Energetic and efficient, Blue Devils open season by deflating Crimsons with defense

Quincy High School's Khloe Nicholson, right, knocks the ball away from Jacksonville's Chloe Kuhn during Tuesday night's season openr at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — At the time the Quincy High School girls basketball players went into the locker room to prepare for their varsity tilt, enough of a crowd had filtered into the QHS gym for them to know it might get a little loud. When they re-emerged, the Blue Devils had to do a double-take. The…

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Four score and six and one: Hun follows offensive line to victory over Jacksonville

QND senior running back Ivan Hun scored four touchdowns as the Raiders remained unbeaten in the CS8 with Friday night's win at Jacksonville. — Photo courtesy of Channel1450.com

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The mission was simple for the Quincy Notre Dame football team entering Friday night’s trip to Jacksonville. So simple that Ivan Hun only needed three words to describe the task at hand. “Run the ball,” the senior running back said. Despite being outsized at every spot up front QND (6-1, 5-0 in…

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Photo gallery: QND offense continues clicking as win streak hits seven consecutive matches

Quincy Notre Dame middle hitter Lauren Hummel, second from left, and her teammates react to one of her kills during Monday night's match against Jacksonville at The Pit. | Matt Schuckman photo

To purchase digital downloads or prints of Muddy River Sports photos,click here to visit our SmugMug site QUINCY — The more comfortable the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team becomes with its faster-paced attack, the more dangerous the Raiders become. That’s not a good sign for those set to challenge the Raiders the remainder of the…

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‘We got lucky’: Pittsfield, Jacksonville to lock horns in Week One after both teams’ opponents cancel

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Sometimes when it feels like all hope is lost, the stars align perfectly. The Pittsfield and Jacksonville football teams can thank their lucky stars having found a Week One game after both schools’ originally scheduled opponents announced they weren’t going to play. “I wasn’t too sure we’d find a game,” Pittsfield coach…

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Prom is no distraction as Raiders take care of business in all facets against Crimsons

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Miller safely slides across the plate before the tag from Jacksonville catcher Chase Neice during Saturday's game at The Backyard. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — There wasn’t enough time for prom to become a distraction. Quincy Notre Dame softball coach Eric Orne hopes the post-prom letdown won’t be either. The Raiders needed a tidy 1 hour, 10 minutes to dispatch Jacksonville on Saturday morning, rolling to a 12-0 victory in five innings at The Backyard. It allowed enough…

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‘It was pretty impressive’: Panthers crank out 23 hits as offense never lets up against Crimsons

Camp Point Central's Emma Stephens delivers a pitch during Saturday's game against Jacksonville at The Backyard in Quincy.

QUINCY — A roller coaster. That was the only way Camp Point Central softball coach Brey Genenbacher could describe the Panthers’ 19-9 victory over Jacksonville on Saturday at The Backyard. “Moments of greatness followed by some troubles,” Genenbacher said. The moments of greatness included 23 hits, six extra-base hits, runs in five consecutive innings to…

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Raiders settle in defensively, pull away from Crimsons to earn spot in Class 3A regional title tilt

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore forward Tristan Pieper scored a game-high 24 points in Monday's victory over Jacksonville in the Class 3A regional semifinals in Jerseyville, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — A minute into Monday night’s Class 3A Jerseyville Regional semifinal, Jacksonville led the top-seeded Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team 4-2 and maybe saw a glimmer of hope it could pull off an upset. That faded fast. The Raiders went on a 9-0 run to take the lead and then held the…

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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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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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Quarter century of memories: Kvitle’s career-best scoring effort carries QHS to regional title

Jason Kvitle enjoyed one of the best individual performances in a regional championship when he led the Quincy High School boys basketball team to a victory over Jacksonville in 2005. | Photo courtesy QHS Hall of Fame

Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman began covering the Quincy High School boys basketball program during the 1998-99 season, and since he recently wrapped up his 25th season following the Blue Devils, he put together a list of his 25 most memorable games. Here is today’s installment: March 4, 2005 — Quincy 48, Jacksonville 43 QUINCY —…

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Quarter century of memories: Riled up Blue Devils run former assistant coach’s team out of gym

Former Quincy High School point guard D.J. Douglas helped lead the Blue Devils to a 40-point victory in the sectional championship game against Jacksonville in 2000. | Photo courtesy QHS basketball program

Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman began covering the Quincy High School boys basketball program during the 1998-99 season, and since he recently wrapped up his 25th season following the Blue Devils, he put together a list of his 25 most memorable games. Here is today’s installment: March 10, 2000 — Quincy 76, Jacksonville 36 QUINCY —…

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Raiders find success can be blowing in the wind with another offensive outburst

Quincy Notre Dame third baseman Brady Kindhart, left, gives starting pitcher Tyler Dance five before first baseman Dalton Miller, right, does the same before the first inning of Saturday's game against Jacksonville at The Ferd. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Put on a pitch limit Saturday, Quincy Notre Dame right-hander Tyler Dance knew he needed to be efficient and aggressive. Being backed by a born-to-hit lineup made that easy. Dance threw three scoreless innings, his teammates collected 17 hits and the QND baseball team capped a run-filled week with a 19-0, four-inning victory…

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Photo gallery: QND baseball team muscles up in windy conditions to dispatch Jacksonville

Quincy Notre Dame's Nolan Robb gets out of the way of a wild pitch during Saturday's game against Jacksonville at The Ferd. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Blustery conditions at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield didn’t alter the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players’ approach at the bat. The Raiders simply keep on swinging. QND collected 17 hits, including five for extra bases, in a 19-0 whitewashing of Jacksonville on Saturday. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the action for…

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‘Wow, what a night’: Seniors lead Blue Devils to victory in final regular-season home game

Quincy High School senior forward Sam Mulherin, left, looks to pass the ball to avoid pressure from Jacksonville during Saturday night's game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — First came the rain, followed by the thunder and then a bellywasher of emotion. “Crazy,” a smiling Sam Mulherin called it. Perfect seemed to be an apt description, too. “It couldn’t have been a better night,” said Bryson Bowen, one of three seniors on the Quincy High School boys basketball team who played…

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QND volleyball seniors make sure to put outcome of match first on night they are feted

Senior libero Faith Kientzle leads the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team's starters onto the floor before Wednesday night's match against Jacksonville at The Pit. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Everything about Senior Night is designed to bring out emotion. The swelling pride of parents. The camaraderie of classmates. The realization the end is near. It tends to make the game — no matter the sport — a secondary component to everything else. Wednesday night at The Pit, the six seniors on the…

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