Sagamore Conference

Last updated

Sagamore Athletic Conference
League IHSAA
Founded1966
Sports fielded
  • men's: 10
  • women's: 10, and unified: 1
No. of teams8
Official website https://www.sagamoreconference.com
Locations
Indiana (SAG).png

Sagamore Conference is an eight-member IHSAA sanctioned athletic conference comprising 2A and 3A and sized schools in Clinton, Boone, Hendricks, and Montgomery Counties in Central Indiana.

Contents

The Sagamore Conference was founded in 1966 in Lebanon, Indiana, with a meeting between school officials from Brownsburg, Carmel, Crawfordsville, Frankfort, Lebanon, and Noblesville. The founders selected the name "Sagamore" after the Abnaki Indian tribe's name for "chief". [1] The conference remained stable until Carmel withdrew in 1973 to establish themselves with other schools in then-class AAA and Noblesville followed suit in 1979. [1] This did not stop the Sagamore, however, as North Montgomery was added in 1975, Western Boone in 1981, and Southmont in 1984. Brownsburg departed in 1985.

In 1995, the Sagamore executive council considered expansion. Several schools were mentioned but only two submitted written applications for membership. Starting in 1998, the Sagamore was engaged in discussions with Danville to become the seventh member of the conference and Tri-West was contacted joined the Sagamore to bring the league to eight members. Formally announced in the winter of 1998–1999, the Sagamore conference expanded to eight members. Since then, the conference membership remained stable despite conference realignment around the west central Indiana region the witnessed the formation and disbandment of many different conferences.

In 2023, serious discussions took place among the Sagamore schools outside of the Indianapolis metropolitan loop about forming a new athletic conference. Montgomery County schools had been in contact with Putnam County schools Cloverdale, Greencastle, North Putnam, and South Putnam about the formation of a new league. [2] On May 10, 2023, citing enrollment and competitive balance, five Sagamore schools in Crawfordsville, Frankfort, North Montgomery, Southmont, and Western Boone notified the Sagamore Conference of their intent to separate from the Sagamore and form a new conference with a sixth member school to start as early as the 2024-2025 academic year but no later than the 2026-2027 academic year. [3] Danville, Lebanon, and Tri-West will retain the Sagamore Conference name and history and will leave the conference with three member schools.

In early 2024, it was announced that both Harrison and McCutcheon would join the three remaining Sagamore schools, bringing conference membership to 5. This represents a dramatic shift in conference demographics, as both of the new schools are larger than the three remainders. It also represents a change in conference geography, as both Harrison and McCutcheon are located in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Membership

SchoolLocationMascotColorsEnrollment 2023-24 IHSAA ClassCountyYear joinedPrevious conference
Danville Danville Warriors  8203A 32
Hendricks
1999 West Central
West Lafayette
Harrison
West Lafayette Raiders  2,1694A 79
Tippecanoe
2025Independent
Lebanon Lebanon Tigers  1,0334A 06
Boone
1967 Western Indiana
McCutcheon Lafayette Mavericks  1,7864A 79
Tippecanoe
2025Independent

Future members

SchoolLocationMascotColorsCountyYear joiningPrevious conference
Terre Haute North Terre Haute Patriots    84
Vigo
2026 Conference Indiana
Terre Haute South Terre Haute Braves    84
Vigo
2026 Conference Indiana

Former members

SchoolLocationMascotColorsCountyYear joinedPrevious conferenceYear leftConference joined
Brownsburg Brownsburg Bulldogs   32
Hendricks
1967 Mid-State 1985 Central Suburban
Carmel Carmel Greyhounds   29
Hamilton
1967 Capital District 1974 Olympic
Crawfordsville Crawfordsville Athenians   54
Montgomery
19672025Monon
Frankfort Frankfort Hot Dogs   12
Clinton
1967 North Central 2025Monon
Noblesville Noblesville Millers    29
Hamilton
1967Independents
(HCC 1965)
1980 Central Suburban
North
Montgomery
CrawfordsvilleChargers   54
Montgomery
1974 Wabash River 2025Monon
Southmont New Market Mounties   54
Montgomery
1985 Wabash River 2025Monon
Tri-West Lizton Bruins   32
Hendricks
1999 West Central 2025Hoosier Legends
Western
Boone
Thorntown Stars   06
Boone
19832025Monon

Membership timeline

Terre Haute South Vigo High SchoolTerre Haute North Vigo High SchoolMcCutcheon High SchoolWilliam Henry Harrison High School (West Lafayette, IndianaTri-West Hendricks High SchoolDanville Community High SchoolSouthmont High SchoolThorntown, IndianaCrawfordsville, IndianaNoblesville High SchoolLebanon Senior High SchoolFrankfort, IndianaCrawfordsville, IndianaCarmel High School (Carmel, Indiana)Brownsburg High SchoolSagamore Conference

Conference championships

Football

#TeamSeasons
11Danville1999, 2000*, 2001, 2002, 2005*, 2007, 2012*, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2024
10Western Boone1987*, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2012*, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022*
9Tri-West2003, 2004, 2005*, 2012*, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2022*, 2023
7Crawfordsville1968, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1985*, 1989, 1991
7Noblesville1969, 1970*, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979
6Lebanon1976, 1983*, 1985*, 1992, 1993, 2006
6North Montgomery1986, 1987*, 1994, 1995*, 1996, 2008
5Brownsburg1973, 1980, 1981, 1983*, 1984
4Frankfort1970*, 1987*, 1995*, 2000*
3Southmont2009, 2010, 2011
1Carmel1970*

Boys basketball

#TeamSeasons
30Lebanon1970, 1974*, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985*, 1986, 1987*, 1988, 1989, 1990*, 1991, 1992, 1997*, 1998, 1999, 2001*, 2002*, 2003*, 2004*, 2005*, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016*, 2022*, 2023
14Danville2002*, 2003*, 2004*, 2005*, 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016*, 2017*, 2020, 2021, 2024
13Frankfort1971, 1974*, 1977, 1979, 1985*, 1990*, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997*, 2000, 2001*, 2009*
5Crawfordsville1968*, 1973, 1974*, 1987*, 2019*
5Tri-West2016*, 2017*, 2018, 2019*, 2025
4North Montgomery1990*, 2006, 2007, 2009*
3Carmel1968*, 1969, 1972
1Brownsburg1981
1Noblesville1980
1Southmont2022*
1Western Boone1993

Girls basketball

#TeamSeasons
16Lebanon1981*, 1989*, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001*, 2003*, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014*, 2015, 2016
9Danville2003*, 2004, 2017*, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
9Frankfort1985*, 1989*, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2001*, 2002
6North Montgomery1979, 1980, 1981*, 1985*, 1988, 1989*
5Western Boone1986*, 1996, 1997, 2010, 2014*
3Brownsburg1982, 1983, 1984
3Crawfordsville1987, 2008, 2009
3Tri-West2017*, 2021, 2022
2Southmont1986*, 1994
0Noblesville

*Co-champions

State championships

Crawfordsville (7)

Frankfort (4)

Lebanon (4)

North Montgomery (2)

Tri-West Hendricks (5)

Western Boone (4)

References

  1. 1 2 "History – Sagamore Conference Athletics". March 17, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  2. "CCSC superintendent discusses proposed state funding changes". Journal Review. March 13, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  3. "Western Boone to leave Sagamore Conference, will form new six-team league". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 21, 2023.