‘Every drive is a touchdown’: Blue Devils bury Maroons with offensive onslaught late in first half

Quincy High School running back Jeraius Rice Jr. looks to make a move to get to the edge during Friday night's Class 7A second-round playoff game against Moline at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — All Bradyn Little and the Quincy High School football team’s offense could do was wait. Five minutes into the second quarter of Friday night’s Class 7A second-round playoff game, 15th-seeded Moline had chewed up more than 13 minutes of possession and limited second-seeded Quincy to one possession in a game tied at 7…

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Schelp, Smith team up to create tide-turning fumble as Blue Devils seize momentum

Quincy High School right tackle Brendan Vogel, right, celebrates after quarterback Bradyn Little scored on a 1-yard plunge on the final play of the first half Friday night in the Blue Devils' 44-14 victory over Moline in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — As Ben Schelp sized up the situation, he realized every Moline offensive lineman was preoccupied. “They were taking all of our defensive linemen, which left me free off the edge,” said Schelp, the Quincy High School junior linebacker. “It gave me a really easy shot at him.” That’s the last thing Moline quarterback…

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Blue Devils bookend first half with back-breaking touchdowns in WB6 victory over Maroons

Quincy High School quarterback Bradyn Little, left, set a new school single-game record with 437 yards passing Friday night against Moline. | Matt Schuckman photo

MOLINE, Ill. — Allowing a touchdown on the second play of the game had to be a little disheartening for the Moline football team. Giving one up on the final play of the first half was disheartening. That’s how cruel Quincy High School’s efficient and electric offense can be. The Blue Devils opened Friday night’s…

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Blue Devils able to show resiliency despite loss to Maroons in WB6 showdown

Quincy High School senior setter Elise Damon runs the offense during Thursday night's match against Moline at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Quincy High School volleyball coach Kate Brown found a way to smile despite the disappointing end to a topsy-turvy day. Watching adversity reveal the Blue Devils’ character made that possible. First, a knee injury suffered by senior outside hitter Kaley Summers forced Quincy to alter its lineup ahead of Thursday’s Western Big 6…

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Photo gallery: QHS, Moline volleyball squads square off for first place in WB6

Quincy High School's Madelyn Hamby hides behind a teammate while giving signals during Thursday night's Western Big 6 Conference volleyball match against Moline at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

To purchase digital downloads or prints of Muddy River Sports photos,click here to visit our SmugMug site. QUINCY — The Quincy High School volleyball team will have Oct. 15 marked on its calendar. That’ll be the rematch with Moline with the Western Big 6 Conference championship likely on the line. The Maroons won Round 1…

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Maroons sweep Blue Devils in WB6 twinbill to stay atop league standings

Quincy junior outfielder Tykell Hammers slides safely into home plate during the second game of Saturday's Western Big 6 Conference doubleheader against Moline at QU Stadium. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School baseball team dropped both ends of a Western Big 6 Conference doubleheader Saturday against league front-runner Moline at QU Stadium. The Maroons won the opener 5-3 despite getting outhit by the Blue Devils, while the nightcap turned into a rout as Moline won 14-1. In the first game, Quincy…

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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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Marooned in Moline: Blue Devils fall out of first place in WB6 with loss at Wharton Field House

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III scored 19 points in Friday night's 42-41 loss to Moline at Wharton Field House in Moline, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

MOLINE, Ill. — How a game of such magnitude elicited such minimal energy from his players left Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas as dumbfounded as it did irritated. “There was just a different look on their face than we’ve seen out of the group,” he said. It wasn’t a good look. Facing…

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Locking down defensively allows Blue Devils to kickstart 2024 with WB6 victory

Quincy High School's Bri Lannerd, left, goes up for a shot while Moline's Taleah Tirrell goes for the block during Thursday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym. | Samantha Carmean photo

QUINCY — Taylor Fohey’s reaction spoke volumes. “Really?” she said with wide eyes and an I-didn’t-know-that expression when told the Quincy High School girls basketball team didn’t allow Moline to score a field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. “Honestly, I don’t think too much about what we’re…

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Blue Devils pick right time to make defensive stand, intercept Maroons’ plan for last-minute rally

Quincy High School junior cornerback Rico Clay, left, returns an interception up the sideline in front of the QHS bench to seal a 34-27 victory over Moline in Western Big 6 Conference action Friday night at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Rico Clay heeded the warnings the Quincy High School football coaches blared. Moline quarterback Drew Phelps needed a warning not to throw Clay’s way. With the Maroons facing third and 15 from the Blue Devils’ 25-yard line and trailing by seven points with 39.7 seconds remaining in regulation Friday night, Phelps threw a…

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Photo gallery: QHS football team improves to 4-0 with WB6 victory against Moline

Quincy High School running back Jeraius Rice Jr., left, and assistant coach Brigham John share a moment at the end of warmups Friday night prior to the Blue Devils' game againt Moline at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School football team is 4-0 for the first time since 2007 after holding off Moline 34-27 for a Western Big 6 Conference victory Friday night at Flinn Stadium. Muddy River Sports editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening at the venerable facility and put together this photo gallery:

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Blue Devils suffer third straight loss, fall to Maroons in key WB6 matchup

Moline defender Karinton Djikpe, left, and Quincy High School forward Josh Stupavsky battle to win a ball in the air during the first half of Tuesday's Western Big 6 Conference game at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — So often in the wake of a loss, it becomes easy to play a game of “what if.” For example, what if Josh Stupavsky’s shot 36 seconds into Tuesday night’s Western Big 6 Conference boys soccer game had hit the inside of the left post and kicked into the goal? Instead, it hit…

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Photo gallery: QHS soccer team battles Moline for top spot in Western Big 6

Quincy High School defender Asher Otten, left, and goalkeeper Lucas Shepherd get ready for the start of Tuesday's Western Big 6 Conference match against Moline at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Three games into the Western Big 6 Conference season, the Quincy High School boys soccer team finds itself needing a little help to retain the conference crown. The Blue Devils suffered a 2-1 loss to Moline on Tuesday night at Flinn Stadium, leaving the Maroons and United Township tied for the WB6 lead…

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Quarter century of memories: Summers buries Maroons’ title hopes with last-second shot

J.D. Summers made a last-second shot against Moline on Feb. 4, 2000, to lift the Blue Devils to a 53-52 and push them toward another Western Big 6 Conference championship. | 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: February 4, 2000 — Quincy 53, Moline 52 QUINCY —…

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Maroons continue WB6 diamond dominance, beat Blue Devils to remain unbeaten in league play

Quincy High School catcher Owen Zanger, right, fields a bunt in front of Blue Devils pitcher Brady Lowe during Tuesday's game against Moline at the QHS field. | Samantha Carmean photo

QUINCY — Craig Schimmel is no physician, but his diagnosis was spot on. “We had about a five-minute stretch that was uncharacteristic for us,” the Moline baseball coach said. “We looked like we were brain dead out there.” Yes, the bottom of the third inning proved to be a bit testy for the Maroons, but…

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Moline becomes third WB6 program to win boys basketball state championship

The Moline boys basketball team and cheerleaders pose for a team photo after the Maroons won the Class 4A state championship Saturday night at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Submitted photo

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A coach once labeled as “just a Class A coach” showed his true wares on the state’s biggest stage against the state’s biggest competition. A team that faced one of the toughest schedules of any Class 4A squad this season proved it could handle any challenge with poise and precision. And a…

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Moline to play for Class 4A state title, looks to give WB6 its third champion since league’s inception

Moline boys basketball coach Sean Taylor shouts instructions to his team during Friday's Class 4A state semifinal victory over Downers Grove North at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Moline boys basketball coach Sean Taylor delivered one final message to his team in the locker room Friday night before the Maroons left State Farm Center and headed back to their hotel. “We didn’t come here to get second,” he said. The Maroons earned the chance to make that reality. A sizzling…

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Schuckman: High fives and hugs for Taylor punctuate Moline’s run to Class 4A final four

Moline boys basketball coach Sean Taylor, who spent 11 seasons coaching at Quincy High School, will coach the Maroons in the Class 4A final four this weekend in Champaign, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The high five was perfectly unscripted and unabashedly enthusiastic. The hug and the fist bump were, too. As the Moline boys basketball team soaked in the moment Monday night — the Maroons had just beaten Oswego East 59-55 to win the Class 4A Normal Super-Sectional and advance to the state final four for…

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Tuning it out, dialing it in: Moline ignores Blue Devil Gym’s fervor, uses defense to silence QHS in battle at top of WB6

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III, left, looks to make a move around Moline's Brock Harding during Friday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Dominique Clay’s fist-pumping reaction to Tyler Sprick’s 3-pointer drove the decibel level inside Blue Devil Gym to arguably its peak Friday night. The Moline boys basketball players simply ignored it. “That’s because we have a bunch of seniors,” Maroons coach Sean Taylor said. Their response screamed of experience. Despite falling behind by as…

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Photo gallery: Quincy, Moline battle for first in WB6 at Blue Devil Gym

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III sets himself for a sideline inbounds play while being guarded by Moline's Jasper Ogburn during Friday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Western Big 6 Conference championship likely won’t stay in Quincy for another year. The Moline boys basketball team’s 57-46 victory Friday night at Blue Devil Gym means Quincy High School — the reigning WB6 champion — is now two games behind the Maroons in the league standings with three games to play.…

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WB6 title hopes at stake when Blue Devils, Maroons square off at Blue Devil Gym

Quincy High School's Tyler Sprick, left, pressure Moline's Brock Harding during their Western Big 6 Conference matchup at Wharton Field House in Moline, Ill., on December 16. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Sitting in the bleachers of what at that moment was a relatively empty Blue Devil Gym, Camden Brown gazed around as he envisioned what Friday night’s crowd might be like. “Hopefully it’s sold out,” he said. It should be. The Quincy High School boys basketball team puts its Western Big 6 Conference title…

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