Posts Tagged ‘State championship’
Being calm, committed and collected enables Pirates’ Culp to finish state title season undefeated
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Cody Culp wasn’t making the same mistake twice. A year after finishing as the Class 3 state runner-up at 138 pounds, the Hannibal senior wrestler didn’t allow his emotions to alter his approach before wrestling for the title at 144 pounds Saturday night at Mizzou Arena. “Last year, I was super nervous…
Read MorePirates’ Essig puts knowledge to good use, dominates third period of state title match
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Tristen Essig’s familiarity with his opponent in Saturday night’s 132-pound championship match at the Class 3 state wrestling tournament gave him a blueprint for succes. “He knew I was going to be coming at him in neutral and pressuring forward,” Essig said of North Point’s Kaden Purler, who he had beaten twice…
Read MoreLessons learned in wrestling room help Hannibal’s Brown capture state championship
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The experience of battling with seniors daily in the wrestling room continues to pay off for Austin Brown. Now a state champion, he’ll be the one setting the tone in the future. Brown changed the momentum of the 113-pound title match against Carl Junction’s Carter Foglesong by getting a reversal with 18…
Read MoreDoubles victories push Quincy tennis team to USTA men’s 3.5 state championship
GLENVIEW, Ill. — The situation was cut and dry. For the Quincy Men’s 3.5 USTA tennis team to win the state championship, it had to beat the Chicago Midtown Athletic Club. Lose the match, lose the tiebreaker and lose the title. None of those three things happened. Rob Hernandez and Troy Fox won their No.…
Read MorePalmyra’s King reigns supreme over discus field at Class 3 girls state track and field championships
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Candra King could see the 40-meter marker and knew her second attempt in the discus finals at the Class 3 girls state track and field championships was close to hitting that distance. It turns out she was just a whisper away. “I was hoping it was going to be a 40,”…
Read MoreCrim: QND’s quest to repeat bookends four decades of championship success that began with 1983 title team
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team begins its quest this week for a second consecutive Illinois Class 2A state championship and seventh overall in program history. Only Chicago Marshall with eight has captured more titles since the first girls champion was crowned in 1977. Adding to the potential legacy of another first-place…
Read MoreReason to celebrate: Eagles’ state title game effort is lauded, applauded by fans creating sea of red
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The arena entrance was breath-taking, and the postgame exit was humbling. Yet, the welcome the Liberty boys basketball team received in its own gym from a community that raced home from the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center following Saturday’s Class 1A state championship game made the experience complete. “I wasn’t expecting…
Read MoreGuiding Eagles to state championship game became family affair for Altmix and sons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Alex Altmix harbors dreams of eventually being a head coach and running his own high school basketball program. Should his brother, Jordan, want the same thing, neither will have to search far to find a blueprint for success. It’s been in front of them since the day either picked up a whistle.…
Read More‘Everyone worked for this’: QND girls basketball team finishes magical season with Class 2A state championship
NORMAL, Ill. — Blair Eftink looked down at the state championship medal hanging around her neck and shook her head from side to side, almost in disbelief. “It’s crazy,” she said. Eftink then glanced around at her Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball teammates, who were milling about in the hallway outside the media room in…
Read MoreSchuckman: In toughest of times, Raiders stand resolute as ‘pillar of strength’ for Orne
NORMAL, Ill. — Friday morning, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players filed into St. Augustine Catholic Church, the quaint centerpiece of a devout congregation in their coach’s hometown of Ashland. Their mission was two-fold. Say a solemn goodbye to Mary Sue Orne, the mother of Raiders coach Eric Orne who passed away in the…
Read MoreSchreacke’s epic state tournament performance is one of legendary status
NORMAL, Ill. — The pain of slightly spraining her right ankle hobbled Abbey Schreacke for a short stretch of the second quarter Saturday. Yet, it was getting poked in the eye that brought her tears. “Once I got poked in the eye, I forgot about the feeling in the ankle, too,” Schreacke said. No one…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls basketball team wins Class 2A state championship at Redbird Arena
NORMAL, Ill. — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena chronicling the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s 63-56 victory over Winnebago in the Class 2A state championship game. Here is a gallery of images Schuckman collected throughout the Raiders’ run to a sixth state championship in program…
Read MorePirates relish passion, support Hannibal community showed during postseason run
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Above all else, Hannibal football coach Jeff Gschwender and his players wanted the community to know how much they appreciated what they heard and saw Friday. “I can’t say enough about the town of Hannibal,” Gschwender said. “I have never seen anything like the support we get. I could not be more…
Read MoreBy the numbers: A look inside the record-setting season Hannibal enjoyed
Here is a sampling of what this year’s Hannibal football team accomplished: • This was the 10th team in school history to win 10 or more games. The Pirates’ 13-1 record moved it past the 2015 club (12-1) to the top of the pedestal. • Hannibal’s 97 touchdowns tie for 17th in a single season…
Read MoreSecond to one: Pirates see dream of state title dashed by Warriors’ shut-down defense
COLUMBIA, Mo. — That No. 1 ranking was no exaggeration. Smithville demonstrated exactly why it sat atop the Class 4 high school football poll the entire season when the Warriors overwhelmed Hannibal 31-0 in the state championship game played Friday afternoon at Faurot Field. Smithville, located about 21 miles north of Kansas City, dominated the…
Read MoreJust gotta believe: Pirates’ ability to put trust in each other and their commitment leads to championship game berth
HANNIBAL, Mo. — To achieve everything the Hannibal football team already has and could more potentially come Friday, one thing needed to be clear from the start. You just gotta believe. The Pirates had it in their heads they could be a state championship-caliber crew before taking a snap. “I think it came the first…
Read MoreWe-before-me mentality: Pirates’ collective effort along offensive line creates success
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Film doesn’t lie. So as the Hannibal football players and coaching staff reviewed last Saturday’s 42-26 victory over North County in the Class 4 state semifinals, a familiar site popped up on the screen — Aneyas Williams running untouched for a touchdown. Trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, Williams took the handoff…
Read MoreBlue Devils keep focus on matter at hand, power way to state tourney berth
WASHINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls golfers made a pact with Blue Devils coach Hanlynn Vahlkamp not to check the digital scoring app while on the course during Monday’s Class 2A sectional at Quail Meadows Golf Course. “It makes us a little too anxious,” Vahlkamp said. So Sophia Gold never took a peek.…
Read MoreRaiders still chasing history as seniors look to bookend careers with state championships
QUINCY — Cayge Hughes is quite confident had the coronavirus pandemic not altered the Illinois high school sports landscape last year the seniors on the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team would be staring down history. In a way, the Raiders still are. QND will kick off its season in less than a week with…
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