Young Blue Devils have high ceiling

Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance, center, and the Blue Devils are looking for more moments to celebrate this season. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — With only three upperclassmen on the roster and one senior in the starting lineup, Brad Dance’s Quincy High School girls basketball squad will have some growing pains this season. And that’s OK. The Blue Devils are off to a 1-1 start as they were on both the giving and the receiving end of…

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Blue Devils share tears, laughs and hugs after rocky final round at state tournament

Quincy High School’s Paige Cain follows her shot during Saturday’s final round of the Class 2A state golf tournament at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

FORSYTH, Ill. — Laci Novosel didn’t sugarcoat it. “Oh, it was bad,” she said. But it wasn’t so bad she couldn’t laugh it off. “I only cried like twice,” she said with a chuckle. It was that kind of day for the Quincy High School girls golfers. A few tears accompanied wayward shots and frustration…

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Blue Devils make cut at state tournament, ready to chase trophy in final round

Quincy High School’s Laci Novosel tracks her shot during Friday’s opening round of the Class 2A girls state golf tournament at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

FORSYTH, Ill. — The fluctuating leaderboard had the Quincy High School girls golf team bouncing anywhere from fifth to eighth place every couple of holes Friday afternoon. It made everyone a little leery of what was transpiring. So as Laci Novosel, one of two seniors and the only current Blue Devil with state tournament experience,…

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Student of the game: Novosel’s competitive nature shines on course, in classroom

Quincy High School senior Laci Novosel has led the Blue Devils to the Class 2A state tournament for the first time since 1983. David Adam photo

QUINCY — Laci Novosel couldn’t choose. Given the option of having a higher grade point average or a lower strokes-per-round average, the Quincy High School senior golfer and self-described nerd wavered in the middle. “Oh, gosh, I can’t pick,” Novosel said. “I have to have both. My entire life is school and golf. It equals…

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Blue Devils keep focus on matter at hand, power way to state tourney berth

The Quincy High School girls golf team finished third at the Class 3A Washington Sectional and is headed to the state tournament for the first time since 1983. Submitted photo

WASHINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls golfers made a pact with Blue Devils coach Hanlynn Vahlkamp not to check the digital scoring app while on the course during Monday’s Class 2A sectional at Quail Meadows Golf Course. “It makes us a little too anxious,” Vahlkamp said. So Sophia Gold never took a peek.…

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Regional championship first step toward main objective for QHS girls golf team

Quincy High School's Sophia Gold hits her tee shot on the 17th hole at Westview Golf Course on Thursday. David Adam

QUINCY — Moments after learning they had won the Class 2A regional championship on Thursday afternoon at Westview Golf Course, the Quincy High School girls golf team was … well, relaxed. They sat on the back deck of the Westview clubhouse, looking at their phones, chatting and eating snacks and petting a couple of dogs.…

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Liquor Booth Shot of the Game: Blue Devils’ Novosel records first hole-in-one

Quincy High School senior golfer Laci Novosel made a hole-in-one on No. 16 at Gold Hills Golf Course in Colchester during the Macomb Invitational. Submitted photo

QUINCY — The moment after contact, Macomb’s Lily Vardaman called it. “As the shot was in air, she was like, ‘Hole-in-one, baby!’” Quincy High School senior golfer Laci Novosel said. “It sounded good, which is why she said that. And it looked good.” It turned out perfect. Last Saturday, playing in the Macomb Invitational at…

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