Posts Tagged ‘Quincy Notre Dame’
Illinois girls basketball state rankings: Unity climbs to No. 2 in Class 1A, QND stays atop Class 2A poll
Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Fremd (1) 15-1 91 3 2. Geneva (5) 12-2 89 10 3. Hersey 15-3 78 1 4. Bolingbrook (2) 13-1 77 4 5. Normal Community (2) 16-0 54 8 6. Alton (1)…
Read MoreDetermined to dominate: QHS wrestlers lose only one match in sweeping duals from QND, Pittsfield
QUINCY — Owen Uppinghouse understands most of the Quincy High School wrestling team’s duals can’t compare to a crosstown showdown when it comes to energy and enthusiasm. “When you’re wrestling people from down the street, it tends to be different,” he said. Wednesday night was different, except in one regard. The Blue Devils’ determination for…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS, QND, Pittsfield grapple at QHS gym
QUINCY — The Quincy High School wrestling team showcased the strength of its lineup from top to bottom during Wednesday night’s triangular with Quincy Notre Dame and Pittsfield at the QHS gym. The Blue Devils beat the Saukees 83-0 and the Raiders 68-6, while QND upended Pittsfield 54-24. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured…
Read MoreRaiders enjoy sweet rewards after capping State Farm Holiday Classic with back-to-back wins
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Christina Meyer made a promise the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players intended her to keep. So after beating Kankakee Bishop McNamara 53-46 in Thursday night’s fifth-place game of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders reminded Meyer’s husband — QND coach Kevin Meyer — she said she’d buy the team milkshakes…
Read MoreTurnovers, miscues leave QND boys basketball team with empty feeling after quarterfinal loss
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A game of chase morphed into a game of giveaway Wednesday night. After opening the State Farm Holiday Classic with an aggressive, transition-based effort offensively that led to its highest scoring game of the season, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed two many empty possessions to derail it in a…
Read MoreCatch me if you can: Raiders accept challenge to chase down point guard, thrive in transition
NORMAL, Ill. — Fully aware his team’s offense needed to ratchet everything up a notch or two, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer presented the Raiders with a challenge heading into the State Farm Holiday Classic. Catch Jake. Meyer told his point guard — senior Jake Hoyt — to push the pace at…
Read MoreSchuckman: Highly successful Rumble on the River could benefit from participation from QHS, QND boys teams
QUINCY — Chris Duesdieker earned the right to sit and smile. As the 16th and final game of the 15th annual Rumble on the River headed to the fourth quarter Wednesday night with a pair of state-ranked teams — Southeastern, No. 1 in Illinois Class 1A, and Bunker, No. 3 in Missouri Class 1 —…
Read MoreDecember to remember: Raiders cap hectic three-week schedule with another grind-it-out victory
QUINCY — Eric Orne wants the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players to relish a well-earned holiday reprieve. “They get to rest,” the veteran coach said, “and they get to enjoy some family time.” The Raiders get to do so as far away from the gym as they wish. “He told us to forget about…
Read MoreRaiders get back to who they are in ending three-game skid with 13-point victory
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s search for its identity seems to be over. All the Raiders had to do was rediscover who they really are. “Play tough defense, get in our offense fast, run in transition, and do the little things right,” senior guard Jackson Stratton said Tuesday night after a…
Read MoreQHS QND Hoops highlights
QUINCY — Video genius Frank Cann takes you to Blue Devil Gym to look at Friday night’s Quincy vs. Quincy Notre Dame basketball game.
Read MoreCrim: Shields’ impact felt in area athletic circles for decades
NEW SALEM, Ill. — Jim Shields retold the story of a reporter once asking him about the difference between coaching boys and coaching girls in high school basketball. “I said the boys never gave me a state championship,” Shields laughed. It was a vintage answer by a career coach, a straight shooter, a man who…
Read More‘We turned it up’: Second-half defensive lockdown gives Blue Devils edge over Raiders in crosstown showdown
QUINCY — A simple suggestion is all it took. Needing to inject more life into his team — Quincy High School led Quincy Notre Dame 29-23 at halftime of Saturday night’s boys basketball showdown but had been rather lackluster defensively the first 16 minutes — Blue Devils coach Andy Douglas listened to an idea assistant…
Read More‘I can fully say I had a blast out there’: Despite loss, Raiders’ effort changes team’s entire vibe
QUINCY — For one night at least, and probably a couple of days to follow, the angst was eased. No one associated with the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball program is going to accept losing, not even to a state-ranked Class 4A squad on its home floor, but the positive vibes felt after Saturday night’s…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School beats Quincy Notre Dame in crosstown showdown
QUINCY — For the second season in a row and the seventh time in eight meetings, the Quincy High School boys basketball team won the crosstown showdown with Quincy Notre Dame since the series was renewed in 2015. The Blue Devils used a lockdown effort in the second half to post a 60-43 victory Saturday…
Read MoreQND girls developing depth during December’s endless run of games
QUINCY — No rest for the weary. At least not for a few more days. The December schedule that has the top-ranked Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team playing 13 games in 21 days is nearing its end. Two games in a three-day span will wrap it up before the Raiders go 17 days until…
Read MoreSecond-quarter surge carries top-ranked Raiders to victory in milestone moment for Orne
QUINCY — Eric Orne’s milestone moment came at home … sort of. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach reached the 500 career victory plateau Friday night with a 58-42 victory over Mascoutah in the opening game of the four-day, 16-game Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Although the…
Read MoreOpening possession of second half sets tone for Panthers to pull away from Raiders
QUINCY — Having chiseled a 10-point deficit down to two over the final 3 minutes, 45 seconds of the first half Friday night, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team had a simple plan of attack for the start of the second half and keep the momentum rolling. “We said, ‘OK, go out and get…
Read MoreRaiders’ reward for finishing road swing by beating Panthers is finally getting day off
PALMYRA, Mo. — No rest for the weary? Well, not quite. “We’ll have a day off Wednesday, but then it’s back to work,” Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne said. Notre Dame’s 51-19 victory over Palmyra on Tuesday night marked the end of a five-games-in-six-days stretch for the Raiders. All those games were on…
Read MoreLundberg’s sizzling shooting helps Palmyra boys gain separation, pull away from QND
PALMYRA, Mo. — Granted, the Palmyra boys basketball team sits undefeated following a convincing 55-34 victory Tuesday night over Quincy Notre Dame. But Jon Lundberg feels Palmyra has barely scratched the surface of what it might accomplish between now and the end of the season. “I can feel it all coming together. I can sense the…
Read MoreRaiders survive another challenging road game on night Schreacke reaches 2,000 career points
HAVANA, Ill. — The long road home is nearly complete. Only 40 or so miles to go, although the last leg promises to be as tough as any of the others the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team has traveled. Monday night’s trip — the fourth of five road games in six days — was…
Read MoreRaiders pick up fourth victory in five games, but rotten third quarter leaves sour taste in mouth
HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team enjoyed a solid first half on Saturday night against Hannibal. Then the third quarter happened. The Raiders led by 16 points at halftime, then made 10 of 11 free throws in the final four minutes of the game to hold off the Pirates 49-39 at…
Read More‘Money, it’s gotta be the shoes’: Switch to old sneakers gets QND’s Eftink back in rhythm as Raiders win third straight road game
BREESE, Ill. — Unable to find her long-range shooting stroke recently, Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Blair Eftink elected to change one key component to her game. Money, it’s gotta be the shoes. Switching to her old kicks this weekend, Eftink regained her perimeter shot by burying her first five 3-point attempts Saturday afternoon. Her…
Read MoreTorrid start from 3-point range carries top-ranked QND girls to another road victory
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A Blair barrage put the top-ranked Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team on the right path to another victory. Senior guard Blair Eftink opened Friday night’s game at Belleville Althoff with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and another from the left corner, setting the stage for a 57-38 victory…
Read More‘You don’t get that time back’: Oden resigns as QND baseball coach to put family first
QUINCY — Before Ryan Oden left his house Thursday morning for a meeting with the Quincy Notre Dame baseball players, his wife, Deb, wanted to know he was comfortable with his decision to resign as the Raiders head coach. “She asked, ‘Are you sure?’” Oden said. “And I told her I am.” With his son…
Read MoreInspired by pregame chat, Stratton carries scoring load for top-ranked Raiders in victory over Cardinals
QUINCY — When you face the No. 1-ranked girls basketball team in Class 2A with the reigning state player of the year, the goal becomes quite obvious. Slow down Abbey Schreacke. Many try. Most fail. Tuesday night, Pleasant Plains succeeded in limiting Schreacke, Quincy Notre Dame’s all-state senior forward, to a season-low 13 points in…
Read MoreQueen of the charts: Schreacke breaks QND career scoring record
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The phone rings or the text message notification sounds on a Sunday night and Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne knows what it is. Abbey Schreacke wants in the gym. “Of course, I scoot down there to let her in,” Orne said. Had the 6-foot senior guard not had the desire…
Read MoreTop-ranked Raiders suffer first loss of season in playoff-like atmosphere against Bruins
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Almost everything about the way Sunday played out — from the two-hour road trip to playing on a college-sized court — had the hallmark of a classic postseason matchup. All except the end result for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Tied at 45 with four minutes to play in regulation,…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls basketball team plays in Sophie Cunningham Classic
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The final game of a three-day event showcasing high school girls basketball ended up being a thrilling conclusion for the organizers, sponsors and fans of the inaugural Sophie Cunningham Classic at Columbia College’s Southwell Complex. However, it didn’t end quite the way the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team would have liked.…
Read MoreBuehler? Buehler? Buehler? Yes, Buehler hits clutch free throws as QND rallies past Unity
QUINCY — The moment required Ari Buehler to ignore, focus and follow through. Not an easy task on any front. Fouled with 14.4 seconds remaining in regulation and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team clinging to a two-point lead, the freshman guard first had to become oblivious to the chatter from the Unity players…
Read MoreHalftime discussion enables QND boys basketball team to alter tide in victory over Macomb
QUINCY — As the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coaching staff met in the office adjacent to the locker room at halftime Saturday night, the Raiders were engaging in their own discussion. The theme of both conversations seemed to be the same. What is the Raiders’ identity going to be? The second half — particularly…
Read MoreRaiders to learn from loss to top-ranked Cyclones and QU signee Hamilton
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players and coaches likely won’t watch the film of Friday night’s 66-35 loss to No. 1-ranked Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin at Belz Gymnasium until Monday or Tuesday. That’s when the Raiders will delve into how to fix what the Cyclones exploited. Before then, though, comes a better-be-ready-for-this…
Read MoreSoutheastern sits No. 1 in initial Class 1A state poll, Quincy High School is No. 8 in Class 4A
QUINCY — Having the best small-school player in the state leading the charge has put the Southeastern boys basketball team in the crosshairs. Having an abundance of talented underclassmen has done the same for Quincy High School. The initial Associated Press state basketball rankings prove that. The Suns checked in at No. 1 in Class…
Read MoreDefending state champion QND opens as No. 1 team in Class 2A, Unity starts No. 3 in Class 1A
QUINCY — The initial Associated Press state basketball rankings set up an intriguing showdown in just two days. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team — the defending Class 2A state champion — opens the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state. The Raiders are 5-0 going into Thursday’s game at West Hancock…
Read MoreRaiders finish perfect opening weekend by easily dispatching Jaguars
QUINCY — Granted, Quincy Notre Dame’s 58-33 boys basketball victory over St. Louis Gateway STEM was not a thing of beauty. But not every performance in a long high school basketball season can come across as a Rembrandt. Every so often, there’s going to be a MAD Magazine cover show up, too. Such was the…
Read MoreQND girls basketball team ramps up pressure, completes weekend sweep with easy victory
QUINCY — By the midpoint of the first quarter there was only one real question surrounding the Quincy Notre Dame-Warrenton girls basketball matchup that was playing out at The Pit. Would Warrenton wind up with more points or turnovers by game’s end? If your choice had been “points” you would have been correct, but only…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: 1981-82 girls basketball team
QUINCY — The phrase “rebuilding season” was tossed around before girls basketball season started at Quincy Notre Dame in 1981. Four players had graduated from the 1980-81 team that placed second in Class A, and coach Ivan Brown also was gone. However, a young team quickly gelled, and a late-season injury didn’t stop the Raiders…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: 2011 boys soccer team
QUINCY — The 2011 boys soccer team stumbled into the postseason, going 2-3-1 in the last six games of the regular season, but they racked off seven straight victories to claim the school’s first state championship in 26 years. The Raiders opened the postseason with a 9-1 victory over Athens, then needed a goal from…
Read MoreAfter suffering 3-point loss at the Pit, Butler College Prep coach wants to see QND girls in state title game
QUINCY — Butler College Prep girls basketball coach Xaver Walton got exactly what he wanted. The Lynx returned seven players from last year’s team that lost by three points to Minonk Fieldcrest in the Class 2A super-sectional. When Walton learned defending Class 2A state champion Quincy Notre Dame was looking for a team to play…
Read MoreRaiders survive ugly start, use defense to tighten screws on McCluer
QUINCY — The first 3 ½ minutes of Quincy Notre Dame’s season opener against McCluer on Friday night was … almost unwatchable. The Raiders missed their first six shots, turned the ball over twice and missed three out of four free throws to trail 6-1. “It was really bad. Really bad,” senior Jackson Stratton said.…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: Tom Wisman, athlete and coach
Editor’s Note: Quincy Notre Dame will hold its Hall of Fame induction at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games of the 2022 Gully Transportation Tip-Off Shootout at The Pit. QUINCY — After playing basketball at Christian Brothers High School and Quincy College, Tom Wisman spent most of his life coaching basketball around the world. Wisman,…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: Leigh McLaughlin, athlete
Editor’s Note: Quincy Notre Dame will hold its Hall of Fame induction at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games of the 2022 Gully Transportation Tip-Off Shootout at The Pit. QUINCY — As the Quincy Notre Dame basketball team racked up all kinds of points during the late 2000s, it seems almost impossible to think that…
Read MoreIngredients in place for unified Raiders to continue winning ways as season opener looms
QUINCY — What do the Three Musketeers, DJ Khaled and the Navy SEALs have in common? They each could be the inspiration for the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team this season. Start with the Three Musketeers. In the legendary novel by Alexandre Dumas, the Musketeers stick together with the motto “Tous pour un, un…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: John Frankenhoff, athlete
Editor’s Note: Quincy Notre Dame will hold its Hall of Fame induction at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games of the 2022 Gully Transportation Tip-Off Shootout at The Pit. QUINCY — John Frankenhoff played a critical role in bringing a sectional championship back to Quincy and end a 14-year postseason drought. Frankenhoff, a 1989 Quincy…
Read More2022 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: Shannon (Foley) Venvertloh, athlete
Editor’s Note: Quincy Notre Dame will hold its Hall of Fame induction at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games of the 2022 Gully Transportation Tip-Off Shootout at The Pit. QUINCY — Shannon (Foley) Venvertloh played different roles in different sports — goal scorer in soccer, defensive standout in volleyball and playmaker in basketball. She played…
Read MoreQND to join Central State 8 Conference for football only beginning in 2024
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame football program needed a home. The Central State 8 Conference needed another member to balance its scheduling paradigm. As it turns out, they needed each other at just the right time. Notre Dame and the CS8 collaboratively announced Wednesday morning the Raiders will join the league in 2024 for…
Read MoreRaiders open title defense with familiar out-of-the-gate knockout punch of Warriors
QUINCY — The knockout punch came quickly. Quincy Notre Dame scored early and often Friday night, opening its girls basketball season with a relatively easy 68-39 victory over Hardin Calhoun at The Pit. “I felt we played with a lot of confidence,” QND senior Blair Eftink said. “We were excited to play.” The game was…
Read More2022-23 Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section
Here is the Muddy River Sports area girls basketball preview section, delving into teams from Illinois and Missouri as the 2022-23 season gets underway. Click the link below to download the section.
Read MoreAnderson, Venvertloh uphold family traditions, receive all-state soccer honors
QUINCY — All-state soccer honors are family traditions in the Anderson and Venvertloh households. The youngest brothers made sure tradition didn’t falter. Quincy Notre Dame senior forward Tanner Anderson and Quincy High School senior midfielder Carter Venvertloh recently were named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state team, becoming the second and third…
Read More‘We couldn’t execute’: Struggle to sustain momentum in third set spoils Raiders’ rally in super-sectional loss
PRINCETON, Ill. — The vibes created by a crisp, energetic and efficient practice Thursday afternoon failed to linger as long as anyone associated with the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball program wanted or expected. “I guess we let it all out yesterday and couldn’t save it for today,” senior middle hitter Abbey Schreacke said. At least…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND vs. Genoa-Kingston in Class 2A Princeton Super-Sectional
PRINCETON, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team rallied after losing the first set of Friday night’s Class 2A Princeton Super-Sectional to Genoa-Kingston, but the Raiders couldn’t sustain the momentum in the third set of a 25-19, 22-25, 25-17 loss. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the action from start to finish. Check…
Read MoreHave a little Faith: Kientzle’s run of service points, huge plays at net catapult Raiders to victory over Bombers in electric sectional title match
FARMINGTON, Ill. — Five points. No more. Certainly no less. Forced to a decisive third set in Wednesday night’s Class 2A Farmington Sectional championship after Macomb staved off four match points, Quincy Notre Dame volleyball coach Courtney Kvitle convinced the Raiders to concentrate on winning five points at a time. “We knew we had to…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND beats Macomb in three sets to win Class 2A sectional championship
FARMINGTON, Ill. — Certain moments cannot be forgotten. Try October 5 for example. With the Quincy Notre Dame cheering section split between two major events — the boys soccer team played at Quincy High School, while the volleyball team played host to Macomb — the Bombers brought a sizable, boisterous crowd to The Pit. A…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND welcomes home Class 1A boys soccer state championship squad
QUINCY — Greg Reis replaced his silver, postseason beard with a dapper, clean-shaven look in time for a celebration fit for champions. The veteran Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer coach allowed his facial hair to grow throughout the Raiders’ postseason run, which culminated with last Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Belleville Althoff in the Class 1A…
Read MoreRaiders let strong serving runs carry them into sectional title game rematch with Bombers
FARMINGTON, Ill. — The trick was to treat the Orion volleyball team to a false sense of hope. Giving up seven of the first 11 points in Monday’s first semifinal match of the Class 2A Farmington Sectional seemed to do that. It didn’t take long, though, for Quincy Notre Dame to dash that hope. A…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Class 2A volleyball sectional featuring Quincy Notre Dame and Macomb
FARMINGTON, Ill. — The sectional championship showdown prep volleyball fans have anticipated for the past month is about to happen. Quincy Notre Dame and Macomb sidestepped their sectional semifinal opponents Monday night and will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday for the title of the Class 2A Farmington Sectional. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman took…
Read MoreFour-star rating: QND soccer team scores three times in second half to upend Althoff and win Class 1A state championship
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Four days ago, Tanner Anderson sat his bag down on the grass, laid the super-sectional plaque on top of it and stopped to oblige a media request. Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer coach Greg Reis suggested he’d take the plaque to the bus to expedite the Raiders’ departure, but Anderson intervened.…
Read MoreSchuckman: By choosing to be phenomenal, Raiders ensure they are never to be forgotten
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Be phenomenal or be forgotten. Such an easy choice. “No one wants to live their life forgotten,” said Jake Hoyt, a senior center back on the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team. “Doesn’t everyone want to be phenomenal?” When Raiders coach Greg Reis posed that challenge to his team on the…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: QND boys soccer team celebrates Class 1A state championship
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — They grew curious — possibly more concerned — whether the suspension on Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s pickup truck could hold the weight of the entire Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team piled into the truck’s bed. Much like the Raiders throughout the postseason, Schuck’s truck held up just fine.…
Read MoreBombers outlast Raiders in Class 4A opening-round playoff game, earn another shot at redemption
MACOMB, Ill. — Macomb football coach Tanner Horrell could only shake his head Saturday night. “That’s a pretty good 5-4 team, huh?” Horrell asked, referring to a Quincy Notre Dame team that gave his undefeated Bombers all could they handle before coming away with a 28-14 victory over the Raiders in an opening-round Class 4A…
Read MoreCarpe diem: Anderson, Raiders seize opportunity to play for soccer state championship
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Opportunity may have passed Tanner Anderson by once. He vowed it wouldn’t happen twice. Belleville Althoff may want to take note of that. Anderson, a senior forward on the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team and the Raiders’ career leader in goals scored, missed his chance to play for a state…
Read MoreCall him what you will, but Schuette’s presence and restarts are making him name to remember
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — An ongoing problem throughout the boys soccer postseason has been the inability of public address announcers to pronounce Deakon Schuette’s last name correctly. During the Class 1A Mendota Sectional, the Quincy Notre Dame senior defensive midfielder was referred to as “Shoot.” In the second half of Friday’s Class 1A state semifinal…
Read MorePassing the baton: Seniors teach, mold underclassmen in order to sustain QND soccer legacy
QUINCY — The nerves and excitement have been tempered some by contributing to the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team’s postseason run, but freshman defender Channing Trevino won’t soon forget the day he got his first start. “It was pretty exciting when against Normal U-High they said I was going to be starting,” Trevino said.…
Read MoreLoud and clear: Raiders feed off crowd’s energy to dispatch Chargers and win regional championship
QUINCY — The bouncy, boisterous, energetic way the Illini West volleyball team plays can be distracting or intimidating. Quincy Notre Dame combatted that with plenty of noise of its own. Buoyed by a sizable, vocal crowd, the Raiders maintained an even-keel approach throughout Thursday night’s Class 2A QND Regional championship match at The Pit to…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND volleyball team beats Illini West in Class 2A regional championship
QUINCY — For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team can call itself a regional champion. This time, the Raiders gave their seniors a lasting memory in their final game at The Pit. QND beat Illini West 25-13, 25-17 to advance to the Farmington Sectional, where the Raiders…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: QND senior center back Colin Kurk discusses trip to state final four
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team clamped down on Bloomington Central Catholic’s attack and limited the Saints to one shot in the first half of Wednesday’s 5-1 victory in the Class 1A Chillicothe Super-Sectional. That effort is carrying the Raiders to the final four in East Peoria, where they will play…
Read MoreRunning against the wind: QND capitalizes on directional decision, buries BCC with first-half onslaught to reach state final four
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — Mother Nature posed a challenge no matter which direction the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team chose to attack in the first half Wednesday night. Sun in the eyes or wind in the face. So Raiders coach Greg Reis asked goalkeepers coach Kasey Gerding for his opinion on which way to go.…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND soccer team beats Bloomington Central Catholic in Class 1A super-sectional
CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team earned a spot in the state final four for the eighth time in program history, beating Bloomington Central Catholic 5-1 Wednesday night in the Class 1A Chillicothe Super-Sectional. The Raiders (17-6-2) advance to face Elmhurst Timothy Christian (16-9) at 7 p.m. Friday at the EastSide…
Read MoreEaton guides power-hitting QND to quick victory over Pittsfield in regional semifinals
QUINCY — Annie Eaton’s smile is infectious, but don’t let that nice-girl persona fool you. She’s the quiet assassin of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team. And she relishes that role. “I like to control things out there,” Eaton said. “I like to run the offense.” The Raiders’ floor general was at her directorial best…
Read MoreQuiet assassins: QND soccer team turns laser focus into rout of Mendota for sectional title
MENDOTA, Ill. — Everything Greg Reis observed Saturday morning left him convinced the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players had the right disposition to run down a sectional championship. “We had a special energy when we went to mass and then went to breakfast,” the QND coach said. Yet, the tone seemed to change when…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy Notre Dame beats Mendota for Class 1A boys soccer sectional championship
MENDOTA, Ill. — Gusting winds blowing right in the face of the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players did little to diminish the Raiders’ pursuit of a state championship. QND moved one step closer to that goal with a 7-1 victory over Mendota on Saturday in the Class 1A Mendota Sectional championship. Check out this…
Read MoreQND, Macomb to renew rivalry in opening round of Class 4A football playoffs
QUINCY — When the team bus rolled into the Quincy Notre Dame parking lot at around 7 p.m. Saturday, Raiders football coach Jack Cornell didn’t know which road his team would be taking in the postseason. As soon as Cornell knew, he told the players he’d spread the word. But there was a more important…
Read MoreExplosive finish to regular season ensures QND football team returns to state playoffs
LADUE, Mo. — Explosive is how senior running back Jackson Stratton labeled the Quincy Notre Dame football team’s offensive performance Saturday afternoon. “This is,” Stratton said, “the best we’ve been all season.” The Raiders picked the ideal time to peak. With its offense dominating the line of scrimmage and constructing big plays, QND was able…
Read MoreQHS, QND send both boys and girls cross country teams to sectionals
QUINCY — Neither the Quincy High School boys nor the Quincy High School girls had any trouble Saturday morning of qualifying out of the Class 3A regional cross country meet held at Bob Mays Park. Quincy had fourth-place finishers in each race. The QHS boys finished third as a team behind senior Eric McClelland. He…
Read MoreRoad to redemption: QND takes first step to regaining sectional soccer championship
MENDOTA, Ill. — There will come a time when the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players will appreciate and yearn for the opportunity to take an afternoon nap. It might happen Thursday. Following Wednesday night’s 9-2 shellacking of Serena in the Class 1A Mendota Sectional semifinals, the Raiders embarked on a four-hour charter bus ride…
Read MoreRaiders’ ability to deliver quick strikes ensures Huskers never gain traction in efforts to rally
MENDOTA, Ill. — For a fleeting moment in both halves of Wednesday night’s Class 1A Mendota Sectional semifinal, the Serena boys soccer team saw a glimmer of hope. Quincy Notre Dame extinguished it each time before it ever got bright. The Husker trailed 2-0 nine minutes into the game, but a counterattack allowed them to…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy Notre Dame vs. Serena in Class 1A Mendota Sectional semifinals
MENDOTA, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team looked like the team to beat in the Class 1A Mendota Sectional on Wednesday night, dispatching Serena 9-2 in the sectional semifinals. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman made the four-hour trek to Mendota to capture images of the Raiders’ third postseason victory. Check out…
Read MoreFront to back: Hoyt, Kurk transition to defensive stalwarts to bolster QND soccer team
QUINCY — Jake Hoyt doesn’t have an explanation for how he ended up in such unfamiliar territory. “Honestly, I still really don’t know,” the senior said of being moved from forward to center back to fill a void in the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team’s defense. There’s really only one viable reason. A master…
Read MoreSchuckman: Blue Devils, Raiders achieve desired outcome as Quincy won, breast cancer lost during ‘Volley for a Cure’
QUINCY — The outcome matters. It has to, otherwise the sweat equity put into practice and the commitment to be at your best wouldn’t matter so much. Still, there are nights where the final score takes on secondary importance, where winners aren’t determined solely by the numbers on a scoreboard but more by the integrity,…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School faces Quincy Notre Dame in girls volleyball
QUINCY — Monday night’s crosstown showdown continued the mission to find a cure for breast cancer, and the atmosphere in the QHS gym as the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls volleyball teams squared off proved to be electric. Here is a look at the images captured by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…
Read MoreQND’s Schuetz reaches final four in singles at sectional, earns berth in state tennis tourney
QUINCY — Evie Schuetz’s leadership proved invaluable for the Quincy Notre Dame girls tennis team throughout the fall. Her persistence and preparation is why the fall season isn’t over just yet. The QND senior earned a spot in the Class 1A state tournament, finishing fourth in singles in the QND Sectional on Saturday at the…
Read MoreAnderson, QND seniors put stamp on home career with six-goal victory in Class 1A regional title tilt
QUINCY — Spending the final home game of a bally-hooed prep soccer career watching from the sideline had zero appeal for Tanner Anderson. So he rested, rehabbed and readied his aching hip in order to be available Friday night. The senior striker made sure he was more than just available, too. Anderson scored twice in…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND, Roanoke-Benson advance to Class 1A boys regional championship game
QUINCY — Leo Cann didn’t give the Abingdon-Avon boys soccer team the chance to get settled. If Quincy Notre Dame can do the same thing to Roanoke-Benson come Friday night, another regional championship should be added the Raiders’ treasure trove of titles. Cann, the junior forward, scored less than three minutes into Tuesday’s regional semifinal…
Read MoreRaiders’ Knuffman, Blue Devils’ Gold and Geisendorfer all finish strong at state golf tourney
DECATUR, Ill. — Hana Knuffman walked away with a solid closing stretch to her prep golf career. The Quincy Notre Dame senior shot a 1-over 37 on the final nine holes Saturday at Red Tail Run Golf Course, leading to a 5-over 77 that moved her into the top 30 individually at the Class 1A…
Read MoreQND girls golf team misses cut by two strokes, two QHS golfers sit in top 35
DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls golf team found itself on the outside looking in Friday when the opening round of the Class 1A state tournament wrapped up. The Raiders missed the cut by two strokes, finishing ninth in the 12-team field with a 373 total. Massac County shot a 371 to snare…
Read MoreTorturous four-hole stretch keeps QND boys golf team from making cut at Class 2A state tourney
NORMAL, Ill. — Nine holes into the Class 2A state tournament, the Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team found itself in the thick of the chase. The Raiders’ top four golfers each posted a 4-over 39 playing holes 10-18, leaving them in fifth place in the 12-team field and in good position to make the…
Read MoreRaiders to face win-to-be-in scenario in final two weeks following Homecoming loss to Wildcats
QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame football coach Jack Cornell didn’t need to be told that it’s do-or-die time for his Raiders. If the Raiders are to continue their season into the IHSA playoffs, they’ll need to win their final two regular-season games after suffering a 17-0 Homecoming loss to Normal West on Friday night at…
Read MoreSchuckman: By keeping the faith and trusting his game, Thompson guides QND golfers back to state stage
QUINCY — Golf can humble you. Infuriate you. Exasperate you. Baffle you. And if you let it, the game can break your spirit. Ross Thompson wouldn’t allow that to happen. A freshman when he made the six-man lineup in 2019 and was part of the Quincy Notre Dame boys golf team’s second-place state finish, Thompson…
Read MoreFit to be tied: QHS, QND dig in defensively as boys soccer showdown ends in scoreless draw
QUINCY — In a sport where the standard dimensions of the goal are sizable — 24 feet wide and 8 feet high — every inch still matters. Wednesday night, the diameter of the goal posts mattered most. A little more than six minutes into the second half of the boys soccer crosstown showdown at Flinn…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Quincy High School vs. Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer at Flinn Stadium
QUINCY — The intensity was the same as the previous matchup, but in the second installment of the crosstown showdown between the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer teams, goal-scoring opportunities were at a premium. The scoreless draw was the first tie for both squads, and Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…
Read MorePrelude to a rematch? Macomb volleyball team beats QND in three-set thriller between sectional foes
QUINCY — With her Macomb High School classmates milling around and her Bomber volleyball teammates screaming in the background, senior outside hitter Kennedy Adair tried to sum up Wednesday night’s three-set victory over Quincy Notre Dame. “That was amazing,” a smiling Adair said after the Bombers survived a 25-17, 17-25, 25-23 thriller at The Pit.…
Read MoreRaiders, Bombers take care of business ahead of showdown between top Class 2A volleyball teams
QUINCY — Looking forward could have meant falling behind. The Quincy Notre Dame and Macomb girls volleyball teams both faced that scenario Tuesday. Both handled it with aplomb. The Raiders dispatched Southeastern 25-13, 25-15 at The Pit, while the Bombers put away Havana 25-17, 25-23 at the Washington Street Gym. Now, both squads can turn…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS, QND girls tennis team square off at Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park
QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls tennis team beat Quincy Notre Dame 7-2 in their season head-to-head matchup of the season. Check out some images from the event taken by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman:
Read MoreCrosstown showdown gives QHS girls tennis team boost heading into conference tournament
QUINCY — A little push in the right direction is welcome right before the Quincy High School girls tennis team chases a Western Big 6 Conference championship. Quincy Notre Dame provided that Monday. The Blue Devils won the crosstown dual 7-2 at the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park, but two of the three doubles…
Read MoreEftink leads charge as QND girls golf team captures program’s first sectional championship
LINCOLN, Ill. — The Illinois High School Association’s decision to use the iWanamaker scoring app for postseason golf events took some of the suspense away as the Quincy Notre Dame girls chased a sectional title Monday. However, it did little to diminish the Raiders’ joy. QND posted a 360 team score in the Class 1A…
Read MoreStrong closing nine enables QND boys golf to climb into top three, return to state tournament
BARTONVILLE, Ill. — The regional of death, as Quincy Notre Dame boys golf coach Brian Hendrian liked to call it, morphed into a sadistic sectional Monday at Coyote Creek Golf Course. Experience and depth led to the Raiders surviving both. But it wasn’t without some worry. “To be completely honest, when we made the turn,…
Read MoreSchuering beats Neisen to finish line in neck-and-neck race at Tom Oakley Invitational
QUINCY — A 3-mile duel was decided by a matter of seconds. Quincy High School cross country standout Olivia Schuering edged Liberty’s Arianna Neisen by six seconds Saturday, winning the Tom Oakley Invitational girls race at Bob Mays Park. The Blue Devils swept the individual crowns as Eric McClelland won the boys race. Schuering and…
Read MoreMahomet-Seymour clamps down on QND, despite Raiders’ ability to create turnovers
MAHOMET, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame football team’s initial offensive possession Friday night ended with Deakon Schuette’s 37-yard field goal, but it showed the Raiders could move the ball against state-ranked Mahomet-Seymour. That was a fleeting feeling. Despite a defensive effort that forced five turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown, the Raiders weren’t able…
Read MoreThe Rundown: QND wins at Great River Classic, two homers carry Canton, Illini West cruises
The fall slate of postseason events is underway, but that doesn’t mean the action is simmering down. Here is a look at the highlights from Thursday’s action: • Cole Henkenmeier scored off a Colin Kurk assist in the first half as the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team beat Normal U-High 2-0 in the opening…
Read MoreBoudreau’s career-low round helps QND girls golf team capture third consecutive regional crown
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Hana Knuffman understands the Quincy Notre Dame girls golf team doesn’t have to rely on the same golfers day in and day out to post competitive scores. It’s the kind of depth that makes postseason success possible. “We have really good chemistry with each other, which makes it that we know…
Read More‘Nail-biting scenario’: QND boys golf team sweats out tense finish, advances to Class 2A sectionals
FORSYTH, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys golfers realized circumstances seemed bleak. “We didn’t have a hot front nine,” senior Colin Larson said following Wednesday’s Class 2A Maroa-Forsyth Regional at Hickory Point Golf Course. “We definitely did not start off strong. On or about the 12th or 13th hole, we were four shots back…
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