West Central Conference (Illinois) Explained

West Central Conference
Founded:1969
Conference:IHSA
Teams:11
Region:Western Illinois

The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprises 11 small public high schools and 1 private high school with enrollments between 120-590 students in Adams, Hancock, McDonough, Pike, and Warren counties.

History

The West Central conference was formed in 1969 with Brown County, Camp Point Central, Carthage, Hamilton, Mendon Unity and Warsaw its charter football members. The first new addition to the football wars was Rushville in 1984. There was no West Central conference for football in 1998, the league's teams participated under the Western Illinois Conference which the North division consisted of Avon/Roseville coop, Carthage, Monmouth Yorkwood, Sciota NW/LaHarpe coop, Spoon River Valley and Stronghurst Southern. The South consisted of Brown County, Camp Point Central coop, Hamilton, Mendon Unity, Rushville and Warsaw coop. The West Central name was restored in 1999 for football with the previous 7 teams plus Beardstown, Pittsfield and the Sciota NW/La Harpe coop forming a 10 team loop. In 2003 Colchester joined the Sciota NW/LaHarpe coop and it was renamed West Prairie. In 2004 Hamilton and Warsaw began the West Hancock coop and the Biggsville Union/Stronghurst Southern coop addition kept this a 10 team circuit. In 2005 both Brown County and the Biggsville/Stronghurst coop left and Pleasant Plains was added. From 2006-07 to 2009-10 the league's football teams played in the West Prairie Trail mega football conference. In 2010 Beardstown and Rushville-Industry left for the Prairieland Conference; and West Prairie left for the Lincoln Trial Conference. In 2010 Macomb, Monmouth-Roseville, Orion, Rockridge, and Sherrard joined from the Olympic Conference; Griggsville-Perry, Liberty, and Payson-Seymour joined from the Pike County Conference, the latter three schools (along with Pittsfield and Western) maintaining concurrent membership in both conferences.

Member Schools

North Division

SchoolLocation
(Population)
MascotColorsSchool type2017
9–12 enrollment
Year joinedJoined from
North Division
Central
High School
Camp Point, Illinois
(1,132)
PanthersBlack and Gold Public 2411969
Hamilton
High School
Hamilton, Illinois
(2,951)
TitansRed, Black, and White Public 1741969
Illini West High SchoolCarthage, ILChargersBlue, Orange, and White Public3461969, 2021Prairieland Conference
Quincy Notre Dame High SchoolQuincy, Illinois
(40,633)
RaidersNavy, Gold, and White Private416 / 686.40 (multiplied)2013-14 (football only)
2018-19 (full)
Mid-State 6 Conference
Warsaw
High School
Warsaw, Illinois
(1,607)
TitansRed, Black, and White Public 1961969
South Division
Liberty
High School
Liberty, Illinois
(516)
EaglesRed and White Public 182
Payson-Seymour High SchoolPayson, Illinois
(1,026)
IndiansBlue and White Public 152
Rushville, IllinoisRocketsPurple, Gold, and White Public3531984, 2021Prairieland Conference
Southeastern
High School
Augusta, Illinois
(587)
SunsBlue and Gold Public 122
Unity
High School
Mendon, Illinois
(953)
MustangsMaroon, White, and Blue Public 2281969
Western
High School
Barry, Illinois
(1,318)
Wildcats Red, Silver, and Black Public 142
Sources:IHSA Conferences,[1] IHSA Coop Teams,[2] and IHSA Member Schools Directory.[3]

2017-18 Administration and Leadership

President: Cyle Rigg, Southeastern High School

Contact: Matt Long, Central High School

Cooperative Arrangements

Football

The West Central Conference for football has 3 teams. Those 3 teams are: West Hancock(Hamilton/Warsaw), Quincy Notre Dame, and Macomb. The rest of the schools play in nearby conferences. Monmouth-Roseville plays in the Three Rivers (Mississippi) Conference. The Payson-Seymour and Unity coop play in the Western Illinois Valley (North) Conference.[4] Also Central plays in the Western Illinois Valley (North) Conference. The Western and Pleasant Hill coop plays in the Western Illinois Valley (South) Conference.[5] Liberty and Southeastern do not play football.[6]

Former Members

SchoolLocationMascotColors2017 9-12 EnrollmentYear DepartedConference Joined
Beardstown
High School
Beardstown, ILTigersBlack and Orange 4192010Prairieland Conference
Griggsville-Perry High SchoolGriggsville, IllinoisTornadoes Maroon and White 1152013Pike County Conference
Orion High SchoolOrion, IllinoisChargersScarlet and Black 3442013Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
Illini West
High School
Carthage, IllinoisChargersBlue, Orange, and White 3462018Prairieland Conference
Macomb High SchoolMacomb, IllinoisBombersOrange and Black 5812021Prairieland Conference
Monmouth-Roseville High SchoolMonmouth, IllinoisTitans Navy, Silver, and White 5152021Three Rivers Conference
Pittsfield
High School
Pittsfield, ILSaukeesRed and Black 3162013Pike County Conference
Rockridge High SchoolTaylor Ridge, IllinoisRocketsMaroon and White 3672013Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
Rushville-Industry
High School
Rushville, ILRocketsPurple and Gold 3532010Prairieland Conference
Sherrard High SchoolSherrard, IllinoisTigersPurple and Gold 4752013Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
West Prairie
High School
Sciota, ILCyclonesBlack and Silver 1622010Lincoln Trail Conference
Sources:IHSA Conferences,[7] IHSA Coop Teams,[8] and IHSA Member Schools Directory.[9]

Competitive Success

The West Central Conference has won 11 state championships in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities, 12 including championships my member school participating in the West Prairie Trail conference, at the conclusion of the 2008-2009 academic year.[10]

State Champions

Boys Basketball

Boys Football

Boys Golf

Girls Basketball

Conference Shakeup

The makeup of the West Central Conference changed dramatically in 2010. Many member schools departed, many of them for the Prairieland Conference. In their place came the remaining members of the now-dissolved Olympic Conference. The conference then divided into north and south divisions for most athletics and activities.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IHSA Conferences and Leagues. Illinois High School Association. 11 November 2010. 10 November 2010.
  2. Web site: Coop Teams. Illinois High School Association. 11 November 2010.
  3. Web site: Schools | IHSA.
  4. Web site: Football: Western Illinois Valley (North) — 2010-11. Illinois High School Association. 11 November 2010.
  5. Web site: Football: Western Illinois Valley (South) — 2010-11 . Illinois High School Association. 11 November 2010.
  6. Web site: Liberty. Illinois High School Association. 11 November 2010.
  7. Web site: Not Found . 2024-02-03 . www.ihsa.org.
  8. Web site: Not Found . 2024-02-03 . www.ihsa.org.
  9. Web site: Schools | IHSA . ihsa.org.
  10. Web site: Home . ihsa.org.