Lakeland Athletic Conference Explained

The Lakeland Athletic Conference was a high school athletic conference created in 1980 and disbanded in 2014. Founding members were Buchanan Bucks, Berrien Springs Shamrocks, Brandywine Bobcats, Cassopolis Rangers, Edwardsburg Eddies, and River Valley Mustangs. Later, Dowagiac, Lakeshore, Lake Michigan Catholic were added before they all later departed.

In the 2003-2004 season, the Bridgman Bees joined the L.A.C. conference.

Former members include Bridgman Bees (football only), Dowagiac Chieftains, Edwardsburg Eddies, Lake Michigan Catholic Lakers, Lakeshore Lancers, and River Valley Mustangs. In 1991, Lake Michigan Catholic left the conference after joining from the Red Arrow Conference in 1989. In 1999, Lakeshore left the conference followed by Dowagiac, who left in 2001 after winning conference their last two years in Basketball (sharing with Berrien Springs in 2000). River Valley left the conference in 2010 to join the Red Arrow Conference. Bridgman became an independent football program in 2010. While Edwardsburg joined the Wolverine Conference in 2012.[1]

Member Schools

During the final year of conference play in 2013-14, the following schools were members:

Membership Timeline

DateFormat = yyyyImageSize = width:750 height:auto barincrement:20Period = from:1980 till:2013TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalPlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5

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bar:1 color:red from:1980 till:2011 text:Berrien Springs (1980-2011) bar:2 color:red from:1980 till:2013 text:Buchanan (1980-2013) bar:3 color:red from:1980 till:2013 text:Cassopolis (1980-2013) bar:4 color:red from:1980 till:2011 text:Edwardsburg (1980-2011) bar:5 color:red from:1980 till:2013 text:Niles Brandywine (1980-2013) bar:6 color:red from:1980 till:2008 text:Three Oaks River Valley (1980-2008) bar:7 color:red from:1982 till:2011 text:Coloma (1982-2011) bar:8 color:red from:1982 till:1997 text:Dowagiac (1982-1997) bar:9 color:red from:1982 till:1997 text:Stevensville Lakeshore (1982-1997) bar:10 color:red from:1989 till:1991 text:St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake (1989-1991) bar:11 color:red from:2003 till:2013 text:Bridgman (2003-2013)

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TextData = fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(175,30) # tabs:(0-center) text:"Lakeland Athletic Conference Membership History"

Conference Champions (Football)

YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)
2019N/A2009Buchanan Bucks/Berrien Springs Shamrocks1999Berrien Springs Shamrocks1989Dowagiac Chieftains
2018N/A2008Coloma Comets/ Berrien Springs Shamrocks1998Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Edwardsburg Eddies1988Buchanan Bucks
2017N/A2007Coloma Comets1997Berrien Springs Shamrocks/Brandywine Bobcats/Edwardsburg Eddies1987Dowagiac Chieftains
2016N/A2006Cassopolis Rangers1996Brandywine Bobcats/River Valley1986Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2015N/A2005Edwardsburg Eddies1995Brandywine Bobcats1985Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2014N/A2004Berrien Springs Shamrocks1994Lakeshore Lancers (Web site)1984 Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2013Brandywine Bobcats/ Cassopolis Rangers2003Coloma Comets1993Dowagiac Chieftains1983Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2012Buchanan Bucks2002Coloma Comets/ Edwardsburg Eddies1992Lakeshore Lancers1982Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2011Edwardsburg Eddies2001Coloma Comets/ River Valley Mustangs1991Dowagiac Chieftains1981Cassopolis Rangers
2010Buchanan Bucks2000Edwardsburg Eddies1990Cassopolis Rangers/ Dowagiac Chieftains/ Lakeshore Lancers1980N/A

Conference Champions (Boys Basketball)

YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)YearConference Champion(s)
2019N/A2009Bridgman Bees/ Buchanan Bucks1999Coloma Comets1989Cassopolis Rangers
2018N/A2008Berrien Springs Shamrocks1998Coloma Comets/ Lakeshore Lancers1988River Valley Mustangs
2017N/A2007Bridgman Bees1997Brandywine Bobcats1987Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ River Valley Mustangs/
2016N/A2006Bridgman Bees1996Coloma Comets1986Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Lakeshore Lancers
2015N/A2005Bridgman Bees1995Coloma Comets/ Lakeshore Lancers1985Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2014N/A2004Coloma Comets1994Coloma Comets1984Blue- Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2013TBD2003Cassopolis Rangers1993River Valley High School (Web site)1983Blue- Cassopolis Rangers/ Red- Dowagiac Chieftains
2012Buchanan Bucks2002Cassopolis Rangers1992Brandywine Bobcats1982Cassopolis Rangers/ River Valley Mustangs
2011Buchanan Bucks2001Dowagiac Chieftains1991Berrien Springs Shamrocks1981River Valley Mustangs
2010Bridgman Bees2000Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Dowagiac Chieftains1990Berrien Springs Shamrocks/ Brandywine Bobcats1980N/A

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oppenheim . Bob . High school boys basketball: Edwardsburg heads to Wolverine . Gull Lake . South Bend Tribune . April 23, 2011 . August 7, 2011 .
  2. Web site: Welcome to Buchanan Community Schools. Buchanan Community Schools.
  3. Web site: Home . 2007-04-03 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060925111925/http://www.cassopolis.k12.mi.us/rbhs/index.html . 2006-09-25 .