Independent School League (New England)

Last updated
Independent School League
Independent School League (New England) Logo.png
Founded1948
Sports fielded
  • 25
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 12
    • coeducational: 2
No. of teams16
Region New England
Confederation NEPSAC
Official website islsports.org

The Independent School League (ISL) is an athletic conference of sixteen private college-preparatory schools in Greater Boston. Its parent organization is the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). [1] Founded in 1948, the ISL sponsors competitions in twenty-five sports. [2]

Contents

The ISL hosts some of the nation's oldest high school athletic rivalries, including Milton-Nobles and Groton-St. Mark's, both of which date back to 1886. [3]

History

Composition

In 1948, administrators at Belmont Hill, Brooks, Browne & Nichols (now BB&N), Governor Dummer (now The Governor's Academy), Milton, Noble & Greenough, St. Mark's, and Tabor established the Private School League. From the start, the ISL contained a mix of day and boarding schools, as well as religious and nonsectarian schools. The league changed its name to the Independent School League in 1974.[ citation needed ]

In the 1960s and 1970s, Middlesex, Groton, St. Sebastian's, Roxbury Latin, St. Paul's, Lawrence, Rivers, and St. George's joined the league.[ citation needed ] Tabor left the league in 1972 and St. Paul's left in 2017, at which point Tabor rejoined the league. [4]

Stance on scholarships and postgraduates

The ISL forbids member schools from providing athletic scholarships (or any other scholarships not based strictly on the student's financial need), [5] a policy that has been met with some controversy. In 2011, the ISL found that Lawrence Academy had granted excessive financial aid to some of its football players, in addition to scheduling too many football practices in the off-season; as a result, the ISL stripped Lawrence of its 2009 and 2010 football conference titles and imposed a three-year bowl ban. [6] Previously, St. George's (which Lawrence had defeated 48-15 the previous year) "made national headlines" by forfeiting its conference football game against Lawrence, [6] asserting that the Lawrence team had such a large talent advantage over its conference rivals that playing Lawrence was a safety risk to its own athletes. [7] [8] Citing this policy, St. Paul's left the ISL in 2017; [9] [10] it is now a member of the Lakes Region League. [11]

The ISL also forbids member schools from fielding postgraduate students on their sports teams. [5] Accordingly, future NBA player Duncan Robinson was required to transfer from Governor's to Phillips Exeter for his postgraduate year. [12]

Absence of rowing competition

The ISL does not sponsor rowing, even though eight of the sixteen ISL schools (Belmont Hill, Brooks, BB&N, Groton, Middlesex, Nobles, St. Mark's, and Tabor) have boys' and girls' crews. [13] New England high school rowing is administered by the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA), which was founded in 1947 and predates the ISL by one year. [14]

Since NEIRA began awarding team championships in 1984 (for boys) and 1989 (for girls), the crews of ISL member schools have won the boys' coxed fours team trophy 32 out of 37 years, and the girls' coxed fours team trophy 18 out of 32 years. [15] With the exception of Tabor and the now-departed St. Paul's, ISL schools do not compete in boys' and girls' eights, where teams like Kent, Andover, and Exeter participate. [13] [15]

Members

Current Members

SchoolLocationColorsNicknameFoundedJoinedHS EnrollmentDay/BoardingReligious Affiliation
Belmont Hill School Belmont, MA    Sextants19231948332 (boys only)Day (primary)Nonsectarian
Brooks School North Andover, MA    19261948353Boarding Episcopal
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School Cambridge, MA   Knights18831948525DayNonsectarian
The Governor's Academy Byfield, MA   Governors17631948405BoardingNonsectarian
Groton School Groton, MA   Zebras18841972351Boarding Episcopal
Lawrence Academy at Groton Groton, MA   Spartans17931973424BoardingNonsectarian
Middlesex School Concord, MA   Zebras19011968402BoardingNonsectarian
Milton Academy Milton, MA   Mustangs17981948471BoardingNonsectarian
Noble and Greenough School Dedham, MA   Bulldogs18661948518Day (primary)Nonsectarian
The Rivers School Weston, MA   Red Wings19151973382DayNonsectarian
Roxbury Latin School West Roxbury, MA    Foxes16451974219 (boys only)DayNonsectarian
St. George's School Middletown, RI    Dragons18961981380Boarding Episcopal
St. Mark's School Southborough, MA   Lions18651948380Boarding Episcopal
St. Sebastian's School Needham, MA   Arrows19411973281 (boys only)Day Catholic
Tabor Academy Marion, MA   Seawolves18762017539BoardingNonsectarian
Thayer Academy Braintree, MA   Tigers18771948496DayNonsectarian

Former Member

SchoolLocationColorsNicknameFoundedJoinedLeftHS EnrollmentDay/BoardingReligious Affiliation
St. Paul's School Concord, NH   Pelicans185619482017540Boarding Episcopal

Member schools compete in the following sports:

Boys' and/or co-ed sports
School Cross
country 		Football Soccer Basketball Ice
hockey 		Skiing Squash Wrestling Baseball Golf Lacrosse Tennis Track
Belmont Hill [16] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Brooks [17] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
BB&N [18] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Governor's [19] YesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes
Groton [20] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoYesNoYesYesYes
Lawrence [21] YesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYes
Middlesex [22] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Milton [23] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Nobles [24] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Rivers [25] YesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYes
Roxbury Latin [26] YesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesNoYesYesYes
St. George's [27] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYes
St. Mark's [28] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
St. Sebastian's [29] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
Tabor [30] YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Thayer [31] YesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes
Girls' sports
School Cross
country 		Field
hockey 		Soccer Volleyball Basketball Ice
hockey 		Skiing Squash Lacrosse Softball Tennis Track
BrooksYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNo
BB&NYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes
Governor'sYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes
GrotonYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYes
LawrenceYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes
MiddlesexYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
MiltonYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
NoblesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
RiversYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes
St. George'sYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYes
St. Mark'sYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNo
TaborYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes
ThayerYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes

Divisional play in boys' football and ice hockey

The ISL divides its football and boys' ice hockey teams into separate divisions (ISL 7/ISL 9 for football; Keller/Eberhart for hockey). The divisional structure generally separates the larger schools (by total boys' enrollment) from the smaller schools, paralleling NEPSAC's separation of the New England hockey playoffs into Large School and Small School brackets. However, the NEPSAC divisions are based strictly on the size of the student body (which may also vary from year to year), [32] which occasionally generates discrepancies between the ISL and NEPSAC classifications. For example, at the 2023 New England boys' ice hockey championships, Keller Division teams Milton, Nobles, and Belmont Hill competed in the open (Top 8) bracket, Keller team St. Sebastian's competed in the Large School division, and Keller teams Lawrence and Governors competed with Eberhart teams St. Mark's and Brooks in the Small School division. [33] Ironically, an Eberhart team (Brooks) won the Large School championship in 2015, [34] and another Eberhart team (Rivers) made it to the New England semifinals in 2018. [35]

Football

As of the fall 2023 season, the ISL was divided into the following divisions for football: [36]

Boys' ice hockey

As of the winter 2023-24 season, the ISL was divided into the following divisions for ice hockey:

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References

  1. ↑ "NEPSAC Leagues & Conferences". New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Independent School League". www.islsports.org. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  3. ↑ Moreno, Eric. "The oldest high school football rivalries in the U.S." blogs.usafootball.com. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  4. ↑ "Tabor and the ISL | Tabor Academy". taboracademy.org. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
  5. 1 2 "Essential Understandings". www.islsports.org. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  6. 1 2 "Clarity, but still questions on LA football sanctions". ESPN.com. 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  7. ↑ "St. George's surprised by forfeit fallout". ESPN.com. 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  8. ↑ "Rhode Island school pulls out of game citing size of foe's players". Yahoo Sports. 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  9. ↑ Brown, Jana F. (Spring 2016). "Sports in Context at St. Paul's" (PDF). St. Paul's School Alumni Horae. 96 (3): 4.
  10. ↑ Caspersen, Westby (2016-10-07). "St. Paul's to leave ISL, Tabor to join". The Circle Voice. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  11. ↑ "St. Paul's Athletics". www.sps.edu. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  12. ↑ Layden, Tim (2018-03-29). "Duncan Robinson is much more than a D-III transfer". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  13. 1 2 "Event Summary - 2023 New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Regatta" (PDF). New England Interscholastic Rowing Association. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  14. ↑ "A Short History of the NEIRA". New England Interscholastic Rowing Association. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  15. 1 2 "List of NEIRA Winners and Course Records" (PDF). New England Interscholastic Rowing Association. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  16. ↑ "Athletics | Belmont Hill School - Private School Athletics". www.belmonthill.org. 2024-01-30. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  17. ↑ "Athletics Teams and Schedules - Brooks School". www.brooksschool.org. 2024-01-28. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  18. ↑ "Teams | Private School Athletics | Buckingham Browne & Nichols". BBN. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  19. ↑ "Athletics Schedule | The Governor's Academy in Massachusetts". www.thegovernorsacademy.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  20. ↑ "Athletics at Groton School in MA | Teams and Sports". www.groton.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  21. ↑ "Teams & Schedules - Lawrence Academy". www.lacademy.edu. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  22. ↑ "Middlesex School Athletics - Official Athletics Website". Middlesex School Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  23. ↑ "Athletics". Milton Academy. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  24. ↑ "Noble and Greenough School Athletics Portal". nobilis.nobles.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  25. ↑ "Teams | The Rivers School". www.rivers.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  26. ↑ "Team Pages". The Roxbury Latin School. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  27. ↑ "Teams - St. George's School". www.stgeorges.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  28. ↑ "Teams - St. Mark's School". www.stmarksschool.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  29. ↑ "Teams". St. Sebastian's School. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  30. ↑ "Teams - Tabor Academy - Independent Boarding & Day School". www.taboracademy.org. 2024-02-16. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  31. ↑ "Teams, Schedules & Results - Thayer Academy". www.thayer.org. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  32. ↑ Collins, Brendan (2019-11-25). "Small School / Large School Breakdown". Neutral Zone Men's Prep. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  33. ↑ "2023 NEPSAC Boys' Ice Hockey Tournament" (PDF). New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  34. ↑ "2014 NEPSAC BOYS' ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT INFORMATION" (PDF). New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  35. ↑ "2018 NEPSAC BOYS' ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT" (PDF). New England Prep School Athletic Council. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  36. ↑ "Standings - Fall 2023 Boys Varsity Football". www.isleague.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  37. ↑ "Standings - Winter 2023-24 Boys Varsity Ice Hockey - Keller Division". www.isleague.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  38. ↑ "Standings - Winter 2023-24 Boys Varsity Ice Hockey - Eberhart Division". www.isleague.org. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
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