Western eighth grade volleyball team finishes second at state tournament

The Western eighth grade volleyball team finished second at the IESA Class 8-1A state tournament. | Submitted photo

KANKAKEE, Ill. — The Western eighth grade girls volleyball team pushed the powerhouse Pontiac St. Mary’s squad further than anyone. Still, St. Mary’s continued its reign. Western rallied for a 28-26 victory in the second set of Saturday’s Illinois Elementary School Association Class 8-1A state championship match, but St. Mary’s finished off back-to-back titles with…

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‘We love it here’: Illinois state billiards tournament continues to be major success in Quincy

Amy Latzko lines up a shot during Friday's play in the American CueSports Association state billiards tournament at the Oakley-Lindsay Center. | Steve Eighinger photo

QUINCY — How pleased are officials of the American CueSports Alliance with the way the organization has been received in Quincy? “We love it here,” said Cecil Messer, longtime official with the ACA. “We’ve already signed a contract to be back next year.” The Oakley-Lindsay Center has been host to the ACA’s state billiards tournament…

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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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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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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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Pirates’ Culp finishes as state runner-up, four other Hannibal wrestlers earn state medals

Hannibal's Cody Culp, right, wrestles in the 138-pound state championship match against Whitfield's Alexander Rallo on Saturday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Cody Culp simply couldn’t score on Alexander Rallo. No one could. The Hannibal junior wrestler qualified for the 138-pound championship match of the Class 3 state tournament at Mizzou Arena by outlasting three consecutive opponents in matches decided by four points or less. In the title tilt, however, Whitfield’s Rallo never gave…

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Photo gallery: Five Hannibal wrestlers bring home medals from Class 3 state tournament

Hannibal wrestler Cody Culp jumps into the arms of Pirates coach Jacob Borgmeyer after winning his semifinal match at 138 pounds Saturday at the Class 3 state tournament at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Led by Cody Culp’s state runner-up finish at 138 pounds, five Hannibal wrestlers grappled their way to the podium during the two-day Class 3 state tournament at Mizzou Arena and brought home state medals. Photographer Mathew Kirby shared this gallery of images from Saturday’s action:

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Louderback, Ladd fight for spot on podium at girls state wrestling tournament

Central's Amber Louderback, right, battles Edwardsville's Holly Zugmaier in their first-round match Friday at the Illinois girls state wrestling tournament in Bloomington, Ill. | Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central’s Amber Louderback and Macomb’s Kelly Ladd are each a victory away from reaching the podium at the Illinois girls state wrestling tournament. Louderback, at 125 pounds, and Ladd, at 135 pounds, both lost in the quarterfinals of their respective weight classes Friday, but rebounded for a victory in the wrestlebacks and…

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Four for Four: Palmyra’s Arch finishes historic career with fourth state championship

Palmyra senior Collin Arch, right, has his hand raised in victory after pinning Brookfield's Colton Parn in 1 minute, 35 seconds in the Class 1 150-pound state championship match Thursday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Typically stoic with his post-match reactions, Palmyra senior wrestler Collin Arch made a subtle, yet poignant gesture after winning his historic fourth straight state championship Thursday night. As the referee raised his right hand, Arch held his left hand near his waist and flashed four fingers — one for each title. “That…

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Raiders’ Knuffman, Blue Devils’ Gold and Geisendorfer all finish strong at state golf tourney

Quincy Notre Dame senior Hana Knuffman walks up a fairway during the Class 1A state tournament Saturday at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur, Ill. | Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle, PhotoNews Media

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…

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Business trip: While excited and loose, Raiders head to state tournament focused on task at hand

The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team is taking a fun-loving approach to its trip to the Class 1A state tournament, but the Raiders realize they need to be all business to win a state championship. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The newness of the state tournament experience wore off when the youthful Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team didn’t get the opportunity to play in the title game a year ago. “Disappointing,” junior forward Lia Quintero said. “I’d say it was disappointing.” So this time, it’s all business. The Raiders head back to…

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Three area junior high girls volleyball teams to compete in IESA state quarterfinals

QUINCY — Three teams will represent this area in the Illinois Elementary School Association eighth grade girls state volleyball tournaments beginning Friday. In Class 1A, Southeastern reached the quarterfinals with a 25-13, 25-12 victory over Greenfield in the Carrollton Sectional championship. The Suns (19-2-1) will face Cornell at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Central A&M MIddle…

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State tournament notebook: Robbins’ defense is on point, Eagles share Illini locker room, Altmix finally gets hit by spotlight

Liberty senior forward Logan Robbins, right, looks to make a pass against Yorkville Christian in Saturday's Class 1A state championship game at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Logan Robbins embraces playing defense. Actually, he enjoys it quite a bit. “It’s another way to impact the game,” said Robbins, a 6-foot-5 senior forward on the Liberty boys basketball team. “And if you can get the guy your guarding frustrated, it’s going to give you an edge.” It helps explain why…

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‘Now I get to watch my baby play here’: Setter on Southeastern’s 2001 team now cheers for daughter at state tournament

Former Southeastern volleyball player Carrie (Leasman) Shaffer watches her sophomore daughter, Abigail, play during Friday’s semifinal game in the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state volleyball finals. | iPhotoNews photo by Clark Brooks

NORMAL, Ill. — Carrie Shaffer couldn’t help herself. Shaffer, a setter on the last Augusta Southeastern team to reach the state volleyball tournament, sent a note to her daughter, Abigail, on Thursday night to offer thoughts about what to expect in Friday morning’s semifinal match. Well, maybe more than a note. “I sent her a…

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Suns taking history, community support with them to state volleyball tourney

Members of the Southeastern volleyball team sign a ball before practice Thursday at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. Photo courtesy Autumn Schullian

BOWEN, Ill. — The custodians earned their pay Wednesday. Before leaving for Normal to continue preparations for the Class 1A state tournament, the Southeastern volleyball players were treated to a district-wide celebration and sendoff. It started with a morning assembly at the elementary school in Bowen. The students lined the gym to give the Suns…

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Raiders’ Quintero finishes among top 16 singles players in Class 1A state field

Quincy Notre Dame junior Lia Quintero won three matches at the Class 1A state girls tennis tournament. Submitted photo

PALATINE, Ill. — Lia Quintero proved she belonged. And it’s a safe bet she’ll be back. The Quincy Notre Dame junior won another match Friday at the Class 1A girls state tennis tournament at Fremd High School, pushing her into the fifth round of the consolation bracket and into the top 16 singles players in…

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Poise carries QND’s Quintero to two victories at state tennis tournament

Quincy Notre Dame junior Lia Quintero went 2-1 on the first day of the Class 1A girls state tennis tournament in Arlington Heights, Ill. Submitted photo

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…

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Raiders’ Quintero reboots mission with another state tennis tournament berth

Quincy Notre Dame's Lia Quintero serves in match against Hannibal earlier this season. The junior is making another appearance at the Class 1A state tournament beginning Thursday in the Chicagoland area. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

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…

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Knuffman, Eftink enjoy season’s final round with solid scores at state tournament

Quincy Notre Dame girls golf coach Jason Knuffman talks with Raiders junior Blair Eftink during Saturday’s second round of the Class 1A state tournament at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

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…

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Blue Devils share tears, laughs and hugs after rocky final round at state tournament

Quincy High School’s Paige Cain follows her shot during Saturday’s final round of the Class 2A state golf tournament at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

FORSYTH, Ill. — Laci Novosel didn’t sugarcoat it. “Oh, it was bad,” she said. But it wasn’t so bad she couldn’t laugh it off. “I only cried like twice,” she said with a chuckle. It was that kind of day for the Quincy High School girls golfers. A few tears accompanied wayward shots and frustration…

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Eftink’s series of pars, Knuffman’s steady play key to making cut at state golf tourney

Quincy Notre Dame’s Blair Eftink tees off during the first round of the Class 1A girls state golf tournament Friday at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

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…

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Eagles’ Arnold attacks Prairie Vista course, sits tied for 10th after first round at state

Liberty's Blake Arnold watches his tee shot sail down the fairway during Friday’s opening round of the Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Ill. PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The difference between where Blake Arnold is and where he’d like to be can be measured by the distance of the putts he missed. He knows it’s not as far as it seems. The Liberty junior had four birdie putts inside of 5 feet miss the mark, saddling him with a 3-over…

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Blue Devils make cut at state tournament, ready to chase trophy in final round

Quincy High School’s Laci Novosel tracks her shot during Friday’s opening round of the Class 2A girls state golf tournament at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, Ill. Photo courtesy Douglas Cottle/PhotoNews

FORSYTH, Ill. — The fluctuating leaderboard had the Quincy High School girls golf team bouncing anywhere from fifth to eighth place every couple of holes Friday afternoon. It made everyone a little leery of what was transpiring. So as Laci Novosel, one of two seniors and the only current Blue Devil with state tournament experience,…

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Student of the game: Novosel’s competitive nature shines on course, in classroom

Quincy High School senior Laci Novosel has led the Blue Devils to the Class 2A state tournament for the first time since 1983. David Adam photo

QUINCY — Laci Novosel couldn’t choose. Given the option of having a higher grade point average or a lower strokes-per-round average, the Quincy High School senior golfer and self-described nerd wavered in the middle. “Oh, gosh, I can’t pick,” Novosel said. “I have to have both. My entire life is school and golf. It equals…

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Eagles’ Arnold goes low to secure sectional championship, state tournament berth

Liberty's Blake Arnold shot a 2-under 70 to take individual medalist honors at the Class 1A PORTA Sectional. Photo courtesy Steph Arnold

PETERSBURG, Ill. — Last week’s regional golf championship didn’t allow Blake Arnold to escape doing any homework. “I bet I had three or four hours of work that night,” the Liberty junior said. So would winning a sectional championship bring any reprieve? “It’s not quite as bad,” Arnold said of the amount of homework he…

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Raiders use in-season experience to prep them for fight to reach state tournament

Quincy Notre Dame senior golfer Hana Knuffman Submitted photo

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…

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Quincy men’s 3.5 tennis team battles to bitter end at USTA state tournament

Left to right holding the banner are Drew Koester, Barney Bier and Sammy Shumake from the Quincy men's 3.5 Mid-South district championship team. Behind them, left to right are Bryan Fasano, Jeff Zellerman, Jim Pitney, Bob Soltys, Joe Laws, Martin McCarthy, Jim Kase, Doug Mallett and Bob Catalpa. Submitted photo

AURORA, Ill. — The Quincy men’s 3.5 tennis team put up quite a fight. Playing in the three-team United States Tennis Association team state tournament at the Vaughan Athletic Center last weekend, Quincy lost both of its duals 3-2 with the winner of each being decided by the final match. Quincy, which won the Mid-South…

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