MONLPC Football Conference

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The Marinette & Oconto-Northern Lakes-Packerland Conference, more commonly referred to as the MONLPC, is a former high school football conference comprising small schools in northeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 2017 and dissolved after the 2021 football season, its member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

The MONLPC Football Conference was formed in 2017 by members of three conferences in northeastern Wisconsin: the Marinette & Oconto, Northern Lakes and Packerland. [1] It was created in reaction to the increasing number of schools in the region that were transitioning to eight-player football [2] and featured an eight-player division in addition to large-school and small-school divisions for eleven-player football:

MONLPC LargeMONLPC SmallMONLPC-8
AlgomaCrandonBowler/Gresham
ColemanCrivitzGibraltar
KewauneeElcho/White LakeGillett
OcontoFlorenceLena/St. Thomas Aquinas
PeshtigoNorthern EliteMenominee Indian
Southern DoorSuringNEW Lutheran
Sturgeon BayThree Lakes/PhelpsOneida Nation
Wabeno/LaonaSevastopol
Wausaukee

Even after the conference's formation, the influx of schools moving to eight-player football continued to drive the MONLPC's realignment. Florence was the first member to do so after the 2017 season, [3] followed by five more programs after the 2018 season (Algoma, Elcho/White Lake, Suring, Three Lakes/Phelps and Wabeno/Laona). [4] This allowed the Bowler/Gresham and Menominee Indian programs to join their primary home, the Central Wisconsin Conference, when they adopted an eight-player division in 2019. [5] Coleman was shifted over to the MONLPC's small schools division in 2019, which would turn out to be the last for the two eleven-player divisions after they were realigned out of existence. This came after the WIAA and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association unveiled a comprehensive realignment plan for Wisconsin's high school football conferences to be refreshed every two years. [6] The nine displaced schools either joined a newly reconstituted Packerland Conference (Kewaunee, Oconto, Peshtigo, Southern Door and Sturgeon Bay) or the new Northwoods Football Conference (Coleman, Crandon, Crivitz and Northern Elite). [7] Another change brought by realignment was the MONLPC's change to a twelve-member, two-division conference sponsoring eight-player football only: [8]

MONLPC EastMONLPC West
AlgomaElcho/White Lake
GibraltarFlorence
GillettSuring
Lena/St. Thomas AquinasThree Lakes/Phelps
NEW Lutheran/OneidaWabeno/Laona
SevastopolWausaukee

This alignment would last until the 2022-2023 competition cycle, when the eight-player divisions of the MONLPC were shuttered, just as their eleven-player counterparts were two years earlier. [9] Eight programs (Algoma, Gibraltar, Gillett, Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas, NEW Lutheran/Oneida, Sevastopol, Suring and Wausaukee) formed the new Across the Bay Conference, while the other four (Elcho/White Lake, Florence, Three Lakes/Phelps and Wabeno/Laona constituted two thirds of the new Northern Border Conference, along with Niagara and Goodman/Pembine after the breakup of the Northern Elite football cooperative. [10]

Conference membership history

11-player

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsSeasonsPrimary Conference
Algoma Algoma, WI Public219Wolves  2017-2018 Packerland
Coleman Coleman, WI Public229Cougars  2017-2019 Marinette & Oconto
Crandon Crandon, WI Public239Cardinals  2017-2019 Northern Lakes
Crivitz Crivitz, WI Public215Wolverines  2017-2019 Marinette & Oconto
Elcho/
White Lake
Elcho, WI Public126Wolverines  2017-2018 Northern Lakes
Florence Florence, WI Public118Bobcats  2017 Northern Lakes
Kewaunee Kewaunee, WI Public298Storm  2017-2019 Packerland
Northern Elite Niagara, WI Public234Predators  2017-2019 Marinette & Oconto, Northern Lakes
Oconto Oconto, WI Public282Blue Devils  2017-2019 Packerland
Peshtigo Peshtigo, WI Public339Bulldogs  2017-2019 Packerland
Southern Door Brussels, WI Public323Eagles  2017-2019 Packerland
Sturgeon Bay Sturgeon Bay, WI Public394Clippers  2017-2019 Packerland
Suring Suring, WI Public117Eagles  2017-2018 Marinette & Oconto
Three Lakes/
Phelps
Three Lakes, WI Public183Bluejays  2017-2018 Northern Lakes
Wabeno/
Laona
Wabeno, WI Public187Rebels  2017-2018 Northern Lakes

8-player

SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary Conference
Bowler/
Gresham
Bowler, WI Public182Cats  2017-2018 Central Wisconsin
Gibraltar Fish Creek, WI Public182Vikings  2017-2021 Packerland
Gillett Gillett, WI Public158Tigers  2017-2021 Marinette & Oconto
Lena/
St. Thomas Aquinas
Lena, WI Public, Private (Catholic)171Titans  2017-2021 Marinette & Oconto
Menominee Indian Keshena, WI Federal (Tribal)349Eagles  2017-2018 Central Wisconsin
NEW Lutheran Green Bay, WI Private (Lutheran, WELS)145Blazers  2017-2018 Packerland
Oneida Nation Oneida, WI Federal (Tribal)127Thunderhawks  2017-2018 Marinette & Oconto
Sevastopol Sturgeon Bay, WI Public180Pioneers  2017-2021 Packerland
Wausaukee Wausaukee, WI Public126Rangers  2017-2021 Marinette & Oconto
Florence Florence, WI Public118Bobcats  2019-2021 Marinette & Oconto
NEW Lutheran /
Oneida Nation
Green Bay, WI Private (WELS), Federal (Tribal)272Blazers  2019-2021 Packerland, Marinette & Oconto
Suring Suring, WI Public117Eagles  2019-2021 Marinette & Oconto
Wabeno /
Laona
Wabeno, WI Public187Rebels  2019-2021 Marinette & Oconto
Algoma Algoma, WI Public219Wolves  2020-2021 Packerland
Elcho /
White Lake
Elcho, WI Public126Wolverines  2020-2021 Northern Lakes
Three Lakes /
Phelps
Three Lakes, WI Public183Bluejays  2020-2021 Northern Lakes

Membership timeline

11-player

MONLPC Football Conference

MONLPC LargeMONLPC Small

8-player

MONLPC Football Conference

MONLPC EastMONLPC West

List of state champions

8-Player Football
SchoolYear
Sevastopol2018

List of conference champions

11-player

SchoolQuantityYears
Kewaunee22018, 2019
Coleman12019
Crandon12017
Crivitz12018
Southern Door12017
Algoma0
Elcho/
White Lake
0
Florence0
Northern Elite0
Oconto0
Peshtigo0
Sturgeon Bay0
Suring0
Three Lakes/
Phelps
0
Wabeno/
Laona
0

8-player

SchoolQuantityYears
Lena/
St. Thomas Aqunias
22020, 2021
Sevastopol22017, 2018
Wabeno/
Laona
22020, 2021
Gibraltar12019
Suring12019
Algoma0
Bowler/
Gresham
0
Elcho/
White Lake
0
Florence0
Gillett0
Menominee Indian0
NEW Lutheran0
NEW Lutheran/
Oneida Nation
0
Oneida Nation0
Three Lakes/
Phelps
0
Wausaukee0

References

  1. Mallien, Korey (23 January 2017). "New prep football conference finalized". Green Bay Press-Gazette. pp. D1. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  2. Mallien, Korey (23 January 2017). "New prep football conference finalized". Green Bay Press-Gazette. pp. D3. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  3. "Florence Football History". MaxPreps. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  4. "8-Man Freelance Football Standings (2019-20 season)". MaxPreps. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  5. "Central Wisconsin (8-Man) Football Standings (2019-20 season)". MaxPreps. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  6. "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  7. "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  8. "WFCA Eight Player Conference Alignment" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  9. "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 8-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  10. McCarthy, Matt "Sweets" (12 October 2021). "Northern Elite era ends with loss to Panthers". Iron Mountian Daily News. Retrieved 28 July 2025.