Posts Tagged ‘Quincy High School’
From top to bottom of lineup, Blue Devils pitch in to defend own invitational wrestling championship
QUINCY — The beauty of playing host to a high school wrestling tournament is the opportunity to compete in a packed-to-hilt gym full of familiar faces the way the Quincy High School gym was Saturday. “Every seat was filled,” QHS junior Owen Uppinghouse said. The drawback is what awaits in the aftermath. “I was kind…
Read More‘These are the games we need’: Brown’s three-point play highlights late comeback by Blue Devils
QUINCY — Playing the Lincoln Railsplitters is about as entertaining for the Quincy High School boys basketball team as shaving your head with a cheese grater. “I think anybody will say that Lincoln is like the least fun team to play all year long,” junior guard Ralph Wires said. “We want to run, but they…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Championship matches of Quincy wrestling invitational
QUINCY — Area wrestlers staked their claim to the individual titles during Saturday’s Quincy Invitational at the QHS gym. Eight grapplers — four from Quincy High School and one each from Camp Point Central, Macomb, Palmyra and Quincy Notre Dame — won crowns, while the Blue Devils won the team championship. Muddy River Sports Editor…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Lincoln vs. Quincy boys basketball
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team scored eight of the game’s final nine points to defeat Lincoln 43-40 on Saturday night at Blue Devil Gym. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action below:
Read MoreBlue Devils finish first half of WB6 slate in thick of title chase with chance to repeat as champs
QUINCY — Outside of the obvious scenario — that would be to beat Moline — the Quincy High School boys basketball players know what needs to happen over the second half of the Western Big 6 Conference season for them to repeat as league champions. The Blue Devils must replicate Friday night’s performance. They imposed…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS boys basketball team streaks past Galesburg in WB6 play
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team continued its quest to repeat as the Western Big 6 Conference champion, finishing the first half of the league season with Friday night’s 76-31 victory over Galesburg at Blue Devil Gym. Check out these images Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured for this photo gallery:
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: QHS wrestlers discuss Quincy Invitational
QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse, Bryor Newbold and the Quincy High School wrestlers have spent most of their season flatbacking opponents. Coming off a victory in the 29-team Murdale Invitational last weekend in Carbondale, Ill., the Blue Devils get the chance to showcase their depth and talent in front of a home crowd at the Quincy…
Read MoreDefensive plays in overtime turn tide in QHS’s favor in knocking off state-ranked Geneseo
GENESEO, Ill. — The energy expended defensively finally paid off. Neither the Quincy High School girls basketball team nor Geneseo scored in the first 2 ½ minutes of overtime Wednesday night, but Leah Chevalier’s steal that led to a layin with 1 minute, 24 seconds to play changed everything. The Blue Devils scored on back-to-back…
Read MoreIllinois boys basketball state rankings: QHS hangs at No. 10, Southeastern and Central remain in Class 1A poll
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. Kenwood (8) 14-2 116 2 2. Whitney Young (4) 14-4 110 1 3. Lisle (Benet Academy) 18-1 93 3 4. Moline 15-2 83 5 5. Joliet West 15-4 67 6 6.…
Read MoreBlue Devils’ bench brigade embraces opportunity for playing time with right approach
GENESEO, Ill. — None of the Quincy High School boys basketball players played more than 13 minutes Tuesday night, nor did they log a single minute of the second half. None of them complained about it either. The starters staked the Blue Devils to an insurmountable lead, exited the game in the second quarter and…
Read MoreControlling tempo allows QHS boys basketball players to bring ‘Run, Devils, Run’ back to life
QUINCY — The idea of reprising “Run, Devils, Run” doesn’t necessarily marry with Keshaun Thomas’ strengths, and the 6-foot-6 sophomore forward doesn’t always keep pace with his more fleet-of-foot Quincy High School boys basketball teammates. “Ahh, it’s hard sometimes,” Thomas said. Yet, he’s fully in favor of a return to the more fast-paced mantra. “Yes,…
Read MoreQHS wrestlers continue building postseason momentum, win 29-team Murdale Invitational
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The depth of the Quincy High School wrestling team is leading to some historic results. Saturday, that trend continued. The Blue Devils had three individual champions and three runners-up as they won the team championship of the 61st Murdale Invitational, topping the 29-team field by more than 50 points. Quincy finished with…
Read MoreFourth-quarter flurry enables Blue Devils to fight way past Rocks for critical WB6 victory
QUINCY — The words rolled from Bradley Longcor III in matter-of-fact fashion. “We’re a good team,” the Quincy High School sophomore said. And more times than not, good teams find ways to win games. Friday night at Blue Devil Gym was a classic case in point. Fueled by a scintillating second half at both ends…
Read MoreIllinois boys basketball state rankings: Central moves into Class 1A poll, QHS sits No. 10 in Class 4A
Here are the boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Whitney Young (14) 12-4 140 4 2. Kenwood (1) 12-2 134 1 3. Lisle (Benet Academy) 16-1 110 8 4. Rolling Meadows 16-1 103 6 5. Moline 12-2 90 2 6. Joliet…
Read MoreSchuckman: All-in, all-together approach of QHS wrestling family saves memorable holiday trip
QUINCY — The commitment needed to prepare the Quincy High School wrestlers for a post-Christmas trip to Florida extended far beyond the wrestling room. That made the realization the Blue Devils’ flights on Southwest Airlines on December 26 had been canceled all the more disheartening. “It took the families, not just the parents but the…
Read MoreDetermined to dominate: QHS wrestlers lose only one match in sweeping duals from QND, Pittsfield
QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse understands most of the Quincy High School wrestling team’s duals can’t compare to a crosstown showdown when it comes to energy and enthusiasm. “When you’re wrestling people from down the street, it tends to be different,” he said. Wednesday night was different, except in one regard. The Blue Devils’ determination for…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS, QND, Pittsfield grapple at QHS gym
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 MoreJWCC Prairie State Profile: Quincy’s Meyers ready to become area’s first NCAA Division I triathlete
QUINCY — Joella Baker wasted no time leaving a lasting impression. Not long after the veteran triathlete was named the head coach of Duquesne University’s fledgling women’s triathlon program, she received an email from Quincy High School senior Alexandria Meyers expressing interest in competing for the Dukes. “When I heard who the coach was at…
Read MoreEnergy shift goes against Blue Devils as Generals repeat as tourney champions at Collinsville
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The most unfortunate thing to happen to the Quincy High School boys basketball team Friday night was for time to run out in the first quarter. The brief interlude between quarters was exactly what Decatur MacArthur needed. The Blue Devils opened the championship game of the 38th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School faces Decatur MacArthur for championship at Collinsville
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Decatur MacArthur denied the Quincy High School boys basketball team its first championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic in a quarter century Friday night when the Generals recovered from a 16-4 first-quarter deficit and earned a 57-53 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer captured the action and…
Read MorePair of hard-fought victories put Blue Devils in position to play for tournament championship
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — It has taken the Quincy High School boys basketball team a decade to get back to where it could possibly end what is now a quarter-century drought. A shot at redemption comes with it, too. The Blue Devils will play for the championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic for the…
Read MoreSchuckman: Blue or black doesn’t matter as long as jersey is worn with respect and pride
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Shock. That’s what Dominique Clay’s expression screamed. He wasn’t alone in his jaw-dropping assessment. “I had the same look, too,” Camden Brown said. After the Quincy High School boys basketball team dispatched Collierville (Tenn.) 62-48 in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, the Blue Devils were headed to the…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS wins twice to reach title game game of Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team will play in the championship game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic after beating Collierville (Tenn.) 62-48 in Thursday afternoon’s quarterfinals and Rockford East 47-41 in the Thursday night’s semifinals at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Freelance photographer Tim Vizer captured all of the action and…
Read MoreStrong start, tepid finish leaves Blue Devils yearning to play better as tourney path continues
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas had a pocket full of excuses if he needed any. The Quincy High School boys basketball coach refused to let the Blue Devils use them. A scintillating first half devolved into less-than-ideal execution in the second half Wednesday night in the opening round of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic,…
Read MoreQHS girls split first two games at Dixon tourney
DIXON, Ill. — The strong decision-making, aggressiveness and confidence Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance enjoyed seeing from the Blue Devils on Tuesday morning dissipated to a more stagnant effort in the afternoon. It’s why QHS split its first two games in the Dixon KSB Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils opened with a…
Read MoreSchuckman: Highly successful Rumble on the River could benefit from participation from QHS, QND boys teams
QUINCY — Chris Duesdieker earned the right to sit and smile. As the 16th and final game of the 15th annual Rumble on the River headed to the fourth quarter Wednesday night with a pair of state-ranked teams — Southeastern, No. 1 in Illinois Class 1A, and Bunker, No. 3 in Missouri Class 1 —…
Read MoreQHS QND Hoops highlights
QUINCY — Video genius Frank Cann takes you to Blue Devil Gym to look at Friday night’s Quincy vs. Quincy Notre Dame basketball game.
Read More‘We turned it up’: Second-half defensive lockdown gives Blue Devils edge over Raiders in crosstown showdown
QUINCY — A simple suggestion is all it took. Needing to inject more life into his team — Quincy High School led Quincy Notre Dame 29-23 at halftime of Saturday night’s boys basketball showdown but had been rather lackluster defensively the first 16 minutes — Blue Devils coach Andy Douglas listened to an idea assistant…
Read MoreBlue Devils to use time prior to holiday tournament wisely, emphasize consistency and energy
QUINCY — It sounds relaxing when you say it out loud. The Quincy High School boys basketball team has 11 days until its next game. That offers the impression it will be a low-key holiday week leading up to Christmas and then a couple of get-back-into-the-groove days before the Blue Devils head off to play…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School beats Quincy Notre Dame in crosstown showdown
QUINCY — For the second season in a row and the seventh time in eight meetings, the Quincy High School boys basketball team won the crosstown showdown with Quincy Notre Dame since the series was renewed in 2015. The Blue Devils used a lockdown effort in the second half to post a 60-43 victory Saturday…
Read MoreUppinghouse, Newbold wins titles as QHS wrestlers finish fourth at Mascoutah
MASCOUTAH, Ill. — Owen Uppinghouse pinned his way to a title. Bryor Newbold nearly did the same thing. With six other wrestlers finishing in the top eight in their respective weight class, the Quincy High School wrestling team had another stellar showing. The Blue Devils finished fourth in the 33-team Mascoutah Invitational. Uppinghouse, wrestling at…
Read MoreSchool of Hard knocks: Maroons guard makes critical plays to hand Blue Devils first loss
MOLINE, Ill. — Not even the most foolhearted Quincy High School boys basketball fan was gullible enough to believe Brock Harding wouldn’t eventually put his stamp on Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference showdown. “We knew he had only two points at halftime,” Quincy junior swingman Camden Brown said. “You know he’s going to score…
Read MoreSchuckman: Blue Devil Gym featured in IBCA’s 2023 Unique Gyms of Illinois calendar
The middle of December brings holiday gift ideas, All-American game goals and memories of a game played more than 30 years ago … Two venerable high school basketball gyms in Illinois and arguably the two most historic within the Western Big 6 Conference are being featured in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s 2023 Unique Gyms…
Read MoreQHS golfers push Birdies for Brain Cancer fundraiser beyond expectations, raise $29,000
QUINCY — The goal seemed modest and attainable, with the four Quincy High School golfers who organized the “Birdies for Brain Cancer” fundraiser believing they could raise $5,000. Yet, as the pledges began mounting, they changed their expectations. “We thought $8,000 would be a better goal,” Sophia Gold said. Little did they realize they could…
Read MoreBlue Devils fend off Statesmen with emphatic closing kick, turn attention to tough weekend
WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. — The signs this youthful, yet talented Quincy High School boys basketball team is maturing come in glimpses where momentum is teetering or the Blue Devils’ unbeaten record is threatened. Another of those moments came Tuesday night. A 13-point second-half advantage against the defending Missouri Class 5 state champion had dwindled to…
Read MoreLate start, intriguing draw for Blue Devils at Collinsville Praririe Farms Holiday Classic
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team’s path to the championship of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic is filled with obstacles. That starts with playing the final game of the opening round. The Blue Devils (7-0) drew Alton (1-6) in the 9 p.m. game in the first round, the last of eight…
Read More‘We have to do us’: Blue Devils overcome lackluster first half against Bulldogs with game-clinching run
QUINCY — The chatter, the comparisons and the hype the state-ranked Quincy High School boys basketball team continues creating could be a detriment if the Blue Devils allow those things to infiltrate the team-first mentality. “If we just do us, the best in us will come out,” sophomore guard Bradley Longcor III said. When the…
Read MoreBlue Devils survive less-than-Sterling effort to remain tied for first in Western Big 6
QUINCY — Andy Douglas let his ears be his guide. “If we can come out the first few possessions and our communication is great, it’s probably going to be a good night defensively,” the Quincy High School boys basketball coach said. “Tonight, it wasn’t. We didn’t talk.” So the fact Sterling opened the second half…
Read MoreBlue Devils’ second-half effort takes shine off Silver Streaks’ undefeated WB6 record
QUINCY — Too many turnovers and too few defensive rebounds made for way too long of a second quarter Thursday night for the Quincy High School girls basketball team. At halftime, the Blue Devils made certain to change that before the outcome was too far gone. Asia Seangmany buried a 3-pointer from the left corner…
Read MoreBlue Devils spread scoring wealth in WB6 victory over Pioneers
QUINCY — Let’s be honest. Brutally honest. The Quincy High School boys basketball team probably could have put 100 points on the scoreboard — and with relative ease — during Tuesday’s Western Big 6 Conference game against overmatched and outmanned Rock Island Alleman at Blue Devil Gym. Instead, state-ranked QHS settled for a 65-28 victory…
Read MoreArea Distributors Area Player of the Week: QHS wrestler Owen Uppinghouse
QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse isn’t taking long to assert his dominance. The Quincy High School 160-pound senior wrestler went 6-0 last week with only two of his four matches stretching beyond the first period. Last Thursday at home, Uppinghouse pinned Fort Madison’s Emmett Kruse in 3 minutes, 37 seconds. He was even better at the…
Read MoreBlue Devils put depth, length on display to lead WB6 opener from start to finish
EAST MOLINE, Ill. — Sent to the sideline with two fouls in the first quarter of Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball opener, Quincy High School sophomore guard Bradley Longcor III tried to talk his way back into the game. “He kept saying, ‘I’m not gonna foul. I’m not gonna foul,’” Quincy coach…
Read MoreBoeing’s pin in final match vaults Blue Devils to victory over Bloodhounds in home opener
QUINCY — Wyatt Boeing saved the best for last. The Quincy High School wrestling team went into the final match of its dual with Fort Madison (Iowa) on Thursday night trailing by a point in the team score. It made the math simple — the winner of the match won the dual for his respective…
Read MoreSoutheastern sits No. 1 in initial Class 1A state poll, Quincy High School is No. 8 in Class 4A
QUINCY — Having the best small-school player in the state leading the charge has put the Southeastern boys basketball team in the crosshairs. Having an abundance of talented underclassmen has done the same for Quincy High School. The initial Associated Press state basketball rankings prove that. The Suns checked in at No. 1 in Class…
Read MorePower in the post: Blue Devils throw ball inside to establish presence, cruise to Thanksgiving tournament championship
QUINCY — Something the Quincy High School boys basketball coaching staff noticed watching game film revealed itself even further during Saturday morning’s shootaround. The Blue Devils’ primary post players — sophomore Keshaun Thomas and senior Sam Mulherin — weren’t controlling the block. “We watched them post straight up,” QHS coach Andy Douglas said. “They were…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS boys basketball team wins 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament
QUINCY — With a never-in-doubt 58-39 victory over Springfield Lanphier on Saturday night at Blue Devil Gym, the Quincy High School boys basketball team captured the championship of the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament. It is the Blue Devils’ 36th tournament title. Check out this photo gallery of images from freelance photographer Mathew Kirby and Muddy…
Read More2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: John Groves, friend of sport
QUINCY — A 1968 graduate of Quincy High School, John Groves has been a loyal supporter and contributor for more than 50 years. Groves began helping his father, Jerry Groves, when he started the first formal “Chain Gang” for the QHS football team in 1960. John took over those duties from his father in 1982…
Read MoreMulherin’s game-winner lifts Blue Devils to overtime victory, sets up tourney title showdown
QUINCY — Sam Mulherin’s soft bank shot in the waning seconds of overtime was neither a fluke nor an accident. Mulherin’s basket, a wide-open jumper just a few feet to the left of the hoop, wound up providing the margin of victory in the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s hard-earned 57-56 victory Friday night…
Read More2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: Tom Berry, coach
Editor’s note: The Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame will hold its induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games in the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym. QUINCY — A 1963 graduate of Quincy High School who played baseball and basketball through his sophomore year, Tom Berry chose to have…
Read More2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: Matea Simovic, athlete
Editor’s note: The Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame will hold its induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games in the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym. QUINCY — One of the most successful girls tennis players in Quincy High School history, Matea Simovic was a four-time state qualifier, three-time…
Read MoreChills and thrills: Blazing start, defensive stranglehold catapult Blue Devils to victory in season opener
QUINCY — The lights go down, the flames go up and everyone in Blue Devil Gym awaiting the Devil’s arrival feels the chills. The players aren’t immune to that, no matter how focused on the game they might be. “I would think any abnormal person would say no they don’t feel anything,” said Tyler Sprick,…
Read MoreFamily first: Harmann’s cousin showcases depth of ability in helping Blue Devils dispatch Dukes
QUINCY — The exuberant kid who tagged along every opportunity he had when Chris Harmann went to Blue Devil Gym during a decade spent as a Quincy High School boys basketball assistant coach has matured That wasn’t a good thing for Harmann’s Dixon club. Tyler Sprick, a QHS junior guard and Harmann’s cousin, turned Thursday’s…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Opening night of 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym
QUINCY — The opening night of the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament had everything Quincy High School boys basketball fans want — a down-to-the-wire affair, an intriguing storyline and a victory by the Blue Devils. Quincy opened with a 65-29 victory over Dixon after Springfield Lanphier outlasted Miller Career Academy 57-54. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read MoreHandling expectations: Blue Devils staying humble, focused as hype builds around them
QUINCY — As the Quincy High School boys basketball team trudged through another preseason practice, those responsible for the sound system in Blue Devil Gym tested the acoustics, the decibel levels and the clarity for pregame introductions. “They started playing everything and I got chills,” senior guard Reid O’Brien said. The Blue Devils also were…
Read More2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: Jared Anders, athlete
Editor’s note: The Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame will hold its induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games in the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym. QUINCY — Jared Anders followed in his family’s footsteps — straight to the Hall of Fame. A two-time state medalist as a pole…
Read MoreFamiliar face on Dixon sideline makes QHS Thanksgiving Tournament true holiday homecoming
QUINCY — To the victor go the spoils. What exactly the spoils are Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas isn’t divulging. Thursday night, in the opening game of the QHS Thanksgiving Tournament, the Blue Devils will square off against Dixon at 7 p.m. at Blue Devil Gym. It also pits two close friends…
Read MoreQHS girls basketball team uses second-half rally to nearly topple reigning WB6 champion
QUINCY — The second-half rally and fight to the finish the Quincy High School girls basketball team engaged in Tuesday night had two components. “We totally changed our mindset,” Blue Devils senior guard Leah Chevalier said. “And a few people hit shots.” It was nearly enough to topple the reigning Western Big 6 Conference champion.…
Read More2022-23 Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section
Here is the Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section, delving into teams from Illinois and Missouri as the 2022-23 season gets underway. Click the link below to download the section.
Read MoreBlue Devils put attacking arsenal on display in season-opening victory over Crimsons
QUINCY — Quincy High School girls basketball Brad Dance talked throughout the preseason about how he felt his squad was going to shoot the ball better and score at a much higher rate. When the curtain opened on a new season Tuesday night, the Blue Devils backed that up. Four players finished in double figures…
Read MoreAnderson, Venvertloh uphold family traditions, receive all-state soccer honors
QUINCY — All-state soccer honors are family traditions in the Anderson and Venvertloh households. The youngest brothers made sure tradition didn’t falter. Quincy Notre Dame senior forward Tanner Anderson and Quincy High School senior midfielder Carter Venvertloh recently were named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state team, becoming the second and third…
Read MoreThird-quarter blues: Lemont scores 21 straight points after halftime, knocks QHS out of playoffs
QUINCY — Coming out of the halftime locker room, Quincy High School football coach Rick Little and his counterpart at Lemont, Bret Kooi, had to play a bit of a chess game. Kooi’s squad led 17-10. Little had first choice and elected to receive the second half kickoff. Kooi was left to decide whether he…
Read MoreSchuckman: Empathy and respect create viral video moment between QHS, Glenwood football players
QUINCY — Cole Wagy saw beyond the jersey, the helmet and the foe and took note of a fellow football player’s heartache. At that moment, the Quincy High School offensive lineman walked over, knelt down and put his right arm around his ailing adversary. “I didn’t even know his name,” Wagy said. Names aren’t necessary…
Read MoreTaking what they’re given: Blue Devils rack up 585 yards, record second playoff victory in school history
CHATHAM, Ill. — It’s not supposed to look that easy, especially in the playoffs. The Quincy High School football team racked up 585 yards of total offense, and sophomore quarterback Bradyn Little threw for a school-record 428 yards and four touchdowns as the Blue Devils won a playoff game for just the second time in…
Read MoreBlue Devils fight to bitter end, fall to Ironmen in Class 4A regional volleyball championship
QUINCY — Quincy High School senior libero Carley Owsley wasn’t about to go down without a fight. “I was prepared for them to be all over the place and to make me move,” Owsley said Thursday night. “I wanted every ball.” And Owsley was able to dig a lot of them as the sixth-seeded Blue…
Read MorePressure-packed situation: Blue Devils need to harass Titans quarterback to gain upper hand
QUINCY — The pressure to get pressure lies squarely on the Quincy High School football team’s defensive front. “And we have to pressure all night,” defensive lineman Caron Banks said. Otherwise, Chatham Glenwood quarterback Jack Knudson gains the edge. “We know he’s really good in the pocket and doesn’t scramble much,” QHS linebacker Ty Douglas…
Read MoreBlue Devils show growth, improvement in upending Dragons in regional semifinals
QUINCY — Quincy High School volleyball coach Kate Brown collected herself, looked out on the court at the QHS gym and broke into a wide smile. “This was a team we haven’t seen all season,” Brown said of her sixth-seeded Blue Devils, who moments earlier pulled off an upset of fourth-seeded Pekin in the Class…
Read MoreQND, Macomb to renew rivalry in opening round of Class 4A football playoffs
QUINCY — When the team bus rolled into the Quincy Notre Dame parking lot at around 7 p.m. Saturday, Raiders football coach Jack Cornell didn’t know which road his team would be taking in the postseason. As soon as Cornell knew, he told the players he’d spread the word. But there was a more important…
Read MoreQHS, QND send both boys and girls cross country teams to sectionals
QUINCY — Neither the Quincy High School boys nor the Quincy High School girls had any trouble Saturday morning of qualifying out of the Class 3A regional cross country meet held at Bob Mays Park. Quincy had fourth-place finishers in each race. The QHS boys finished third as a team behind senior Eric McClelland. He…
Read More‘What if magic happens?’: Senior linebacker’s INT critical to helping QHS football team navigate epic comeback
QUINCY — Down 28-0 to Rock Island on Senior Night at Flinn Stadium, Quincy High School senior linebacker Kory Fletcher tried to keep a good attitude. “I kept thinking, ‘What if magic happens?’ ” Fletcher said. “And magic happened.” The Blue Devils rallied from that first-half deficit to pull out a thrilling 47-42 Western Big…
Read More‘Really, it’s all of them’: Limitless trust in wide receivers allows QHS quarterback to break passing record
QUINCY — Bradyn Little deliberated before answering, and even then the Quincy High School sophomore quarterback struggled to give a single response. So which one of his wide receivers is the best at making the tough catches? “Caeden (Johannessen) has had a few tough catches. And Jack (Mettemeyer). And Tykell (Hammers),” Little said. “Really, it’s…
Read MoreLate goal not enough to keep QHS boys soccer team’s season afloat in regional semifinal loss
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Carter Venvertloh gave the Quincy High School boys soccer team a chance for an epic rally. It just never materialized. Venvertloh, the senior forward, scored with 4:40 remaining in regulation to cut into top-seeded Collinsville’s three-goal lead in Wednesday night’s Class 3A regional semifinal at Kahok Stadium. However, the Blue Devils couldn’t…
Read MoreSchuckman: Blue Devils, Raiders achieve desired outcome as Quincy won, breast cancer lost during ‘Volley for a Cure’
QUINCY — The outcome matters. It has to, otherwise the sweat equity put into practice and the commitment to be at your best wouldn’t matter so much. Still, there are nights where the final score takes on secondary importance, where winners aren’t determined solely by the numbers on a scoreboard but more by the integrity,…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School faces Quincy Notre Dame in girls volleyball
QUINCY — Monday night’s crosstown showdown continued the mission to find a cure for breast cancer, and the atmosphere in the QHS gym as the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls volleyball teams squared off proved to be electric. Here is a look at the images captured by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read MoreBlue Devils score 51 points in first quarter, rout Pioneers to guarantee themselves playoff berth
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Quincy High School football coach Rick Little wants to see the Blue Devils play with an edge — no matter the opponent. If not, he knows it can prove costly. That will be a point of emphasis this week in preparation for the regular-season finale at home against Rock Island following…
Read MoreBlue Devils fend off first-half adversity, advance to face Kahoks in Class 3A regional semifinals
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys soccer team hasn’t allowed itself to be crippled by adversity. Such was the case once again Friday night. Eighth-seeded Granite City erased a one-goal lead midway through the first half, but Carter Venvertloh converted a rebound of a penalty kick and Evan Sohn followed with a goal to…
Read MoreTrench gang: Stout offensive line paving QHS football team’s path to playoffs
QUINCY — Conner Cox seemed almost apologetic for not being overly elated when the Quincy High School football team scores a touchdown these days. As the junior offensive lineman sees it, scoring isn’t a rarity. It’s an expectation. “Every game, it feels almost routine to score a touchdown,” said Cox, a 6-foot, 250-pound right tackle.…
Read MoreHayes sisters win doubles title as QHS girls tennis team shares WB6 championship with Moline
QUINCY — Lily and Phoebe Hayes lived up to the expectations. Anika Reddy and Mary Dodd exceeded them. Both of those things have been happening throughout the girls tennis season. The Hayes sisters, who were the No. 1-seeded doubles team for the Western Big 6 Conference tournament, rallied after losing the first set of the…
Read MoreRaiders’ Knuffman, Blue Devils’ Gold and Geisendorfer all finish strong at state golf tourney
DECATUR, Ill. — Hana Knuffman walked away with a solid closing stretch to her prep golf career. The Quincy Notre Dame senior shot a 1-over 37 on the final nine holes Saturday at Red Tail Run Golf Course, leading to a 5-over 77 that moved her into the top 30 individually at the Class 1A…
Read MoreQND girls golf team misses cut by two strokes, two QHS golfers sit in top 35
DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls golf team found itself on the outside looking in Friday when the opening round of the Class 1A state tournament wrapped up. The Raiders missed the cut by two strokes, finishing ninth in the 12-team field with a 373 total. Massac County shot a 371 to snare…
Read MoreHannibal boys soccer team grinds out one-goal victory over QHS
QUINCY — Eric Hill doesn’t mind the pressure and stress of a one-goal game. “It’s something that gets us prepared for where we need to be come postseason time and the type of game we’re going to be in,” the Hannibal boys soccer coach said. “That’s kind of a dogfight.” Friday night, the Pirates proved…
Read MoreBlue Devils exploit Maple Leafs’ pass defense, become playoff eligible with WB6 victory
GENESEO, Ill. — Film study doesn’t lie. In preparation for Friday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup, the Quincy High School football coaching staff noticed a way to attack the Geneseo defense with its passing game if the Maple Leafs ran the same schemes. “We’re at that point of the season where we wonder how…
Read MoreSchuckman: A boy and a ball create perfect symmetry
QUINCY — A boy and a ball. That’s perfect symmetry. Hayden Hoskins’ job and his joy is to run around behind the goal at the northeast end of Flinn Stadium during Quincy High School boys soccer games and act as the ball boy. In reality, the 9-year-old just wants to play the way boys should.…
Read MoreFit to be tied: QHS, QND dig in defensively as boys soccer showdown ends in scoreless draw
QUINCY — In a sport where the standard dimensions of the goal are sizable — 24 feet wide and 8 feet high — every inch still matters. Wednesday night, the diameter of the goal posts mattered most. A little more than six minutes into the second half of the boys soccer crosstown showdown at Flinn…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School vs. Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer at Flinn Stadium
QUINCY — The intensity was the same as the previous matchup, but in the second installment of the crosstown showdown between the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer teams, goal-scoring opportunities were at a premium. The scoreless draw was the first tie for both squads, and Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…
Read MoreBlue Devils lock down defensively in second half, secure piece of another WB6 championship
GENESEO — The Quincy High School boys soccer team controlled its fate. Geneseo could do nothing in the second half of Tuesday night’s Western Big 6 Conference matchup to change that. The Blue Devils clamped down defensively over the final 40 minutes, holding the Maple Leafs without a shot and using Josh Stupavsky’s goal in…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS, QND girls tennis team square off at Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park
QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls tennis team beat Quincy Notre Dame 7-2 in their season head-to-head matchup of the season. Check out some images from the event taken by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman:
Read MoreCrosstown showdown gives QHS girls tennis team boost heading into conference tournament
QUINCY — A little push in the right direction is welcome right before the Quincy High School girls tennis team chases a Western Big 6 Conference championship. Quincy Notre Dame provided that Monday. The Blue Devils won the crosstown dual 7-2 at the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park, but two of the three doubles…
Read MoreQHS’s Gold, Geisendorfer allow steady play to carry them to Class 2A state golf tournament
O’FALLON, Ill. — Sophia Gold and Saya Geisendorfer couldn’t have asked for a better start to their rounds Monday at the Class 2A O’Fallon Sectional. The steady play that followed allowed the Quincy High School girls golfers to earn spots in the state tournament field. Gold finished eighth individually and Geisendorfer tied for 14th, while…
Read MoreSchuering beats Neisen to finish line in neck-and-neck race at Tom Oakley Invitational
QUINCY — A 3-mile duel was decided by a matter of seconds. Quincy High School cross country standout Olivia Schuering edged Liberty’s Arianna Neisen by six seconds Saturday, winning the Tom Oakley Invitational girls race at Bob Mays Park. The Blue Devils swept the individual crowns as Eric McClelland won the boys race. Schuering and…
Read MoreOvertime loss stings as QHS football players realize how oh-so-close to victory they were
QUINCY — As Bradyn Little’s pass barely sailed over Jack Mettemeyer’s outstretched arm and fell to the turf Friday night, Kael Ryan and his Sterling teammates could finally exhale. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt better in my life,” said Ryan, Sterling’s do-it-all senior, moments after the Golden Warriors’ 34-28 overtime victory Friday night at…
Read MoreThe Rundown: QND wins at Great River Classic, two homers carry Canton, Illini West cruises
The fall slate of postseason events is underway, but that doesn’t mean the action is simmering down. Here is a look at the highlights from Thursday’s action: • Cole Henkenmeier scored off a Colin Kurk assist in the first half as the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team beat Normal U-High 2-0 in the opening…
Read MoreGold, Geisendorfer top regional field, lead QHS girls to sixth straight regional golf championship
PEORIA, Ill. — The kinship Sophia Gold and Saya Geisendorfer share made the idea of an on-course playoff for the regional championship between the Quincy High School golfers incredibly unappealing. So they asked if they could avoid it. Gold, a sophomore, and Geisendorfer, a senior, topped the field in the Class 2A Peoria Richwoods Regional…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS’s Gold, Cory advance to sectional as Edwardsville wins regional title
QUINCY — Quincy High School junior Sam Cory played his final 10 holes in 2-over par, climbing the leaderboard of the Class 3A Quincy Regional at Westview Golf Course and securing one of 10 individual spots in next week’s sectional. QHS junior Gabriel Gold will be right there with him. Gold finished tied for 13th…
Read MoreBrown’s header off Brockmiller’s corner jumpstarts QHS soccer team’s offensive outburst
QUINCY — The moment he said it, Boen Brockmiller sensed his critique of his own corner kick sounded braggadocious. So he smiled and paused. When he continued, Brockmiller’s genuine joy for how the play turned out showed. “I know I’m biased,” said the senior forward on the Quincy High School boys soccer team. “But it…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School girls tennis team beats Macomb in dual at Reservoir Park
QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls tennis team improved to 9-3 in dual matches with Tuesday’s 8-1 victory over Macomb at the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park. After the Blue Devils’ Lily Hayes rallied to beat the Bombers’ Tali Stone 1-6, 6-2 (10-2) at No. 1 singles, Quincy swept the other five singles…
Read MoreCrim: Cappel’s three-year stint coaching QHS football created memories he still treasures
SHOREWOOD, Ill. — Dean Cappel and his wife, Connie, live in an active 55-and-older community west of Joliet. When they’re not traveling or doting on their six grandchildren, they like to spend time playing water volleyball and bocce ball and riding bicycles. “I just came back from the weight room,” Cappel said as we began…
Read MoreGolf roundup: QND boys use title at Galesburg as springboard into postseason
GALESBURG, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team is heading into the postseason on quite a roll. Three days after winning the West Central Conference championship with a 291 team total, the Raiders captured the title of Saturday’s Silver Streaks Invitational at Bunker Links by placing five individuals in the top 10 and…
Read MoreQHS football team capitalizes on Galesburg’s miscues to inch closer to playoff contention
GALESBURG, Ill. — The Quincy High School football team took advantage of Galesburg’s mistakes Friday night. It resulted in a 42-14 victory in Western Big 6 Conference action at Van Dyke Field. “It’s a good victory and another lap in our marathon,” Quincy coach Rick Little said. The Blue Devils (4-1, 2-1 WB6) headed into…
Read MoreHigh five: Venvertloh breaks QHS boys soccer team’s single-game scoring record in WB6 victory
GALESBURG, Ill. — The right approach offensively is something the Quincy High School boys soccer players have tried to perfect. Tuesday night, the Blue Devils dialed it as well as they have all season. “The team was very calm on the ball tonight to begin the game, very organized and kept the ball in the…
Read MoreTwo QHS golfers earn all-conference as Blue Devils finish fourth in WB6 championships
GALESBURG, Ill. — If the individual leaderboard is any indication of where the Quincy High School boys golf team is headed, it will be back toward the top of the Western Big 6 Conference heap in the coming years. A pair of Blue Devils finished in the top 12, earning second-team all-conference in process, as…
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