Photo gallery: QHS, QND, Pittsfield grapple at QHS gym

Quincy High School's Bryor Newbold, right, gets in position to take down Quincy Notre Dame's Talin Scott during their 182-pound match in Wednesday night's triangular at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School wrestling team showcased the strength of its lineup from top to bottom during Wednesday night’s triangular with Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield at the QHS gym. The Blue Devils beat the Saukees 83-0 and the Raiders 68-6, while QND upended Pittsfield 54-24. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured…

Read More

QJHS, Brown County to play for eighth grade girls basketball state titles, Pittsfield to vie for third

Two area eighth grade girls basketball teams will play for Illinois Elementary School Association state titles, while a third will battle for third place. Quincy Junior High School and Brown County advanced to their respective championship games by winning twice Saturday, while Pittsfield suffered a five-point loss in the semifinals. QJHS opened with a 39-10…

Read More

Pittsfield seventh grade girls win IESA state championship, Liberty takes second

The Pittsfield seventh grade girls basketball team won the Class 3A state championship Thursday with a 44-11 victory over Paris Mayo. | Photo courtesy Pikeland schools

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 More

The Rundown: Solid debut for Hannibal girls, Pittsfield boys win opener, WIU women earn first victory

Hannibal girls basketball coach Shawn Gaines talks to the Pirates during a timeout in Monday's season opener against Bowling Green at Korf Gym in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

QUINCY — Kicking off Thanksgiving week with a flurry of activity as the Illinois boys basketball season got underway Monday night and the Missouri teams joined in the fun. Oh, college basketball season is in full swing, too. Here are some of Monday’s highlights … • The Hannibal girls basketball team won Shawn Gaines’ debut…

Read More

Eaton guides power-hitting QND to quick victory over Pittsfield in regional semifinals

The Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players celebrate winning a point during Tuesday's Class 2A QND Regional semifinal match against Pittsfield at The Pit. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

QUINCY — Annie Eaton’s smile is infectious, but don’t let that nice-girl persona fool you. She’s the quiet assassin of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team. And she relishes that role. “I like to control things out there,” Eaton said. “I like to run the offense.” The Raiders’ floor general was at her directorial best…

Read More

College football notebook: Brock hits 100-yard mark, Personett and Boyer contribute to Scots’ blowout, Griffith scores TD for Bulldogs

Former Quincy High School all-stater Jirehl Brock looks for running room during Saturday's game against Iowa. The Iowa State junior running back finished with 100 yards rushing in the Cyclones' 10-7 victory in Iowa City, Iowa. | Photo courtesy Roy Dabner

QUINCY — For the first time since Jirehl Brock stepped on the Iowa State University campus and the first time in Matt Campbell’s coaching tenure, the Iowa State football team took the Cy-Hawk Trophy back to Ames. Saturday’s 10-7 victory over Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, ended the Hawkeyes’ six-game win streak…

Read More

Golf roundup: Saukees win own invitational, Blue Devils third in loaded field, Bombers take second

The Pittsfield boys golf team captured the championship of the Pittsfield Invitational on Saturday at Old Orchard Country Club. | Submitted photo

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield boys golf team took advantage of playing on its home course Saturday, posting three scores in the 80s to capture the team championship of the Pittsfield Invitational at Old Orchard Country Club. The Saukees shot a 345, followed by Illini West at 351 and Rushville-Industry at 381. Illini West’s Nolan…

Read More

Crim: Signing with WWE’s ‘Next In Line’ program helps Pittsfield’s Hayden conquer more stereotypes

University of Tennesee thrower Chandler Hayden, who is a 2019 graduate of Pittsfield High School, recently signed a name, image and likeness agreement with WWE to be part of the "Next In Line" program. | Photo courtesy Tennessee athletics/Andrew Ferguson

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Chandler Hayden has always defied stereotypes. “Doing things out of the norm builds confidence,” she explained. The 2019 graduate of Pittsfield High School is anything but typical. And perhaps her boldest move yet came last month when Hayden, a University of Tennessee track and field thrower, was one of 15 college athletes…

Read More

Muddy River Showcase: Scranton helps Saukees add another layer to Pittsfield’s rich tradition

Pittsfield guard Nate Scranton wore the same number his uncle, Matt Elledge, wore when he played for the Saukees. Submitted photo

The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general…

Read More

JWCC Prairie State Profile: Pittsfield’s Cox carries on family tradition with integrity and confidence

Pittsfield's Katie Cox clears a hurdle in the 110-meter hurdles race at the Class 1A state championships last year in Charleston, Ill. Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Steve Smith became known throughout West-Central Illinois as one of the region’s most influential and impartial basketball referees. For Katie Cox, he was simply grandpa. “He truly always wanted me to be the best,” said Cox, a senior three-sport athlete at Pittsfield High School. “With everything I did, he was pushing me.…

Read More

Raiders strike first knowing potential regional rematch with Saukees looms

Quincy Notre Dame coach Ryan Oden waves home Tucker Tollerton with the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning Monday against Pittsfield. Tollerton scored on on a two-out single to left off the bat of Harry Oden. David Adam photo

QUINCY — The gamesmanship is officially underway. There’s a good chance Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield could meet again in the Class 2A baseball postseason. That’s what made Monday’s matchup between the longtime rivals that much more interesting. QND pulled out a 1-0 victory on a crisp April afternoon at wind-swept Ferd Niemann Memorial Ballfield,…

Read More

JWCC Prairie State Profile: Saukees’ Davis keeps focus on task at hand in pursuit of state wrestling berth

Pittsfield wrestler Mason Davis holds his medal after winning the Class 1A regional championship at 170 pounds. Submitted photo

The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete. PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Mason Davis refuses to get caught daydreaming. Sure, his goal is clear cut: Become a state wrestling qualifier. After that, there’s the hope of wrestling well enough to earn a medal and a spot on the podium at…

Read More

Liquor Booth Shot of the Game: Pittsfield’s Ronne Thelander exits after first career field goal

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield boys basketball team gave Ronne Thelander a fitting goodbye. The Saukees sophomore manager was in the starting lineup for last Friday’s game against Quincy Notre Dame at Voshall Gym, and after Pittsfield won the opening tip, Thelander was given the opportunity to take the first shot. His initial attempt fell…

Read More

Wrestling roundup: Blue Devils’ Garrett wins individual crown as QHS takes third overall

Quincy High School wrestler Kayden Garrett shows off the team trophy the Blue Devils won Saturday at the 60th Murdale Invitational in Carbondale, Ill. Photo courtesy QHS wrestling

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Kayden Garrett’s individual championship helped the Quincy High School wrestling team finish third among 25 teams in the 60th Murdale Invitational at Carbondale High School. Garrett, a senior wrestling at 170 pounds, won his first two matches in pool play with a second-period pin and a 21-6 technical fall. In the championship…

Read More

Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament roundup: Saukees return from lengthy break, celebrate coach’s birthday with victory

MACOMB, Ill. — Brad Tomhave’s birthday wish was quite simple. All he wanted was a victory. Five minutes into Monday’s first-round game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament against Monmouth-Roseville, the Pittsfield boys basketball team didn’t look like it had anything gift-wrapped for the veteran coach. The Saukees allowed the Titans to score the game’s first…

Read More

Scoreboard for Tuesday, August 17

Boys Golf Alton Redbird Invitational at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Quincy High School finishes fifth at 313. Breese Mater Dei wins the title with a 306, followed by Edwardsville (307), O’Fallon (311) and Springfield (312). Cameron Bergman leads the Blue Devils with a 76 to finish 10th individually, and Brady Walker posts a 77.…

Read More