Metro Classic Conference

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The Metro Classic Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in southeastern Wisconsin. Formed in 2012 and consisting entirely of private schools, all members belong to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

The Metro Classic Conference was founded in 2012, the result of a split between member schools in the larger Midwest Classic Conference. Eight schools left the conference that year: Catholic Central in Burlington, Dominican in Whitefish Bay, Martin Luther in Greendale, Racine Lutheran, Shoreland Lutheran in Somers, St. Catherine's in Racine, St. Joseph in Kenosha and The Prairie School in Wind Point. St. Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, who had just left the Woodland Conference, rounded out the loop's original membership roster at nine schools. [1] The conference was named after the old Metro Conference, a WISAA-sponsored conference that existed from 1974 to 1997 and counted four former members (Dominican, St. Catherine's, St. Joseph and St. Thomas More) in the new conference. Aside from Burlington Catholic Central's exit from the conference to return to the Midwest Classic, [2] the Metro Classic Conference has held the same membership throughout its existence.

Football

The Metro Classic Conference has sponsored football since its founding, with all members participating except for The Prairie School, which has never offered football as an interscholastic sport. Major changes came to the conference's football alignment after the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and the WIAA unveiled a realignment plan for Wisconsin high school football to begin with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle. [3] Half of the conference's eight-member football lineup was retained, (Martin Luther, Shoreland Lutheran, St. Catherine's and St. Thomas More) with the other half (Catholic Central, Dominican, Racine Lutheran and St. Joseph) moving over to the Midwest Classic Conference. The four exiting schools were replaced by three schools from the Midwest Classic (Lake Country Lutheran, St. Francis and University School) and Brown Deer of the Woodland Conference. [4] St. Francis left the Metro Classic's football roster to return to the Midwest Classic Conference for the 2022-2023 competition cycle and were replaced with former Capitol Conference members Luther Prep of Watertown. [5] This alignment is set to remain intact through at least the 2027 football season. [6] [7]

List of member schools

Current members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoined
Dominican Whitefish Bay, WI Private (Catholic, Sinsinawa Dominicans)324Knights  2012 [1]
Martin Luther Greendale, WI Private (LCMS)649Spartans  2012 [1]
Racine Lutheran Racine, WI Private (LCMS)303Crusaders  2012 [1]
Shoreland Lutheran Somers, WI Private (WELS)384Pacers  2012 [1]
St. Catherine's Racine, WI Private (Catholic, Racine Dominicans)472Angels   2012 [1]
St. Joseph Kenosha, WI Private (Catholic)229Lancers  2012 [1]
St. Thomas More Milwaukee, WI Private (Catholic)547Cavaliers  2012 [1]
The Prairie School Wind Point, WI Private (Nonsectarian)226Hawks  2012 [1]

Current football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedPrimary Conference
Brown Deer Brown Deer, WI Public579Falcons  2020 Woodland
Lake Country Lutheran Hartland, WI Private (LCMS)335Lightning  2020 Midwest Classic
University School River Hills, WI Private (Nonsectarian)407Wildcats  2020 Midwest Classic
Luther Prep Watertown, WI Private (WELS)406Phoenix  2022 Midwest Classic

Former members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Catholic Central Burlington, WI Private (Catholic)128Hilltoppers  2012 [1] 2023 [2] Midwest Classic

Former football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsSeasonsPrimary Conference
St. Francis St. Francis, WI Public522Mariners  2020-2021 Midwest Classic

Membership timeline

Full members

Metro Classic Conference

Football members

Metro Classic Conference

Membership map

Metro Classic Conference
Metro Classic Conference
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List of state champions

Fall sports

Football
SchoolYearDivision
St. Catherine's2018Division 4
St. Catherine's2024Division 4
Girls Golf
SchoolYearDivision
The Prairie School2015Division 2
The Prairie School2016Division 2
Boys Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
The Prairie School2014Division 4
St. Catherine's2016Division 4
The Prairie School2017Division 4
The Prairie School2020Division 3
Shoreland Lutheran2023Division 4
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Catholic Central2012Division 4
Catholic Central2018Division 4
Catholic Central2020Division 4

Winter sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Dominican2013Division 4
Dominican2014Division 4
Dominican2015Division 4
Dominican2016Division 4
Martin Luther2019Division 3
St. Catherine's2021Division 3
St. Thomas More2024Division 3

Spring sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
St. Joseph2021Division 3
Girls Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
The Prairie School2016Division 4
St. Joseph2018Division 4
The Prairie School2019Division 4
Boys Tennis
SchoolYearDivision
The Prairie School2017Division 2

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
St. Catherine's62015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025
Dominican42013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Martin Luther22017, 2019
The Prairie School22017, 2018
Racine Lutheran12025
Catholic Central0
Shoreland Lutheran0
St. Joseph0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
The Prairie School62013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Martin Luther32017, 2018, 2021
Racine Lutheran32019, 2020, 2021
St. Joseph22015, 2016
Dominican12023
Shoreland Lutheran12019
St. Catherine's12013
Catholic Central0

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
St. Catherine's82012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024
Lake Country Lutheran22021, 2023
Martin Luther22020, 2022
Catholic Central12015
Luther Prep12023
Racine Lutheran12019
Brown Deer0
Dominican0
Shoreland Lutheran0
St. Francis0
St. Joseph0
University School0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "New eras kick off all around". Kenosha News. August 14, 2012. pp. B1. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Jackel, Peter (November 25, 2023). "Taking on a new challenge". Racine Journal Times. pp. B1. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  3. "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 9, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  4. "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 6, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  5. "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 11, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  6. "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  7. "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2025.