging for a ball in the air during Saturday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Perfecting set pieces became a point of emphasis during the lead-up to the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s season opener. “For the past three days, we’ve worked on them every day,” junior midfielder Lilly Schuette said. “Even in walk-throughs.” The reason why became obvious 12 minutes into Saturday’s game against Jefferson City…

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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team opens its season with 3-2 victory over Helias

Quincy Notre Dame freshman defender Sierra Thomas, left, attempts to clear a ball while being pressured from behind by Jefferson City Helias forward Brooke Yanskey during Saturday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Lilly Schuette’s second-half penalty kick and a stout defensive effort over the final 40 minutes enabled the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team to open its season Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon next to…

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New coach, same expectations as QND girls soccer team sets sights on return to state tourney

Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Thomas, right, demonstrates the proper technique during a drill in a preseason practice at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Aubrey Sparrow wasn’t naive enough to think the tempo and tenor of Mark Thomas-led practices would be similar to those run by former Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer Mark Longo. “I knew the style would change, just how it does with every coach,” the senior defender said. But she remained confident the Raiders…

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QND hits its Mark with announcement of new girls soccer head coach

Mark Thomas addresses a crowd gathered in the Quincy Notre Dame library Thursday morning after being introduced as the the Raiders' new girls soccer head coach. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Mark Thomas’ biggest challenge as the new Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer head coach won’t come from replacing a legend on the sidelines or developing the right system of play for a youthful, talented team. It will be finding time to hunt during the Illinois spring turkey season. “I might have to figure…

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Edwardsville’s goal in final minute results in heart-breaking loss for QHS girls soccer team

Quincy High School defender Anna Morrison, left, knocks the ball away from the pressure of Edwardsville's Olivia Baca during Friday night's Class 3A regional championship at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Travis Dinkheller offered all he could. A hug. A pat on the back. An “I love you” to his players. Those things matter in due time. In the moment, it’s difficult to see past the tears of a season-ending loss, especially one that happened in such heart-breaking fashion. The Quincy High School girls…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team’s season ends with loss to Edwardsville

Quincy High School girls soccer coach Travis Dinkheller, right, tries to console his players following Friday night's 2-1 loss to Edwardsville in the Class 3A regional championship game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The effort was commendable, especially the manner in which the Quincy High School girls soccer team locked down defensively on Edwardsville in the second half of Friday night’s Class 3A regional championship at Flinn Stadium. However, the Tigers scored with 29.5 seconds remaining in regulation to earn a 2-1 victory and end the…

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A player’s perspective: Former QND girls soccer standouts reflect on Longo’s impact on tradition-rich program last 34 years

The first Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team in 1990 launched what became an incredible run of success with Mark Longo, back row far left, at the helm the past 34 years. | Submitted photo

QUINCY — The winningest girls soccer coach in Illinois High School Association history impacted the lives of those he coached far beyond the white lines. That became abundantly clear with the reaction three decades worth of Quincy Notre Dame players had Tuesday when Mark Longo announced he was retiring following 34 years at the helm.…

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A legacy unmatched: Longo retires after 34 years at helm of QND girls soccer program

Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo never endured a losing season during his 34 years at the helm, winning a state-record 608 games. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The final sentence in a small paragraph next to the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team photo in the school’s yearbook in 1990 may have been the ultimate foreshadowing. “Another tradition of Raider soccer, at its best, had begun!!” it read. It became a tradition no other program can match. The architect of…

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‘Go left no matter what’: Fohey’s save on final PK attempt lifts Blue Devils to regional semifinal win

The Quincy High School girls soccer players celebrate beating Granite City 2-1 in a penalty-kick shootout to win the Class 3A regional semifinal Tuesday night at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — With a choice to make — left or right — Taylor Fohey kept hearing what Quincy High School assistant girls soccer coach Chad Struck had to say.  “He said, ‘Go left no matter what,’” Fohey said. “I trusted him.” So left she went. The QHS junior goalkeeper looked at how Granite City’s Peyton…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team outlasts Granite City in PK shootout

Quincy High School junior goalkeeper Taylor Fohey makes a save on the penalty kick attempted by Granite City in a shootout Tuesday night at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls soccer team refused to falter, and the reward for that is the opportunity to play for a regional championship. The Blue Devils played Granite City to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods Tuesday night before winning a penalty-kick shootout 2-1 at Flinn Stadium. The…

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Raiders’ reign as Class 1A state champions ends with regional title game loss to Cyclones

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Sage Stratton and the Raiders saw their season end with a 4-2 loss to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin on Friday night in the Class 1A regional championship at Ken Leonard Field in Springfield, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The reign is over, undone by the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s inability to find a consistent rhythm or flow to its season. Injuries curtailed that. Inconsistency did, too. Unable to create their own lucky bounces or breaks, the Raiders played catch-up too often, just like they did Friday during a…

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Raiders begin title defense by hammering Hawks, set up regional final matchup with Cyclones

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Weather and scheduling conflicts forced the regular-season matchup between the Quincy Notre Dame and Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin girls soccer teams to first be postponed and then shelved. Nothing will stop them from going head-to-head now. QND began the defense of its Class 1A state championship by hammering Riverton 8-0 Tuesday night in…

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How sweep it is: For first time since girls soccer rivalry began 33 years ago, QHS sweeps QND

Quincy Notre Dame forward Lia Quintero, right, attempts to play the ball between Quincy High School defenders Hope Lenz, left, and Maddie O'Brien, back, during Thursday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — In nearly a quarter century as part of the Quincy High School girls soccer program — the first eight as an assistant coach and the past 15 as the head coach — Travis Dinkheller had never witnessed the Blue Devils sweep the season series from their crosstown rivals. Not a single person had.…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team shuts out QND to sweep season series

Quincy High School's Breighlyn Thomas and Quincy Notre Dame's Addie Flesch end up grabbing each other's hand as the scramble for possession of a loose ball during Thursday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls soccer team limited Quincy Notre Dame’s opportunities Thursday night and took advantage of Taylor Routh’s goal with 17 minutes remaining in regulation to earn a 1-0 victory at Advance Physical Therapy Field and sweep the season series for the first time ever. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…

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Final home stretch showing Raiders have heart to be contender in Class 1A postseason

Quincy Notre Dame forward Makayla Patton, center, gets her head on a ball crossed into the box during Wednesday's game against Jacksonville at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — If home is indeed where the heart is, the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team is using its longest stretch of home games to find out how much heart it truly has. Wednesday’s effort gave the Raiders hope they have the heart of a champion. Three second-half goals led to a 4-0 victory…

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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team shuts out Jacksonville during final home stretch

Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton, left, takes a pass from Lia Quintero off a short corner before sending it back to Quintero, who scored off a shot from the top of the box during Wednesday's 4-0 victory over Jacksonville at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The shutout was a boost of confidence for the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s defense. The victory over Jacksonville was a shot in the arm for everyone. The Raiders beat the Crimsons 4-0 Wednesday at Advance Physical Therapy Field to create some needed momentum with the postseason looming. Muddy River Sports Editor…

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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team surrenders late goal in 1-0 loss to Springfield

Quincy Notre Dame forward Makayla Patton, left, fights with Springfield midfielder Bridget Lyons during Monday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — In need of building momentum before the postseason begins, the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team had ample chances in the second half Monday against Springfield to snare the lead and pull out a victory. Instead, the Raiders got burned on a counterattack. The Senators scored with 2 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in…

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Blue Devils don’t stop believing comeback is possible, rally to forge tie with Bruins

Quincy High School midfielder Sydney Welsh, left, fights off Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge's Kendall Watson to maintain possession during Monday's game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The moment “Sweet Caroline” began playing over the Flinn Stadium sound system, Bri Lannerd’s excitement enveloped her teammates. “That’s our song,” she blurted out. The next thing you know, the Quincy High School girls soccer players were singing and dancing to the Neil Diamond tune. Although the song released more than 50 years…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer forges tie with Rock Bridge to remain unbeaten

Quincy High School defender Hope Lenz, right, applies pressure to Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge's Lia Metz during the second half of Monday's game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — It took a little from everyone to hold the rope. After surrendering three goals in the game’s first 22 minutes, the Quincy High School girls soccer team’s defense stonewalled Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge the final 58 minutes. Two goals in the final three minutes of the first half by Taylor Routh turned the…

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Gauntlet of tough tests awaits Blue Devils after finishing shutout of Crimsons

Quincy High School midfielder Bri Lannerd drives a free kick toward the goal during Saturday's game against Jacksonville at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Ten games without a loss is a quality stretch, one of the best to open a season in the history of the Quincy High School girls soccer program. Yet, the Blue Devils know what comes next will better define their postseason potential. “This week is our week to prove ourselves,” junior midfielder Rian…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team stays unbeaten with victory over Jacksonville

Quincy High School forward Kenzie O'Brien, center, hammers a shot on goal during the second half of Saturday's game against Jacksonville at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — If Quincy High School girls soccer coach Travis Dinkheller were to break the regular season down into two parts, the first one wrapped up Saturday. The second part will be more challenging. The Blue Devils dispatched Jacksonville 5-0 at Flinn Stadium to improve to 8-0-2. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the…

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Photo gallery: QND soccer team scores early, often to run away from Macomb

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Sage Stratton, left, celebrates her first goal with teammate Lilly Schuette during Wednesday's 10-0 victory over Macomb at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team scored five goals in the first 10 minutes of Wednesday’s game against Macomb at Advance Physical Therapy Field and rolled to a 10-0 victory. Sage Stratton recorded a hat trick and Jaden Tchapda scored her first varsity goal for the Raiders. Stratton finished a Lilly Schuette…

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Lopsided WB6 victory helps prep Blue Devils for upcoming gauntlet of tough tests

Quincy High School forward Kenzie O'Brien, left, attacks Sterling defender Maria Garcia during the first half of Monday's Western Big 6 Conference game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The lopsided nature of Monday’s Western Big 6 Conference game suggested there wasn’t much for the Quincy High School girls soccer team to gain from its effort. Reality proved otherwise. The 12-0 victory over Sterling at Flinn Stadium kept the Blue Devils undefeated through eight games, a significant fact when it comes time…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team steamrolls Sterling in WB6 play to remain undefeated

Quincy High School wing defender Anna Morrison, right, pushes the ball upfield against Sterling's Kassie Britt during Monday's Western Big 6 Conference game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Bri Lannerd racked up five goals. Ava Soltwedel and Maddie O’Brien, a pair of defensive stalwarts, scored their first career goals. And the Quincy High School girls soccer team rolled to a 12-0 victory Sterling in Western Big 6 Conference action Monday night at Flinn Stadium. The Blue Devils are 6-0-2 overall and…

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Stratton ties assist record with four in first half as Raiders roll to victory over Grayhounds

Quincy Notre Dame midfielder Sage Stratton tied a program record with four assists in the first half of Saturday's 7-1 victory at Burlington, Iowa. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

BURLINGTON, Iowa — Sage Stratton’s remarkable start to her prep career — three seasons, three state trophies — now includes a prestigious individual honor. The sophomore tied a Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer program single-half record. Saturday, during an 7-1 victory over Burlington, Stratton assisted on four first-half goals, while scoring one herself. The midfielder…

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Raiders taking ‘lot of positive steps’ as three-goal victory over Pirates indicates

Hannibal's Gracie Martin, left, battles with Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton for possession during Wednesday's game at Veterans Field in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Mark Longo is confident the best is yet to come for Quincy Notre Dame’s girls soccer team. “We’re still a long way from where we need to be, but we’ll be OK,” said Longo, now in his 33rd season as Raiders coach. Longo had just watched QND down Hannibal 5-2, erupting for…

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Photo gallery: QND, Hannibal engage in physical battle on Veterans sports complex soccer pitch

Quincy Notre Dame defender Aubrey Sparrow, left, shadows Hannibal attacker Abbie Martin during Wednesday's game at Veterans Field in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The physical play of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team and the second-half intensity of the attack brought about by senior forward Lia Quintero and sophomore forward Makalya Patton led to a 5-2 victory over Hannibal on Wednesday at Veterans Field. Photographer Mathew Kirby put together this photo gallery from the…

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Blue Devils end demanding stretch with one-goal conference victory and earn day of rest

Quincy High School forward Breighlyn Thomas scored the Blue Devils' lone goal in a 1-0 victory Tuesday night against United Township at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Does having survived playing five games in five days without a loss earn the Quincy High School girls soccer team a day of rest come Wednesday? “Oh, hell yes,” Blue Devils coach Travis Dinkheller said. Quincy finished its physically taxing stretch Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory over United Township in Western Big…

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Second-half surge carries Blue Devils to three-goal victory in crosstown showdown

The Quincy High School girls soccer players celebrate Taylor Routh's goal in the 47th minute Monday night in the crosstown showdown against Quincy Notre Dame at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Travis Dinkheller is saving his fire-and-brimstone speech for another day, but the passionate plea the Quincy High School girls soccer coach made at halftime Monday night resonated with his players. “His message was very clear,” junior midfielder Bri Lannerd said. “We needed to show up in the second half.” The Blue Devils did…

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Photo gallery: QHS beats QND in first of two girls soccer crosstown showdowns

Quincy High School forward Kenzie O'Brien, left, and Quincy Notre Dame goalkeeper Aly Young collide on a ball played into the box during the opening minutes of the second half Monday night at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — For the first time in a quarter century, the Quincy High School girls soccer team will have the chance to sweep its crosstown rival, beating Quincy Notre Dame 4-1 in Monday night’s matchup at Flinn Stadium. The teams square off again next Monday at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…

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Fit to be tied: Blue Devils play to pair of scoreless draws, Raiders end tourney with stalemate

Quincy High School defender Ava Soltwedel, right, pokes the ball away from Ladue Horton Watkins forward Darci Levinson during Saturday's game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Noticeably irked after allowing a goal in the final two minutes Friday night against Hannibal, the Quincy High School girls soccer team’s defenders vowed it wouldn’t happen again. A spirited effort Saturday ensured it didn’t. The Blue Devils withstood a late push from Ladue Horton Watkins to finish off the second of two…

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Photo gallery: QHS, QND girls soccer teams wrap up play in QHS Tournament

Quincy High School midfielder Rian Moore, right, takes possession away from Ladue Horton Watkins defender Taylor Babb during Saturday's game in the QHS Tournament at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Ahead of the first crosstown showdown of the season coming Monday at Flinn Stadium, the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teams wrapped up play in the QHS Tournament on Saturday with both battling to a tie in their final games. QHS and Ladue Horton Watkins held each other scoreless…

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Blue Devils get tough stretch started right, grind out one-goal victory against Pirates

Quincy High School's Taylor Routh, center, and Sydney Welsh, right, react to Welsh scoring the first goal against Hannibal on Friday night in the QHS Tournament at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Knowing how taxing a five-games-in-five-days stretch will be, especially when two of those are rivalry games, the Quincy High School girls soccer team couldn’t afford to start things on the wrong foot. Sydney Welsh didn’t let that happen. The sophomore midfielder put herself in the right spot at the right time to redirect…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls soccer team opens own tournament with victory over Hannibal

Quincy High School girls soccer coach Travis Dinkheller talks with forward Taylor Routh on the sideline during Friday night's game against Hannibal at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls soccer team finished off the first night of its two-day tournament with a 2-1 victory over Hannibal at Flinn Stadium. Ladue Horton Watkins beat Quincy Notre Dame 3-0 and Cape Girardeau Notre Dame beat Springfield 2-0 in the other games. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the…

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Raiders suffer first loss of season, unable to find energy against Rams in QHS Tournament opener

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo decided to give his players an opportunity to recharge Thursday, holding a meeting instead of a light practice after playing back-to-back days. “Even at that meeting, I could tell they were tired,” he said. Friday, little changed. The Raiders were outhustled and outplayed in a…

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Patton’s hat trick helps Raiders avenge loss from last season, shut out Eagles in home opener

Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton, left, beats an Orchard Farm defender to the ball and gets off a shot for her third goal in the Raiders' 4-0 victory Tuesday at Advance Physical Therapy Field.

QUINCY — Makayla Patton believes passing, persistence and patience are going to lead to scoring opportunities for the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team. “It’s what we’re doing really well so far this season,” the sophomore forward said. Tuesday, in the home opener at Advance Physical Therapy Field, the Raiders also added precision to mix.…

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Ready to play games that ‘mean something,’ Blue Devils embark on quest to claim championships

Quincy High School junior midfielder Bri Lannerd, left, led the Blue Devils with 14 goals and 10 assists last season. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Hanging out together after their Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage last week, the Quincy High School girls soccer players found themselves yearning to play a game that mattered. “It was just so fun being out there,” junior midfielder Rian Moore said. “We just want it to be real. We want it to mean something.” Tuesday…

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Quintero records hat trick in second game back from injury, Raiders whitewash another opponent

Quincy Notre Dame senior forward Lia Quintero, with her trademark gearshift hairstyle, has scored five goals in two games upon her return from a knee injury. | Matt Schuckman photo

RIVERTON, Ill. — Welcome back, Gearshift. Lia Quintero, the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s senior forward who has said her gameday hairstyle resembles a gearshift, is showing no signs of being slowed by the knee injury she suffered in the final minutes of last season’s Class 1A state semifinal victory. After scoring twice in…

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Title defense no easy task, but QND girls soccer team’s experience makes defending crown possible

Senior sweeper Eva Dickerman, left, and the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team will try to defend their Class 1A state championship this spring. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Watching the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team fall short of its goal of defending its Class 2A state championship made the QND girls soccer players realize a very important fact. Repeating isn’t easy. So as the Raiders embark on their own title defense — the reigning Class 1A state champions who went…

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QND lands three juniors on girls soccer all-sectional list, two QHS sophomores earn spots

Quincy Notre Dame junior forward Lia Quintero received all-sectional honors from the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The front-to-back, middle-of-the-field trio that carried the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team to a state championship earned some worthy postseason honors. So did Quincy High School’s dangerous sophomore connection. Raiders forward Lia Quintero, midfielder Avery Keck and sweeper Eva Dickerman — they are all juniors — received all-sectional plaudits from the Illinois…

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Crim: Hornets’ season to remember caps school year filled with success from start to finish

The Brown County baseball team became the sixth program in the Muddy River Sports coverage area to win a state trophy during the 2021-22 school year. Matt Schuckman photo

It was nearly the perfect ending to a magical high school sports season. Brown County was the sixth team in the Muddy River Sports area to play for a state championship during the 2021-22 school year when it took the field Saturday against Louisville North Clay in the Illinois Class 1A baseball state finals in…

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Schuckman: QND girls soccer program once again delivers when opportunity strikes

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team returned home to The Pit on Sunday for a celebration of its Class 1A state championship that included "6" balloons in honor of the program's sixth state championship. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Mark McDowell did his best Avery Keck impersonation Sunday afternoon. When opportunity struck, he delivered. The Quincy Notre Dame principal took advantage of the recent addition of a large video board on the west wall of The Pit by having a picture loaded and ready to loom large over everyone during the welcome…

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Sixth sense: Keck’s game-winning goal, lockdown defensive effort carry QND girls soccer team to sixth state championship

The Quincy Notre Dame soccer players celebrate after receiving the Class 1A state championship trophy following their 1-0 victory over Richmond-Burton in Saturday's title game at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Annie Eaton’s tear-filled eyes and ear-to-ear smile told the same story. Her elation over helping the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team win the Class 1A state championship Saturday night was all-encompassing. “It’s every emotion you can think of,” Eaton said while standing in the courtyard outside North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium…

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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team vs. Richmond-Burton in Class 1A state championship game

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players celebrate their Class 1A state championship after beating Richmond-Burton 1-0 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team won the sixth state championship in program history Saturday night, beating Richmond-Burton 1-0 on Avery Keck’s goal with 2 minutes, 8 seconds remaining in regulation of the Class 1A state title game at North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Photographer Randy Dickerman captured the action and…

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Remaining resolute: QND girls soccer team’s determination leads to spot in state title game

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players celebrate Sophie Gramke's goal in the first half of Friday's Class 1A state semifinal against Normal U-High at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The resolve of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team continues to be put to the test. The biggest challenge awaits. The Raiders will play for a state championship without their leading scorer and all-state candidate. “We try to come in with a good mindset and try to control the emotions,” sophomore…

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Gramke plays with confidence, comes through with clutch goal in QND’s title pursuit

Quincy Notre Dame's Sophie Gramke, left, makes a move against a Normal U-High defender during Friday's Class 1A state semifinal at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill. Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Sophie Gramke never figured out why. So she concentrated on the how. How does she get better? How does she regain her knack for scoring? How does she find the spark that seemed to be missing? The rest of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players showed her how Friday night. “Coming…

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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team vs. Normal U-High in Class 1A state semifinals

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players react during the introduction of the starting lineups prior to Friday's Class 1A state semifinal against Normal U-High in Naperville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Randy Dickerman

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team advanced to the Class 1A state championship game with a 1-0 victory over Normal U-High in Friday’s semifinals at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on the North Central College campus. Photographer Randy Dickerman captured images throughout the contest. Check out his work in this photo gallery:

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‘She’s been an unsung hero’: Keck’s return from knee injury solidifies QND’s pursuit of state title

Quincy Notre Dame junior midfielder Anna Keck controls the ball while pushing forward on the attack during the sectional semifinal against Piasa Southwestern in the Class 1A sectional semifinals at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Lying on the turf with athletic trainer Kyle Leapley tending to her right knee, Anna Keck could have had the “oh, no, not again” scenario running through her head. Instead, she focused on “get me back out there” thoughts. “I didn’t want to let my team down,” said Keck, a junior defensive midfielder…

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Business trip: While excited and loose, Raiders head to state tournament focused on task at hand

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team is taking a fun-loving approach to its trip to the Class 1A state tournament, but the Raiders realize they need to be all business to win a state championship. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The newness of the state tournament experience wore off when the youthful Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team didn’t get the opportunity to play in the title game a year ago. “Disappointing,” junior forward Lia Quintero said. “I’d say it was disappointing.” So this time, it’s all business. The Raiders head back to…

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Success on pitch, baseball diamond leads to All-WB6 honors for Blue Devils

The Quincy High School girls soccer team won the Western Big 6 Conference championship with a 7-0 record and placed 10 players on the All-WB6 teams. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — To the winner go the spoils. So it’s only fitting the Quincy High School girls soccer team landed the most players of any program on the All-Western Big 6 Conference teams. The Blue Devils placed three on the first team, two on the second team and five on honorable mention after they went…

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Return engagement: QND girls soccer team upends defending state champ to return to final four in Naperville

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauryn Peters begins to celebrate as Lia Quintero's header bounces into the goal past the arms of Belleville Althoff keeper Anna Brewer with seven minutes remaining in the second overtime of Tuesday's Class 1A Columbia Super-Sectional in Columbia, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

COLUMBIA, Ill. — The Illinois girls state soccer championships are returning to North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville this weekend for the first time in three years. It’s only fitting Quincy Notre Dame returns, too. As QND coach Mark Longo put it, it is the Raiders’ “home away from home.” Figuring out how to…

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True believers: Raiders keep faith until final PK caroms off crossbar, outlast Cyclones to win sectional championship

Several of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players sprint to celebrate together after beating Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 3-2 in a penalty-kick shootout to win the Class 1A QND Sectional championship Friday at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Aly Young couldn’t stop smiling or shaking her head. Her excitement matched her disbelief. “It’s still just really crazy,” said Young, a sophomore goalkeeper on the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team. “I keep saying, ‘What the heck just happened?’” In one sense, the improbable happened. In another, destiny did. Either way, the…

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Defense helps carry Raiders to brink of another state tournament appearance

Quincy Notre Dame junior sweeper Eva Dickerman shields the ball away from a Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin attacker during Friday's Class 1A QND Sectional championship game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo readily admitted Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin controlled the bulk of play Friday. “It was probably 60/40 in their favor,” he said. “It may have been 62/38 or something like that.” Even so, Longo never fully fretted. His stout defense is why. Raiders sophomore goalkeeper Aly Young…

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Scoreboard for Tuesday, May 17

Girls soccer At Advance Physical Therapy Field, Quincy Class 1A QND Sectional Quincy Notre Dame 6, Piasa Southwestern 0. Click here for the story. At Kahok Stadium, Collinsville, Ill. Class 3A Collinsville Regional Edwardsville 1, Quincy High School 0. Click here for the story. At St. Peters, Mo. Class 3 District 4 Duchesne 3, Hannibal…

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‘We eventually got there’: Raiders use goal late in first half to propel them to blowout of Birds

Quincy Notre Dame freshman forward Makayla Patton drives a header that ends up skipping wide of the right post during the second half of Tuesday's Class 1A QND Sectional semifinal against Piasa Southwestern at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — This time, it wasn’t so easy, even if it seemed so in the end. After scoring in the first 10 minutes of both regional matches and outscoring those two opponents 13-0, the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team discovered scoring on Piasa Southwestern in Tuesday’s Class 1A QND Sectional semifinal wasn’t going to…

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Second-half goal pushes Edwardsville past Quincy in Class 3A regional semifinals

Quincy High School junior Anna Morrison, right, pushes the ball forward against Edwardsville during Tuesday's Class 3A Collinsville Regional semifinal at Kahok Stadium. Photo courtesy Matt Kamp

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — As the scoring chances continued to pile up despite no change in the scoreboard, Edwardsville freshman Mea Hook said the team wasn’t panicking. “It wasn’t frustrating. We weren’t mad about it. It was more aggravating,” Hook said. The aggravation turned to celebration when Hook scored the game’s lone goal in the 53rd…

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Raiders quickly dash Tigers’ chance of upset, capture another regional championship

Quincy Notre Dame's Lia Quintero, right, cuts back away from a Beardstown defender during Friday's Class 1A QND Regional championship at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Hope floats, right? Not if you’re a regional opponent of the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team. Friday afternoon, the Raiders snared the lead 10 minutes into the Class 1A QND Regional championship game and Beardstown and never allowed the Tigers to mount any sort of counterattack, ultimately posting a 5-0 victory at…

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Opening salvo carries QND girls soccer team to easy victory in regional opener

Quincy Notre Dame's Avery Keck plays the ball forward during the first half of Tuesday's Class 1A QND Regional semifinal against Springfield Lutheran at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s postseason plan is quite simple. Score early. Score often. Score as much as possible. Lia Quintero’s first two goals came just 40 seconds apart Tuesday and gave the top-seeded Raiders a two-goal lead just four minutes into the Class 1A QND Regional semifinal against eighth-seeded Springfield…

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Scoreboard for Saturday, May 7

Girls soccer At Jefferson City, Mo. Quincy High School 5, Jefferson City Helias 0: Sophomore forward Taylor Routh and freshman midfielder Sydney Welsh each scored two goals as the Blue Devils closed the regular season with a victory. Mariah Crist also scored a goal for QHS, which is 12-6-1 overall heading into the Class 3A…

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QND girls soccer team heads into postseason following another overwhelming effort

Quincy Notre Dame's Lia Quintero chases down a ball during the second half of Friday's 6-0 victory over Burlington Notre Dame at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team is primed for the postseason. The Raiders picked up their third straight victory in their regular-season finale Friday at Advance Physical Therapy, using two early goals from Lia Quintero to kickstart a 6-0 victory over Burlington Notre Dame. QND (16-3-3) opens the postseason at 4 p.m.…

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Scoreboard for Tuesday, May 3

Girls soccer At Rock Island, Ill. Quincy High School 4, Rock Island 1:  The Blue Devils snared the lead on Rian Moore’s goal with 11 minutes remaining in the first half and built a four-goal advantage in the second half to finish the Western Big 6 Conference season with a 7-0 record. Taylor Routh, who…

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Scoreboard for Monday, May 2

Girls soccer At Springfield, Ill. Quincy Notre Dame 1, Springfield 0: The Raiders rebounded from a pair of losses in a tournament in Burlington, Iowa, last Saturday with a stingy defensive effort against the Senators. QND grabbed the lead with less than eight minutes remaining in the first half as freshman Makalya Patton ran onto…

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Scoreboard for Thursday, April 28

Girls soccer At Burlington, Iowa Quincy High School 1, Olathe (Kan.) North 1: Blue Devils goalkeeper Taylor Fohey saved a penalty kick in the first half to help QHS forge a tie in the first of three games in the tournament. Bri Lannerd scored off a Rian Moore assist for the Blue Devils’ goal. Quincy…

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QND girls soccer team finding rhythm and confidence at right time

Quincy Notre Dame's Avery Keck, right, battles Burlington's Kevynn Siefken for possession during Tuesday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Avery Keck senses it. So do her Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teammates. Confidence is rising as the Raiders’ cohesiveness grows. “We’re just really working as a team together and we’re all working hard,” said Keck, the junior midfielder who scored two goals in Tuesday’s 8-1 whitewashing of previously undefeated Burlington (Iowa). “We’re…

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Prep scoreboard for Saturday, April 23

Prep baseball At Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, Quincy Quincy Notre Dame 7, Quincy High School 0. Click here for the story. At Dozer Park, Peoria, Ill. Brown County 3, Streator Woodland 1: Sam Carr allowed one unearned run and two hits as the Hornets made an early lead last. Will Groesch had an RBI…

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Scoreboard for Thursday, April 21

Girls soccer At Jacksonville, Ill. Chatham Glenwood 3, Quincy High School 0: The Titans scored three second-half goals to win the non-conference game at Illinois College. A ball bouncing off the far post ricocheted directly to Glenwood attacker, leading to the first goal with 25 minutes remaining. The Titans scored all three goals in a…

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Smacked between eyes by Decatur St. Teresa, QND responds with six-goal outburst

Quincy Notre Dame's Grayson Pritts sends a ball into the box during the second half of Thursday's game against Decatur St. Teresa at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Shellshocked, but resilient. Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo appreciates the second part of that statement. Not so much the first. The Raiders moseyed through the start of Thursday’s matchup with Decatur St. Teresa at Advance Physical Therapy Field, falling behind 2-0 in the first 14 minutes as the Bulldogs scored…

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Prep scoreboard for Tuesday, April 19

Girls soccer At Flinn Stadium, Quincy Quincy High School 2, Geneseo 1. Click here for the story and photo gallery. At Canton, Mo. Canton 5, Keokuk 3: Macie Fisher and Emilee Gorrell each scored twice and Kielyn Ott added the other goal for the Tigers. Prep baseball At Concord, Ill. Brown County 14, Triopia 4:…

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Scoreboard for Monday, April 18

Prep baseball At Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, Quincy Quincy Notre Dame 1, Pittsfield 0. Click here for the story. At Dozer Park, Peoria, Ill. Southeastern 7, Central 2: The Suns scored twice in the first inning, then plated two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to snare the victory. Owen Rigg scored…

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Area Distributors Area Player of the Week: Hannibal soccer forward Bella Falconer

Hannibal's Bella Falconer, left, became the program's all-time leader in goals scored during last weekend's Hannibal Tournament. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Two goals, a tournament title and a school record. Bella Falconer had a pretty good Saturday. After beating Southern Boone 3-0 with Falconer scoring twice last Friday night in the opening game of Hannibal girls soccer team’s tournament at Porter Stadium during, the Pirates turned around on Saturday and smoked Sikeston 8-0…

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Prep roundup for Saturday, April 16

Prep baseball At East Moline, Ill. United Township 2, Quincy High School 1: A one-out single and a hit batter gave the Panthers the opportunity to score in the bottom of the seventh, and a ground ball the Blue Devils couldn’t turn into a double play saddled them with the loss in the opener of…

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Scoreboard for Tuesday, April 12

Girls soccer At Sterling, Ill. Quincy High School 10, Sterling 0: The Blue Devils stayed undefeated in the Western Big 6 Conference with the whitewashing of the Golden Warriors. Bri Lannerd scored two goals and added three assists for the Blue Devils, while Taylor Routh had two goals and Rian Moore added three assists. Freshman…

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Scoreboard for Friday, April 8

Hannibal senior Braysen Douglas singles during the Pirates’ North Central Missouri Conference game against Fulton on Friday at Clemens Field in Hannibal, Mo. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

Girls soccer At St. Charles, Mo. Orchard Farms 2, Quincy Notre Dame 0: The Raiders suffered their first loss of the season and were shut out for the third time. The Eagles, who have won four straight games since a season-opening loss, grabbed the lead with a goal in the 29th minute. They doubled their…

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Scoreboard for Monday, April 4

Girls soccer At Flinn Stadium, Quincy Quincy Notre Dame 1, Quincy High School 0. Click here for the story and photo gallery. At Mexico, Mo. Hannibal 8, Mexico 0: Katie Greening and Bella Falconer each had two goals and an assist as the Pirates earned a North Central Missouri Conference victory. Hannibal is 6-2 overall…

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No longer fit to be tied, Raiders sweep season series from Blue Devils with Quintero’s late goal

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer players celebrate Lia Quintero's goal with 6:06 remaining in regulation that pushed the Raiders to a 1-0 victory over Quincy High School on Monday night at Flinn Stadium. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The thought of playing to another draw became increasingly aggravating. “We just knew we couldn’t tie again, not after tying in each of our past three games,” said Grace Bertram, a junior defender on the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team. “We just couldn’t.” Yet, through 73 minutes of Monday night’s crosstown showdown…

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Scoreboard for Friday, April 1

Prep baseball At Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, Quincy Quincy Notre Dame 14, Highland 0: The Raiders erupted for 11 runs in the first inning and cruised to their seventh straight victory. Dalton Miller jacked a three-run home run to right field and Tucker Tollerton had a three-run, inside-the-park home run to highlight the opening…

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Scoreboard for Tuesday, March 29

Girls soccer At the Panther Pitch, East Moline, Ill. Quincy High School 5, United Township 0: Bri Lannerd scored three goals and assists on the other two as the Blue Devils picked up their second consecutive Western Big 6 Conference road victory. Rian Moore had two goals and two assists, while Emma Obert added an…

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Scoreboard for Saturday, March 26

Prep baseball At Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, Quincy QHS, Springfield split doubleheader. Click here for the story and photos. At Darrell Davis Field, Fulton, Mo. QND takes two at Fulton Slam. Click here for the story. At Pittsfield, Ill. Pittsfield 15, Southeastern 4: The Saukees scored in each of the first four innings and…

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Blue Devils seize scoring opportunities, finish Kickoff Classic with pair of victories

The Quincy High School girls soccer team celebrates its 2-0 victory over Ladue Horton Watkins on Saturday afternoon at Flinn Stadium. Photo courtesy Travis Dinkheller

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls soccer team capitalized when it had the opportunities. Quincy Notre Dame and Hannibal did not. Thus, the Blue Devils exited the weekend with a pair of shutout victories, having taken a couple of significant steps in their journey to be a postseason contender. In the final game of…

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Lannerd drives free kick over Pirates’ defense, carries Blue Devils to victory at Flinn Stadium

Quincy High School's Bri Lannerd gets hugged by teammate Rian Moore after scoring on a free kick with 21:30 remaining in the second half of Friday night's game against Hannibal. Quincy's Anna Morrison, right, joins in the celebration. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Quincy High School girls soccer coach Travis Dinkheller’s preachings in practice rattled around in Bri Lannerd’s head as she stood over a 30-yard free kick. “I knew if I put it on frame it had a chance,” Lannerd said. “I tried to just give it a chance.” She might have to do that…

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Scoreboard for Tuesday, March 22

Girls soccer At Moline, Ill. Quincy High School 3, Moline 0: The Blue Devils opened Western Big 6 Conference play with the shutout. Breighlyn Thomas scored two goals and Taylor Routh addad a goal. Rian Moore dishes out two assists, with Bri Lannerd setting up the other goal. Taylor Fohey earned the shutout in the…

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