| Lincoln Trail Conference | |
| Conference: | IHSA |
| Teams: | 12 |
| Region: | Central Illinois (Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties) |
| Map: | il counties lincoln trail conference.png |
| Map Size: | 250px |
The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The conference comprises public high schools with small enrollments in portions of Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties.
| School | Location | Mascot | Colors | Enrollment | IHSA Classes 2/3/4[1] | IHSA Music Class[2] | IHSA Football Class[3] | IHSA Cheerleading Class | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon-Avon High School | Abingdon, IL | Tornadoes | 263 | 1A | |||||
| AlWood High School | Woodhull, IL | Aces | 116 | A/1A/1A | D | 1A | Small squad | ||
| Annawan High School | Annawan, IL | Braves | 120 | A/1A/1A | D | 2A | Small squad | ||
| Cambridge High School | Cambridge, IL | Vikings | 146 | A/1A/1A | D | 1A | Small squad | ||
| Galva High School | Galva, IL | Wildcats | 179 | A/1A/1A | D | 3A | Small Squad | ||
| Knoxville High School | Knoxville, IL | Blue Bullets | 358 | C | 2A | ||||
| Mercer County High School | Aledo, IL | Golden Eagles | 395 | A/1A/2A | B | 3A | Small squad | ||
| Princeville High School | Princeville, IL | Princes | 242 | A/1A/1A | C | 1A | Small squad | ||
| ROWVA High School | Oneida, IL | Tigers | 191 | A/1A/1A | C | 1A (Williamsfield Coop) | Small squad | ||
| Stark County High School | Toulon, IL | Rebels | 271 | A/1A/1A | C | 1A | Small squad | ||
| United Senior High School | Monmouth, IL | Red Storm | 321 | A/1A/1A | C | 2A | Small squad | ||
| Wethersfield High School | Kewanee, IL | Flying Geese | 189 | A/1A/1A | C | 2A | Small squad | ||
| Williamsfield High School | Williamsfield, IL | Bombers | 79 | A/1A/1A | C | 1A (ROWVA Coop) |
The Lincoln Trail Conference (LTC) was established in 1976. The eight charter members included Cambridge, Winola, and Alwood from the Corn Belt Conference; Alexis, Galva and ROVA from the Little 6 Conference; and Wethersfield and Toulon-LaFayette from the Blackhawk Conference.[6]
Wethersfield played an independent schedule that first season and its first full conference slate wasn't until 1977. In 1988 Viola-Winola closed and Joy-Westmer replaced them in 1989. In 1992 Toulon consolidated with Wyoming and became known as Stark County. Alexis left briefly in 1993 and Annawan and Princeville joined in 1995. In 1998 Alexis was back in along with newcomers Biggsville Union and Monmouth Warren. The league divided into two divisions with Cambridge, Galva, Wethersfield, ROWVA, Princeville and Stark County in the East, and Alexis, Annawan, Biggsville, Westmer, Warren and Alwood in the West. In 2004 Alexis and Monmouth Warren consolidated forming Alexis United, and Biggsville Union left the loop to coop with Stronghurst Southern and the division set up was dropped. In 2005 Oneida ROWVA and Woodhull-Alwood co-oped in football and Biggsville Union rejoined under the name of West Central having consolidated with Stronghurst Southern. Football was not a conference sport from 2006–2009. During that time the Lincoln Trail Conference was a component of the West Prairie Trail mega conference for football only. The components of the West Prairie Trail conference were the West Central Conference, Prairieland Conference and Lincoln Trail Conference. The Lincoln Trail may reform as a football conference moving forward with the following teams: Annawan/Wethersfield co-op, Cambridge/AlWood co-op, Galva/Williamsfield co-op, Mercer County, Stark County, Princeville, Sciota West Prairie, West Central, and the River Valley co-op (Henry, Low Point-Washburn, Midland) which is not a member for other sports.[7]
Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, the schools of the present day conference are known to have participated in several other conferences. During the life of the conference many changes have occurred, the following table and timeline summarize major events:[7]
| School | Years | Consolidations | Conference Came From | Conference Went To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aledo High School | 2006–2009 | Aledo+Westmer=Mercer County (2009) | Olympic (2006) | Mercer County remained in LTC (2009) | |
| Alexis High School | 1976–1993; 1998–2004 | Alexis+Warren=United (2004) | Little 6 (1976); Bi County(1998) | Bi County (1993); United remained in LTC (2004) | |
| AlWood High School | 1976–Present | Alpha+Woodhull=AlWood (1948) | Corn Belt (1976) | ||
| Annawan High School | 1995–Present | Indian Valley (1995) | |||
| Cambridge High School | 1976–Present | Corn Belt (1976) | |||
| Galva High School | 1976–Present | Little 6 (1976) | |||
| Mercer County High School | 2009–Present | Aledo+Westmer=Mercer County (2009) | Consolidation of 2 LTC members (2009) | ||
| Princeville High School | 1995–Present | Indian Valley (1995) | |||
| River Valley Coop | Football only 2010–2012 | Henry+Low Point-Washburn+Midland=River Valley Coop | Big Rivers | ||
| ROVA High School | 1976–1987 | Rio+Oneida+Victoria+Altona=ROVA (1948); ROVA+Galesburg (Wataga students)=ROWVA (1987) | Little 6 (1976) | ROWVA remained in LTC (1987) | |
| ROWVA High School | 1987–Present | ROVA+Galesburg (Wataga students)=ROWVA (1987) | Consolidation of LTC member and some Western Big 6 member students (1987) | ||
| Stark County High School | 1992–Present | Toulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County (1992) | Consolidation of LTC member and Indian Valley member (1992) | ||
| Toulon-LaFayette High School | 1976–1992 | Toulon Township+LaFayette=Toulon-LaFayette (1970); Toulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County (1992) | Blackhawk & Inter County Athletic Conference (1976) | Stark County remained in LTC (1992) | |
| Union High School (Biggsville) | 1998–2004 | Biggsville+Gladstone-Qquawka=Union (1960); Union+Stronghurst Southern=West Central (2005) | Bi County (1998) | West Central (2004) | |
| United High School | 2004–Present | Alexis+Warren=United (2004); added Yorkwood (2007) | Consolidation of 2 LTC members (2004); added Prairieland member (2007) | ||
| Warren High School (Monmouth) | 1998–2004 | Alexis+Warren=United (2004) | Bi County (1998) | United remained in LTC (2004) | |
| Westmer High School | 1989–2009 | Joy+Keithsburg+New Boston=Westmer (1960); Aledo+Westmer= Mercer County (2009) | Olympic 1976–1987; Unknown 1987–1989 | Mercer County remained in LTC (2009) | |
| Wethersfield High School | 1976–Present | Blackhawk (1976) | |||
| West Central High School | 2005–Present | Union+Stronghurst Southern=West Central (2005) | Consolidation of 2 West Central members (2005) | ||
| West Prairie High School (Sciota) | 2010–2014 | ||||
| Winola High School | 1976–1988 | New Windsor+Viola=Winola (19??); Winola into Sherrard (1988) | Corn Belt (1976) | Olympic (1988) |
PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Full from:1976 till:1993 text:Alexis (1976-1993) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1998 text:BiCounty (1993-98) bar:1 color:Full from:1998 till:2004 text:(1998-2004) bar:1 color:white from:2004 till:end text:Consolidated with Monmouth Warren to become Monmouth United
bar:2 color:Full from:1976 till:2009 text:AlWood (1976-Present) bar:2 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2022 text:Cambridge Coop known as Ridgewood (2009-22) bar:2 color:AssocF from:2022 till:end text:8-Man (2022-Present)
bar:3 color:Full from:1976 till:2009 text:Cambridge (1976-Present) bar:3 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2022 text:Alwood Coop (2009-22) bar:3 color:AssocF from:2022 till:end text:8-Man (2022-Present)
bar:4 color:Full from:1976 till:2009 text:Galva (1976-Present) bar:4 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2022 text:ROWVA/Willamsfield Coop (2009-22) bar:4 color:AssocF from:2022 till:end text:8-Man (2022-Present)
bar:5 color:Full from:1976 till:1987 text:ROVA (1976-1987) bar:5 color:white from:1987 till:end text:Consolidated with Wataga to become ROWVA
bar:6 color:Full from:1976 till:1992 text:Toulon-LaFayette (1976-1992) bar:6 color:white from:1992 till:end text:Consolidated with Wyoming to become Stark County
bar:7 color:Full from:1976 till:2008 text:Wethersfield (1976-Present) bar:7 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:end text:Annawan Coop (2008-Present)
bar:8 color:Full from:1976 till:1988 text:Winola (1976-1988) bar:8 color:white from:1988 till:end text:Consolidated with Sherrard
bar:9 color:Full from:1987 till:2009 text:ROWVA (1987-2009) bar:9 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2022 text:Galva/Willamsfield Coop (2009-22) bar:9 color:AssocF from:2022 till:end text:8-Man (2022-Present)
bar:10 color:Full from:1989 till:2007 text:Westmer (1989-2009) bar:10 color:AssocOS from:2006 till:2009 text:Football Coop bar:10 color:white from:2010 till:end text:Consolidated with Aledo to become Mercer County
bar:11 color:Full from:1992 till:end text:Stark County (1992-Present)
bar:12 color:Full from:1995 till:2008 text:Annawan (1995-Present) bar:12 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:end text:Wethersfield Coop (2008-Present)
bar:13 color:Full from:1995 till:end text:Princeville (1995-Present)
bar:14 color:Full from:1998 till:2004 text:Warren (1998-2004) bar:14 color:white from:2004 till:end text:Consolidated with Alexis to become Monmouth United
bar:15 color:Full from:1998 till:2004 text:Union (1998-2004) bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2004 till:2005 bar:15 color:white from:2005 till:end text:Consolidated with Stronghurst Southern to become West Central
bar:16 color:Full from:2004 till:end text:Monmouth United (2004-Present)
bar:17 color:Full from:2005 till:2020 text:West Central (2005-Present) bar:17 color:AssocF from:2020 till:end text:8-Man (2020-Present)
bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2006 till:2009 text:Aledo (2006-09) bar:18 color:white from:2010 till:end text:Consolidated with Westmer to become Mercer County
bar:19 color:Full from:2009 till:end text:Mercer County (2009-Present)
bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2010 till:2012 text:River Valley Coop (2010-12)
bar:21 color:Full from:2010 till:2014 text:West Prairie (2010-2014)
bar:22 color:Full from:2021 till:end text:Abingdon-Avon (2021-Present)
bar:23 color:Full from:2021 till:end text:Knoxville (2021-Present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1976TextData =
fontsize:L
textcolor:black
pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)
text:^"Lincoln Trail Membership History"
The Lincoln Trail Conference has won 3 team state championships and 1 individual championship in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities. Through the 2008–2009 season the conference has won Illinois state titles in:[5]
Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, or before joining the conference several member schools won Illinois state championships, including:
Due to the small enrollment, several Lincoln Trail Conference schools form cooperative arrangements. The current arrangements are shown below.
Boys Baseball
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Cross Country
Girls Cross Country
Boys Football
Girls Volleyball
Boys Golf
Girls Golf
Boys Track and Field
Girls Track and Field
Girls Softball