West Central Conference (Illinois)

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West Central Conference
ConferenceIHSA
Founded1969
No. of teams11
RegionWestern 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[edit]

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[edit]

West Central Conference (Illinois) is located in Illinois
Central
Central
Hamilton
Hamilton
Illini West
Illini West
Quincy ND
Quincy ND
Warsaw
Warsaw
Liberty
Liberty
Payson
Payson
Rushville
Rushville
Southeastern
Southeastern
Unity
Unity
Western
Western
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West Central Conference Members (clickable map)

North Division[edit]

School Location
(Population) 		Mascot Colors School type 2017
9–12 enrollment 		Year joined Joined from
North Division
Central
High School 		Camp Point, Illinois
(1,132) 		Panthers Black and Gold

   

Public 241 1969
Hamilton
High School 		Hamilton, Illinois
(2,951) 		Titans Red, Black, and White

     

Public 174 1969
Illini West High School Carthage, IL Chargers Blue, Orange, and White

     

Public 346 1969, 2021 Prairieland Conference
Quincy Notre Dame High School Quincy, Illinois
(40,633) 		Raiders Navy, Gold, and White

     

Private 416 / 686.40 (multiplied) 2013-14 (football only)
2018-19 (full) 		Mid-State 6 Conference
Warsaw
High School 		Warsaw, Illinois
(1,607) 		Titans Red, Black, and White

     

Public 196 1969
South Division
Liberty
High School 		Liberty, Illinois
(516) 		Eagles Red and White

   

Public 182
Payson-Seymour High School Payson, Illinois
(1,026) 		Indians Blue and White

   

Public 152
Rushville-Industry High School Rushville, Illinois Rockets Purple, Gold, and White

     

Public 353 1984, 2021 Prairieland Conference
Southeastern
High School 		Augusta, Illinois
(587) 		Suns Blue and Gold

   

Public 122
Unity
High School 		Mendon, Illinois
(953) 		Mustangs Maroon, White, and Blue

     

Public 228 1969
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[edit]

President: Cyle Rigg, Southeastern High School

Contact: Matt Long, Central High School

Cooperative Arrangements[edit]

  • Hamilton+Warsaw=West Hancock coop for all sports
  • Payson-Seymour and Unity coop for football
  • Western and Pleasant Hill (Pike County Conference) coop only for football

Football[edit]

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[edit]

School Location Mascot Colors 2017 9-12 Enrollment Year Departed Conference Joined
Beardstown
High School 		Beardstown, IL Tigers Black and Orange     419 2010 Prairieland Conference
Griggsville-Perry High School Griggsville, Illinois Tornadoes Maroon and White     115 2013 Pike County Conference
Orion High School Orion, Illinois Chargers Scarlet and Black     344 2013 Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
Illini West
High School 		Carthage, Illinois Chargers Blue, Orange, and White

     

346 2018 Prairieland Conference
Macomb High School Macomb, Illinois Bombers Orange and Black     581 2021 Prairieland Conference
Monmouth-Roseville High School Monmouth, Illinois Titans Navy, Silver, and White

     

515 2021 Three Rivers Conference
Pittsfield
High School 		Pittsfield, IL Saukees Red and Black     316 2013 Pike County Conference
Rockridge High School Taylor Ridge, Illinois Rockets Maroon and White     367 2013 Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
Rushville-Industry
High School 		Rushville, IL Rockets Purple and Gold     353 2010 Prairieland Conference
Sherrard High School Sherrard, Illinois Tigers Purple and Gold     475 2013 Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
West Prairie
High School 		Sciota, IL Cyclones Black and Silver     162 2010 Lincoln Trail Conference

Sources:IHSA Conferences,[7] IHSA Coop Teams,[8] and IHSA Member Schools Directory.[9]

Competitive Success[edit]

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[edit]

Boys Basketball

  • Pittsfield (1990-1991 A)
  • Warsaw (1996-1997 A)

Boys Football

  • Carthage (1995-1996 1A)
  • Carthage (1998-1999 1A)
  • Carthage (1999-2000 1A)
  • Carthage (2000-2001 1A)
  • Illini West (2008-2009 3A)*
  • Illini West (2010-2011 3A)

*as member of West Prairie Trail Conference

Boys Golf

  • Pittsfield (1982-1983 A)

Girls Basketball

  • Carthage (1992-1993 A)
  • Hancock Central (1991-1992 A)
  • West Hancock (Hamilton-Warsaw) (2007-2008 2A)

Conference Shakeup[edit]

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.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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

External links[edit]

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