Genesee Area Conference Explained

Genesee Area Conference
Formerly:Genesee Eight Conference
Sport:high school
Founded:1978

The Genesee Area Conference (GAC) is a high school athletic conference in Genesee County, Michigan. It was original called the Genesee Eight Athletic Conference.[1] Since 2002, the GAC operates with two divisions: Blue and Red.[2] In 2019, all members of the red division left to join the Flint Metro League conference, leaving the GAC with only four teams.

History

The Genesee Eight Athletic Conference began in 1978[1] with three high schools from the Genesee County B League[3] and five from the Mid-Eastern Eight Conference.[4] Beginning in 1999, the Conference renamed itself to Genesee Area Conference with the addition of Genesee High School bring up the number of High Schools to ten. The Genesee Wolves also took the Football championship that year.[5] With the 2002 football season, the GAC split the Conference into two divisions (Blue and Red) of six high schools [6] with the addition of Mt. Morris and Lakeville High Schools.[2] In recent years, however, it has lost a large number of members, as in 2018, six of its members broke off from the conference to form the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference, and three of its members left to join the Flint Metro League. 2019 saw it gain a member in Flint Southwestern, but also lose a member in Bentley.

Member schools

Current members

TeamLocationClassEnrollmentJoinedPrevious Conference
Atherton WolverinesBurtonC2551978Mid-Eastern 8 Conference
Beecher BuccaneersMt. Morris TownshipC2312009[7] Independents
(FML 2002)
Bendle TigersBurtonC3251978Mid-Eastern Eight Conference
Bentley BulldogsBurtonC2741978Genesee County B League
Genesee Christian SoldiersBurtonD1062020Michigan Association of Christian Schools
Hamady HawksMt. Morris TownshipB4761978Mid-Eastern 8 Conference
International PhoenixFlintC2002020
Madison EaglesBurtonC2032020
Morrice OriolesMorriceD1612010Independents
(SMAA 2008)
New Standard WarriorsFlintD1462020
Southwestern KnightsFlintA8572019Saginaw Valley Conference
Webberville SpartansWebbervilleD1682010Independents
(SMAA 2008)

Current Divisions

Genesee Area Conference!Blue!Red
WebbervilleBeecher
Madison AcademyGenesee Christian
International AcademyBendle
MorriceBentley
AthertonHamady

Former members

TeamLocationJoinedPrevious ConferenceDepartedSuccessive Conference
Linden EaglesArgentine Township1978Genesee County B League1982Independent[8]
Montrose RamsMontrose1978Mid-Eastern Eight Conference2018Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
New Lothrop HornetsNew Lothrop1982Independent2018Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Byron EaglesByron1991Mid-State Athletic Conference2018Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Goodrich MartiansAtlas Township1978Mid-Eastern Eight Conference2019Flint Metro League
Corunna CavaliersCorunna2014Capital Area Activities Conference2019Flint Metro League
Lake Fenton Blue DevilsFenton Township1978Genesee County B League2019Flint Metro League
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Fighting IrishPontiac2018Independent2019Independent
Genesee WolvesGenesee Township1999Southern Thumb Athletic Association2018North Central Thumb 8-Man League
Otisville LakeVille FalconsOtisville2002/2017Flint Metro League/Tri-Valley Conference2013/2018Tri-Valley Conference/Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Mount Morris PanthersMount Morris2002Flint Metro League2018Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Durand RailroadersDurand2005Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference - B2018Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Dryden CardinalsDryden Township2010North Central Thumb League2013North Central Thumb 8-Man League
Morrice OriolesMorrice2010Independent2014Central Michigan 8-Man Football Conference
Perry RamblersPerry2012Capital Area Activities Conference2014Greater Lansing Athletic Conference

Football

This conference championship list goes through the 2018 season. Morrice and Webberville complete in the Central Michigan 8-Man Football Conference.

Team G8/GAC Championships State Division Championships
1 Montrose 1981, 1983–1985, 1988–1996, 1998–2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011-2013 1998 (Class CC), 2002 (Division 5)
2 New Lothrop 1983, 2002-2006, 2010-2017 2006 (Division 8), 2018 (Division 6)
3 Lake Fenton 1978, 2005-2007, 2016-2017
Goodrich 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2018
4 Flint Hamady 1979, 1980, 1982, 2007, 2018
6 Burton Bendle 1986, 1987, 1997
7 Mt. Morris 2003, 2005
Genesee 1999, 2009
Flint Beecher 2009, 2014
10 Linden 1981
Burton Bentley 2008
Corunna 2015

References

  1. http://michigan-football.com/s/1978/genesee8.htm Genesee Eight Athletic Conference 1978 Football Season
  2. http://michigan-football.com/s/2002/gacred.htm 2002 Michigan High School Football Standings: Genesee Area Conference Red Division
  3. http://michigan-football.com/s/1977/gencntyb.htm Michigan High School Football: 1977 Michigan High School Football Standings -- Genesee County "B" League
  4. http://michigan-football.com/s/1977/mideast8.htm Michigan High School Football: Michigan High School Football Standings -- Mid-Eastern Eight Conference 1977
  5. http://michigan-football.com/s/1999/genarea.htm 1999 Michigan High School Football Standings: Genesee Area Conference
  6. http://michigan-football.com/s/2002/gacblue.htm 2002 Michigan High School Football Standings: Genesee Area Conference Blue Division
  7. http://michigan-football.com/s/2019/genarea.htm 2018 Michigan High School Football Standings: Genesee Area Conference
  8. http://michigan-football.com/f/linden.htm Michigan High School Football: Linden Eagles