Mid State Conference


The Mid State Conference was a high school conference in central Illinois. The conference participated in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprised 15 small public high schools, with enrollments between 60-340 students in Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, McLean, Tazewell, and Woodford counties.

Mid State Conference
ConferenceIHSA
Founded1949
No. of teams15 (total)
RegionCentral Illinois (Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, McLean, Tazewell, and Woodford counties)

History

The first year of competition for the Mid State was 1949 with eight charter schools: Chenoa, Cornell, El Paso, Fairbury, Flanagan, Gridley, Lexington and Minonk-Dana. In 1951, Fairbury merged with Cropsey High School and remained in the conference as Fairbury-Cropsey High School. Additionally, in 1955, Minonk-Dana consolidated with Rutland High School, again, maintaining a league with eight school. Unfortunately, in 1957, Fairbury-Cropsey left for the short-lived United Conference. For seven years the conference maintained seven schools, however in 1964, Streator Woodland joined the league. Cornell dropped football in 1971, but Deer Creek-Mackinaw was added in 1972 to round out the league again with eight. Gridley dropped football briefly in 1984, but resumed the program in 1986. Cornell would consolidate their enrollment into Flanagan High School in 1987, reducing the number of schools to seven, again. In 1992, Minonk-Dana-Rutland consolidated with a neighboring districts Toluca, and Wenona to become known as Fieldcrest, but remained in the Mid State.

For over 40 years the Mid State Conference maintained seven or eight schools with very few exceptions, however in 1995, Cullom Tri-Point and Tremont joined the league taking the total to 10. Additionally, Colfax Ridgeview and Heyworth would join in 1997, taking the total number of schools to 12. The league would remain at 12 until 2004 when El Paso and Gridley consolidated and Chenoa High School consolidated with Prairie Central. Prairie Central already included a former league member, Fairbury-Cropsey, who in 1985 consolidated with Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School and Chatsworth High Schools.

In the early 2000s, talks began to join forces with the Sangamon Valley Conference in order to create a league with divisions based on enrollment. This conference would be known as the Heart of Illinois and was formed in 2006, thus ending the 56 year old run for the Mid State.[1]

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Locations of Mid State Conference Schools

All-time membership
School Location Mascot Colors County Year Joined Year Left Still Open Consolidated / School Conference Joined
Chenoa High School Chenoa, Illinois Redbirds     McLean 1949 2004 Yes Yes / Prairie Central Corn Belt
Cornell High School Cornell, Illinois Cardinals     Livingston 1949 1987 No Yes / Flanagan-Cornell —
Flanagan High School Flanagan, Illinois Falcons     Livingston 1949 1987 Yes Yes / Flanagan-Cornell —
Flanagan-Cornell High School Flanagan, Illinois Falcons     Livingston 1987 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
El Paso High School El Paso, Illinois Red Comets     McLean 1949 2004 Yes Yes / El Paso-Gridley Heart of Illinois
Gridley High School Gridley, Illinois Redskins     McLean 1949 2004 No Yes / El Paso-Gridley Heart of Illinois
Fairbury High School Fairbury, Illinois Tartars     Livingston 1949 1951 Yes Yes / Fairbury-Cropsey —
Fairbury-Cropsey High School Fairbury, Illinois Tartars     Livingston 1951 1957 Yes Yes / Prairie Central United
Lexington High School Lexington, Illinois Minutemen     McLean 1949 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
Minonk-Dana High School Minonk, Illinois Mohawks     Woodford 1949 1955 Yes Yes / Minonk-Dana-Rutland Heart of Illinois
Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School Minonk, Illinois Mohawks     Woodford 1955 1992 Yes Yes / Fieldcrest Heart of Illinois
Fieldcrest High School Minonk, Illinois Knights     Woodford 1992 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
Woodland High School Streator, Illinois Warriors     Livingston 1964 2006 Yes No Tri-County
Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School Mackinaw, Illinois Chiefs     Tazewell 1972 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
Tri-Point High School Cullom, Illinois Warriors     Livingston 1995 2006 Yes No Sangamon Valley
Tremont High School Tremont, Illinois Turks     Tazewell 1995 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
Ridgeview High School Colfax, Illinois Mustangs     McLean 1997 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois
Heyworth High School Heyworth, Illinois Hornets     McLean 1997 2006 Yes No Heart of Illinois

Sources:IHSA Conferences,[2] and IHSA Member Schools Directory[3] A History of Minonk Schools[4]

Membership timeline

Full members Sources:Illinois High School Glory Days,[5][6]

References
  1. Randy, Sharer (20 August 2006). "Schedulers take common sense approach; League tourneys to use 'McLean County' moniker". Pantagraph. Pantagraph Publishing Co. ProQuest 252630359.
  2. "IHSA.org Conferences". www.ihsa.org.
  3. "Schools - IHSA". www.ihsa.org.
  4. "A History of Minonk Schools".
  5. "The Great Conferences of Illinois".
  6. "Illinois High School Glory Days".
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