Posts Tagged ‘Liberty’
Coaching cousins: Grandfather’s influence shines through in how Fesslers guide rival softball teams
LIBERTY, Ill. — Sara Reichert sees it as clearly as anyone. Her brother and her cousin share a common trait passed down through generations of the Fessler family. That’s their even-keel disposition. “Our grandparents were sports-loving fans,” said Reichert, the junior varsity softball coach at Liberty, where her first cousin B.J. Fessler is the varsity…
Read MoreFly, Eagles, Fly: Liberty rides wind, momentum in beating Payson for fourth straight win
Sustained winds hovered around 25 miles per hour, and Liberty softball coach BJ Fessler made sure his team was prepared for the conditions.
Read MorePrairie State Profile: Eagles’ Sunde allows passion for sprinting to carry him to fast times
LIBERTY, Ill. — Spend any amount of time chatting with Keegan Sunde about his track career and you come away with one overriding realization. His passion for the sport is all encompassing. The Liberty senior sprinter enjoyed a solid indoor season, running the 60-meter dash in 7.25 seconds at the Illinois Top Times Meet at…
Read MoreShaffer, Sims put up zeroes before Mustangs score twice in eighth inning to get past Eagles
LIBERTY, Ill. — The line drive hit Cody Shaffer’s upper right arm with enough force that the ricochet led to an out at first base and had people scrambling to check on the Mendon Unity right-hander. Immediately, the umpires called time and Mustangs coach Tyler McAllister popped out of the dugout to assess Schaffer’s injury…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Old-fashioned pitchers’ duel breaks out as Mustangs, Eagles go extra innings
LIBERTY, Mo. — A pair of right-handed hurlers engaged in a pitchers’ duel Thursday as neither Mendon Unity’s Cody Shaffer nor Liberty’s Jackson Sims allowed a run over the first six innings. The relievers were just a stingy in the seventh inning. It wasn’t until the eighth inning when a pair of errors enabled Unity…
Read MoreCentral baseball, softball teams rally to complete sweep of double-dip with Liberty
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Friday began and ended with late-inning heroics. First, Garrett Neisen stranded the tying run in scoring position as the Camp Point Central baseball team rallied from a four-run deficit to beat Liberty 5-4. Then, the Central softball team allowed Liberty to score five times in the top of the sixth inning…
Read MoreRaiders just bust a move to get offense rolling in home-opening victory against Eagles
QUINCY — One of Caitlin Bunte’s responsibilities, aside from being the Quincy Notre Dame softball team’s starting pitcher and leadoff hitter, is to choose the musical playlist that serves as the soundtrack for each game at The Backyard. She has four personally designed playlists at her disposal. “Stuff that gets me hyped, stuff that’s upbeat…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND, Liberty square off in Raiders’ home opener at The Backyard
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame softball team had played one game this season prior to Thursday’s home opener, but it didn’t look like the Raiders were rusty at all. QND collected 17 hits in a 9-2 victory over Liberty at The Backyard. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman enjoyed a rare warm, sunny day…
Read MoreWiewel comes up clutch as Raiders walk off with low-scoring victory over Eagles
QUINCY — The Liberty baseball team wasn’t going to allow Nolan Robb to beat it. So Abram Wiewel did. After Quincy Notre Dame’s Logan Sutton singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday and stole second base, the Eagles chose to intentionally walk Robb. Wiewel followed by hitting a two-strike line…
Read MoreEpic inning leads to first victory for Liberty softball team
LIBERTY, Ill. — The inning that kept going and going and going ultimately ended with the Liberty softball team scoring enough runs to create a cushion the Eagles needed to withstand Rushville-Industry’s rally. The Eagles scored 12 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, only to see the Rockets come back with four…
Read MoreConnoyer calms down after technical foul, scores game-high 17 points to lead QND boys past Liberty
LIBERTY, Ill. – Quincy Notre Dame forward Jackson Connoyer had to refocus after receiving a technical foul following a scramble for a rebound under his own basket midway through the second quarter Friday night. His actions resulted in two free throws that gave Liberty a seven-point lead. “I said things I shouldn’t have said,” Connoyer…
Read MoreHolthaus, Bombers dial in from perimeter, shoot down Eagles to get back on track
LIBERTY, Ill. — Braden Holthaus admittedly has been searching for his shot during much of the early portion of the basketball season. The Macomb junior guard may have finally found it. Holthaus sank four of his seven 3-pointers in the first quarter — most well beyond the arc — to propel the Bombers to an…
Read MoreLiberty eighth grade girls basketball team finishes as state runner-up in Class 2A
HAVANA, Ill. — A second-quarter offensive spurt gave the Havana eighth grade girls basketball team the edge it needed to beat Liberty 36-25 in the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A state championship game Thursday night at Havana High School. Liberty ends its season as the state runner-up with a 25-3 record. Havana outscored Liberty…
Read MoreChargers’ Deitrich in high jump finals at Illinois boys state track, Eagles’ Gimm to throw in discus
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Three Quincy High School runners were unable to advance to the finals in the Class 3A boys state track and field championships during Friday’s preliminaries at O’Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus. Boen Brockmiller placed 27th in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 22.90 seconds, while Eric McClelland was 34th in…
Read MoreBarry, Neisen each win two sectional titles, lead area athletes to state track meet
RUSHVILLE, Ill. — Unity’s Saylor Barry won two events and finished second in another, Liberty’s Arianna Neisen dominated the distance events and a bevy of area athletes punched their ticket to the state track and field championships during Wednesday’s Class 1A Rushville Sectional. The state championships take place May 18-20 at O’Brien Stadium on the…
Read MoreJWCC Prairie State Profile: Eagles’ Deege plays vital role in helping younger teammates grow
LIBERTY, Ill. — Landon Deege understands the reality the Liberty baseball team is facing. “We’re young, but we’re growing,” the senior said. With that comes the ups and downs of inexperience. The Eagles have won one game to date — a 1-0 victory over Illini West in which Jackson Sims struck out eight over five…
Read MoreSecond-quarter shutout shows Raiders how dominant they can be defensively
QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer could have waited another 35 seconds until the first quarter ended to address the issues he saw with how the Raiders were interacting defensively. It wouldn’t have had the same impact. So when Liberty coach Greg Altmix used a timeout with 34.8 seconds remaining in…
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 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 MoreSchuck on a Truck: Liberty coach Jared Schmidt talks cross country ahead of state meet
LIBERTY, Ill. — Liberty junior Arianna Neisen will run at Detweiler Park this weekend. Quincy High School senior Eric McClelland will, too, in what is the ultimate weekend for Illinois prep cross country runners. The state meet takes place Saturday in Peoria with three classes running 3-mile races on both the boys and girls sides.…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: Liberty golfer Blake Arnold discusses his season, family support and finishing his career at state tournament
LIBERTY, Ill. — A decorated high school golf career came to an end last Saturday when Liberty senior Blake Arnold finished tied for 13th at the Class 1A state tournament, and he finished it with a birdie on his final hole. In the process, Arnold became the highest individual state finisher in Liberty golf history.…
Read MoreCross country roundup: Liberty’s Neisen runs among top contenders at Spartan Invitational
ST. JOSEPH, Ill. — In a field of 140 cross country runners, mostly from the Champaign-Urbana area, Liberty junior Ariana Neisen proved yet again she belongs in the lead pack. Neisen finished third individually, posting a time of 17 minutes, 41.47 seconds at the Spartan Invitational hosted by St. Joseph-Ogden. Tolono Unity junior Erica Woodard…
Read MoreJetting to a state title: QHS’s Rose wins 200-meter dash at Class 3A state championship
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Jettason Rose fulfilled the promise of his name. The Quincy High School sprinter became the ninth individual state track and field champion in school history Saturday, jetting past the field to win the 200-meter dash at the Class 3A state championships at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium. Rose finished in 22.04 seconds,…
Read MoreCentral’s Thompson leaps, Eagles’ Girardin sprints into Class 1A state track and field finals
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Ezra Thompson led the brigade of area athletes into the finals of the Class 1A boys state track and field championship. The Central leaper qualified for two events, finishing seventh in the long jump at 6.47 meters and eighth in the triple jump at 12.76 meters. He will compete in the finals…
Read MoreLiberty softball team runs out of magic in sectional semifinal loss to state’s No. 1-ranked team
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — For a fleeting few minutes, the Liberty softball team had everyone thinking its magical run might continue. With two outs in the top of the first inning Tuesday against the state’s No. 1-ranked team, the Eagles made a little noise. Larissa Neisen and Natalie Hildebrand collected back-to-back singles before a strikeout ended…
Read MoreCentral boys track team captures first sectional championship in program history
RUSHVILLE, Ill. — The combination of springs and speed led to a historic moment Wednesday night for the Central boys track and field program. The Panthers won three individual field events and two sprint relays at the Class 1A Rushville-Industry Sectional on Wednesday. It led to Central piling up 90 team points and capturing the…
Read MoreEagles fend off Panthers’ late-inning rally, earn spot in regional championship game
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Jade Blair’s hair was a bit frazzled, and her eyes carried a look that her check-engine light was probably blinking. Still, the Liberty right-hander was able to gather her wits, weather a couple of late-inning storms and pitch the Eagles past Central 5-4 in the Class 1A Central Regional softball semifinals…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Pritchard captures softball action from Class 1A Central Regional
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Photographer Mike Pritchard found himself behind the lens of his camera for two epic softball games Wednesday in the Class 1A Central Regional with seventh-seeded Unity upsetting second-seeded Pleasant Hill 4-0 in a 13-inning marathon and fifth-seeded Liberty outlasting third-seeded Central 5-4. Here is a gallery of images Pritchard captured from…
Read MoreJWCC Prairie State Profile: Pursuit of bodybuilding career boosts record-setting track efforts for Liberty’s O’Neil
LIBERTY, Ill. — Jared Schmidt’s excitement is understandable. Despite a spring in which the weather has been “absolutely atrocious,” the Liberty girls track and field team has piled up a number of school records in individual events. Now the weather is ripe for running as the Eagles head to Friday’s Class 1A Beardstown Sectional. “So…
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 MoreIn midst of record pursuit, Liberty’s Wolf finds future collegiate home at Indiana State
QUINCY — Cannen Wolf’s plan didn’t go exactly how either he or Liberty track coach Jared Schmidt envisioned. Luckily, there will be other chances to chase the school record in the 1,600-meter run. Should Wolf chase the record down, it would be the perfect catapult to an NCAA Division I track career. The Eagles senior…
Read MoreBoys Basketball Coach of the Year: Liberty’s Altmix helps Eagles soar to new heights
LIBERTY, Ill. — For a University of Illinois graduate who has remained loyal to his alma mater and is a basketball junkie through and through, walking out of the tunnel onto the State Farm Center court was like living out a dream. Seeing his players live out their dream of playing for a state championship…
Read MoreArea track athletes climb podium at Illinois Top Times indoor championships
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It turned out to be a medal-filled weekend for area track athletes at the Illinois Top Times indoor championships at the Shirk Center on the Illinois State University campus. Jettason Rose led a trio of Quincy High School runners into the finals by placing in the top five in two events in…
Read MoreCrim: Kreke’s influence on longstanding success of Liberty basketball program remains evident
LIBERTY, Ill. — The road to Liberty High School’s first appearance in a basketball state tournament championship game began in 1975, when Paul Kreke accepted the only job offer he had after graduating from Quincy College. He became the head coach of a Liberty program that posted winning records only three times the previous 20…
Read MoreReason to celebrate: Eagles’ state title game effort is lauded, applauded by fans creating sea of red
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The arena entrance was breath-taking, and the postgame exit was humbling. Yet, the welcome the Liberty boys basketball team received in its own gym from a community that raced home from the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center following Saturday’s Class 1A state championship game made the experience complete. “I wasn’t expecting…
Read MoreState tournament notebook: Robbins’ defense is on point, Eagles share Illini locker room, Altmix finally gets hit by spotlight
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Logan Robbins embraces playing defense. Actually, he enjoys it quite a bit. “It’s another way to impact the game,” said Robbins, a 6-foot-5 senior forward on the Liberty boys basketball team. “And if you can get the guy your guarding frustrated, it’s going to give you an edge.” It helps explain why…
Read MoreGuiding Eagles to state championship game became family affair for Altmix and sons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Alex Altmix harbors dreams of eventually being a head coach and running his own high school basketball program. Should his brother, Jordan, want the same thing, neither will have to search far to find a blueprint for success. It’s been in front of them since the day either picked up a whistle.…
Read MoreSchuckman: Homegrown talent displaying hometown pride is what small-school basketball should be about
LIBERTY, Ill. — When the two-lane state highway without a shoulder snakes past the farms and fields and reaches the eastern border of Liberty, a sign looms large on the right side of the road. “Give me Liberty” it reads, and it lists the population of this Adams County village as 600. There may be…
Read MoreFlyin’ high: Determined Eagles take sting out of Hornets to advance to Class 1A state title game
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Greg Altmix was agitated, and he had no problem telling his Liberty boys basketball team why. The veteran head coach scanned the Class 1A all-state teams released Wednesday by the Associated Press and didn’t see any of his players on the first or second team despite their upcoming appearance in the final…
Read MoreSchuckman: Eagles stick together to make state championship journey memorable and emotional
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Part of the wisdom Liberty boys basketball coach Greg Altmix has tried to impart on his players from his more than two decades on the bench is to enjoy the journey, not just the end result. So sitting in the lobby of the team hotel Thursday afternoon, while taking time to catch…
Read MoreFear the mullet: Klingele’s game deserves as much attention as his choice of hairstyles
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Breiton Klingele’s hairstyle came down to a choice. Not a bet. Not a dare. Not anything other than a conscious decision to let it grow. “I just decided it one day, so I started growing it,” Klingele said. “No other reason. I just wanted a mullet.” The Liberty senior’s long, curly locks…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Liberty vs. Southeastern in Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The fans of the Liberty and Southeastern boys basketball teams filled the Jacksonville Bowl on Monday night for a titanic matchup in the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional. Photographer Steve Davis captured the moments from start to finish. Below is a gallery of Davis’ images.
Read MoreTaste of Champaign: Klauser’s play speaks volumes as Liberty eclipses Southeastern for spot in Class 1A state semifinals
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Devin Klauser likely has never been in trouble for talking in class at Liberty High School. The senior is a guy of few words. Very, very few words. “He’s kind of shy,” Eagles teammate Cannen Wolf said, with the expected grin. The 6-foot-6 Klauser let his performance on the floor do his…
Read MoreClass 1A super-sectional notebook: Stephens’ dominant junior season heightens expectations for senior campaign
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Danny Stephens will be back for a curtain call. The 6-foot-7 Stephens’ junior year came to halt Monday night when he and his Southeastern Suns were beaten by a talented — and deep — Liberty team 49-42 in the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional at the Jacksonville Bowl. The defeat did not diminish…
Read MoreEagles move step closer to fulfilling boyhood dreams, will play for spot in Class 1A final four
WHITE HALL, Ill. — Understandably, Breiton Klingele found it difficult to keep his emotions in check. “Ever since I was little, all I have wanted to do was play in the state tournament,” he said. Well, Klingele, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, and his Liberty teammates now find themselves one step away from the Class 1A…
Read More50 After 50: No. 18 Eagles reset mindset after late-season setbacks, make run to history
The Illinois High School Association created a second class for boys basketball for the 1971-72 school year. The 2020-21 season would have been the 50th year of the boys basketball small-school tournament. Muddy River Sports is celebrating 50 years of small-school boys basketball by ranking the 50 best teams in Adams, Brown, Pike and Hancock…
Read MoreSeeds for IHSA boys basketball postseason create intriguing matchups and potential showdowns
QUINCY — An opponent the Quincy High School boys basketball team missed out on seeing during the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic could be the one that stands between the Blue Devils and a regional championship. Meanwhile, Liberty and Southeastern are on a collision course for an epic showdown — if both can survive. The…
Read MoreIllinois boys basketball state rankings: Liberty stays in middle of Class 1A’s top 10, QHS still receiving votes
QUINCY — The Moline boys basketball team’s victory over Quincy High School last Friday night at Wharton Field House vaulted the Maroons into the Class 4A state rankings, while the Blue Devils remain among the others receiving votes. Liberty is still the only area team ranked, although the Eagles dropped one spot to No. 5…
Read MoreSuperFan Shootout: Talton’s field goal gives Panthers final edge in epic state-ranked showdown with Eagles
QUINCY — Tied up, off target, then true. Joshua Talton smiled knowing the last one was the only one that mattered. Stymied at the end of regulation when his drive to the basket resulted in a jump ball and foiled at the end of the first overtime when his elbow jumper caromed off the rim,…
Read MoreIllinois boys state basketball polls: Liberty receives first-place vote in Class 1A
QUINCY — Respect is growing for the Liberty boys basketball team. The Eagles remained No. 5 in the Class 1A state poll released Wednesday, but they received a first-place vote as the top of the Class 1A poll remains stacked. Four teams received first-place votes with No. 2 Yorkville Christian receiving the most with seven.…
Read MoreQuincy Shootout: Eagles’ chemistry creates edge as they pull away from Dukes
QUINCY — The initial reaction was what Greg Altmix expected. Thursday afternoon, the Liberty boys basketball coach informed his players they had added a game to the schedule with an appearance in the fourth Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. “(The organizers) giving us a chance to come and play in this event really got…
Read MoreWinchester Invitational Tournament: Wolf’s free throw allows Eagles to survive crazy ending against Panthers
WINCHESTER, Ill. — Cannen Wolf thought he had a little bit of wiggle room. When the official handed him the basketball, he discovered there was none. Fouled as time expired as he caught an inbounds pass and attempted to launch a 3-point shot, the Liberty boys basketball team’s senior guard assumed the call came in…
Read MoreEagles’ Wolf gets postseason run at state medal off to solid start at regionals
LIBERTY, Ill. — Cannen Wolf positioned himself to chase a state medal. All it takes is two more quality runs. The Liberty senior cross country standout took the first step toward his goal Saturday, finishing third in the Class 1A Liberty Regional at Uhland Acres and advancing along with the rest of the Eagles to…
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