By MATT SCHUCKMAN
Herald-Whig Sports Writer
Bill Connell doesn't forget.
For nearly a year —50 weeks exactly, he kept reiterating — the Quincy Notre Dame football coach has thought about the 17-point lead the Raiders had in the state quarterfinals against Bloomington Central Catholic that completely evaporated.
"We didn't take care of business," Connell said. "We didn't like the way we walked off this field."
He vowed not to let that happen again.
Saturday, the Raiders grabbed a three-touchdown lead in the first nine minutes against Harrisburg and never let up, flattening the Bulldogs 42-0 in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs at swampy QND field.
"It's like the predator mentality," QND junior quarterback Kramer Barnes said. "You see them backing off and you just keep going until they break."
That's the attitude the Raiders hope to maintain.
"We wanted to show everybody we are here to play," QND defensive tackle Connor Miller said.
QND (10-0) advances to the second round of the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year and will play host to Effingham (9-1) next Saturday. Game time has yet to be determined.
The Raiders believe they've set the proper tone for success.
"I hope so," senior lineman Zach Reichert said. "You still have to take care of business."
It was business as usual for the QND defense, which recorded its sixth shutout this season and didn't allow Harrisburg to cross midfield until midway through the third quarter after the mercy rule had been invoked.
Harrisburg managed just 85 yards of total offense and only 19 yards rushing with one of its major weapons sidelined. Senior fullback Dawson Montfort, a 1,000-yard rusher, injured his knee early in the second quarter and did not return.
The Bulldogs (6-4) couldn't find a way to compensate.
"You could tell they were getting a little frustrated," Reichert said.
QND's defense tends to do that.
"All the offensive guys who don't get the chance to play defense, we're all over there rooting them on," Barnes said. "When they make big hits, we're pumped up on the sideline. It's fun to watch.
"It's amazing how good they are and how well they are working together."
The same can be said for the Raiders' passing game.
Barnes hooked up with Anthony Bruns on the sixth play of the game for a 30-yard touchdown and later he connected with Luke Stamerjohn on a 25-yard that set up Daniel Weiman's second rushing TD.
Overall, Barnes completed 7 of 11 passes for 151 yards, connecting with five different receivers before being pulled late in the second quarter with the Raiders up 35-0.
"We worked hard all week on route running, getting open and finding the open spots," said Barnes, who also rushed for 65 yards and a 14-yard touchdown. "And timing. That was big. Today, all of those things played a part in it flowing."
The most important part was the relentless attitude QND seems to have developed.
"We're not lacking in intensity," Barnes said.
— mschuckman@whig.com/221-3366
