Posts Tagged ‘Quincy Notre Dame’
Photo gallery: Quincy Notre Dame vs. Pana in Class 2A girls basketball state semifinal
Schreacke beats buzzer twice, gives QND girls needed momentum in state semifinal victory
NORMAL, Ill. — The ball ending up in Abbey Schreacke’s hands with the seconds ticking away didn’t come as a surprise. Neither did the fact she made the shot. Well, the first one wasn’t a shocker. The second made those inside Redbird Arena either jump for joy or drop their head into their hands. Schreacke,…
Read MoreState tournament notebook: Raiders to take advantage of extra day to prep for title game
NORMAL, Ill. — A dramatic change in the way the Illinois High School Association schedules the boys and girls state basketball tournament games has completely altered the weekend plans. It’s a blessing in disguise for Quincy Notre Dame. After beating Pana 56-44 Thursday afternoon in the Class 2A girls state semifinals at Illinois State University’s…
Read More‘There’s more in the tank’: QND boys rely on defense to pave way to sectional title game
STANFORD, Ill. — The first four minutes of the second half Wednesday night may have been the most energetic and engaged stretch defensively the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team has played this season. The Raiders even smiled at the suggestion they are at their best right now. But don’t read too much into that.…
Read MoreQND’s Schreacke repeats as leading vote-getter for Associated Press Class 2A all-state team
QUINCY — Abbey Schreacke has been the most dominant player on the court nearly every game this season. So it came as no surprise when she was the leading vote-getter for the Associated Press Class 2A all-state teams, which were released Wednesday. The 5-foot-10 junior guard topped a list of five first-team standouts, three of…
Read MoreRaiders gain instant energy when Lavery, Bocke come off bench and change tone of semifinal win
STANFORD, Ill. — Charlie Lavery embraced the moment with vigor. Then Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer reminded him the job wasn’t complete. The Raiders led Maroa-Forsyth by 14 points with a little more than six minutes to play Wednesday night in the semifinals of the Class 2A Stanford Olympia Sectional when Lavery,…
Read More‘It’s like our homecoming’: Raiders outlast Pioneers to win super-sectional, earn chance to return to Redbird Arena for final four
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Doubt never fully surfaced. Concern may have. Yet, no matter what level of uneasiness the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players actually felt during the course of Monday night’s Class 2A Beardstown Super-Sectional, the unshakeable belief they have in each other always prevailed. “We stuck together,” junior guard Abbey Schreacke said. “That’s…
Read MoreEftink shrugs off off-kilter shooting to make clutch free throws, send QND girls to state final four
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Disbelief. It spread across Blair Eftink’s face. With 23.8 seconds remaining in Monday night’s Class 2A Beardstown Super-Sectional and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team clinging to a two-point lead, Eftink had the chance to provide a little bit of separation. Instead, her first free-throw attempt in a 1-and-1 situation rattled…
Read MoreQND girls respond to early deficit, fend off Alton Marquette to win Class 2A sectional title
WAVERLY, Ill. — Why worry? That’s exactly what the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players were thinking. Alton Marquette hit the Raiders with an opening salvo Friday night, scoring the first six points of the Class 2A Waverly Sectional championship game and forcing QND coach Eric Orne to burn a timeout after only 2 minutes,…
Read MoreSchuckman: Staff’s commitment to QND basketball creates memories he will have ‘just forever’
QUINCY — The jersey slipped on perfectly. It was trim and tight where it needed to be so Mike Staff had the sleek look of a basketball player, but it was loose enough for him to be able to twist, turn and attack without feeling constricted. He only wished he could do those things, but…
Read MoreAll for one, one for all: Raiders kickstart sectional semifinal victory with production from entire lineup
WAVERLY, Ill. — The attention opposing defenses pay Abbey Schreacke is warranted. But if Blair Eftink and the rest of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s starting five attack the basket with the kind of vengeance they did Tuesday night, opponents will find it harder and harder to double- or triple-team Schreacke. Stopping the…
Read MoreRaiders create bevy of turnovers, throttle past Rockets into Class 2A regional semifinals
QUINCY — At halftime of Saturday’s Class 2A Beardstown Regional quarterfinal at The Pit, the Rushville-Industry boys basketball team had as many turnovers as points. Quincy Notre Dame coach Kevin Meyer likes that ratio. “We got after it defensively and turned it back into offense,” Meyer said. “I was pretty happy with it. That’s a…
Read MoreRaiders rebound from tough loss, find confidence and momentum heading into postseason
QUINCY — Enough was enough. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players needed to address the reasons why they lost to West Hancock on the road Tuesday night and what was contributing to the Raiders’ recent slump. So when the coaching staff gathered them for practice at the Pit, the Raiders seized the opportunity to…
Read MoreRaiders rev up in second quarter, win regional championship behind Schreacke’s 29 points
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s struggling start was erased when Abbey Schreacke scored with 6.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Raiders’ the lead. QND never trailed again. Off a Williamsville turnover with 15.1 seconds left in the quarter, QND got the ball into Schreacke’s hands, and…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball regionals: QND fends off Plains in second half, QHS cannot stop Alton’s run
The difference between the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team advancing to a regional championship and Quincy High School falling short of that goal is a matter of minutes, not so much a matter of points. The Raiders shut down Pleasant Plains long enough to survive. The Blue Devils needed 90 seconds of timely stops…
Read MoreTriple the pain: Titans continually knock down 3-pointers, hand Raiders untimely loss
HAMILTON, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s inability to run West Hancock off the 3-point strip Tuesday is alarming with the start of postseason play just four days away. The Titans made 13 3-pointers and maintained a 13-point advantage throughout the second and third quarters, parlaying it into a 68-58 West Central…
Read MoreStrong connection: Raiders share basketball, scoring and responsibilities in dismantling Rockets
QUINCY — One of the themes Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer touched on during his team’s shootaround Saturday afternoon was staying connected. The Raiders were locked together front to back and side to side Saturday night in a 74-38 dismantling of Rushville-Industry at The Pit in the first meeting between the schools…
Read MoreRaiders pick up some postseason momentum by beating state-ranked Crusaders on road
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In the wake of a loss to No. 1-ranked Brimfield on the road Wednesday night, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne reiterated another tough test awaited with Friday’s trip to Jefferson City Helias. He probably never envisioned how tough it would be to get off the bus. The Raiders,…
Read MoreSeeds for IHSA boys basketball postseason create intriguing matchups and potential showdowns
QUINCY — An opponent the Quincy High School boys basketball team missed out on seeing during the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic could be the one that stands between the Blue Devils and a regional championship. Meanwhile, Liberty and Southeastern are on a collision course for an epic showdown — if both can survive. The…
Read MoreIn battle of No. 1-ranked teams, Brimfield takes QND ‘to the woodshed’ with 24-point victory
BRIMFIELD, Ill. — As disheartening as it was to carry home a 24-point loss from a battle of two of the state’s No. 1-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne tried to remind the Raiders tomorrow is a new day. And another game awaits. “Maybe it’s a good thing we have a…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: QND heads into postseason No. 1 in Class 2A
QUINCY — In the final state rankings before the Illinois girls basketball postseason begins, not much changed for the area teams. Quincy Notre Dame remains ranked No. 1 in Class 2A and Illini West is No. 3, although the Chargers are now tied with Pana, which is enjoying a 29-1 season and has not lost…
Read MoreRaiders able to breathe life into their attack, get back on track with victory over Mustangs
QUINCY — Take a breath. Such a simple directive, but it’s one the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players needed to hear and follow. Back-to-back losses to state-ranked Jacksonville Routt and 20-win Southeastern made Tuesday night’s game at The Pit against Unity a must win in the words of Raiders coach Kevin Meyer. But instead…
Read MoreOut of the Fry-ing pan, into the fire: Suns senior guard finishes off Raiders with critical plays in fourth quarter
QUINCY — The lead never grew large enough for either the Southeastern boys basketball team to get comfortable or Quincy Notre Dame to get discouraged. Not until the Raiders got Fry-ed. Leading 51-47 with less than four minutes to play in regulation Monday night at The Pit, Suns senior guard Ramsey Fry made a series…
Read MoreCrim: Time doesn’t change Siebers’ approach to doing things all out, all the time
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — Mike Siebers brings the same exuberance to a weekend interview with an old sports writer as he did to high school basketball courts and soccer fields four decades ago while playing for Quincy Notre Dame. All out, all the time. “Sorry for taking so much of your time,” he said as the…
Read More50 After 50: New beginning, tough ending in sectional for No. 26 Raiders
The Illinois High School Association created a second class for boys basketball for the 1971-72 school year. The 2020-21 season would have been the 50th year of the boys basketball small-school tournament. Muddy River Sports is celebrating 50 years of small-school boys basketball by ranking the 50 best teams in Adams, Brown, Pike and Hancock…
Read MoreSuperFan Shootout: Edwardsville pulls away from QND in fourth quarter in showdown of two girls basketball dynasties
QUINCY — Sydney Harris said she and her Edwardsville girls basketball teammates tend to struggle following a long bus ride. That haul from Madison County to Quincy, however, proved to be little or no problem when the Tigers outlasted Quincy Notre Dame 66-54 in Saturday night’s marquee matchup in the SuperFan Shootout at The Pit.…
Read MoreRegional wrestling: Central’s Thompson wins title, 10 other grapplers move on to sectionals
TREMONT, Ill. — Central sophomore Jack Thompson became the only area wrestler to capture a championship at the Class 1A Tremont Regional, winning the title at 113 pounds Saturday. The Panthers had three other wrestlers advance to the Stanford Olympia Sectional, while Quincy Notre Dame has three wrestlers moving on and Illini West and West…
Read MoreSuperFan Shootout: Stratton fuels Raiders’ stretch drive, spearheads fourth-quarter rally
QUINCY — The analogy offered by Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer was spot on. “In NASCAR terms, it was a splash and go,” Meyer said. Meyer was recounting the fourth-quarter contribution of 6-foot-1 guard Jackson Stratton, who scored 18 of his 23 points over the final eight minutes — including 14 at…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: WB6 clash, SuperFan Shootout, wrestling regionals highlight weekend
QUINCY — A colossal conference clash. A cross-river showdown of state-ranked teams. A collegiate matchup with first place in the conference on the line. And champions to be crowned. It’s going to be quite a weekend. The madness starts Friday night when the Quincy High School boys basketball team travels to Moline with the chance…
Read MoreTop-ranked Raiders win another road game against state-ranked opponent
SHELBINA, Mo. — Any addition to the schedule two weeks before regional play begins needs to be done strategically and with purpose. That’s why hitting the road to face a top-10 team in a hostile environment made sense to Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class…
Read MoreQND Invitational: Steinkamp says goodbye to home crowd with 126-pound championship
QUINCY — In a way, Curtis Steinkamp said goodbye with a kiss. He made his opponents kiss the mat. Then he put their backs to it. The Quincy Notre Dame senior wrestled in front of a home crowd for the final time in his career Saturday, winning the 126-pound championship of the QND Invitational at…
Read MoreTop-ranked QND relies on defense in fourth quarter to hold off No. 8 Civic Memorial
BETHALTO, Ill. — The fourth-quarter offensive miscues — four turnovers and zero converted field goals — committed by the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team on Saturday afternoon proved it may be withering from pressure. What ultimately kept the Raiders upright was their defense. Despite going the final eight minutes without a basket, QND was…
Read MoreIllinois girls state basketball polls: Quincy Notre Dame moves to No. 1 in Class 2A
QUINCY — For the first time since 2012, when the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team won the second of its three straight state championships, the Raiders are the No. 1-ranked team in the state. QND and Winnebago switched spots atop the Class 2A state poll after the Raiders beat third-ranked Illini West on the…
Read MoreRaiders salt away road victory with stellar effort at free-throw line
CARTHAGE, Ill. — A team that hadn’t been the most efficient from the free-throw line is figuring out how to use the charity stripe to its advantage. It paid off down the stretch Tuesday night. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team, which was collectively shooting 59 percent from the line, made 7 of 10…
Read MoreLiquor Booth Shot of the Game: QND’s Schreacke hits game-winner against Illini West
CARTHAGE, Ill. — Abbey Schreacke’s reaction said everything. This one meant something. An all-state junior guard on the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, Schreacke caught the ball on the left block as time ticked away in the final 15 seconds of last Thursday’s state-ranked showdown with Illini West and the game tied at 38.…
Read MoreQuincy Shootout: QND rallies, then falls in overtime to Confluence Prep
QUINCY — It hurt like any loss. It hurt even more because it was an overtime loss. Yet a grin kept crawling across the face of Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer afterward. The Raiders fought back from a 10-point deficit to lead at halftime, then was a half-second away from winning in…
Read MoreSchreacke’s clutch shot gives No. 2 QND edge in showdown with No. 3 Illini West
CARTHAGE, Ill. — The difference between the two best Class 2A girls basketball teams in the west-central part of the state is subtle, yet simple. One has Abbey Schreacke. The other does not. With the outcome of Thursday night’s battle of state-ranked teams, Quincy Notre Dame was going to win, lose or draw with the…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Talented teams, top-notch players to heat up Quincy gyms during Quincy Shootout
QUINCY — It’s cold outside. Like really cold. Like your truck doesn’t want to start and whines when you do start it kind of cold. That’s OK. It’s warm in Blue Devil Gym and the Pit and a myriad of high school venues around the area where some of the best basketball is taking place…
Read MoreRaiders escape with win streak intact despite strong push from Indians
PAYSON, Ill. — Granted, Quincy Notre Dame was able to stretch its boys basketball win streak to five on Wednesday night. But it was not easy. The Raiders withstood several Payson Seymour comebacks over the final three quarters before leaving with a 59-55 victory. “Payson deserves a lot of credit,” QND coach Kevin Meyer said…
Read MoreDefensive pressure, QND’s scoring duo too much for QHS to overcome in rivalry game
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team didn’t score off the opening tip Tuesday night like it so often does. The Raiders didn’t convert on their opening possession either, which negated their ability to jump into a full-court press and create havoc for Quincy High School’s backcourt. It took 52 seconds for all…
Read MoreRaiders’ Eftink gets last laugh after shooting prowess helps take down Blue Devils
QUINCY — The raucous, creative and comical Quincy High School students who packed the bleachers behind the girls basketball team’s bench Tuesday night need to check their schedules. Their presence is requested at future games. “Tell them to come out there and get me fired up,” Quincy Notre Dame junior guard Blair Eftink said with…
Read MoreRaiders get stingy defensively, pick up pair of victories in BCC Shootout
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer said the Raiders “defended like crazy” during a sweep of two games Monday at the Bloomington Central Catholic Shootout. It took a collective effort to be that good. “The guys were connected,” Meyer said. “All five guys were moving as one.” It made it…
Read MoreQHS, Central, Palmyra wrestlers ready to vie for championships at Quincy Invitational
QUINCY — Weather may have altered the brackets and forced some teams to decline making the trip to compete in the Quincy Invitational, but Friday night’s opening rounds of the long-time wrestling tournament showed the cream always rises to the top. Quincy High School had five wrestlers go unbeaten during Friday’s action, while Central had…
Read MoreNo dunk, no worries: Sheffield, Raiders create chaos with defense against Wildcats
QUINCY — Braden Sheffield set his sights on the rim. Unfortunately, the Quincy Notre Dame junior guard never got the chance to get his hands on it. “Some things aren’t meant to be,” he said with a wry smile. Teaming with the Raiders’ Alex Connoyer and Jackson Stratton to create chaos each time the Western…
Read MoreSchreacke, Raiders pass first major road test by fending off Senators
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Springfield girls basketball team got off to a sizzling start. Quincy Notre Dame had a better finish. Despite falling behind 7-0 out of the gate and getting outscored 10-5 in the first three minutes of the third quarter, the state-ranked Raiders turned to junior guard Abbey Schreacke down the stretch and…
Read MoreLiquor Booth Shot of the Game: Putback dunk by QND’s Jake Wallingford
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jake Wallingford’s ability to play above the rim changes how the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team attacks. It also allows him to go get the basketball whenever he chooses. In the opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic against Rock Falls, the 6-foot-8 Wallingford rose above everyone else to grab…
Read MoreRaiders show growth, see potential for more after splitting final two games in Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer never saw the absence of two starters as a ready-made excuse for any setback. He viewed it more as a chance to grow. Having split two games Wednesday in the small-school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders showed considerable growth and…
Read MoreHoliday tournament guide: State Farm Holiday Classic small-school boys
QUINCY — Anyone associated with the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball program understands how on-point a team is going to have to be to win the State Farm Holiday Classic small-school bracket. The Raiders have seen the top-seeded team at its best. QND lost to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 66-42 at the Pit on December 3…
Read MorePerfect dozen: Raiders head into Christmas break 12-0 with tough schedule looming
QUINCY — The easy part is over, although Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne might argue nothing about the first half of the season could be considered easy. Compared to what lies ahead, it wasn’t quite as taxing. The Raiders get a four-day break following Wednesday night’s 66-38 victory over Lewistown in the…
Read MoreBuzzer-beating 3-pointer foils Raiders’ rally in loss to Titans in final pre-Christmas game
MONMOUTH, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players are hoping history repeats itself. Tuesday night’s 52-49 loss to Monmouth-Roseville saddled the Raiders with a 5-4 record heading into the Christmas break. It’s not too different than the 1988-89 QND team which started 8-6, ended up winning a sectional championship and is considered one…
Read MoreBeyond the Boxscore: Talton adjusts to physical defense, Blue Devils regain series control, Raiders look to rebound quickly
QUINCY — Jeremiah Talton hurt. Understandably so. Friday night, in the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s 63-49 victory over Moline in Western Big 6 Conference play at Blue Devil Gym, the Maroons chose to defend the league’s leading scorer by putting a defender chest-to-chest with the 6-foot-6 swingman. Talton got bumped on every cut…
Read More‘That hole is 6 feet deep and we’re buried in it’: Blue Devils’ offensive execution in second half flattens Raiders
QUINCY — Andy Douglas didn’t need to be boisterous with his halftime speech Saturday night. The Quincy High School boys basketball coach didn’t have to say much at all. “The guys were already talking about what we needed to do before I got in the locker room,” Douglas said. “A lot of it was said…
Read MoreRaiders able to meet Panthers’ physical challenge, open WCC play with victory
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s first West Central Conference game of the season served as a reminder of what the Raiders need to expect as they get deeper into league play. Nothing is going to come easy. Central used its physical, aggressive defense to stun, stall and starve the…
Read MoreBozarth’s bucket ignites game-changing run for QND boys in victory over Palmyra
QUINCY — Blake Bozarth’s teammates have seen his aggressive side in practice. And they know he’s more than just a spot-up 3-point shooter. “Most games, he doesn’t find the opportunity to attack off the dribble,” Quincy Notre Dame junior point guard Jake Hoyt said. “When he does, he’s pretty good at it.” Bozarth was effective…
Read MoreQND girls use experience to fend off Palmyra’s youthful, talented squad
QUINCY — The edge in experience led to his team’s 60-32 victory Tuesday night at the Pit, but Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne took note of the abundance of young talent Palmyra put on the floor. It’s a reason for trepidation in the years to come. “They’re going to be a load,”…
Read MoreRaiders meet challenge of another ranked foe, pluck Ducks behind Schreacke’s effort
QUINCY — The schedule is designed to continually test the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team in preparation for a deep February postseason push. Beating another state-ranked opponent Saturday at the Pit showed no challenge is too big so far. Abbey Schreacke scored 35 and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Raiders to a 57-43 victory…
Read MoreRelentless effort on defense and rebounding carries Raiders past Pirates
QUINCY — Add another tally to the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball program’s victory total. And much like many of the 1,500 victories celebrated in a pregame ceremony Saturday night at the Pit, this one took quite a bit of moxie. The Raiders overcame 9-of-20 shooting from the free-throw line and an off-kilter effort in…
Read MoreRaiders’ in-your-face defense leaves Cyclones spinning ineffectively on offense
QUINCY — Blair Eftink started it with a 1-2 punch. Abbey Schreake followed with a couple of haymakers. And the knockout blow came from the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s in-your-face defense that befuddled Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin’s backcourt Thursday night at the Pit. Eftink’s layup off the opening tip and 3-pointer on the Raiders’…
Read MoreRaiders fend off Mustangs with clutch free throws, win battle of state-ranked teams
MENDON, Ill. — A game-opening 17-3 run tends to break a lot of team’s spirit. The Unity girls basketball team refused to be broken, and that nearly led to a comeback for the ages. Then came the realization Abbey Schreacke is wearing a Quincy Notre Dame uniform. Having watched the Mustangs whittle the deficit to…
Read MorePanthers use poise, patience to take control against Raiders and salt away first victory
MONROE CITY, Mo. — Poised and patient wins. The Monroe City boys basketball team is the epitome of that. Quincy Notre Dame wants to become a team capable of that. The Panthers opened Tuesday night’s game with an 8-0 run, never relinquished the lead and systematically put away a 62-48 victory in their season opener…
Read MoreRaiders hope to turn Pit into raucous environment with up-tempo style, 3-point barrage
QUINCY — Kevin Meyer isn’t sure how raucous the Pit will get this weekend. He’s hoping loud enough to be hostile, but since it has been 21 months since the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team last played with a fill-all-the-seats crowd and continuing concerns with the coronavirus pandemic, the Raiders’ head coach isn’t sure…
Read MoreRaiders’ Anderson commits to Billikens, will join brother to play for national contender
QUINCY — Tanner Anderson found it difficult to see how any top-level collegiate soccer program could have swayed him from landing at Saint Louis University. “If I’d had gone on a visit somewhere and seen something special, then maybe,” he said Still, that was unlikely. “It’s easy for me to decide SLU with everything going…
Read MoreSchuckman: Observations as basketball returns to November in Gem City
Monday, life seemed renewed. At 5:30 a.m., inside a fully lit Blue Devil Gym, the first high school boys basketball practice of the 2021-22 season at Quincy High School took place. It had been two years since the Blue Devils took the floor on a November morning to kickstart a campaign. For a moment, everything…
Read MoreQuincy swimmers earn medals at sectional championships
EAST MOLINE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy High School girls swimmers won five medals at Saturday’s sectional championships. QND senior Emily Strieker finished third in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 5 minutes, 26.39 seconds. Strieker also finished fourth in the 200 freestyle in 2:02.68. The Raiders’ Brooklyn Biggs was fourth in the…
Read MoreAnderson adds to QND soccer program’s string of consecutive all-state selections
QUINCY — Tanner Anderson’s goal-scoring prowess is rivaling that of the greatest finishers in the history of the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer program, including that of his other brother, Seth. The accolades he is receiving are quite similar, too. The junior forward led a cavalcade of Quincy products receiving honors this fall from the…
Read MoreClass 4A playoff preview: QND hopes to set tone defensively against Civic Memorial
QUINCY — Swipe. Score. Celebrate. It’s a recipe for success the Quincy Notre Dame football team has discovered works wonders. Having gone 6-3 in the regular season and earned a Class 4A first-round home playoff game, the Raiders understand their defense creates opportunities. In the six victories, QND has scored its first touchdown off a…
Read MoreRaiders show composure in face of adversity, capture regional title
CARTHAGE, Ill. — The atmosphere generated by the Illini West faithful was something only a select few of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players have ever experienced. Rarely have the Raiders faced a do-or-die situation as well. The top-seeded team in the Class 2A Illini West Regional proved capable of handling anything thrown its way.…
Read More‘The minute they take him away, you’re scared as hell’: Cranial surgery as infant doesn’t keep QND’s Lavery from game he loves
QUINCY — Calvin Lavery didn’t realize the mistake soon enough. Having walked into a styling center for a haircut, he requested the stylist use an electric razor guard that would take off enough for a stylish look but not too much that he appeared to have shaved his head. The wrong guard was applied, and…
Read MoreArea Distributors Area Athlete of the Week: Quincy Notre Dame’s Lia Quintero
No Quincy Notre Dame girls tennis player in program history has medaled at the state tournament. Lia Quintero is inching closer to being the first. The QND junior won a fourth-round consolation match last Friday at the Class 1A girls state tennis tournament at Fremd High School in Palatine, pushing her into the top 16…
Read MoreIHSA football playoff pairings: Central earns No. 1 seed in Class 1A, QND receives home game to open Class 4A bracket
QUINCY — Dylan Dickhut’s historical research uncovered a unique fact about the Central football program. The Panthers have never been a No. 1 seed in a playoff bracket, not even when finishing the regular season undefeated. Saturday night, history changed. Central drew the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A south bracket according to the…
Read MoreRaiders struggle to finish chances, Trojans bounce QND from postseason
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team gave itself a string of opportunities to erase Mendota’s lead in Saturday’s Class 1A Chillicothe IVC Sectional championship. The Raiders just couldn’t find a way to survive. QND knocked a couple of shots off the crossbar, saw Mendota goalkeeper Manny Trejo stop a penalty kick…
Read MorePoise carries QND’s Quintero to two victories at state tennis tournament
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — Lia Quintero needed composure and conviction as much as she did her powerful forehand to survive the first day of the Class 1A girls state tennis tournament. The Quincy Notre Dame junior showcased it all. Opening the singles draw against ninth-seeded Jocelyn Carmody of Troy Triad, Quintero scored an upset in…
Read MoreRaiders’ Quintero reboots mission with another state tennis tournament berth
QUINCY — Lia Quintero’s mission is to leave her mark, and she’s OK if it comes with an asterisk. The Quincy Notre Dame junior set a goal coming into high school to be a four-time qualifier for the girls state tennis tournament, an effort that seemed doable after going 2-2 at the Class 1A state…
Read MoreAggressive attack carries Raiders into sectional title game against Trojans
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — The effort in the two regional victories couldn’t be considered lackluster, but the pin-the-defense-back-with-an-all-out-attack seemed to be absent. Tuesday night, the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team brought it back to life. The Raiders scored three first-half goals, consistently applied pressure on the Somonauk goal and headed home with a 4-0 victory…
Read MoreRaiders get on same page, ignore distractions to sweep Blue Devils
QUINCY — Abbey Schreacke was keenly aware of the inherent distractions Tuesday night’s match brought. The city rivalry was front and center. The Pink Night celebration drew a bigger crowd. And a planned post-match recognition of Quincy Notre Dame volleyball coach Courtney Kvitle’s 100th career victory would lose some luster if the Raiders fell to…
Read MoreWith another regional title won, Raiders focus on preparing for sectional field
QUINCY — The regional reign continues. Sectional success should be a bit more challenging. To ensure the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players are ready for whatever lies ahead in the Class 1A Chillicothe IVC Sectional, Raiders coach Greg Reis will hold practice on the grass fields to the east of the Boots Bush baseball…
Read MoreRaiders overwhelm Warriors to end three-game skid, become eligible for playoffs
QUINCY — Troy Cornell is off the schneid. The Quincy Notre Dame football team is, too. For the first time since his birth on September 22, the infant son of Raiders coach Jack Cornell witnessed QND set the tone with takeaways on special teams and defense, buckle down offensively in the second half and end…
Read MoreExample to follow: Raiders’ Kasparie provides blueprint for teammates on how to become playmaker
QUINCY — Ben Kasparie has been in every younger teammate’s shoes. It’s why he is cognizant of how his actions are perceived. “There’s a lot more pressure on me,” said Kasparie, the Quincy Notre Dame senior running back/linebacker who is a four-year starter and a mentor for players like Ben Schwartz, a sophomore starting on…
Read MoreKnuffman, Eftink enjoy season’s final round with solid scores at state tournament
DECATUR, Ill. — Hana Knuffman and Blair Eftink said adios to the pressure and hello to the simple beauty of golf. Tee it up. Drive it. Find the green. Roll it in the cup. Then do it 17 more times without worrying about the score, the leaderboard or the end result. That’s how the two…
Read MoreEftink’s series of pars, Knuffman’s steady play key to making cut at state golf tourney
DECATUR, Ill. — Blair Eftink’s double bogey on the first hole after making the turn Friday put her chances of surviving to play the second round of the Class 1A state golf tournament in limbo. A series of pars changed everything. Eftink rolled in par putts on six of her final eight holes, including four…
Read MoreCann-do attitude: Sophomore’s goal boosts Raiders to victory over Blue Devils in city series
QUINCY — With the start of the postseason looming just five days away, the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players are confident they’re ready for a title chase. All it takes is a Cann-do attitude. Thursday night, a sophomore striker showed the Raiders how that looks. Off a long throw-in from the right sideline, QND’s…
Read MoreBlue Devils, Raiders unable to advance past sectionals
MORRIS, Ill. — Quincy High School boys golf coach Randy Mettemeyer understands there are days you tip your cap to the field and appreciate the darts others are throwing. Monday was one of those days. The Blue Devils had three players shoot in the 70s and posted a 311 total at the Class 3A Lockport…
Read MoreRaiders use in-season experience to prep them for fight to reach state tournament
AUBURN, Ill. — There’s a benefit to playing a schedule chock full of talented opponents. The Quincy Notre Dame girls golfers are realizing that. The regular-season setbacks suffered against Quincy High School and Macomb — teams that won regional championships and are sending golfers to their respective state tournaments — prepped the Raiders to be…
Read MoreDad keeps his distance as daughter takes second at regional; QND girls cruise to title
PETERSBURG, Ill. — Jason Knuffman has determined the best way to coach his daughter is not to coach her at all. That strategy seems to be working well for both of them. Hana Knuffman shot a 7-over 79 to finish in second place, and the Quincy Notre Dame girls golf team turned in its best…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Week 5 of prep football
Friday’s schedule Galesburg (1-3) at Quincy High School (2-2), 7:30 p.m. • WGEM 1440 AM, 98.9 FM Quincy Notre Dame (4-0) at Breese Mater Dei (4-0), 7 p.m. • WTAD 930 AM Hannibal (4-0) at Mexico (4-0), 7 p.m. • KICK 97.9 FM Palmyra (2-2) at Monroe City (4-0), 7 p.m. • KRRY 100.9 FM…
Read MoreRaiders defend WCC championship, while Eagles’ Arnold goes low to win individual crown
QUINCY — The challenges the Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team’s lineup faced early in the season due to COVID-19 quarantines and procedures have finally passed. Now, the Raiders seem to be hitting their stride at the perfect time. Blake Arnold does, too. QND defended its West Central Conference championship, posting its second-best team score…
Read MoreBlue Devils score equalizer, lock down defensively to forge tie with Raiders
QUINCY — For a team desperately trying to hold its rival at bay and make amends for the batterings of recent past, Boen Brockmiller’s game-tying goal gave the Quincy High School boys soccer team the belief any and everything was possible. The Blue Devils’ defense latched on to that. “It gives us a blanket of…
Read MoreIllinois prep football state rankings: QND, Brown County, Central fit in top 10
Here are the latest rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters: Class 8A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Naperville Central (3) …
Read MoreRaiders rally to forge tie, show resolve necessary to overcome anything
QUINCY — The memories from the five-goal outburst the Gateway Legacy Christian Academy boys soccer team enjoyed against what had been an otherwise impenetrable Quincy Notre Dame defense back in the spring remained fresh. So fresh, in fact, the Raiders felt like underdogs even in their own hallways. “A lot of people counted us out…
Read MoreState football rankings: QND, Brown County move up, Central cracks top 10
Here are the Illinois high school football state rankings, as voted on by a panel of sportswriters and compiled by the Associated Press. The rankings were released Tuesday afternoon: Class 8A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Gurnee Warren (7) (1-0) 79 1 2. Lincoln-Way East (1) (1-0) 72 2 3. Chicago (Marist) (1-0) 62 3…
Read MoreCrosstown showdown notebook: Lavery solid in debut as Raiders’ quarterback
QUINCY — Calvin Lavery started to squat before realizing his muscles wouldn’t allow it. So the Quincy Notre Dame quarterback stayed standing as he talked about dealing with cramps throughout the Raiders’ 40-20 victory Friday night against Quincy High School in the crosstown showdown at Flinn Stadium. Temperatures topping out at 93 degrees with heat…
Read MoreSomething special happening here: Raiders turn tide with big plays in kicking game against Blue Devils
QUINCY — Ben Kasparie needed just 17 seconds to put plans into motion to erase 37 years of longing. On the opening kickoff of Friday night’s season-opening crosstown showdown at Flinn Stadium, the Quincy Notre Dame senior glanced to his left after fielding the kick and thought there was a seam opening toward the sideline.…
Read MoreQuincy coaches remain coy about who starts at QB ahead of Friday’s showdown
QUINCY — The most asked question of the past two weeks still doesn’t have an answer. Who is the starting quarterback? Both Quincy High School football coach Rick Little and Quincy Notre Dame coach Jack Cornell have been steely in how they’ve addressed it. Even days before Friday night’s season opener at Flinn Stadium, neither…
Read MoreScoreboard for Thursday, August 26
Girls Volleyball At The Pit, Quincy Notre Dame Quincy Notre Dame beat West Hancock 25-13, 25-18. Abbey Schreacke led the Raiders with eight kills and three aces, Emma Hoing had five kills and Maggie Drew dished out 25 assists. The Raiders had eight aces as a team. QND is now 2-0. Girls Golf At Gold…
Read MoreChampionship aspirations continue to be driving force for Raiders
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame football team’s state semifinal berth in 2019 led to an offseason of believing a state championship was within reach if not the Raiders’ destiny. “And then COVID,” linebacker Elliott Maas said. The pandemic led to the 2020 fall season morphing into a six-game spring season with no playoffs. Those…
Read MorePrep football rankings: QND, Brown County in preseason top 10, Central receiving votes
Here are the preseason state rankings of Illinois high school football teams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters: Class 8A School, points 1. Gurnee Warren (6) 78 2. Lincoln-Way East (2) 73 3. Chicago Marist 54 4. Maine South 50 5. Hinsdale Central 47 6. Naperville Neuqua Valley 30 7.…
Read MoreRaiders open season ranked No. 12 in Chicagoland Soccer state poll
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team’s spot in the Chicagoland Soccer’s state poll isn’t simply a nod to the program’s reputation and tradition. It’s respect for the season the Raiders enjoyed in the spring and the depth of the roster that returns. QND is ranked 12th, one of only two downstate teams…
Read MoreCompetitive atmosphere makes Raiders work to earn playing time
QUINCY — The atmosphere appeals to Courtney Kvitle’s competitive nature. She hopes it brings out the best in the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players, too. Since the Raiders first entered the gym August 9 to begin preparing for Wednesday’s season opener in Mendon against Unity, Kvitle has seen nothing but relentless effort and spirited play,…
Read MoreScoreboard for Monday, August 23
Boys Soccer At Peoria Notre Dame High School Quincy Notre Dame 4, Peoria Notre Dame 2: After surrendering a two-goal halftime lead, the Raiders rebound with two goals in the final 25 minutes to win their season opener. Quinton Hankins scored the game-winning goal off a Brock Evans corner kick. Tanner Anderson added a penalty…
Read MoreScoreboard for Saturday, August 21
Girls Golf Alton Marquette Blastoff Invite at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course Quincy Notre Dame finished 10th in the 18-team event with a 383. Alton Marquette won the team title with a 313. QND’s Hana Knuffman finished 12th individually with an 85. Blair Eftink shot a 92. Women’s Volleyball At the UW Sports Factory, Rockford,…
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