State Line League

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The State Line League is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin. Formed in 1927 and ending competition in 1997, its membership consisted of small schools located in the southernmost counties of the state along the Wisconsin-Illinois border. All member schools (with the exception of one) were associated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

1927-1944

State Line League
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30km
19miles
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Location of Original State Line League Members

The State Line League was formed in 1927 by eight small high schools in south central Wisconsin: Argyle, Belleville, Blanchardville, Brodhead, Hollandale, Juda, Monticello and New Glarus. [1] Original member schools were located predominantly in Green and Lafayette Counties, which are located on the border between Wisconsin and Illinois. Albany High School joined the State Line League in the 1928-29 school year, taking the place of Juda, which left the league after its first season. [2] Juda High School would make its return in 1929, bringing membership to nine schools. [3] Two years later, membership would go back down to eight as Brodhead left to join the Rock River Valley League in 1931. [4] [5] Brooklyn High School would take their place the next year, [6] and Orfordville High School would join in 1933. With the increase in membership to ten schools, the State Line League would split into Eastern and Western Divisions: [7]

Eastern DivisionWestern Division
AlbanyArgyle
BrooklynBelleville
JudaBlanchardville
MonticelloHollandale
OrfordvilleNew Glarus

1944-1971

The State Line League ended its two-division format and welcomed Brodhead back into the fold in 1944, bringing membership to eleven schools. [8] Three years later, the State Line League sponsored football for the first time, and six members (Argyle, Belleville, Brodhead, Brooklyn, New Glarus and Orfordville) played in the six-player variant. [9] Juda became the seventh football-playing member in 1949, and Blanchardville joined a year later after moving over from the Madison Suburban Conference and transitioning from eleven-player football. [10] Hollandale left to join the Iowa County League in 1951, decreasing the amount of full members to ten schools. [11] Eight-player football was adopted by the State Line League in 1954, [12] and over the next few years, rural school district consolidations began to affect conference membership. Brooklyn High School was closed in 1962 and consolidated with the larger Oregon High School, [13] and their place was immediately taken by South Wayne (formerly of the Black Hawk League). [14] The next year, the State Line League transitioned to eleven-player football with eight participants. [15] In 1967, South Wayne was merged with former conference rivals Gratiot to form Black Hawk High School, which remained in the State Line League after consolidation. [16] In 1970, Parkview (formerly Orfordville) High School exited the State Line League to join the Central Suburban Conference. [17] The last of the consolidations to affect membership occurred in 1971, when Blanchardville and Hollandale merged to form Pecatonica High School. [18] Two schools joined the State Line League that year in addition to Pecatonica: Barneveld (from the disbanded Kickapoo Valley League) and Holy Name Seminary in Madison. [19]

1971-1997

State Line League
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30km
19miles
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Location of Final State Line League Members

Membership in the State Line League remained stable for the rest of its existence with the exception of two schools leaving the conference. Brodhead joined the Rock Valley Conference in 1977, [20] and Holy Name Seminary left the conference in 1995 after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison closed its doors that year. [21] The State Line League ended sponsorship of football in 1993 when Black Hawk and Pecatonica/Argyle were approved as new football members in the Black Hawk League for the 1994 season. [22] Coupled with the formation of the Sugar River Raiders football cooperative between three State Line members (Belleville, Monticello and New Glarus), [23] the conference would have had only three members for football had it continued. In 1997, the Six Rivers Conference was formed through the merger of the nine members of the State Line League with the seven members of the neighboring Black Hawk League. [24]

Conference membership history

Full members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Argyle Argyle, WI Public74Orioles  1927 [1] 1997 [24] Six Rivers
Belleville Belleville, WI Public279Wildcats  1927 [1] 1997 [24] Six Rivers Capitol
Blanchardville Blanchardville, WI PublicN/AGolden Eagles  1927 [1] 1971 [18] Closed (consolidated into Pecatonica) [18]
Brodhead Brodhead, WI Public315Cardinals  1927, [1] 1944 [8] 1931, [4] 1977 [20] Rock River Valley Rock Valley
Hollandale Hollandale, WI PublicN/APanthers  1927 [1] 1951 [11] Iowa County Closed (consolidated into Pecatonica) [18]
Juda Juda, WI Public96Panthers  1927, [1] 1929 [3] 1928, [2] 1997 [24] Independent,

Six Rivers

Six Rivers
Monticello Monticello, WI Public98Ponies  1927 [1] 1997 [24] Six Rivers
New Glarus New Glarus, WI Public323Glarner Knights  1927 [1] 1997 [24] Six Rivers Capitol
Albany Albany, WI Public80Comets  1928 [2] 1997 [24] Six Rivers
Brooklyn Brooklyn, WI PublicN/AHornets  1932 [6] 1962 [13] Closed (consolidated into Oregon) [13]
Parkview Orfordville, WI Public238Vikings  1933 [7] 1970 [17] Central Suburban Trailways
South Wayne South Wayne, WI PublicN/AVandals  1962 [14] 1967 [16] Closed (consolidated into Black Hawk) [16]
Black Hawk South Wayne, WI Public109Warriors  1967 [16] 1997 [24] Six Rivers
Barneveld Barneveld, WI Public128Golden Eagles  1971 [19] 1997 [24] Six Rivers
Holy Name Seminary Madison, WI Private (Catholic)N/AHilanders  1971 [19] 1995 [21] Closed in 1995 [21]
Pecatonica Blanchardville, WI Public106Vikings  1971 [18] 1997 [24] Six Rivers

Football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary Conference
Beloit Catholic Beloit, WI Private (Catholic)N/ACrusaders  1990-1991, 1993 Rock Valley

Membership timeline

Full members

State Line League

 Eastern Division Western Division

Football members

State Line League

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Albany1971Small Schools
Holy Name Seminary1972WISAA Class B [25]
Albany1975Class C
Holy Name Seminary1979WISAA Class C [26]
Holy Name Seminary1980WISAA Class C [27]
Albany1987Class C
Albany1988Class C
Albany1989Class C
Albany1990Division 3
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Albany1989Class C
Albany1990Division 3
Albany1991Division 3
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Holy Name Seminary1985WISAA Class B [28]

Winter sports

Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Monticello1991Division 4
Pecatonica1993Division 4
Pecatonica1994Division 4
Barneveld1995Division 4
Barneveld1998Division 4

Spring sports

Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Holy Name Seminary1974WISAA Class C [29]
Belleville/New Glarus1996Division 2

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
New Glarus181930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1952, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1991, 1994
Monticello141936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1979
Brodhead121947, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977
Belleville81929, 1931, 1936, 1938, 1955, 1981, 1983, 1987
Black Hawk61968, 1970, 1971, 1988, 1989, 1990
Albany41935, 1942, 1965, 1978
Argyle41963, 1970, 1972, 1992
Brooklyn41934, 1943, 1944, 1945
Blanchardville31942, 1961, 1971
Juda31933, 1940, 1997
Pecatonica31994, 1995, 1996
Barneveld21980, 1983
Holy Name Seminary21985, 1993
(Orfordville) Parkview21964, 1966
South Wayne11967
Hollandale0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Barneveld71980, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997
Belleville61976, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989
New Glarus41982, 1983, 1985, 1986
Pecatonica41992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Black Hawk31984, 1986, 1987
Albany0
Argyle0
Juda0
Monticello0
Champions from 1977-1978 unknown

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
Belleville121947, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1982
Blanchardville81950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1967
Pecatonica81973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988
Black Hawk61970, 1972, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1989
New Glarus61952, 1957, 1959, 1966, 1969, 1987
Holy Name Seminary41981, 1985, 1988, 1992
New Glarus/
Monticello
41988, 1990, 1991, 1992
(Orfordville) Parkview41949, 1959, 1960, 1968
Argyle21948, 1975
Pecatonica/
Argyle
21992, 1993
Brodhead11976
Juda11966
Barneveld0
Beloit Catholic0
Brooklyn0
South Wayne0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Eight Schools Organize New Sports League". The Capital Times. October 14, 1927. p. 12. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Three Are Tied in Line Loop". The Capital Times. February 16, 1929. p. 6. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "New Glarus, Brodhead Lead State Line League". Wisconsin State Journal. January 24, 1930. p. 20. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Rock River League Cage Schedule to be Revised". Wisconsin State Journal. November 19, 1931. p. 20. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  5. "Hollandale Tied With New Glarus for Lead". Wisconsin State Journal. December 23, 1931. p. 13. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Two Tied for State Line Lead". The Capital Times. December 22, 1932. p. 14. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. 1 2 "Blanchardville, New Glarus Lead". The Capital Times. December 21, 1933. p. 13. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Kleinheinz, Bill (November 20, 1944). "Southern State Prep Cagers to Play 58 Games This Week". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 16. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  9. "State Line Six-Man Circuit Opens Play". The Capital Times. September 27, 1947. p. 6. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  10. "Tri-County Openers Top Prep Grid Slate". Wisconsin State Journal. September 15, 1950. p. 30. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  11. 1 2 "News from the Livingston Area". Platteville Journal and Grant County News. April 12, 1951. p. 10. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  12. Cornelius, Lew (February 11, 1954). "Lew Cornelius' Scorebook". The Capital Times. p. 25. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 "Brooklyn Prep Fete on Mar. 29". The Capital Times. March 23, 1962. p. 22. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Prep Cage Standings (see State Line League)". Wisconsin State Journal. November 26, 1962. p. 16. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  15. "Belleville Leader in State Line". The Capital Times. October 5, 1963. p. 18. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Black Hawk Veterans in 100-42 Win". The Capital Times. November 18, 1967. p. 15. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  17. 1 2 "Oregon Defends Title". Wisconsin State Journal. September 17, 1970. p. 12. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Hillstrom, Eric (June 4, 1971). "City, Area Prep Hi-Notes". The Capital Times. p. 26. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 Hillstrom, Eric (September 16, 1971). "What's the Score?". The Capital Times. p. 28. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Rock Valley conference name once again". Wisconsin State Journal. June 27, 1976. p. 28. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  21. 1 2 3 Perry-Daniels, Gail (May 3, 1995). "'Sense of loss' felt deeply as Holy Name will close". The Capital Times. p. 3. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  22. "Same old story, for last time". Wisconsin State Journal. August 29, 1993. pp. 56 (Football '93 insert). Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  23. Engh, Brent (August 20, 1993). "Old SLL rivalry on last legs". The Capital Times. pp. E1. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hernandez, Rob (May 20, 1997). "Leagues realign: For now, merger brings no changes". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 30. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  25. "Ledger Harriers Place 2nd in Defense of State Crown". Fond du Lac Reporter. October 30, 1972. p. 28. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  26. "Holy Name harriers outclass WISAA field". Wisconsin State Journal. October 28, 1979. pp. 9 (Section 2). Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  27. "Holy Name to defend title". Wisconsin State Journal. November 1, 1980. pp. 7 (Section 2). Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  28. Lindstrom, Don (November 16, 1985). "Holy Name wins WISAA B title". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 1 (Section 4). Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  29. Associated Press. "Pius, Roncalli, Holy Name state WISAA track champs". Wausau Daily Herald. p. 21. Retrieved December 10, 2024.