Spring storylines will unfold as QHS teams with young lineups get acclimated to change

QUINCY — Spring will be a season of change for the Quincy High School athletic program.

Several teams have experienced heavy graduation losses and will look to younger athletes to fill the void, while a coaching change comes with having an experienced group to lean on. The storylines are just beginning to unfold.

Softball

The QHS softball squad will begin the 2025 under new leadership. First-year head coach Anjay Heinecke will have the luxury of penciling three reigning All-Western Big 6 Conference selections into the lineup — center fielder Avary Hlubek, third baseman and leadoff hitter Ivy Winter and shortstop Ariana Adorno. A pair of senior pitchers — Carlee Gilker and Storm Budde — will lead the Blue Devils’ rotation.

The Blue Devils open the season at home against Brown County on Thursday. Quincy’s first WB6 game will be April 3 on the road against Galesburg. The Blue Devils’ first home conference game will take place April 9 against Rock Island Alleman.

Girls soccer

A new-look QHS girls soccer team will take the pitch at Flinn Stadium this spring. Quincy graduated 10 seniors who accounted for 62 of the Blue Devils’ 72 goals last season. Seven of those seniors were starters.

Senior goalkeeper Ashley Walbring will anchor the backline. Leah Knudson is expected to lead the midfield, while Avery Morrison will play a pivotal role in the Blue Devils’ offensive attack. Freshman Sydney Wilson will likely see significant minutes, and sophomore Cameron Byquist will take her athleticism from the basketball court to the soccer field.

Quincy begins its season with a WB6 home game against Rock Island on March 25. The Blue Devils will host the first crosstown showdown with Quincy Notre Dame on April 11, capping a stretch of four straight home games. QND hosts the Blue Devils on May 9.

Boys tennis

Despite three of its top players graduating, the QHS boys tennis team reloads with plenty of talent up and down its roster. Anderson Knapp, Trevor Nelson and Jason Derian, who all graduated, combined for 102 wins last season for the co-WB6 champions, but a plethora of young Blue Devils aim to fill the void.

Juniors Ethan Stark and Surya Reddy, who are also a doubles tandem, will occupy the No. 1 and 2 spots in the Quincy lineup. Stark won 33 matches between singles and doubles last season, while Reddy won 22 matches as a sophomore after posting 20 wins as a freshman. Sophomores Kael Holzgrafe and Arrow Crist, who formed the Blue Devils No. 3 doubles team last year, are firmly in the top six. Sophomores Drake Dodd and Jimmy Derian are strong contenders for one of the top six spots, as are Chris Tu and Austin Mondom.

The Blue Devils begin their season Friday with a dual at Troy Triad. The Blue Devils will clash with Quincy Notre Dame for a pair of crosstown duals on April 28 and May 13.

Track and field

Fresh faces and returning standouts lead the QHS track and field teams into a new season. Senior sprinter Anna Venvertloh headlines the girls team, while senior pole vaulter Jason Percy does so on the boys side.

Other notable athletes include Josh Herring in the jumps, Marlee Thomas in the throws, Amick McClelland in the 800, and Miller Benz in the sprints, pole vault and throws. Cross country runners Cameron MacDonough and Peyton Kuhl highlight the distance events.

Quincy will host the QHS Invitational on April 5. The Blue Devils will take part in the Mark Twain/Becky Thatcher Relays, which will take place at Palmyra High School due to construction at Hannibal’s Porter Stadium, on April 15. Galesburg will host the girls WB6 championships on May 8, while the boys conference championships will take place at Geneseo on May 15.