The Little Okaw Valley Conference is a high school conference in central Illinois, in the United States. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprises five small public high schools with enrollments between 80 and 270 students in Coles, Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, and Piatt counties.
Conference | IHSA |
---|---|
Gegründet | 1970 |
No. of teams | 5 |
Region | Central Illinois (Coles, Douglas, Moultrie, and Piatt Counties) |
History
editAlso known as the LOVC, the Little Okaw Valley Conference was founded in 1970 with schools from Arthur, Atwood, Bement, Cerro Gordo, Hammond, Homer, Newman, Oakland, and Villa Grove, Illinois.[1]
Seven of the eight charter members were small schools from the Okaw Valley Conference and they included: Arthur, Atwood-Hammond,[2][3] Bement, Cerro Gordo, Newman,[4] Oakland, and Villa Grove High Schools. Additionally, the league included a school from the East Central Conference, Homer High School.[5]
As the conference moved through the 1970s the number of teams remained the same, however, after the 1980 school year, Homer, Newman and Oakland would leave for the newly formed East Okaw Conference.[6] However, Arcola and Lovington would join that same year.[7]
The conference would include only six schools for the remainder of the 1980s with the next change occurring in 1994 as Atwood-Hammond and Bement would join forces as the South Piatt[8] Coop during the football season, however, they would compete as individual schools for all other sports. Additionally that same year, Tuscola would join the league from the now defunct Meridian Conference.[9] This, however, gave the league an odd number for all other sports beyond football.
Two years later, in 1996, the conference expanded with the addition of Broadlands Heritage, Hume Shiloh,[10] Illiopolis[11] Niantic-Harristown[12] and the return of Oakland High School.[13] This would put the league at 12 schools for all sports except football where there were 11 teams. The number of football teams were reduced for the 1997 season when Heritage and Shiloh began a football coop known as East Central.[14] The league would stay nearly the same as the 1990s came to a close.
As the 2000s began, the league remained stable with very few changes. Bethany[15] and Findlay High Schools[16] consolidated into Okaw Valley[17] and joined the league in 2001, the same year the Meridian Conference would cease to exist. In 2004, the high schools from Niantic-Harristown and Illiopolis consolidated, becoming Sangamon Valley High School.[18] This again reduced the number of schools competing in the conference. However, the conference was not done growing and by 2006 the list of schools included 12 teams: Arcola, Arthur, Atwood-Hammond, Bement, Cerro Gordo, Heritage, Hume Shiloh, Lovington, Okaw Valley, Sangamon Valley, Tuscola, and Villa Grove.[19] However, this would be the final year for Tuscola, they would leave for the Okaw Valley Conference at the end of the 2006–07 school year. In 2009, Martinsville,[20] joined the league, increasing the number of schools to 13.[19][21] The conference would remain status quo until 2014 where an expansion would take place as nine schools would leave the Okaw Valley Conference.[22]
Argenta-Oreana, Decatur LSA, Hutsonville/Palestine (coop), Oblong, and Toledo Cumberland would join in 2014.[23] This increase in schools created a two division football conference prior to the 2016 season. Those divisions were the Northwest and Southeast. The Northeast included: Arcola, Argenta-Oreana, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, Cerro Gordo-Bement, Decatur LSA, and Sangamon Valley. The Southeast included: Cumberland, Martinsville, Oblong, Palestine-Hutsonville, Tri-County, and Villa Grove.[24] In 2018, another new member would join the LOVC, Blue Ridge High School.[25]
Unfortunately, even before Blue Ridge joined the league, an uprising had begun based on the distance required to travel between schools as well as maintaining a closed football conference. Because of situation, in December 2017, 15 of the conference schools announced their intention to leave the LOVC.[26][27] These schools were moving to a new conference, the Lincoln Prairie. The only schools not moving to the new league were Martinsville, Hutsonville, Palestine and Oblong.
The most recent school to join the conference is Bridgeport Red Hill High School.[28] As of 2023, the conference maintains five high schools: Bridgeport Red Hill, Hutsonville, Oblong, Palestine, and Martinsville.[29] None of the current schools are charter members.
Member schools
editSchool | Standort | Mascot | Colors | Enrollment[30] | IHSA Classes 1/2/3/4[30] | IHSA Football Class[30] | IHSA Football Type[31] |
Coop/Team | Affiliated Conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red Hill[32] | Bridgeport, IL | Salukis | Red, White, Blue |
264 | A/1A/1A | 1A | 11-Man | No | Midland Trail |
Hutsonville[33] | Hutsonville, IL | Tigers Lady Tigers |
Orange, Black |
105 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-man | Oblong (Host) Palestine |
None |
Oblong[34] | Oblong, IL | Panthers Lady Panthers |
Royal Blue, Gold |
180 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-Man | Hutsonville Palestine |
None |
Palestine[35] | Palestine, IL | Pioneers | Royal Blue, White |
79 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-Man | Oblong (Host) Hutsonville |
None |
Martinsville[36] | Martinsville, IL | Blue Streaks | Blue, White |
100 | A/1A/1A | NA | 8-Man | No | None |
Previous Members
editSchool | Standort | Mascot | Colors | Year Joined |
Year Departed |
Conference Joined |
Current Conference |
Consolidated Schools |
Current High School |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arthur | Arthur, IL | Knights | Red, White |
1970 | 2012 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Lovington (2012) |
ALAH |
Atwood-Hammond[37] | Atwood, IL | Rajahs Rajenes |
Black, Gold |
1970 | 2014 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Arthur-Lovington (2014) |
ALAH |
Bement[38] | Bement, IL | Bulldogs Lady Bulldogs |
Purple, White |
1970 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Cerro Gordo[39] | Cerro Gordo, IL | Broncos | Blue, Orange |
1970 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Homer[5] | Homer, IL | Panthers | Maroon, Gold |
1970 | 1980 | East Okaw | School Closed (1988) | Broadlands ABL[40] (1989) |
Heritage |
Newman[4] | Newman, IL | Redskins | Red, White |
1970 | 1980 | East Okaw | School Closed (1994) | Hume Shiloh (1994) |
Shiloh |
Oakland[41] | Oakland, IL | Titans Lady Titans |
Purple, Orange |
1970 1996 |
1980 2019 |
East Okaw | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Villa Grove[42] | Villa Grove, IL | Blue Devils | Blue, Gold |
1970 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Arcola[43] | Arcola, IL | Purple Riders Lady Riders |
Purple, White |
1980 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Lovington[44] | Lovington, IL | Panthers | Purple, Gold |
1980 | 2012 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Arthur (2012) |
ALAH |
Tuscola[45] | Tuscola, IL | Warriors Lady Warriors |
Black, Gold |
1994 | 2007 | Okaw Valley | Central Illinois | No | NA |
Heritage[46] | Broadlands, IL | Hawks | Navy Blue, Silver |
1996 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Shiloh[47] | Hume, IL | Titans Lady Titans |
Blue, Orange, Purple |
1996 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Illiopolis[11] | Illiopolis, IL | Pirates | Red, Black |
1996 | 2004 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Niantic-Harristown (2004) |
Sangamon Valley |
Niantic-Harristown[48] | Harristown, IL | Indians | Purple, Yellow |
1996 | 2004 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Illiopolis (2004) |
Sangamon Valley |
Okaw Valley[49] | Bethany, IL | Timberwolves | Blue, Silver, Black |
2001 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Sangamon Valley[50] | Niantic, IL | Storm | Navy Blue, Silver, Columbia Blue |
2004 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Arthur-Lovington | Arthur, IL | Knights | Red, White |
2012 | 2014 | NA | Lincoln Prairie | Atwood-Hammond (2014) |
ALAH |
Argenta-Oreana[51] | Argenta, IL | Bombers | Orange, Royal Blue |
2014 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Unity Christian[52] | Decatur, IL | Lions Lady Lions |
Red, White, Black |
2014 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Cumberland[53] | Toledo, IL | Pirates Lady Pirates |
Columbia Blue, Gold, White |
2014 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
ALAH[54] | Arthur, IL | Knights | Red, Black, Vegas Gold |
2014 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Blue Ridge[55] | Farmer City, IL | Knights Lady Knights |
Royal Blue, Silver |
2018 | 2019 | Lincoln Prairie | Lincoln Prairie | No | NA |
Sources:IHSA Conferences,[56] and IHSA Member Schools Directory[57]
Membership timeline
edit![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/f6ro1ereij7i6tpushib03qi7yewo2m.png)
Full Members
References
edit- ^ "Villa Grove joins Little Okaw Valley". Herald & Review. page 21. Jun 11, 1970.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Atwood High School
- ^ Hammond High School
- ^ a b Newman High School
- ^ a b Homer High School
- ^ "Economy, enrollment alter prep conferences". Herald & Review. page 21. Dec 25, 1979.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Changes likely in Okaw Conference". Herald & Review. page 22. Jun 18, 1981.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Longtime rivals will join forces next season in football". Herald & Review. page C4. Oct 27, 1993.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Widespread Changes Formation of South Piatt team, Tuscola move aids Little Okaw". Herald & Review. page 11. Apr 13, 1993.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Hume Shiloh High School
- ^ a b Illiopolis High School
- ^ Niantic-Harristown
- ^ "Standard of excellence Tuscola picked to repeat in Little Okaw". Herald & Review. page 50. Aug 25, 1995.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Little Okaw Valley All-Conference First Team". Herald & Review. page 14. Nov 22, 1997.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Bethany High School
- ^ Findlay High School
- ^ Okaw Valley High School
- ^ "Niantic-Harristown/Illiopolis school district consolidation". Herald & Review. page 2. Mar 17, 2004.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ a b LOVC Standings (2006-2014)
- ^ Martinsville High School
- ^ "Ultra-small school Martinsville ready for LOVC". Herald & Review. page C4. Aug 26, 2009.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Helregel, Andrew (Sep 25, 2012). "Nine schools decide to leave Okaw Valley Conference". Piatt County Journal-Republican. Retrieved Apr 18, 2023.
- ^ "Argenta-Oreana Voted Out of New Central Illinois Conference; Applies to Little Okaw". DeWitt Daily News. 2014. Retrieved Apr 17, 2023.
- ^ Digital Scout
- ^ "Blue Ridge leaving HOIC, set to join LOVC". WCIA. Mar 23, 2017. Retrieved Apr 17, 2023.
- ^ Rainey, Zachary (Apr 2, 2019). "Cumberland, 14 others found Lincoln Prairie Conference". Effingham Daily News. Retrieved Apr 17, 2023.
- ^ Arenz, Jeff (Dec 2, 2017). "Cumberland among 15 schools set to leave Little Okaw Valley Conference". Effingham Daily News. Retrieved Apr 17, 2023.
- ^ "New Conference Affiliation for Red Hill". WAKO. Jan 17, 2020. Retrieved Apr 17, 2023.
- ^ IHSA.org Conference Affiliated Schools
- ^ a b c "Numeric Enrollments | Enrollments & Classifications | Schools | IHSA".
- ^ "Football Conference Schedules, Standings & Results".
- ^ Red Hill High School
- ^ Hutsonville High School
- ^ Oblong High School
- ^ Illini Palestine High School
- ^ Martinsville High School
- ^ Atwood-Hammond High School
- ^ Bement High School
- ^ Cerro Gordo High School
- ^ Broadlands ABL High School
- ^ Oakland High School
- ^ Villa Grove High School
- ^ Arcola High School
- ^ Lovington High School
- ^ Tuscola High School
- ^ Heritage High School
- ^ Shiloh High School
- ^ Niantic-Harristown High School
- ^ Okaw Valley High School
- ^ Sangamon Valley High School
- ^ Argenta-Oreana High School
- ^ Decatur Lutheran Association High School
- ^ Cumberland High School
- ^ Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond High School
- ^ Blue Ridge High School
- ^ "IHSA.org Conferences". www.ihsa.org.
- ^ "Schools - IHSA". www.ihsa.org.