Vermilion Valley Conference

Last updated
Vermilion Valley Conference
Conference IHSA
Founded2003
No. of teams13
RegionEast-central Illinois (Edgar, Iroquois and Vermilion counties)
Official website Vermilion Valley Conference
Locations
Map of Vermilion Valley Conference.png The Vermilion Valley Conference within Illinois
Locations of Vermilion Valley Schools

The Vermilion Valley Conference is a high school conference in east-central Illinois, in the United States. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprises 13 small public high schools and one small private school, with enrollments between 100 and 400 students in Edgar, Iroquois and Vermilion counties.

Contents

History

The original Vermilion Valley Conference was founded in 1933 with schools from Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, and Kankakee counties in east-central Illinois. The five charter members included: Chatsworth, Cullom, Forrest Township, Herscher, and Saunemin. [1] [2] This version of the Vermilion Valley disbanded in 1989.

The Vermilion Valley Conference was resurrected in 2003 with a new group of high schools. The charter members of the "new" Vermilion Valley included: Armstrong, Bismarck Henning, Chrisman, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Hoopeston Area, Oakwood, Rossville-Alvin, Salt Fork, Schlarman and Westville High Schools. In 2005, Rossville-Alvin High School closed and with the students attending Bismarck Henning, however, Milford joined the league the following year. [3] [4]

In 2020, the conference expanded its football presence by adding several schools from other conferences into a "football only", two division league. Schools from the Tri-County Conference; including Dwight and Seneca, as well as Clifton Central, Iroquois West and Watseka from the Sangamon Valley Conference united under the Vermilion Valley moniker. [5] The two divisions included a North Division of Seneca, Momence, Dwight, Clifton Central, Watseka and Iroquois West and a South Division of Hoopeston Area, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Westville, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin, Salt Fork and Oakwood. [6] This unusual mix of three conferences only lasted two years with the development of the Chicago Prairie Football League. [7] [8]

In 2021, the Sangamon Valley Conference disbanded, [9] therefore, Cissna Park, Iroquois West, and Watseka Community High Schools joined as full members of the Vermilion Valley, taking the total number of teams up to 13. [10]

Currently, the league consists of the following teams: Armstrong, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin, Catlin-Salt Fork, Chrisman, Cissna Park, Danville-Schlarman, Fithian-Oakwood, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Gilman-Iroquois West, Hoopeston Area, Milford, Watseka and Westville [11]

Member schools

SchoolLocationCountyMascotColorsJoinedEnrollment [12] IHSA Classes 1/2/3/4 [12] IHSA Football Class [12] IHSA Football
Type [13]
Coop/Team
Armstrong Township [14] Armstrong, IL Vermilion Trojans  
Purple, Gold
2003136A/1A/1A3A11-ManYes
Hoopeston
Bismarck Henning Rossville-Alvin [15] Bismarck, IL Vermilion Blue Devils   
Blue, Silver, White
2003338A/1A/1A2A11-ManNone
Salt Fork [16] Catlin, IL Vermilion Storm   
Black, Silver, White
2003254A/1A/1A1A11-ManNone
Chrisman [17] Chrisman, IL Edgar Cardinals  
Red, Black
2003100A/1A/1A2A11-ManYes
Georgetown-Ridge Farm
Cissna Park [18] Cissna Park, IL Iroquois Timberwolves   
Navy Blue, Silver, Columbia Blue
202199A/1A/1A1A8-ManYes
Milford
Schlarman [19] Danville, IL Vermilion Hilltoppers  
Blue, Gold
2003145A/1A/1A1A8-ManNone
Oakwood [20] Fithian, IL Vermilion Comets  
Purple, White
2003305A/1A/1A1A/2A11-manNone
Georgetown-Ridge Farm [21] Georgetown, IL Vermilion Buffaloes   
Purple, Gold, White
2003277A/1A/1A2A11-ManYes
Chrisman
Hoopeston Area [22] Hoopeston, IL Vermilion Cornjerkers   
Blue, White
2003320A/1A/1A3A11-ManYes
Armstrong
Iroquois West [23] Gilman, IL Iroquois Raiders   
Blue, Red, White
2021310A/1A/1A1A/2A11-manNone
Milford [24] Milford, IL Iroquois Bearcats
Lady Bearcats
  
Blue, White
2006174A/1A/1A1A8-ManYes
Cissna Park
Watseka [25] Watseka, IL Iroquois Warriors  
Maroon, White
2021300A/1A/1A1A/2A11-manNone
Westville [26] Westville, IL Vermilion Tigers
Lady Tigers
  
Orange, Black
2003370A/1A/1A2A11-manNone

Previous Members

SchoolLocationMascotColorsYear
Joined
Year
Exited
School
In Use
Consolidated
Closed
Current
District/Conference
Chatsworth [27] Chatsworth, IL Bluebirds  
Blue, Orange
1933 [1] 1985NoConsolidated Prairie Central
Cullom Community [28] Cullom, IL Ramblers  
Blue, White
1933 [1] 1968YesConsolidated Tri-Point
Forrest Township [29] Forrest, IL Eskimos   
Red, Black, White
1933 [1] 1949NoConsolidated
Forrest-Strawn-Wing
Prairie Central
Herscher Herscher, IL Tigers  
Gold, Black
1933 [1] 1956YesLeft the Conference Illinois Central Eight Conference
Saunemin [30] Saunemin, IL Eagles  
Purple, White
1933 [1] 1987NoClosed Pontiac Township
Kempton [31] Kempton, IL Red Devils  
Red, White
1939 [32] 1946NoConsolidated
Kempton-Cabery
Tri-Point
Piper City [33] Piper City, IL Blue Streaks  
Blue, White
1939 [32] 1974YesConsolidated
Ford Central
Tri-Point
Ford Central [34] Piper City, IL Cougars  
Columbia Blue, Gold
1939 [32] 1983YesConsolidated Tri-Point
Reddick [35] Piper City, IL Bulldogs   
Orange, Black, White
1939 [32] 1944NoLeft the Conference Herscher
Onarga [36] Onarga, IL Indians  
Maroon, White
1941 [37] 1983YesConsolidated Iroquois West
Kempton-Cabery [38] Kempton, IL Komanches   
Red, Black, White
1946 [39] 1968YesConsolidated Tri-Point
Forrest-Strawn-Wing [40] Forrest, IL Eskimos   
Red, Black, White
1949 [41] 1985NoConsolidated Prairie Central
Roberts-Thawville [42] Roberts, IL Leprechauns  
Green, White
1953 [43] 1974NoConsolidated
Ford Central
Tri-Point
Melvin-Sibley [44] [45] Melvin, IL Rams  
Orange, Black
1956 [46] 1988NoConsolidated Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
Onarga Military [47] Onarga, IL YellowJackets
Spartans
  
Purple, Gold
1956 [46] 1970NoClosed Iroquois West
Reddick R.U.C.E. [35] Piper City, IL Bulldogs   
Orange, Black, White
1962 [48] [49] 1988NoConsolidated Herscher
Gilman [50] Gilman, IL Owls  
Red, Blue
1962 [49] 1983YesConsolidated Iroquois West
Tri-Point Cullom, IL Chargers   
Scarlet, White, Royal
1968 [51] 1988YesConference
Disbanded
River Valley Conference
Cornell [52] Cornell, IL Cardinals  
Maroon, White
1972 [53] [54] [55] 1987NoConsolidated Flanagan-Cornell
Milford Milford, IL Bearcats
Lady Bearcats
  
Blue, White
1972 [55] 1982YesLeft the ConferenceVermilion Valley Conference
Gardner-South Wilmington Gardner, IL Panthers
Lady Panthers
  
Orange, Black
19861988YesConference
Disbanded
River Valley Conference
Mazon-Verona-Kinsman [56] Mazon, IL Red Devils  
Red, White
19861988YesConsolidated Seneca

Sources:IHSA Conferences, [57] and IHSA Member Schools Directory [58]

Membership timeline

Vermilion Valley Conference

Vermilion Valley (Original)Vermilion Valley (Current)

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Form new prep conference including C.I. schools". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 10. Jan 15, 1933.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. The Great Conferences
  3. Vermilion Valley Conference Bylaws
  4. IHSA Archives Vermilion Valley Football Conference Standings 2004
  5. Mitchell, Michelle (Aug 4, 2020). "Vermilion Valley, Sangamon Valley Conferences Forming Football Alliance". vermilioncountyfirst.com. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  6. Beherns, Bret (Aug 3, 2020). "New Vermilion Valley Conference unveiled". WCIA . Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  7. Smith, Cody (Nov 2, 2022). "Dwight football joins new Chicago Prairie Football League". Daily-Journal . Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  8. Pedelty, J.T.; Soucie, Steve; Ellerbrock, Charlie (Nov 2, 2022). "Seneca, Dwight among 8 teams forming Chicago Prairie Football League". Shaw Local News Network . Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  9. LaChance, Brandon (June 1, 2021). "Dwight Trojans Find New Home in Tri-County Conference, Vermilion Valley Conference". The Paper. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  10. Wierda,Marlee; Choate, Craig (May 23, 2020). "Paxton-Buckley-Loda among four schools leaving SVC". WCIA . Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  11. IHSA Conferences
  12. 1 2 3 "Numeric Enrollments | Enrollments & Classifications | Schools | IHSA".
  13. "Football Conference Schedules, Standings & Results".
  14. Armstrong High School
  15. Bismarck Henning Rossville-Alvin High School
  16. Salt Fork High School
  17. Chrisman High School
  18. Cissna Park High School
  19. Danville Schlarman
  20. Fithian Oakwood High School
  21. Georgetown-Ridge Farm High School
  22. Hoopeston Area High School
  23. Iroquois West High School
  24. Milford High School
  25. Watseka High School
  26. Westville High School
  27. Chatsworth High School
  28. Cullom Community High School
  29. Forrest Township High School
  30. Saunemin High School
  31. Kempton High School
  32. 1 2 3 4 "VV Conference Takes New Members". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 8. Oct 14, 1939.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  33. Piper City High School
  34. Ford Central High School
  35. 1 2 Reddick High School
  36. Onarga High School
  37. "Onarga New Vermilion Valley Loop Member". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 8. May 13, 1941.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  38. Kempton-Cabery High School
  39. "Voters Decide to Disband Cabery School". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 5. Apr 23, 1946.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  40. Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School
  41. "To Decide Unit Proposal at Strawn". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 21. Mar 24, 1949.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  42. Roberts-Thawville High School
  43. "Rob-Thaw Unit Joins Vermilion Valley League". The Paxton Record. page 5. Oct 8, 1953.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  44. Melvin-Sibley High School
  45. "Melvin-Sibley Unit Vote Set". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 5. Jan 21, 1949.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  46. 1 2 "Melvin-Sibley Onarga Mil Join Vermilion Valley". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 7. Feb 20, 1955.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  47. Onarga Military Academy
  48. "Melvin-Sibley Seeks Title Repeat--Reddick a Threat". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 13. Nov 30, 1962.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  49. 1 2 "Reddick, Gilman Added to VV Conference League". The Paxton Record. page 13. May 18, 1961.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  50. Gilman High School
  51. "Name Change Noted". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 7. Sep 22, 1968.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  52. Cornell High School
  53. "Cornell cagers to make Vermilion Valley debut". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 31. Nov 8, 1972.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  54. "Cornell Cardinals". The Daily Leader . page 20. Nov 24, 1972.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  55. 1 2 "Cornell, Milford added to Vermilion Valley loop". Bloomington Pantagraph . page 19. Nov 5, 1971.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  56. Mazon-Verona-Kinsman High School
  57. "IHSA.org Conferences". www.ihsa.org.
  58. "Schools - IHSA". www.ihsa.org.