I-W League

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The I-W League is a former high school athletic conference in southwestern Wisconsin. It was founded in 1960 and dissolved in 1964, and the league and its members were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

The I-W League, also known by its official name of the Iowa County-Wisconsin River League, was formed in 1960 from the merger of two previously established conferences: the Iowa County League (Barneveld, Highland, Hollandale and Ridgeway) and the Wisconsin River League (Blue River, Ithaca, Lone Rock, Muscoda and Weston). [1] These two conferences were losing members rapidly due to consolidation of rural school districts, and joined forces to continue interscholastic league competition. Ironically, the very same reason this league was created also contributed to its eventual demise. In 1962, the I-W League lost both Lone Rock and Ridgeway to consolidation. [2] Lone Rock merged with Arena and Spring Green to create the River Valley district, [3] and Ridgeway was folded into Dodgeville's school district. The I-W League also lost two more members in 1963, as Highland and Weston left to join the Black Hawk League [4] and Scenic Central Conference, [5] respectively. Left with only five members, the conference continued for one more season before Muscoda merged with Avoca to create the Riverdale district in 1964. [6] The I-W League ended operations in later that year when two of its members (Blue River and Ithaca) joined the Kickapoo Valley League. [7] The two remaining schools (Barneveld and Hollandale) competed as independents for a season before following their I-W League brethren into the Kickapoo Valley League for 1965. [8]

Conference membership history

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Barneveld Barneveld, WI Public128Golden Eagles  1960 [1] 1964 [8] Independent Six Rivers
Blue River Blue River, WI PublicN/ATigers  1960 [1] 1964 [7] Kickapoo Valley Closed in 1967 (consolidated into Riverdale)
Highland Highland, WI Public105Cardinals  1960 [1] 1963 [4] Black Hawk Six Rivers
Hollandale Hollandale, WI PublicN/APanthers  1960 [1] 1964 [8] IndependentClosed in 1971 (merged into Pecatonica)
Ithaca Ithaca, WI Public133Bulldogs  1960 [1] 1964 [7] Kickapoo Valley Ridge & Valley
Lone Rock Lone Rock, WI PublicN/ARockets  1960 [1] 1962 [2] Closed (merged into River Valley)
Muscoda Muscoda, WI PublicN/AIndians  1960 [1] 1964 [6] Closed (merged into Riverdale)
Ridgeway Ridgeway, WI PublicN/ACardinals  1960 [1] 1962 [2] Closed (consolidated into Dodgeville)
Weston Cazenovia, WI Public84Silver Eagles  1960 [1] 1963 [5] Scenic Central Ridge & Valley

Membership timeline

I-W League

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "2 Conferences in New Loop". The Capital Times. 12 March 1960. p. 11. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "26 November 1962". Prep Cage Standings. p. 16. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  3. ↑ Hopkins, Steven E. (12 August 1962). "Area School Building Near $30 Million Total". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 1 (Section 2). Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Prep Cage Standings". Wisconsin State Journal. 22 December 1963. p. 24. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Wonewoc Edges Weston 51-42". Reedsburg Times-Press. 5 December 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  6. 1 2 "SWAL Divided Into Two Sections; Muscoda, River Valley Are Added". The Boscobel Dial. 10 September 1964. p. 12. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Basketball Standings (see Kickapoo Valley League)". Wisconsin State Journal. 10 January 1965. p. 40. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 "Seneca Cops By 86 to 58". The Capital Times. 22 January 1966. p. 13. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
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