2023-24 Girls basketball all-area team: Freshmen emerge, juniors rise to occasion, seniors shine

QUINCY — From freshmen making an immediate impact to seniors leaving a lasting legacy, the area girls basketball scene featured remarkable individual performances that led to widespread team success. Eleven players earned all-state honors while six teams won at least 20 games with two regional titles, one district championship and two sectional crowns. It made…

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Pair of QHS pitchers mow down QND to claim victory during head-to-head clash in SHG Slam

Quincy High School right-hander Brady Lowe struck out 12 in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Quincy Notre Dame at the SHG Slam in Springfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The first crosstown showdown of the spring took place 110 miles from the Gem City, but it didn’t lack any down-to-the-last-out drama. With a runner on first base and the Quincy High School baseball team holding a two-run lead in the top of the seventh inning, right-handed reliever Jansen Lawson induced a…

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Accountability playing key part in Blue Devils staying focused in pursuit of success

Quincy High School senior shortstop Kyle Taylor is one of several experienced players the Blue Devils will lean on in pursuit of postseason success. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Owen Zanger looks around the diamond and sees the bond the game has created among the Quincy High School baseball players. “We’re all great friends,” he said. “I think that comes with every successful team.” For this group, though, it doesn’t come with an air of indifference for those not performing or not…

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Schuckman: IHSA eyeing target date to implement shot clock and other prep basketball notes

Zack Evans and the Winchester West Central boys basketball team won 15 consecutive games after playing in the Quincy Shootout and captured the Class 1A state championship. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Follow the bouncing ball as the high school basketball season enters its final week … • The shot clock is coming to Illinois and the Illinois High School Association appears to have a target date for implementing it into the state tournament series. Kurt Gibson, the IHSA associate executive director who oversees basketball,…

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QHS’s Longcor receives IBCA first-team all-state plaudits, Thomas earns third-team honors

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III was named a Class 4A first-team all-stater by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — During a season in which he became the 23rd player in the history of the Quincy High School boys basketball program to reach 1,000 career points, junior guard Bradley Longcor III showcased why a vast number of college coaches are interested in his services. He has poise, precision and presence. Longcor has a…

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Schuckman: Strength of character shows in how Wires, Buehler handled adversity

Quincy High School senior guard Ralph Wires displayed character and maturity in how he handled the season-ending loss to Normal Community in the Class 4A sectional championship game in Pekin, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Adversity doesn’t build character. It reveals it. That adage, originally coined by 19th century American novelist James Lane Allen, and variations of it have been used endlessly. But as I sat here mulling over what already has transpired this basketball postseason, that adage kept coming to mind. The toughest moments have shown us…

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From ecstasy to misery in four seconds: Turnover on inbounds pass leads to bitter season-ending loss for QHS

Bradley Longcor III rests his head on teammate Keshaun Thomas' back in dejection after the Quincy High School boys basketball team lost 44-43 in the Class 4A sectional final on Friday night in Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin, Ill. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — Four seconds was all that separated the Quincy High School boys basketball team from one of its most inspirational and dramatic victories in many seasons. Instead, the Blue Devils walked off the floor at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium bewildered and shocked moments later. An inbounds pass along the baseline from Tyler Sprick was…

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Breaking down the final four seconds of the Quincy High School vs. Normal Community Class 4A sectional final

Quincy High School's Ralph Wires throws the ball back toward the basket while falling out of bounds during Friday night's Class 4A sectional game at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin. Defending the play is Normal Community's Braylon Roman. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — It seemed so simple, right?  Get the ball inbounds, let Normal Community foul, make a couple of free throws and force the Ironmen to take a desperation heave at the end. However, the Ironmen didn’t allow for the baseline inbounds play with 4.3 seconds left to be simple for the Quincy High…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils trail by as many as nine in first half before rallying to take lead

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III dribbles to the basket during the Class 4A sectional boys basketball game on Friday night at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin, Ill. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team fell behind 17-8 in the first half but rallied to take the lead on multiple occasions in the second half before losing 44-43 to Normal Community on Friday night in the Class 4A sectional at Dawson Hawkins Gym in Pekin. Quincy turned up the defensive…

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Charges dropped against former QHS all-state running back accused in Iowa State gambling probe

Former Iowa State University running back Jirehl Brock, a Quincy High School all-stater and the Blue Devils' all-time leading rusher, had gambling charges against him dismissed Friday by a judge in Story County, Iowa. | Photo courtesy Iowa State athletics

AMES, Iowa — Jirehl Brock no longer has to worry what a conviction on a tampering of records charge might entail. Friday, the former Quincy High School all-state running back learned the charges against him and three other former Iowa State University athletes were being dismissed by a Story County judge after evidence showed the…

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Game Night Guide: Quincy High School to face Normal Community for sectional title

Ralph Wires' ability to distribute, score and apply on-the-ball defensive pressure will benefit the Quincy High School boys basketball team in Friday night's Class 4A sectional championship game against Normal Community in Pekin, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

Class 4A Pekin Sectional Championship Quincy High School (31-3) vs. Normal Community (29-5) Where: Dawdy Hawkins Gym, Pekin High School When: 7 p.m. Friday Livestream: Pekin Community High School YouTube page Radio: WGEM 105.1 FM Scouting the Blue Devils: Led by the inside-outside combo of junior forward Keshaun Thomas and junior guard Bradley Longcor III…

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CSE’s Miller receives second-team all-state honors, three others earn honorable mention

Central-Southeastern junior forward Lauren Miller, who was named a Class 2A second-team all-stater by the Illinois Media, led the Panthers to a 29-3 record and a super-sectional berth. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Lauren Miller’s game is drawing interest from NCAA Division I and II women’s basketball coaches throughout the Midwest. For good reason. The Central-Southeastern junior forward was named a Class 2A second-team all-stater this week by the Illinois Media. She is the only area girls player to be named all-state in any of the…

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Schuckman: Intriguing possibilities abound, but hiring athletic director to move needle and push QHS forward needs to be priority

QUINCY — Over the past 20 years, the Quincy High School athletic department has been led by four different directors who each previously had been a coach at some level within the school district. Will the next athletic director have a similar background? Wednesday night, the Quincy School Board approved Superintendent Todd Pettit’s recommendation that…

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Getting back to farm roots part of QHS athletic director’s decision to shift roles

Quincy High School athletic director Matt McClelland, left, hands former QHS basketball player Reid O'Brien the championship trophy following the QHS Thanksgiving Tournament in 2022 at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Matt McClelland’s roots are in the dirt. He feels it’s about time he got back to it. After spending more than 20 years teaching and coaching in the Quincy Public Schools, including the past three as the Quincy High School athletic director, McClelland will become the next director of the West Central Region…

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‘Phenomenal’ second-quarter blitz helps QHS rout Belleville West to reach sectional championship game

Bradley Longcor, left, receives an ovation from the Quincy High School fans while being congratulated by his teammates after being taken out of Tuesday night's Class 4A sectional semifinal game in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — Bradley Longcor III believes he and his Quincy High School boys basketball teammates have more quarters in them like the second quarter of Tuesday night’s game. After Belleville West’s Jordan Lacey hit a 10-foot jump shot to tie the score at 16 on the first possession of the second quarter, the Blue…

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With a wink and a smile: Longcor’s buzzer beater to end first half also shuts up teasing teammate

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III launches a 3-point shot over Belleville West's Daylen Byrd as the final second ticks off the clock in the second quarter of Tuesday night's Class 4A boys basketball sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — With four seconds left in the first half and his team leading 42-22, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas took Bradley Longcor III off the floor to prevent him from picking up his second foul. However, after Belleville East had an over-and-back violation, leaving one second on the clock, Douglas…

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Photo Gallery: Four Blue Devils score in double figures in dominant performance over Belleville West

Quincy High School's Dom Clay, left, stares downm Belleville West's Jordan Lacey during Tuesday night's boys basketball game in the Class 4A sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — Junior guard Bradley Longcor III scored 28 points in a 74-46 victory for the Quincy High School boys basketball team on Tuesday night over Belleville West in the Class 4A sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O’Fallon Township High School. Dom Clay scored 11 points, and Ralph Wires and Keshaun Thomas…

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‘Everything was big in that fourth quarter’: Blue Devils rally to keep season alive with regional championship

Quincy High School senior point guard Ralph Wires, right, accepts the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional championship plaque following Friday night's 49-42 victory over O'Fallon at Edwardsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Matt Kamp

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. —  A hand injury has limited Ralph Wires’ ability to shoot the ball, but that didn’t stop the Quincy High School point guard from producing two of the biggest baskets Friday night. Wires made a pair of slashing drives to the lane on back-to-back possessions to ignite a game-closing 14-3 run for the…

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Blue Devils’ Longcor is named WB6 MVP, Thomas joins him on all-conference first team

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III was named the Western Big 6 Conference MVP by the league's coaches after leading the Blue Devils to the conference crown. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Bradley Longcor III’s performance in the final two games of the Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball title chase elevated Quincy High School to its 25th league crown and pushed the junior guard to the forefront as the league’s top player. Thursday, the WB6 coaches confirmed that. Longcor was named the conference MVP…

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Improvisational skills: Wires sets up Thomas for game-winning basket on busted play as Blue Devils find way to survive

Quincy High School's Ralph Wires holds onto the basketball after making a steal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation against Alton in Wednesday night’s Class 4A Edwardsville Regional semifinal inside Lucco-Jackson Gymnasium in Edwardsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Matt Kamp, Edwardsville Intelligencer

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — It wasn’t exactly how the Quincy High School boys basketball team drew up the final seconds of the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional semifinal against Alton, but it worked. Ralph Wires found a wide-open Keshaun Thomas in the post for the go-ahead basket with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the second-seeded…

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Blue Devils head into postseason facing gauntlet of formidable foes

The Quincy High School boys basketball team opens postseason play at 6 p.m. Wednesday against sixth-seeded Alton in the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Let the gauntlet commence. Wednesday night, regional play begins in the Class 4A Pekin Sectional, which is arguably one of the toughest boys basketball postseason paths from top to bottom. Of the 16 teams split into two sub-sectionals, 14 have winning records and every team has at least 11 victories. There are seven…

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‘I kind of got my swagger back’: Uppinghouse rebounds to take third, make QHS wrestling history with second state medal

Quincy High School's Owen Uppinghouse reacts to beating St. Charles East's Anthony Gutierrez in the third-place match at 165 pounds at the Class 3A state tournament Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse admitted the sting wasn’t easy to shake. The Quincy High School 165-pound senior wrestler went to the Class 3A state tournament undefeated with his sights set squarely on becoming the fifth state champion in program history. A quarterfinal loss Friday morning to LaGrange Lyons’ Gunnar Garelli ruined that. Although he…

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Uppinghouse, two QND grapplers still chasing spots on podium at state wrestling tourney

Quincy High School's Owen Uppinghouse, left, battles LaGrange Lyons' Gunnar Garelli in the Class 3A state quarterfinals at 165 pounds Friday at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse’s dream of becoming just the fifth Illinois High School Association state wrestling champion in Quincy High School history was dashed Friday morning. Yet his chance to make history still exists. The senior who entered the Class 3A state tournament undefeated and ranked No. 1 at 165 pounds suffered a 5-1…

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‘I think it came down to toughness’: Blue Devils’ strong second half carries them to WB6 crown

Quincy High School senior Tyler Sprick, left, and junior Keshaun Thomas helped the Blue Devils beat Rock Island 48-46 Thursday night in Rock Island, Ill., to capture the Western Big 6 Conference championship. | Muddy River Sports file photo

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Nobody can say Quincy High School didn’t earn the 2023-24 Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball championship. The state’s Class 4A fifth-ranked Blue Devils beat Rock Island for the second time in three days on Thursday evening, using a similar script to Tuesday’s home victory. Getting enough offense at the right…

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Uppinghouse, Newbold end first day of state wrestling tourney alive in winner’s bracket

Quincy High School's Bryor Newbold sets up a move during his 175-pound opening-round match in the Class 3A state tournament at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse’s title pursuit started with a flourish. Bryor Newbold’s began with a tussle. Both still have a shot at glory. The Quincy High School wrestlers opened the Class 3A state tournament at State Farm Center with first-round victories and will grapple in the quarterfinals Friday morning. Meanwhile, Quincy Notre Dame wrestlers…

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Opportunity to stay with defending state champs eludes Blue Devils in regional championship loss

Quincy High School freshman forward Jada Brown, left, gets in position for a rebound during Thursday's Class 4A regional championship against O'Fallon in O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — Brad Dance could feel how much the missed opportunities hurt. The Quincy High School girls basketball team trailed defending state champion O’Fallon 15-10 in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Class 4A regional championship, but had it not been for squandering a couple of offensive chances, the Blue Devils could have been…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls see 25-win season come to end in regional title loss to O’Fallon

Quincy High School guard Leila Dade, left, wipes her eyes after the Blue Devils suffered a 55-40 loss to O'Fallon in Thursday night's Class 4A regional champiosnhip game in O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — The Class 4A sub-sectional the Quincy High School girls basketball team was assigned proved to be as challening as expected. The third-seeded Blue Devils suffered a 55-40 loss to second-seeded O’Fallon in Thursday night’s regional championship, ending Quincy’s season with a 25-7 record. Freelance photographer Paul Baillargeon put together this photo gallery…

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Prairie State Profile: Five area wrestlers ready to chase state championships

Quincy High School's Bryor Newbold, center, and Quincy Notre Dame's Bradi Lahr, right, are two of the five area wrestlers who will compete in the Illinois state championhips this weekend in Champaign, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Illinois state wrestling tournament begins at noon Thursday with five area wrestlers having qualified to grapple at State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.  Wednesday, they had the opportunity to visit the Illini wrestling facility in Huff Hall, get a workout in and prepare for the pursuit of…

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Blue Devils clamp down on high-scoring Rocks, force winner-take-all WB6 championship game on Thursday

The defensive presence of Quincy High School junior forward Keshaun Thomas helped the Blue Devils dispatch Rock Island 58-49 on Tuesday night at Blue Devil Gym. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — To take advantage of the switching man-to-man defense used by the Quincy High School boys basketball team, Rock Island tried to isolate K.J. Lamonte, its top scorer, on Keshaun Thomas, the Blue Devils’ 6-foot-5 junior forward. Every time Lamonte tried to slash to the basket in the first half, Thomas forced him to…

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Strong start propels Blue Devils into rematch with Panthers for regional championship

Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier, left, and Myley Longcor trap Belleville East's Taylor Smith during Monday night's Class 4A regional semifinal at O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball players didn’t get caught up in the scouting report or overly concern themselves with how Belleville East would attack. “They just want to go out and play and do what’s expected of them,” Quincy coach Brad Dance said. And they expected to earn a spot in…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls blitz Belleville East to reach regional title game

Quincy High School's Taylor Fohey, right, looks to get to the basket during Monday night's Class 4A regional semifinal against Belleville East at O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team scored the game’s first 17 points and rolled to a 68-30 victory over Belleville East in Monday night’s semifinals of the Class 4A O’Fallon Regional. The Blue Devils (25-6) will face O’Fallon at 7 p.m. Thursday for the regional championship. Photographer Paul Baillargeon of Archview…

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‘In my mind, I’m the best in the state’: Uppinghouse keeps perfect record intact at sectional

Referee Ray Eickelschulte raises Owen Uppinghouse's hand after his 3-0 victory in the championship match of the 165-pound division at the Class 3A sectional on Saturday at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man. Owen Uppinghouse believes he’s the man to beat at 165 pounds in Illinois. Uppinghouse won three matches this weekend in the Class 3A sectional in Blue Devil Gym to remain undefeated after 54 matches. The most important victory was a 3-0 decision over…

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Blue Devils shoot plenty of layups while sharing ball in commanding road victory over Jacksonville

Quincy High School guard Kamren Wires helped the Blue Devils rebound from Friday's loss at Moline with a 27-point victory at Jacksonville on Saturday night. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — How easy was it for the Quincy High School boys basketball team to score against a porous Jacksonville defense on Saturday night? One play in the second quarter provided a perfect example. Blue Devils guard Kamren Wires was about to be trapped by two Jacksonville defenders in front of the Quincy bench,…

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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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Back home again: Quincy girls start fast en route to 58-28 thumping of Hannibal

Quincy High School's Leila Dade tries to stop Hannibal's Alyson Falconer from shooting during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — Leah Chevalier’s reasoning was understandable. Slightly flawed, maybe, but completely understandable. “This win allowed us to finish unbeaten at home,” said the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s senior point guard following Wednesday night’s 58-28 victory over Hannibal in front of a crowd of about 550 at the QHS gym. But … ummm…

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Killday’s first recruiting class at QU features local ties, building blocks in trenches

Quincy High School linebacker Ty Douglas, left, and wide receiver Adon Byquist are key components of the Quincy University football team's recruiting class. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Having spent the past 14 years recruiting the I-55 corridor between Chicago and St. Louis, Quincy University football coach Jason Killday understands there is a wealth of talent between the two metro areas. You just have to look. “You have to be able to dig in the dirt a little bit and find…

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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: Blue Devils move back to No. 3 in Class 4A

The Quincy High School boys basketball team moved back to No. 3 in the Class 4A state poll with a 25-2 record. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Homewood-Flossmoor (9) 25-3 132 1 2. Curie (4) 25-2 130 2 3. Quincy 25-2 108 4 4. Downers North 22-4 73 6 5. Bolingbrook 21-4 67 8…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils celebrate Senior Night by finishing 9-0 in QHS gym

Quincy High School's Taylor Fohey wrestles for possession of the basketball with Hannibal's Katelynn Ferguson-Minor during Wednesday night's girls basketball game in the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team led 21-3 after the opening eight minutes and went on to defeat Hannibal 56-26 at the QHS gymnasium. The game had a celebratory feel to it, despite the Blue Devils (23-6) coming off a loss on Saturday in Blue Devil Gym to United Township. QHS coach…

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Blue Devils’ chase of WB6 crown comes down to three-game gauntlet after dispatching Pioneers

Quincy High School junior guard Dom Clay throws down a dunk in the first half of Tuesday night's game against Rock Island Alleman at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — A slight rewrite to the lyrics of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” might be apropos for the Quincy High School boys basketball team heading into the homestretch of the Western Big 6 Conference season. “Well, it’s one for the chance, two for the show, Three for the glory, now go, Devils, go.“ Tuesday…

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Photo Gallery: QHS stays perfect at Blue Devil Gym with victory over Alleman

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III drives to the basket during Tuesday night's game against Rock Island Alleman at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — A perfect season at home is one victory away. The Quincy High School boys basketball team improved to 12-0 at Blue Devil Gym this season with Tuesday night’s 78-33 victory over Rock Island Alleman in Western Big 6 Conference play. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action.

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‘Owen’s just a special kid’: Uppinghouse clears first hurdle to state tournament with regional title

Quincy High School's Owen Uppinghouse flexes in celebration of winning the Class 3A regional wrestling championship in the QHS gymnasium Saturday afternoon. | David Adam

QUINCY — Phil Neally has worked with many successful teams and wrestlers during his 20 years as the head coach at Quincy High School, but as the 2023-24 season winds down, he knows his time to witness true greatness is dwindling. Neally has had a ringside seat for Owen Uppinghouse’s dominating senior season. The QHS…

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Photo Gallery: Newbold, Roberts capture regional crowns as Blue Devils send nine to sectional

Quincy High School's Eli Roberts puts pressure on the head of top-seeded Antoine Phillips from Alton during their championship match at 150 pounds during the Class 3A wrestling regional Saturday afternoon in the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam

Joining Owen Uppinghouse as a regional champion on Saturday were Quincy High School’s Bryor Newbold at 175 pounds and Eli Roberts at 150 pounds. Also advancing to the Class 3A sectional, to be held at Blue Devil Gym next weekend, was Hugh Sharrow (third at 113 pounds), Wyatt Boeing (second at 120 pounds), Evan Wakefield…

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Quincy girls held to lowest point total since 2017, lose WB6 showdown with United Township

Quincy High School's Jada Brown looks to shoot while United Township's Lorena Awou defends during Saturday's high school girls basketball game in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

QUINCY — The knockout punch came early, and it was impressive. Unlike recent United Township victories over the Quincy High School girls basketball team, when the outcome was in doubt until the final seconds, Saturday’s verdict was never in question from about midway through the second quarter. With 6-foot-5 Lorena Awou — a North Carolina…

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Thomas’ toughness on full display as Blue Devils ground Flyers in Shootout victory

Quincy High School junior forward Keshaun Thomas scores two of his game-high 28 points during Saturday's victory over East St. Louis in the Midwest Crossroads Shootout at Normal West High School in Normal, Ill. | Samantha Carmean photo

NORMAL, Ill. — Nothing is going to keep Keshaun Thomas down. With 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining in the first half of Saturday’s game against East St. Louis in the Midwest Crossroads Shootout, the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s junior forward was knocked to the floor, forcing a pause in the action and the…

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Quincy Public Schools take action against parent following incident at girls basketball game

QUINCY — Officials with the Quincy School District have taken action against a spectator who was involved in an incident involving a referee during Tuesday night’s girls basketball game between Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame. However, the school district is not saying what that action is.  Mike Dade was attending the game as…

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Defensive dominance in first quarter allows Blue Devils to keep pace with Rock Island in WB6

Quincy High School's Tyler Sprick defends United Township's Caeden Terrell during the first half of Friday night's boys basketball game at Blue Devil Gym in Quincy. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team forced United Township to burn nearly a minute off the clock on its opening possession Friday night before finally yielding a pull-up jumper from the left baseline by Dominic Rhoden. It was a harbinger of things to come. Quincy’s suffocating defense forced six turnovers and seven…

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Phpto Gallery: Longcor leads QHS boys with 17, Kamren Wires provides spark in reserve role

Bradley Longcor III weaves his way through traffic during Quincy High School's boys basketball game on Friday night against United Township in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

Bradley Longcor III scored 17 points to lead the Quincy high School boys basketball team to a 65-32 Western Big 6 Conference victory over United Township on Friday night. Junior guard Kamren Wires came off the bench in the second quarter to provide an offensive spark. He tipped in a missed shot, drilled a 3-pointer…

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QHS boys at No. 4 in Associated Press Class 4A state poll; Central slides in at No. 10 in Class 1A

Keshaun Thomas goes up for a shot during Quincy High School's boys basketball game against Batavia on Saturday, Jan. 27, in Blue Devil Gym. | Contributed photo

Here are the Associated Press boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4ASchoolW-LPtsPrv1. Homewood-Flossmoor (10)22-211722. Curie (1)23-210913. Waubonsie Valley (1)22-09144. Quincy22-27735. Lisle (Benet Academy)20-36576. Downers North20-44887. Normal Community22-44458. Bolingbrook18-33899. Collinsville23-330610. Gurnee Warren22-413NR Others receiving votes: Kenwood 9. Glenbrook North 8. Moline 5. New Trier 3. Rock…

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QHS girls climb one spot in Associated Press Class 4A poll; C-SE rises one spot in 2A, QND drops one spot in 3A

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Wiewel tries to block a shot by Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier during Tuesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (4) 29-0 66 1 2. Alton (3) 25-1 64 2 3. Bolingbrook 21-2 55 3 4. Nazareth 21-3 38 5 5. Maine South 25-1 37 4 6.…

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One off the checklist: Blue Devils lead wire to wire in victory over cross-town rival Raiders

Quincy High School's Leah Chevalier reaches back to grab a rebound during Tuesday night's girls basketball game against Quincy Notre Dame at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — How well is the Quincy High School girls basketball team playing at the moment? “I think we’re probably playing the best ball we have all season right now,” senior center Taylor Fohey said following Tuesday night’s 47-24 victory over rival Quincy Notre Dame at The Pit. It would be difficult to dispute Fohey’s…

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Victory over defending state champs moves QHS boys into first-place tie in Western Big Six

Quincy High School's Camden Brown goes past Moline's Trey Taylor, left, and Vinablo Adjahoungbeta during Tuesday night's boys basketball game at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

QUINCY – A couple of explosive offensive spurts and a lockdown defense proved to be a winning formula. Three consecutive 3-pointers by Bradley Longcor III that created separation in the second quarter, and nine straight points in 92 seconds in the third period, were enough to carry the Quincy High School boys basketball team to…

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Photo Gallery: Longcor’s marksmanship in second quarter propels Blue Devils to home-court victory

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor shoots a 3-pointer during the second half of Tuesday night's basketball game in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

Three consecutive 3-pointers by Bradley Longcor III created separation in the second quarter, giving the Quincy High School boys basketball team at 24-9 lead in its way to a 54-37 victory over Moline Tuesday night in Blue Devil Gym. Longcor finished with 19 points. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the…

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Photo Gallery: Fohey, Brown combine for 31 points, 17 rebounds for QHS girls

Quincy High School's Laila Dade, right, drives to the basket while Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler, left, defends during Tuesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

The Quincy High School girls basketball team, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A, led wire-to-wire in a 47-24 victory on Tuesday night at the Pit. The Blue Devils held Quincy Notre Dame, ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, to its lowest offensive output in 97 games, dating to late in the 2020-21 season when the…

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Ribbon-cutting ceremony recognizes donors for video screen in Quincy High School gymnasium

The video screen was added to the gym as a way to help the girls’ basketball, volleyball and wrestling programs increase their program capacity by generating increased advertising revenue.  | Photo courtesy of Heidi Lanier

QUINCY – The Quincy Public Schools Foundation had a ribbon-cutting ceremony to honor community donors who made the video screen in the Quincy High School gymnasium possible at halftime of the girls basketball game versus Galesburg on Jan. 25. Donors recognized on the project were the Dot Foods Charitable Giving Program and the family of…

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Uppinghouse builds mark to 44-0, leads QHS to third place at 32nd QND Wrestling Invitational

Palmyra's Tyler Spicknall picks up Quincy Notre Dame's Cale Hilbing during their semifinal match in the 132-pound weight class during the QND Wrestling Invitational on Saturday at the Pit. Spicknall won the match and eventually placed second. | David Adam

QUINCY — Quincy High School’s Owen Uppinghouse had every right to be exhausted. And make no mistake about it, he most certainly was. Uppinghouse wrapped up the 165-pound championship Saturday in the 32nd annual Quincy Notre Dame Wrestling Invitational, and what followed was not so much a raised fist in the air signifying another win…

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Blue Devils bounce back from road loss, blanket Batavia defensively to stay unbeaten at home

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor splits Batavia defenders on his way to two of his 18 points during Saturday night's victory at Blue Devil Gym. | Contributed photo

QUINCY — The longest road trip in the Western Big Six Conference seemed to last forever Friday night after a surprising loss to Sterling. “Man, that hurt,” Quincy High School junior Dom Clay said. “It was really quiet (on the bus).” The Blue Devils lost for only the second time in 22 games on a…

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Sterling provides wake-up call as Klaver’s game-winning 3-pointer knocks Blue Devils from top of WB6

Quincy's Keshaun Thomas, right, rips a rebound away from Sterling's Andre Klaver during Friday night's high school boys basketball game at Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse in Sterling. | Photo courtesy of Alex Paschal, Shaw Media

STERLING, Ill. – The Western Big Six Conference race just got a little tighter. Sterling guard Andre Klaver buried a contested 3-pointer from deep on the left wing with 5.6 seconds remaining Friday night to stun third-ranked Quincy High School 65-62 in Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils, who beat the Golden Warriors 66-41 at…

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Blue Devils shoot 68 percent from field, win impressively in battle of state-ranked conference foes

Quincy's Jada Brown goes up for a shot while Galesburg's Syriah Boyd tries to defend during Thursday night's girls basketball game at the QHS gymnasium. | David Adam

QUINCY — It isn’t supposed to look that easy. The inside scoring of Jada Brown … the perimeter shooting of Myley Longcor … the post passing from the perimeter … the defensive pressure on Galesburg’s guards … it all came together on Thursday night in a masterful performance. A game between two state-ranked girls basketball…

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Photo Gallery: Freshman Brown contributes 28 points, nine rebounds in victory over Silver Streaks

Quincy's Leah Chevalier, right, dribbles to the baseline while Galesburg's Kiarra Kilgore defends. | David Adam

QUINCY — Freshman Jada Brown scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help the Quincy High School girls basketball team defeat Galesburg 62-43 in a Western Big Six Conference game Thursday night at the QHS gymnasium. The Silver Streaks led 2-0, and the Blue Devils quickly grabbed the lead and never relinquished it. MRN…

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QHS boys stay at No. 3 in Class 4A, but three of top six teams in poll suffered losses Tuesday night

From left, Camden Brown, Bradley Longcor, Ralph Wires and Tyler Sprick | Muddy River News file photo by Matt Schuckman

The Quincy High School boys basketball team remains at No. 3 in the Associated Press Class 4A basketball poll. The top two teams in the poll lost on Tuesday — Homewood-Flossmoor was beaten 65-61 by Bradley-Bourbonnais, and Curie lost 73-66 to Lindblom. No. 6 Collinsville also lost 62-57 to Highland in overtime. However, voters turned…

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QHS girls stay at No. 8 in Class 4A poll, while QND girls move up one spot to No. 3 in Class 3A

Quincy Notre Dame's Eric Orne talks to his team during a timeout in a game at John Wood Community College in December. | Muddy River News file photo by Addi Sanger

Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (7) 27-0 106 1 2. Alton (3) 24-1 92 T2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 20-2 88 T2 4. Maine South 22-1 75 4 5. Nazareth 18-3 61 5 6. Normal…

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Blue Devils create energy level necessary to maintain momentum against Silver Streaks

Quincy High School guard Ralph Wires runs the offense during Tuesday night's Western Big 6 Conference game against Galesburg at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Challenge accepted and met. Coming off Saturday’s high-octane, high-profile victory over Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia in the marquee game of the Quincy Shootout, the Quincy High School boys basketball team was tasked with rekindling that energy Tuesday to face Galesburg, which it beat by 52 points in early December. “Our pregame speech tonight…

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Photo gallery: QHS boys basketball team easily dispatches Galesburg in WB6 battle

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III pressures Galesburg's Jackson Crock Sibbing during Tuesday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Galesburg boys basketball team scored the first five points of Tuesday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. Quincy High School did the rest, rolling to a 77-35 victory to improve to 20-1 overall. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:

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Schuckman: Quincy Shootout provides moments easily considered best of the best

Wasatch Academy point guard John Mobley Jr., left, put up a double-double in both of the Tigers' games in the Quincy Shootout. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Over the span of 32 hours and 13 games, the players, teams and coaches who participated in the sixth Quincy Shootout put on quite a show in Blue Devil Gym. Here are some of the best things I witnessed: Best player: Wasatch Academy point guard John Mobley Jr. has signed with Ohio State…

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Photo gallery: Scenes from the Quincy Shootout

Blue Devil mascot Nate Hetzler stands on the court as the Quincy High School boys basketball team's starting lineup is introduced. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A gym full of basketball junkies enjoyed being treated to top-level talent during the sixth Quincy Shootout, which took place Friday and Saturday at Blue Devil Gym. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent all 13 games courtside and put together this photo gallery of scenes from the shootout:

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Photo gallery: Marquee game brings out marquee performance in QHS boys basketball team

The Quincy High School boys basketball team runs a baseline inbounds play during Saturday night's game against Imhotep Charter in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team used the spotlight brought on by the nationally respected field assembled for the Quincy Shootout to showcase just how skilled it is. Saturday night’s 74-62 victory over Imhotep Charter certainly did that. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the game courtside in Blue Devil Gym…

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Chartering a new course: Victory over nationally respected Imhotep could vault QHS to No. 1 in state poll

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III reacts to scoring while being fouled during the first half of Saturday night's game against Imhotep Charter in the Quincy Shootout in Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The loudest statement in front of the loudest crowd could have the loudest impact. The Quincy High School boys basketball team may find itself as the No. 1-ranked team in Illinois this coming week. Toppling a team with a nationally respected resume like Imhotep Charter Prep could do that. Playing with the most…

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Hot Wires-d: Tenacious play of QHS guard sets tone for dynamic defensive effort

Quincy High School senior guard Ralph Wires defense Imhotep Charter's Ahmad Nowell during Saturday night's game in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The pain was worth it. “Of course,” Ralph Wires said. With three minutes remaining in Saturday night’s marquee game of the Quincy Shootout, the Quincy High School senior guard was fouled, knocked to the floor and struggled to get to his feet because of the cramping in his left calf. Eventually, Wires made…

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Schuckman: Soaking in crowd’s fervor is something QHS’s bench brigade appreciates

Quincy High School senior guard Seth Rupert tries to get into the passing lane defensively during Friday night's game against Geneseo at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The rumble, roar and electricity created by a Blue Devil Gym crowd is something easily felt in heightened moments of most Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball games. The intensity grows when you’re actually on the court. “It’s really like no other,” Quincy High School senior guard Seth Rupert said. “I don’t think…

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Be prepared: Blue Devils’ approach allows them to blow away Maple Leafs for WB6 victory

Quincy High School senior guard Tyler Sprick reacts to teammate Ty Douglas getting in the scoring column with a free throw in the fourth quarter of Friday night's 75-13 victory over Geneseo in Western Big 6 Conference play at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The schedule listed Friday night’s opponent as Geneseo. It may as well have read Homewood-Flossmoor, Bolingbrook or any other state-ranked team the Quincy High School boys basketball team could conceivably face. “Your preparation is for the best teams on your schedule, and that doesn’t change when you’re not playing the best teams on…

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Photo gallery: First night of Quincy Shootout entertains basketball-loving fanbase

Link Academy's Jalen Shelley, left, blocks a shot by Oak Cliff Faith Family's Isaac Williams during Friday night's game in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The appetizer was quite tasty. The main course promises to be just as delictable. The sixth Quincy Shootout kicked off Friday night with four games each at Blue Devil Gym and The Pit, and the matchups produced plenty of highlights, including a 75-13 whitewashing of Geneseo by the Quincy High School boys basketball…

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Quincy Shootout: Scoreboard and schedule

Millard North's Elijah Gaeth, left, attacks off the dribble against Chicago Curie during Friday's game in the Quincy Shootout at The Pit at Quincy Notre Dame. | Ron Kinscherf photo

QUINCY — The sixth Quincy Shootout kicked off Friday night with games at Blue Devil Gym and the Pit. Here are those results and a look at Saturday’s schedule: Friday’s games At Blue Devil Gym Wasatch Academy 83, iSchool of Lewisville 54 MVP — Wasatch Academy’s Chris Nwuli (18 points, 8 rebounds) Link Academy 69,…

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Schuck on a Truck: QHS boys basketball coach Andy Douglas discusses Quincy Shootout, Blue Devils’ progress

QUINCY — Sitting on the tailgate of Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s pickup didn’t make much sense with snow blowing and temperatures dipping, so the latest episode of “Schuck on a Truck” became an inside edition as he and Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas hung out in the Blue Devils’ locker…

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Illinois girls basketball state rankings: QHS up two spots in Class 4A, QND and Central-Southeastern remain in poll

The Quincy High School girls basketball team moved up to No. 8 in this week's Associated Press Class 4A state poll. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (5) 22-0 75 1 2. Alton (2) 21-1 67 3 (tie) Bolingbrook (1) 18-2 67 5 4. Maine South 20-1 42 2 5. Nazareth 15-3 38 6 6.…

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From A to Z, Quincy Shootout promises to be wonderland for basketball junkies

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III and the Blue Devils will face the No. 1-ranked team in Pennsylvania's Class 5A when they go up against Imhotep Charter on Saturday night at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The sixth Quincy Shootout is arguably the most talented collection of athletes and teams Gem City basketball fans have seen. Players who have committed to, signed with or received offers from three of the top four teams in the Associated Press college basketball top 25 will be playing in Quincy this weekend. In…

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Showcasing heart and talent: QHS wrestlers dominate own invitational, win team title for third straight year

Quincy High School's Payton Eddy, left, reacts as teammate Bryor Newbold holds up the team trophy after the QHS wrestling squad won the championship of the Quincy Invitational on Saturday at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Imperfect weather couldn’t deter the Quincy High School wrestling team from having a perfect weekend. Truly, that’s all Bryor Newbold wanted. In search of his first Quincy Invitational championship in his final try, the senior dominated the 175-pound weight class with four pins and a technical fall in his five matches, finishing his…

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Photo gallery: Area wrestlers rack up medals in Quincy Invitational

Pittsfield's Tucker Cook, top, earns the pin in his third-place match at 190 pounds Saturday during the Quincy Invitational at the QHS gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Winter weather may have impacted the number of teams that traveled here to participate in the Quincy Invitational, but it couldn’t diminish the ability of area wrestlers to showcase their talents. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday at matside and put together this photo gallery:

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State-ranked Blue Devils use 3-point barrage and stingy defense to bury Railers

Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas talks to his team during a timeout during Saturday night's game against Lincoln at Roy S. Anderson Gym in Lincoln, Ill. | Submitted photo

LINCOLN, Ill. — Bradley Longcor III’s 3-pointer from the left wing on the opening possession at Saturday night’s game was a harbinger of things to come. Longcor hit three more treys in the first half and the Quincy High School boys basketball team buried seven 3-pointers in building a 18-point advantage by intermission and cruising…

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Unrelenting defensive effort carries QHS girls basketball team to WB6 victory over Rocky

Quincy High School guard Leah Chevalier, left, looks to throw a pass to the post during Thursday night's game against Rock Island at the QHS gym. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a disappointing loss behind it. Another dynamic defensive effort helped do that. Rock Island made just one field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym, trailed by as many as 14 points early and couldn’t…

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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: Blue Devils slide up to No. 5 in Class 4A

The Quincy High School boys basketball team won a pair of games the first weekend of 2024 and moved up two spots in the Class 4A state poll. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Curie (4) 16-1 100 1 2. Homewood-Flossmoor (5) 15-1 99 T2 3. Normal Community (2) 15-1 81 4 4. Collinsville 18-1 66 T2 5. Quincy 16-1 65 7 6.…

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Illinois girls state basketball rankings: QND slides up to No. 3, QHS and CSE remain in top 10s

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team moved up to No. 3 in the Class 3A state poll this week. | Addi Zanger photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (2) 18-0 45 1 2. Maine South 20-0 44 3 3. Alton (3) 15-0 40 2 4. Normal Community 18-2 23 4 5. Bolingbrook 14-2 22 5 6.…

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Unable to score in overtime, Blue Devils suffer loss in Sophie Cunningham Classic

Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance talks to his team during a timeout in Sunday's game against Columbia Battle in the Sophie Cunningham Classic in Columbia, Mo. | Photo courtesy Sophie Cunningham Classic

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team had its chances. Forced to go to overtime against Columbia Battle in Sunday’s Sophie Cunningham Classic, the state-ranked Blue Devils failed to score on all five possessions in the extra period and suffered a 42-38 loss at Columbia College’s Southwell Gymnasium. The Spartans outscored the…

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Taking away Lions’ ability to score in paint allows Blue Devils to pull away for Highland Shootout victory

Quincy High School’s Keshaun Thomas, left, and Camden Brown defend against Cardinal Ritter guard Quenton Parker during Saturday’s game in the Highland Optimist Scott Credit Union Basketball Shootout in Highland, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

HIGHLAND, Ill. — The second-quarter surge St. Louis Cardinal Ritter enjoyed during Saturday’s Highland Shootout matchup with the Quincy High School boys basketball team made one thing obvious. “When they get to the paint, they’re going to finish,” QHS coach Andy Douglas said. That left the Blue Devils with one task in the second half…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils pull away from Lions in fourth quarter at Highland Shootout

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III defends against St. Louis Cardinal Ritter during Saturday's game in the 32nd Highland Shootout in Highland, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

HIGHLAND, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team outscored St. Louis Cardinal Ritter 26-13 in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game in the 32nd Highland Shootout, securing a 62-49 victory for back-to-back victories to start the new year. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer spent Saturday afternoon at the Shootout and put together this photo…

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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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Iron sharpens iron: QHS’s Newbold, QND’s Darnell, Pittsfield’s Cook benefit from head-to-head competition

Quincy High School's Bryor Newbold, right, controls the leg of Quincy Notre Dame's Ryan Darnell during Wednesday night's dual at The Pit. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Tucker Cook understands it may be a while before he can get a tattoo, especially one of any significant size, but he already has a plan for what he wants it to look like and say. The words “iron sharpens iron” will be prominent. “I believe in that,” the Pittsfield junior wrestler said.…

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Photo gallery: QHS, QND, Pittsfield wrestlers square off at The Pit

Quincy Notre Dame's Taylin Scott, top, puts the squeeze on Payson Seymour's Bryson Davis during Wednesday night's dual at The Pit. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Wrestling took center stage Wednesday night at The Pit as the Quincy High School, Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield squad engaged in a series of duals. The Blue Devils beat the Raiders 67-0 and the Saukees 54-6, while Pittsfield scored a 35-33 victory over QND. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat matside…

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Illinois girls state basketball rankings: QHS, QND, Central-Southeastern all in respective top 10s

The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is one of three area teams to be ranked in the Associated Press state polls. | David Adam photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous rank. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (3) 18-0 62 2 2. Alton (3) 15-0 58 3 3. Maine South (1) 18-0 52 7 4. Normal Community 17-1 42 8 5. Bolingbrook…

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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: QHS, Camp Point Central in top 10 to start new year

The Quincy High School boys basketball team is ranked No. 7 in Class 4A after finishing second at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes: Class 4A 1. Chicago Curie (4) 14-1 119 2 2. Collinsville (4) 16-0 97 10 (tie) Homewood-Flossmoor (4) 13-1 97 4 4. Normal Community (1) 12-1 82 1 5. Gurnee Warren 15-1 76 8 (tie) Lisle Benet 14-1 76…

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Brown’s 31 points help Blue Devils bounce back after late night to take third-place trophy

Freshman Jada Brown scored 31 points in Quincy High School's victory over Washington in the third-place game of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Saturday afternoon. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together.  In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…

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Photo Gallery: First trip to State Farm Holiday Classic proves to be fruitful for QHS girls

Quincy High School's Leila Dade goes flying out of bounds after she was pushed by Washington's Aisley Redlingshafer during Saturday's third-place game in the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…

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Uppinghouse continues undefeated run through top competition, three other QHS wrestlers finish in top three at holiday tourney

GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse’s mission is clear. Show no mercy. The Quincy High School senior wrestler won another tournament title this week, outgrappling a talented field at the 62nd Red Schmitt Holiday Tournament to earn the 165-pound championship and improve to 25-0 overall. That helped the Blue Devils finish sixth in the 27-team…

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‘Collinsville out-toughed us tonight’: Kahoks deny Blue Devils tourney title with physical play in critical stretches

Collinsville center Zach Chambers blocks a shot by Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III in the final seconds of Friday night’s championship game of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decked out in his travel gear with his backpack slung over his shoulders, Ralph Wires emerged from the Quincy High School locker room with a basketball in hand and casually strolled onto the Vergil Fletcher Gym floor. At the opposite end of the court from where Collinsville celebrated its championship of the…

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Potential game-tying shot doesn’t fall as QHS girls lose in overtime in State Farm Holiday Classic semifinal

Quincy High School's Leila Dade splits Morton defenders Isabella Hutchinson, left, and Paige Selke during Friday night's semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils, Kahoks go toe-to-toe in battle of Class 4A heavyweights

Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas talks to his team during Friday night's championship game of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic against Collinsville at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The difference between the Quincy High School and Collinsville boys basketball teams isn’t substantial, but it is apparent. The Kahoks are tougher. At least they were Friday night. Collinsville won the championship of the 39th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic with a 44-39 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym, improving to 16-0 in…

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