Thomas’ goal is breakthrough QND girls soccer team needs to knock off Burlington Notre Dame

Quincy Notre Dame's Sierra Thomas, right, attacks a Burlington Notre Dame defender during Tuesday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Whew. That was the collective reaction from the Quincy Notre Dame soccer team when freshman Sierra Thomas scored in the 58th minute to break a scoreless draw in QND’s 3-1 win over Burlington Notre Dame on Tuesday at Advance Physical Therapy Field. “You could feel the air come out of the balloon a…

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Indians notch shutout in program’s first win over Raiders

Quincy Notre Dame's Elliott Hendrian is tagged out by Clark County catcher Gracyn Holsted on a failed squeeze bunt attempt during Tueaday's game at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — There’s a first time for everything. Clark County baseball coach Shaun Parker delivered that message to his team before Tuesday’s game against Quincy Notre Dame.  The Indians listened and believed in what Parker said. Clark County scored a 4-0 victory at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield for the program’s first victory against QND.…

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Photo gallery: Split decision for QND teams at home as girls soccer wins, baseball falls

Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton attempts to settle the ball during Tuesday's game against Burlington (Iowa) Notre Dame at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Playing side by side on the Quincy Notre Dame campus Tuesday evening, the QND girls soccer and baseball teams came away with mixed results. The soccer team scored three second-half goals in a 3-1 victory over Burlington (Iowa) Notre Dame, while the baseball team left 12 runners on base during a 4-0 loss…

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Contagious behavior results in another victory for Bunte, Raiders and season sweep of Blue Devils

Quincy Notre Dame first baseman Morgan Zanger stretches to get the throw and force out Quincy High School's Ivy Winter during Monday night's game at the QHS field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The word Caitlin Bunte sought to describe the manner in which the Quincy Notre Dame softball team is stringing victories together popped in her head in the middle of her answer. “Oh, contagious,” she said. “That’s it.” Winning is contagious. Hitting is contagious. Energy is contagious. “We have so many leaders who like…

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Photo gallery: QHS boys tennis team continues to pile up dual wins by handling QND in rivalry match

Quincy High School's Trevor Nelson sets up to return a forehand during his No. 1 singles match Monday against Quincy Notre Dame's Alex Strong at Reservoir Park. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys tennis team traveled to the St. Louis metro east area last weekend and rolled him without losing a dual match. That momentum carried over to Monday. The Blue Devils wrapped up a dual victory over Quincy Notre Dame in the crosstown rivalry match at Reservoir Park by the…

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Oh, so close: Wiewel carries no-hitter into seventh inning as Raiders down Mustangs

Quincy Notre Dame junior right-hander Abram Wiewel delivers a pitch during Monday's game against Mendon Unity at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Off the field, Quincy Notre Dame junior Abram Wiewel is a light-hearted jokester. On the field, he turns into a junkyard dog. “When I’m pitching, I get into a completely different mindset,” Wiewel said. “I want to hunt you down and destroy you.” Monday, Wiewel annihilated the Mendon Unity baseball team’s offense, throwing…

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Photo gallery: QND uses five-run inning to beat QHS in softball crosstown showdown

Quincy Notre Dame shortstop Alyssa Ley flips the ball to second baseman Lanie Fesler during Monday night's game against Quincy High School at the QHS field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame softball players stayed patient at a pivotal juncture Monday night, drawing four consecutive walks to spark a five-run outburst in the third inning that carried them to a 7-1 victory over Quincy High School at the QHS field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the evening in center…

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Prom is no distraction as Raiders take care of business in all facets against Crimsons

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Miller safely slides across the plate before the tag from Jacksonville catcher Chase Neice during Saturday's game at The Backyard. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — There wasn’t enough time for prom to become a distraction. Quincy Notre Dame softball coach Eric Orne hopes the post-prom letdown won’t be either. The Raiders needed a tidy 1 hour, 10 minutes to dispatch Jacksonville on Saturday morning, rolling to a 12-0 victory in five innings at The Backyard. It allowed enough…

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Rose in full bloom: QND senior belts first home run at The Ferd to power Raiders past Chargers

Quincy Notre Dame first baseman Ethan Rose catches a pickoff attempt during Friday's game against Illini West at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — On the first pitch Ethan Rose saw, he knew he shouldn’t swing. On the second pitch, he knew he couldn’t pass. He made the right call on both. With one out in the bottom of the second inning Friday and runners on second and third after Gavin Doellman’s double, Rose jumped on a…

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Photo gallery: Runs difficult to come by as QND, Illini West square off

Illini West's Carter Chapin slides safely across home plate as he scores on a wild pitch in the first inning of Friday's game against Quincy Notre Dame at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Four pitchers — two each from the Quincy Notre Dame and Illini West baseball teams — combine to strike out 14 batters and allow just five hits during Friday night’s showdown at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. The Raiders won 4-2 on the strength of Ethan Rose’s three-run home run and Evan Kenning’s…

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Photo gallery: QND sweeps weekend slate at Lady Pirate Invitational, Hannibal goes 2-0-1

Quincy Notre Dame senior midfielder Lauryn Peters, left, tries to take possession from a Perryville player during Saturday's game in the Lady Pirate Invitational at Veterans Sports Complex in Hannibal, Mo. | Shane Hulsey photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team pushed its winning streak to five consecutive games after sweeping the weekend at the Lady Pirate Invitational at the Veterans Sports Complex. The Raiders beat St. Charles West 6-1 and Perryville 4-1 on Saturday to improve to 7-4. Hannibal, which played to a 3-3 draw…

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‘I’m going to keep shooting’: Raiders shake off early tough breaks to rout Southern Boone

Quincy Notre Dame forward Ellison Barnes, left, looks to drive the ball into the box from the right corner during Friday night's game against Southern Boone in the Lady Pirate Invitational in Hannibal, Mo. | Shane Hulsey photo

The Raiders scored six goals in the opening 40 minutes and defeated Southern Boone, 7-2, in their first game of the Lady Pirate Invitational.

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Photo gallery: Hannibal, QND take momentum into second day of Lady Pirate Invitational

Abbie Martin, right, and her Hannibal girls soccer teammates celebrate after Martin scored to tie Friday's game against Parkway Central at 3 in the second half at Veterans Sports Complex in Hannibal, Mo. | Shane Hulsey photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teams opened play Friday night in the Lady Pirate Invitational at the Veterans Sports Complex with the Pirates rallying for a 3-3 tie with Parkway Central, while QND blasted Southern Boone 7-2. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey spent the evening in America’s hometown…

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Bright lights, softball city: QND cashes in on scoring opportunities, shuts out QHS

Quincy Notre Dame right-hander Brooke Boden tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings Wednesday night against Quincy High School in the Raiders' 4-0 victory at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

Editor’s Note: Technological issues resulted in losing all of our images taken during the game. We apologize there will be no photo gallery to accompany this story. QUINCY — It may not have been Friday night lights, but it was pretty darn close. When the Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy High School softball teams renewed…

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Shake it off, shake it off: Lahr’s ability to push everything aside and focus on pitching allows Raiders to take down Saukees

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore left-hander Bradi Lahr delivers a pitch during Wednesday's game against Pittsfield at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Just gotta shake it. Sophomore pitcher Bradi Lahr uttered those words — quite loudly — dozens of times during the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s game against Pittsfield on Wednesday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. What exactly does this phrase mean? “Whatever you want to take it as,” Lahr said. Whatever it…

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Zanger first to wear home run chain as her solo shot sets stage for Raiders’ victory over Saukees

Quincy Notre Dame junior Morgan Zanger heads back to the dugout with the Raiders' new home run chain dangling from her helmet after hitting a solo homer in the first inning of Monday's 4-0 victory over Pittsfield at The Backyard. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame softball team’s new home run chain didn’t quite fit over Morgan Zanger’s helmet after her solo shot in the first inning of Monday’s game against Pittsfield. “We did not think that part through,” Zanger said. She also didn’t know the ball had cleared The Backyard’s left-field fence. “Whenever they…

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Raiders walk off with victory as all three runs in seventh-inning rally score on bases-loaded walks

Quincy Notre Dame right-hander Evan Kenning struck out six over five innings and scored the tying run in the seventh inning of Monday's 5-4 victory over Rushville-Industry at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Patience is a virtue the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players took to heart Monday. Trailing Rushville-Industry by two runs going to the bottom of the seventh inning at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, the Raiders put themselves in position to rally by loading the bases with one out. Abram Wiewel reached on an…

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Photo gallery: Alumni celebration helps QND girls soccer team get back on winning track

Quincy Notre Dame junior wing Liesel Vincent passes the ball up the left side of the field during Saturday's game against Burlington (Iowa) at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Maybe the presence of three decades of alumni gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team a boost. Trailing Burlington (Iowa) 2-1 in the second half Saturday afternoon at Advance Physical Therapy Field, the Raiders responded with a three-goal rally for a 4-2 victory. Sophomore forward Addie Flesch scored three goals, including the…

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‘I think we had an impact’: Meyer makes difficult decision to resign as QND boys basketball coach after nine seasons at helm

Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer resigned Friday after winning 176 games and five regional championships in his nine seasons at the helm. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The reaction Kevin Meyer received from the news he had resigned as the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach continually brought him to tears as Friday afternoon slowly rolled into night. “The overwhelming support and the reaching out from my players and coaches across the state has been incredible,” Meyer said. “I felt…

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Blue Devils make two-goal lead last in winning first leg of crosstown series with Raiders

Quincy High School's Avery Morrison, right, tries to cut the ball back as Quincy Notre Dame defender Lauryn Peters charges during Friday night's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Eight days without a game was one of the reasons why the Quincy High School girls players conceded they struggled to get in a groove in the first half Friday night. Hope Lenz pinpointed the other issue. “There’s obviously a lot of emotion that goes into this game,” the senior defender said. That…

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‘It’s an adrenaline rush honestly’: Blue Devils’ Fohey stymies Raiders with series of saves

Quincy High School senior goalkeeper Taylor Fohey picks up a ball that rolled into the box off a shot from Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton during Friday night's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Having a 6-foot, athletic, talkative and charismatic goalkeeper is kind of like having a warm, cozy blanket the Quincy High School girls soccer team can find comfort in. The Blue Devils don’t take that for granted. “Taylor is a badass,” senior defender Hope Lenz said of her teammate, Taylor Fohey. “Obviously, I’m going…

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Photo gallery: QHS, QND girls soccer teams square off in first showdown of spring

Quincy High School girls soccer coach Travis Dinkheller gives senior forward Taylor Routh a piggy-back ride to the bench after she cramped up late in Friday night's game against Quincy Notre Dame at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The sun came out Friday just in time to make the weather more pleasant for the first of two meetings this spring between the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teams. The Blue Devils used a goal late in the first half and early in the second half to post…

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Meyer resigns after nine seasons as head coach of QND boys basketball program

Kevin Meyer resigned Friday after nine season as the head boys basketball coach at Quincy Notre Dame. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Another successful Quincy Notre Dame athletic program is looking for a new leader. Kevin Meyer submitted his resignation Friday, stepping away from the QND boys basketball program after nine seasons at the helm — a span in which his teams won 20 or more games five times and he became the second-winningest coach…

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Perfection personified: Pirates’ Wilson retires all 18 Raiders he faces in 10-run victory

Hannibal right-hander Kane Wilson struck out four during his perfect game Thursday in a 10-0 victory over Quincy Notre Dame at Veterans Field in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Kane Wilson didn’t need to be perfect. Yet, he was. The Quincy Notre Dame brought 18 batters to the plate Thursday afternoon and the Hannibal senior right-hander sat all 18 down, tossing a six-inning perfect game in the Pirates’ 10-0 victory at the Veterans Field complex. Wilson struck out only four, but…

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Martin, Pirates make history as late goal secures first-ever victory against Raiders

From left, Hannibal's Abbie Martin, Aly Falconer and Malia Stolte celebrate Stolte's goal with 16 minutes remaining in the first half of Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over Quincy Notre Dame at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A goal with four minutes remaining in regulation Tuesday night gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team a glimmer of hope. Abbie Martin snuffed that out in a blink. Roughly a minute after the Raiders trimmed their two-goal deficit in half, Martin burst free on a counterattack and finished with a deft…

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Photo gallery: Hannibal, QND girls soccer teams battle in cold, windy conditions

Members of the Hannibal and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teams await a restart during the second half of Tuesday night's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The temperature dipped below 40 degrees and the wind blew across the field with gusts up to 25 mph, creating challenges for both the Hannibal and Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teams to maintain possession and control. Ultimately, the Pirates used the wind to their advantage and scored a 3-1 victory at Advance…

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Raiders just bust a move to get offense rolling in home-opening victory against Eagles

From left, Quincy Notre Dame's Brooke Boden, Lanie Fesler and Caitlin Bunte high-five each other before an inning during Thursday's game against Liberty at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — One of Caitlin Bunte’s responsibilities, aside from being the Quincy Notre Dame softball team’s starting pitcher and leadoff hitter, is to choose the musical playlist that serves as the soundtrack for each game at The Backyard. She has four personally designed playlists at her disposal. “Stuff that gets me hyped, stuff that’s upbeat…

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Photo gallery: QND, Liberty square off in Raiders’ home opener at The Backyard

Quincy Notre Dame catcher Payton Stupavsky holds a called third strike during Thursday's game against Liberty at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame softball team had played one game this season prior to Thursday’s home opener, but it didn’t look like the Raiders were rusty at all. QND collected 17 hits in a 9-2 victory over Liberty at The Backyard. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman enjoyed a rare warm, sunny day…

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Wiewel comes up clutch as Raiders walk off with low-scoring victory over Eagles

Quincy Notre Dame junior Abram Wiewel drove in the winning run with a single to center field in the seventh inning of Thursday's 2-1 victory over Liberty at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Liberty baseball team wasn’t going to allow Nolan Robb to beat it. So Abram Wiewel did. After Quincy Notre Dame’s Logan Sutton singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday and stole second base, the Eagles chose to intentionally walk Robb. Wiewel followed by hitting a two-strike line…

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Around the diamond: Saukees stay perfect, Raiders back sophomore righty, Shaffer mows down Tigers

Pittsfield's Konner Allen struck out five in two hitless, scoreless innings of relief against Brown County on Wednesday in Pittsfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Three Pittsfield pitchers limited the Brown County baseball team to two hits and the Saukees used a four-run third inning to catapult themselves to a 7-1 victory to improve to 5-0 and highlight Wednesday’s action across the area. Pittsfield’s Draven Puterbaugh allowed one unearned run and two hits over the first four…

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QHS, Hannibal fit to be tied, while QND overwhelms West Plains on tourney’s first night

Hannibal's Abbie Martin drives the ball up the left sideline during Friday night's game against Quincy High School at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Friday night felt more like November football weather than the spring soccer season at Flinn Stadium with temperatures dipping close to the freezing mark and wind chills falling below 30 degrees. It didn’t put a chill on the fervor of a cross-river rivalry. The Quincy High School girls soccer team built a one-goal…

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Photo gallery: QHS, Hannibal, QND kick off weekend girls soccer tournament

Quincy High School senior midfielder Rian Moore directs the play off a throw-in during Friday night's game against Hannibal at Flinn Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School and Hannibal girls soccer teams played to a 2-2 draw Friday night at Flinn Stadium, while Quincy Notre Dame beat West Plains (Mo.) 6-0 on the opening night of the QHS Kickoff Showcase. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent time at Flinn Stadium and put together this photo…

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Grabbing lead two batters into season opener allows QND softball team to roll

Quincy Notre Dame catcher Payton Stupavsky went 3 for 3 in Thursday's season-opening 8-0 victory over Southeastern at Bowen, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

BOWEN, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame softball team gave Caitlin Bunte all the support she’d need before she ever stepped in the pitcher’s circle. The Raiders scored three runs in the top of the first inning Thursday and Bunte allowed just two hits as they opened the season with an 8-0 victory over Southeastern.…

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QND tabs Carthage’s White to be next girls volleyball coach

Danielle White, who led the Carthage seven and eighth grade volleyball teams to top-three finishes at the IESA state tournament in 2023, will be the next Quincy Notre Dame volleyball coach. | Submitted photo

QUINCY — Danielle White has watched enough of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team play from afar to understand the kind of drive and determination the Raiders possess. “Knowing their talent matches their competitiveness is exciting, so is knowing those kids want to be great and work at it,” White said. It’s done with one…

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Bundle of returning talent has QND softball players eyeing another deep postseason run

The return of senior third baseman Brooke Boden, who will also pitch, gives the Quincy Notre Dame softball team a bonafide leader in pursuit of another shot at a Class 2A state tournament appearance. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brooke Boden hasn’t forgotten just how close the Quincy Notre Dame softball team came to winning a state trophy last season. “I’ll be sitting in class and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, man,’” the senior third baseman said. “I just look back on it and think, ‘Wow, we were there.’” The Raiders’ epic postseason…

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Success on set pieces helps QND girls soccer team ‘set the tone for the rest of the season’

Quincy Notre Dame's Makayla Patton, right, collides with Jefferson City Helias' Liza Kemna while challenging for a ball in the air during Saturday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Perfecting set pieces became a point of emphasis during the lead-up to the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team’s season opener. “For the past three days, we’ve worked on them every day,” junior midfielder Lilly Schuette said. “Even in walk-throughs.” The reason why became obvious 12 minutes into Saturday’s game against Jefferson City…

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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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Photo gallery: QND girls soccer team opens its season with 3-2 victory over Helias

Quincy Notre Dame freshman defender Sierra Thomas, left, attempts to clear a ball while being pressured from behind by Jefferson City Helias forward Brooke Yanskey during Saturday's game at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Lilly Schuette’s second-half penalty kick and a stout defensive effort over the final 40 minutes enabled the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team to open its season Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias at Advance Physical Therapy Field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon next to…

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Schuckman: QND’s retirement of No. 5 puts love of family, love of baseball on full display

Quincy Notre Dame officially retired Tucker Tollerton's No. 5 before Friday's game against Sherrard at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Tears were expected Friday afternoon, but the smiles elicited by the memories of Tucker Tollerton and the embrace his family received balanced everything out. That was as much of a tribute to Tollerton as seeing his jersey number retired. Anyone who accompanied the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team on last season’s record-setting journey…

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Problems with execution plague QND baseball team in season-opening loss to Sherrard

From left, Quincy Notre Dame third baseman Abram Wiewel, shortstop Nolan Robb, first baseman Ethan Rose and second baseman Elliott Hendrian wait on the infield during a pitching change in Friday's game against Sherrard at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — There is likely to be one word the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players are going to hear in the days to come. It’s going to be details, details, details. Or it may be fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. Better attention to details and a better performance fundamentally may have altered an exasperating outcome in Friday’s…

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Photo gallery: QND baseball program retires No. 5 in honor of Tucker Tollerton

Tucker Tollerton's father, Rob, left, and his mother, Vicke, right, were presented with framed No. 5 Quincy Notre Dame baseball jerseys Friday when the number was retired in Tollerton's honor. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — With most of Tucker Tollerton’s extended family, friends and his entire college team in attendance Friday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield, the Quincy Notre Dame baseball program retired No. 5 in honor of the Raiders’ former center fielder, who was killed last May in an auto accident. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…

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Photo gallery: QND baseball team falls in season opener against Sherrard

Quincy Notre Dame starting pitcher Evan Kenning receives a throw from catcher Nick Spears during Friday's game against Sherrard at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s youth and inexperience showed in a season-opening 10-0 loss to Sherrard on Friday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the sunny afternoon at the Ferd and put together this photo gallery:

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Raiders ready to unveil new lineup carrying same hunger to be state tournament team

Quincy Notre Dame senior right-hander Evan Kenning will get the start in Friday's season opener against Sherrard at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Come Friday, when the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team opens its season, there will be an angel in the outfield looking over the Raiders and every day moving forward. The school will retire the No. 5 worn by Tucker Tollerton, the starting center fielder on last year’s Class 2A third-place state team who…

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New coach, same expectations as QND girls soccer team sets sights on return to state tourney

Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Thomas, right, demonstrates the proper technique during a drill in a preseason practice at Advance Physical Therapy Field. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Aubrey Sparrow wasn’t naive enough to think the tempo and tenor of Mark Thomas-led practices would be similar to those run by former Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer Mark Longo. “I knew the style would change, just how it does with every coach,” the senior defender said. But she remained confident the Raiders…

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CSE’s Miller leads brigade of area girls players receiving all-state honors from IBCA

Central-Southeastern junior forward Lauren Miller received Class 2A first-team all-state honors from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — Lauren Miller’s ability to create scoring opportunities for herself and her Central-Southeastern girls basketball teammates elevated her game to that of a first-team all-stater. The 5-foot-10 junior forward was named to the Class 2A all-state first team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, one of three CSE players to be honored by the…

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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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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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‘I feel heartbreak for the kids’: Bid for sectional title falls one point short for Notre Dame girls

Quincy Notre Dame's Jenna Durst tries to dribble past Chatham Glenwood's Rowann Law during the second half of Thursday night's Class 3A girls basketball sectional championship at MacArthur High School in Decatur, Ill. | David Adam photo

DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team couldn’t have asked for a better player to step to the free-throw line. Sophomore Ari Buehler, who had scored eight points in the fourth quarter and expertly handled Chatham Glenwood’s unrelenting defensive pressure to keep the Raiders close, was fouled near mid-court with eight-tenths of…

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Photo Gallery: Buehler, Durst spark comeback for Raiders after trailing by 10 points in first half

Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler is fouled by Chatham Glenwood's Hope Gilmore (34) with eight-tenths of a second to play during Thursday night's Class 3A girls basketball sectional championship game at MacArthur High School in Decatur, Ill. | David Adam photo

DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team didn’t score a field goal in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but it rallied to take the lead in the third quarter and several times in the fourth quarter in a 44-43 loss to Chatham…

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Offensive drought in first half of regional semifinal loss to Williamsville ends QND’s season

ATHENS, Ill. — The snowball effect turned into a full-blown avalanche. It carried the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team right out of the postseason. Trailing Williamsville 10-0 less than four minutes into Wednesday night’s Class 2A Athens Regional semifinal, Raiders coach Kevin Meyer burned a timeout in hopes of settling down his time and…

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Raiders shake off first-quarter slumber, advance to third straight sectional championship game

Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne gives instructions to his team during a timeout in the Class 3A sectional semifinal Tuesday night against Mahomet-Seymour in Decatur, Ill. | Ron Kinscherf photo

DECATUR, Ill. — Survive and advance. That’s all. “It was not our best game obviously,” Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne said after the Raiders eliminated Mahomet-Seymour with Tuesday night’s 63-46 victory in the semifinals of the Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional. “But you know at this time of year, you got to…

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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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Chiefs’ size tips scale in fourth quarter as Raiders close regular season with loss at home

Quincy Notre Dame's Noah Lunt, left, tries to defend Keokuk's Jaxson Clark during the second half of Friday night's game at The Pit. | Ron Kinscherf photo

QUINCY — Kevin Meyer felt the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team was about to turn the “juice” loose. Alas, there was no juice. Only squeezing. And it was the Raiders who wound up getting squeezed over the final eight minutes Friday night in a 55-45 loss to Keokuk in front of a Senior Night…

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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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Stratton clamps down on another top scorer, leads QND girls to 31st regional title in school history

Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton defends Jerseyville's Tessa Crawford during Thursday night's Class 3A girls basketball regional championship game at George Havens Gym in Jerseyville. | David Adam

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — When Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne walked into the gym for practice on Tuesday afternoon, he noticed junior guard Sage Stratton was already shooting around. When Orne made eye contact with Stratton, he flashed the number two with his hand twice. Stratton quietly nodded and said, “I know.” Stratton…

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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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Photo Gallery: Barrage of 3-pointers in second quarter fuels Raiders’ victory at Jerseyville

Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton celebrates after being handed the Class 3A regional plaque after Thursday night's game in Jerseyville. | David Adam photo

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team went a 19-2 run, punctuated by four 3-pointers, in the second quarter and went on to win 49-30 over Jerseyville on Thursday night in the Class 3A regional championship game.  Tristan Pieper and Marie Eversman had one 3-pointer in the run and Sage Stratton made two…

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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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Allensworth’s career night carries Raiders past Titans, forges ties for WCC championship

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore guard Jace Allensworth scored a career-high 30 points in Tuesday night's 68-64 victory over West Hancock at Warsaw, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

WARSAW, Ill. — Fittingly, it was Jace Allensworth who sealed the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 68-64 victory Tuesday night over West Hancock. Allensworth, a 6-foot sophomore guard, swished a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining to cap a brilliant offensive night for himself and punctuate an impressive turnaround for the Raiders.…

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Raiders settle in defensively, pull away from Crimsons to earn spot in Class 3A regional title tilt

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore forward Tristan Pieper scored a game-high 24 points in Monday's victory over Jacksonville in the Class 3A regional semifinals in Jerseyville, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — A minute into Monday night’s Class 3A Jerseyville Regional semifinal, Jacksonville led the top-seeded Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team 4-2 and maybe saw a glimmer of hope it could pull off an upset. That faded fast. The Raiders went on a 9-0 run to take the lead and then held the…

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QND’s Scott, Lahr respond with top-three finishes, earn state wrestling tournament berths

Quincy Notre Dame junior Taylin Scott finished third at 215 pounds in the Class 1A Stanford Olympia Sectional to advance to the state wrestling tournament. | Muddy River Sports file photo

STANFORD, Ill. — The appropriate response to a setback earned Quincy Notre Dame wrestlers Taylin Scott and Bradi Lahr spots in the Class 1A state tournament field. Scott won twice after losing in the semifinals of the Class 1A Stanford Olympia Sectional to finish third at 215 pounds, while Lahr won four consecutive matches in…

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Raiders set up showdown with Titans for WCC supremacy by finishing off Rockets

Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher scored 12 points in Saturday night's victory over Rushville-Industry at The Pit. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — The game featured all the ingredients of a blowout. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team used full-court defensive pressure to hold Rushville-Industry without a field goal attempt during the opening four minutes Saturday night and created more turnovers (11) than points allowed (10) in the first half. The Raiders stretched their 21-point…

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Connoyer calms down after technical foul, scores game-high 17 points to lead QND boys past Liberty

Quincy Notre Dame's Aiden Klauser | MRN File photo by Samantha Carmean

LIBERTY, Ill. – Quincy Notre Dame forward Jackson Connoyer had to refocus after receiving a technical foul following a scramble for a rebound under his own basket midway through the second quarter Friday night. His actions resulted in two free throws that gave Liberty a seven-point lead. “I said things I shouldn’t have said,” Connoyer…

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Illinois girls basketball state rankings: QND, Central-Southeastern hold steady

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team will take a No. 3 ranking in Class 3A into the postseason. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois 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) 31-0 79 1 2. Alton 27-2 65 2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 23-3 63 3 4. Maine South 27-1 48 5 (tie) Nazareth 24-3 48 4…

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QND, Unity boys each dominate a half, but Raiders come out on top 78-66

Quincy Notre Dame's Jackson Connoyer drives to the basket for a layup during Tuesday night's high school boys basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. Unity's Melvin McMillen defends on the play. | David Adam

QUINCY — Charles Dickens famously opened his historic novel, “A Tale of Two Cities,” with the line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  During the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 78-66 victory over Unity Tuesday night, both coaches felt those emotions — in the opposite order. In the…

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Photo Gallery: Sophomores Connoyer, Allensworth lead Notre Dame boys to 14th victory

Quincy Notre Dame's Aden Genenbacher goes up for a shot over two Unity defenders during Tuesday night's boys basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team improved to 14-9 with a 78-66 victory over Unity on Tuesday night at the Pit. The Raiders were paced by sophomores Jackson Connoyer with a career-high 16 points and Jace Allensworth with 14 points. Unity (13-12) placed three players in double figures — Melvin McMillen with…

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QND girls dominate final three quarters 43-9 to blow out defending Class 1A state champions

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Hummel, left, and Sage Stratton defend Okawville's Alayna Kraus during Saturday night's high school girls basketball game during the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — No rest for the weary? Well, there is a bit of a respite now for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders completed a grueling five-games-in-five days sojourn with a dominating 52-25 victory Saturday night at The Pit over defending Class 1A state champ Okawville during the American Family Insurance-KHQA Superfan Shootout.…

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Winchester West Central escapes ‘dogfight’ at the Pit, snaps four-game winning streak for QND boys

Winchester West Central's Mason Berry dribbles while Quincy Notre Dame's Connor Young defends during Saturday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | Photo courtesy of Mary-Ann Ervin

QUINCY — As he lowered his MVP trophy to the ground and attempted to find one more ounce of energy before loading the bus back to Winchester, Zack Evans tried to put into words what the previous 90 minutes felt like. “Anytime you come to QND, it’s going to be a dogfight,” Evans said. “That’s…

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Lunt helps Raiders overcome sickly week, scores 16 points in hard-fought victory over Madison

Quincy Notre Dame's Noah Lunt shoots over Madison's Alex Kennedy during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout on Friday night in the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — Kevin Meyer wasn’t sure what to expect from his Quincy Notre Dame basketball team on the opening night of the KHQA-American Family Insurance Superfan Shootout. “We were kind of a walking Infirmary for part of the week,” Meyer said of the Raiders’ battle with sickness that spread through the squad. What Meyer discovered…

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Sweet Sixteen: Pieper turns in 19-point performance on birthday as QND girls edge Clopton

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper looks to shoot over Clopton's Ashlyn Noah during Friday night's high school girls basketball game at the KHQA Superfan Shootout in the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — There are not many better ways for a 16-year-old to celebrate her birthday than to spend it with her friends. Tristan Pieper’s friends took care of her Friday night.  Pieper, a sophomore, led all scorers with 19 points as the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team fought off Clopton 44-37 at the American…

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Photo Gallery: With defending champions on tap for Saturday, Raiders hold off late Clopton rally

Quincy Notre Dame's Ari Buehler tries to dribble up the court while guarded by Clopton's Jasmine Hammett during Friday night's girls basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout on Friday night at the Pit. | David Adam

Eight straight points, capped off by two 3-pointers, pulled Clopton within 40-37 with 6:40 to play in the game, but a driving layup by Raiders guard Ari Buehler broke Clopton’s momentum, and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held on for 44-37 victory on Friday night at the Pit. Junior Sage Stratton and sophomore…

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Photo Gallery: Winning streak for QND boys reaches four, and guys join girls on dance floor

Quincy Notre Dame's Beau Eftink drives to the basket while Madison's Darrius Williams closes in during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team held an explosive Madison (11-10) squad well below its season-average point total in a 54-47 victory on Friday night at the Pit. The Raiders kept the Trojans’ leading scorer Elijah Williams relatively in check. Williams averages 22 points a game and was limited to 13. QND has won…

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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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Stratton reaches 1,000 career points as Notre Dame girls rebound after rare loss

Pittsfield's Sophie Gengler drives to the basket while Quincy Notre Dame's Sage Stratton defends during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. | David Adam

QUINCY — When Sage Stratton dropped through a second-quarter field goal Wednesday night, the game came to an immediate halt. Public address announcer Frank Cash then informed the crowd at The Pit that Stratton, a junior guard for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, had become the 17th player in the long and storied…

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Photo Gallery: Raiders bounce back after loss to QHS by overwhelming Pittsfield

Quincy Notre Dame's Tristan Pieper, center, gets tied up by Pittsfield's Taylor Peebles, left, while Hannah Williams defends during Wednesday night's girls basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. | David Adam

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team earned a much-needed victory Wednesday night with a 55-37 decision over Pittsfield at the Pit. The Raiders rebounded 24 hours after getting thumped by crosstown rival Quincy High School 47-24. Notre Dame led 34-10 halftime and 43-19 after three quarters. Pittsfield (10-11) rebounded with a strong fourth quarter,…

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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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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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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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Strong finish to second quarter propels Quincy Notre Dame boys to easy victory at home

Junior guard Alex Dance was one of five Quincy Notre Dame players to score at least nine points in Thursday night's victory over Western. | MRN File Photo

QUINCY — The lead was in double digits ,but as the second quarter neared an end in Thursday night’s home tilt with Western, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer wasn’t exactly comfortable. “We had to challenge them a little bit during one of (Western’s) timeouts and tell them, ‘You’ve got to match their…

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Pieper helps QND girls pull away in second half to defeat South Shelby

Tristan Pieper, shown in a game earlier this season against Highland (Ill.), scored 16 points on Thursday night against South Shelby. | MRN File photo

SHELBINA, Mo. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held South Shelby to just 16 points in the second half in posting a 53-40 victory on Thursday night. The Raiders led 27-24 at halftime, and they made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to Tristan Pieper. She scored eight of her game-high…

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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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Raiders flourish in fourth quarter, show signs of starting late-season push

Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher led the Raiders with 14 points in Tuesday night's 51-41 victory over Illini West in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — In the eyes of Aden Genenbacher and Noah Lunt, it’s time to start focusing on the postseason. Following the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 51-41 victory Tuesday night over Illini West, both Genenbacher and Lunt were looking into the not-too-distant future. “We’d like to put together a run before the postseason…

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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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Principia’s defense creates havoc, deficit QND is unable to erase

Principia's Jaylen Edwards, left, gets hounded by Quincy Notre Dame's Conner Young during Friday night's game in the Quincy Shootout at The Pit. | Ron Kinscherf photo

QUINCY — After having not played in 13 days, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players figured they would have to knock off a little rust. The Raiders just didn’t expect it would take them until the second half to do it. By that time, it was too late. Principia’s tenacious defense limited QND to…

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Shutting out Chargers in second quarter propels state-ranked Raiders to victory

Quincy Notre Dame guard Sage Stratton scored 16 points in Thursday night's victory over Illini West in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — A slow start didn’t translate to a sluggish finish for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Defense turned everything around. Trailing Illini West 9-7 at the end of the first quarter Thursday night, the state-ranked Raiders shut out the Chargers in the second quarter, then scored 23 points in the third…

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

Quincy High School junior guard Kamren Wires, left, and senior guard Camden Brown have helped the Blue Devils rise to No. 3 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. Homewood-Flossmoor (6) 17-1 105 2 2. Curie (5) 17-1 104 1 3. Quincy 17-1 74 5 4. Waubonsie Valley 18-0 66 NR 5. Lisle (Benet Academy) 15-2 62 7…

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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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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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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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Koerkenmeier’s last-second field goal gives Mater Dei edge in rematch with QND girls

Quincy Notre Dame guard Sage Stratton looks to drive to the basket during Saturday's game against Breese Mater Dei in the Breese Central PAWS Shootout in Breese, Ill. | Photo courtesy Jeremy Chawgo

BREESE, Ill. — On the final possession of regulation in Saturday afternoon’s state tournament rematch, the Breese Mater Dei girls basketball team adapted Wee Willie Keeler’s most famous quote to suit its needs. Instead of “hit ‘em where they ain’t,” as the National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee is credited with saying, the Knights decided…

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Raiders pull away in fourth quarter to win defensive slugfest against Saukees

Quincy Notre Dame's Jace Allensworth split the Pittsfield boys basketball team's defense to get to the basket in the first half of Friday night's game at Voshall Gym in Pittsfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Pittsfield boys basketball coach Brad Tomhave and Quincy Notre Dame coach Kevin Meyer shared a common assessment of their respective team’s defensive effort in Friday night’s game at Voshall Gym. Both were encouraged by the engagement. Offensively, however, their critiques were polar opposites. Meyer liked how the Raiders worked the ball from…

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Photo gallery: QND, Pittsfield boys basketball teams renew rivalry at Voshall Gym

From left, Pittsfield's Eli Mendenhall, QND's Noah Lunt, Pittsfield's Konner Allen and QND's Aiden Klauser get set for an inbounds play during Friday night's game at Voshall Gym in Pittsfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pittsfield and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams collided in their 2024 openers Friday night at Voshall Gym. The Raiders built a double-digit lead, saw the Saukees whittle it to eight points on two separate occasions in the second half and then pulled away for a 50-31 victory. Muddy River Sports…

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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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