Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)

Three Rivers Conference

Conference	IHSA
No. of teams	14
Region	Northwest Illinois
Locations
The Three Rivers Conference within Illinois

10km
6miles

Rockridge

St. Bede

Sherrard

Princeton

Orion

Newman

Monmouth-Roseville

Morrison

Mendota

Kewanee

Hall

Erie-Prophetstown

Bureau Valley

  

Locations of TRAC-8 Schools

The Three Rivers Conference, also known as the TRAC-8 (Three Rivers Athletics Conference), is a high school conference in northwest Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprises small public, and two private, high schools with enrollments between 200-600 students in portions of Bureau, Henry, Lee, Rock Island, and Whiteside counties.

Current Membership

School	Location	Mascot	Colors	Enrollment	IHSA Classes 2/3/4 [1]	IHSA Music Class [2]	IHSA Football Class [3]	IHSA Cross Country Class [2]	IHSA Cheerleading Class [2]
Bureau Valley High School	Manlius, IL	Storm	Navy Blue, Columbia Blue	301	1A/2A	B	1A	1A	Small squad
Erie-Prophetstown Co-op	Erie, IL	Panthers	Red, White, Black	491	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Hall High School (Illinois)	Spring Valley, IL	Red Devils	Red, Black, White	394	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad
Kewanee High School	Kewanee, IL	Boilermakers	Orange, Black	536	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Mendota High School	Mendota, IL	Trojans	Purple, Gold	555	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Morrison High School	Morrison, IL	Mustangs	Red, White	299	1A/2A	B	1A	1A	Small squad
Monmouth-Roseville High School	Monmouth, IL	Titans	Navy Blue, Silver, White	530	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Newman Central Catholic High School	Sterling, IL	Comets	Blue, White Gray	228 (376.2 adjusted)	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad
Orion High School	Orion, IL	Chargers	Black, Red	336	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad
Princeton High School	Princeton, IL	Tigers	Blue, Gray	518	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Riverdale High School	Port Byron, IL	Rams	Black, Gold	302	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad
Sherrard High School	Sherrard, IL	Tigers	Purple, Gold	479	1A/2A	B	3A	1A	Small squad
Saint Bede Academy	Peru, IL	Bruins	Green, White	320 (468.6 adj.)	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad
Rockridge High School	Taylor Ridge, IL	Rockets	Maroon, Gray	354	1A/2A	B	2A	1A	Small squad

Sources:IHSA Conferences, ^[4] IHSA Coop Teams, ^[5] and IHSA Member Schools Directory ^[6]

History

The Three Rivers Conference formed in 1975, and was largely the result of the dissolution of two conferences that had also included high schools in Iowa. Fulton, Morrison, Riverdale, Savanna and Sterling Newman had been part of the Illowa Conference along with Iowa schools North Scott of Eldridge, Central Clinton of De Witt, and St. Mary's High School of Clinton. Erie and Prophetstown were members of a league with the Iowa-based Pleasant Valley, Camanche and Northeast of Goose Lake. The seven Illinois schools joined with Amboy to form the new TRAC-8 conference.

Throughout the conference's history, alignment changes included the departure of Savanna, which went on to join the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference, and the additions of Bureau Valley in the mid-1990s and Kewanee in 2010. Upon the addition of Kewanee, the league became known as the TRAC-9. In addition, Erie and Prophetstown formed a cooperative to share certain sports programs, including football and wrestling.

On January 12, 2012 the conference approved expansion for six schools to join the league beginning in the 2013-14 school year. Included in the expansion are Orion, Rockridge, Sherrard, Princeton, St. Bede Academy of Peru and Spring Valley Hall. The six additions make the Three Rivers a 15-team league, one of the largest in Illinois. The conference will be split into two divisions, with Interstate 80 being the dividing line.

Following the 2015-16 school year, Amboy left the conference and joined the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference for the 2016-17 school year. ^[7] Following the 2021 season, Fulton also left to join the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference, however, Mendota and Monmouth-Roseville, who had been playing football within the conference since 2016, joined the conference fully as their replacement. ^[8]

Current members Bureau Valley, Erie-Prophetstown, Kewanee, Mendota, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Orion, Peru St. Bede, Princeton, Riverdale, Rockridge, Sherrard, Spring Valley Hall, and Sterling Newman. The divisions in the conference are geographically set.

• The East includes: Bureau Valley, Kewanee, Mendota, St. Bede, Princeton, Hall and Newman Central Catholic.
• The West includes: Erie-Prophetstown, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Orion, Riverdale, Rockridge and Sherrard.

In 2024, Morrison is the third team from the conference to migrate to the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference, joining Amboy and Fulton. ^{[9] [10]} This move, however will refresh the rivalry between Fulton and Morrison, the Battle for the Wooden Shoe. ^[11]

Football

The Three Rivers Conference dropped football from 1999 until the 2013-14 school year. During this hiatus, the league offered championships in other sports, ^[12] and member schools, either independently or as part of a co-operative, participated in the football-exclusive Big Rivers Conference.

In early 2012, it was announced that Orion, Rockridge, Sherrard, all former members of the Olympic Conference, and Princeton accepted an invitation for full membership in the Three Rivers Conference at the start of the 2013-14 school year. These four schools, along with Hall, Kewanee, and St. Bede Academy make up the seven teams in the newly created South Division. The North Division includes Amboy-La Moille, Bureau Valley, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Morrison, Newman Central Catholic, and Riverdale. The decision to create a geographical North-South alignment was based upon a desire to maintain existing rivalries and minimize travel times. ^[13]

The football schedule includes six intra-divisional games and three rotating inter-divisional cross-over match-ups. Each division will award a conference champion. ^[14] Because the Big Rivers Conference and the Three Rivers Conference, co-operatives excepted, consist of the same member schools with this most recent expansion, the decision was made to drop the Big Rivers name in favor of the longer-standing Three Rivers Conference. ^{[14] [15]}

See the Big Rivers Conference article for information about its history, achievements, and participating schools.

Previous Members

School	Location	Mascot	Colors	Year joined	Previous conference	Year left	New conference	Consolidations
Amboy High School	Amboy	Clippers		1975	SHARK	2016	Northwest Upstate Illini	n/a
Erie High School	Erie	Cardinals		1975	Bi-State	2018*	none (Co-op with Prophetstown)	n/a
Fulton High School	Fulton	Steamers		1975	Illowa	2021	Northwest Upstate Illini	added some Albany (1944)
Morrison High School	Morrison	Mustangs		1975	Illowa	2024	Northwest Upstate Illini	n/a
Prophetstown High School	Prophetstown	Prophets		1975	Bi-State	2018*	none (Co-op with Erie)	added Lyndon (1969) added Tampico (1996)
Savanna High School	Savanna	Indians		1975	Illowa	1998	n/a	Consolidated with Mt Carroll and Thompson to form West Carroll (2005)

Membership timeline

Prior to the development of the TRAC-8, the IHSA was pushing teams to end multi-state conferences. Therefore, Fulton, Morrison, Riverdale, Savanna and Newman came from the dissolved Illowa Conference, Amboy left the Wisconsin-Illinois SHARK Conference and Erie and Prophetstown, then competing as individual high schools, left the Iowa-Illinois Pleasant Valley Conference.

From 1999 to 2012, the TRAC-8 dropped football from the conference. In order to maintain competition, the teams from the Three Rivers' football programs including: Amboy, Erie, Fulton, Morrison, Sterling Newman, Prophetstown, Riverdale, and Savanna joined the ranks of Tri-County Conference schools Peru St. Bede, Bureau Valley, Ottawa Marquette, Eureka, and Bradford (now Stark County High School) to make up the newly formed Big Rivers Conference's Illinois Division.

Full membersUpstate Illini ConferenceNorth Central Illinois ConferenceOlympic ConferenceNorthwest Upstate Illini ConferenceTri-County ConferenceBig Northern Conference

Competitive Success

The Three Rivers Conference has won 11 state championships in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities, 16 if wins by member schools participating in the Big Rivers Conference are counted. ^[16]

State Champions

Boys Golf

• Riverdale (2017 1A)

Boys Track

• Newman Central Catholic (2012-2013 1A)

Boys Cross Country

• Newman Central Catholic (2009-2010 1A)

Girls Cross Country

Boys Football

• Amboy (1984-85 2A)
• Bureau Valley (2005-2006 3A)*
• Fulton (1976-1977 2A)
• Fulton (1991-1992 2A)
• Hall (1995-1996 3A)**
• Hall (2001-2002 3A)**
• Morrison (2009-2010 2A)*
• Morrison (2011-2012 2A)*
• Newman Central Catholic (1990-1991 1A)
• Newman Central Catholic (1994-1995 1A)
• Newman Central Catholic (2004-2005 2A)*
• Newman Central Catholic (2010-2011 2A)*

* Participating in Big Rivers Conference**Participating in NCIC

Boys Wrestling

• Newman Central Catholic (2010-2011 1A)
• Newman Central Catholic (1984-1985 A)
• Savanna (1976-1977 A)
• Savanna (1978-1979 A)
• Savanna (1979-1980 A)
• Savanna (1981-1982 A)

Softball

• Morrison (2010-2011 2A)
• Rockridge (2017-2018 2A)

References

1. "School Enrollments (Alphabetical)". www.ihsa.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-23.
2. "How IHSA Enrollments and Classifications are Determined". www.ihsa.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-01.
3. "How the Football Playoff Pairings are Determined — 2009". www.ihsa.org. Archived from the original on 2009-09-24.
4. "Conferences". www.ihsa.org. Archived from the original on 2009-04-30.
5. "Coop Teams". www.ihsa.org. Archived from the original on 2009-02-19.
6. "Schools | IHSA". www.ihsa.org.
7. "South Beloit is Marquette's new NAC foe". Shaw Local. June 10, 2015.
8. [e-mail], TERRY DUCKETT (November 11, 2020). "Fulton HS athletics about to jump to new conference". Dispatch Argus.
9. Tilka, Michael (May 16, 2023). "Morrison school board approves move to NUIC in 2024-25". www.wifr.com.
10. "Morrison on the move, will join NUIC in 2024-25". Shaw Local. May 16, 2023.
11. [e-mail], Beau Troutman (April 8, 2021). "'End of an era': Fulton, Morrison prepare for final Wooden Shoe Bowl". Clinton Herald.
12. "The Great Conferences". Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
13. Doug Green (January 12, 2012). "Orion, Rockridge, Sherrard to join Big Rivers". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
14. "Prep football: Three Rivers North by the numbers". saukvalley.com (Sauk Valley Media). June 25, 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
15. Mindy Carls (February 3, 2012). "Orion moving to Three Rivers Conference in 2013". Orion Gazette. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
16. "Home". ihsa.org.

External links

• Amboy High School
• Bureau Valley High School
• Erie High School
• Fulton High School Archived 2011-05-07 at the Wayback Machine
• Morrison High School ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
• Newman Central Catholic High School ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
• Prophetstown High School
• Riverdale High School ^{[ permanent dead link ]}