Vermilion Valley Conference
High school conference in Illinois
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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
| School | Location | County | Mascot | Colors | Joined | Enrollment[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 |
2003 | 136 | A/1A/1A | 3A | 11-Man | Yes Hoopeston |
| Bismarck Henning Rossville-Alvin[15] | Bismarck, IL | Vermilion | Blue Devils | Blue, Silver, White |
2003 | 338 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-Man | None |
| Salt Fork[16] | Catlin, IL | Vermilion | Storm | Black, Silver, White |
2003 | 254 | A/1A/1A | 1A | 11-Man | None |
| Chrisman[17] | Chrisman, IL | Edgar | Cardinals | Red, Black |
2003 | 100 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-Man | Yes Georgetown-Ridge Farm |
| Cissna Park[18] | Cissna Park, IL | Iroquois | Timberwolves | Navy Blue, Silver, Columbia Blue |
2021 | 99 | A/1A/1A | 1A | 8-Man | Yes Milford |
| Schlarman[19] | Danville, IL | Vermilion | Hilltoppers | Blue, Gold |
2003 | 145 | A/1A/1A | 1A | 8-Man | None |
| Oakwood[20] | Fithian, IL | Vermilion | Comets | Purple, White |
2003 | 305 | A/1A/1A | 1A/2A | 11-man | None |
| Georgetown-Ridge Farm[21] | Georgetown, IL | Vermilion | Buffaloes | Purple, Gold, White |
2003 | 277 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-Man | Yes Chrisman |
| Hoopeston Area[22] | Hoopeston, IL | Vermilion | Cornjerkers | Blue, White |
2003 | 320 | A/1A/1A | 3A | 11-Man | Yes Armstrong |
| Iroquois West[23] | Gilman, IL | Iroquois | Raiders | Blue, Red, White |
2021 | 310 | A/1A/1A | 1A/2A | 11-man | None |
| Milford[24] | Milford, IL | Iroquois | Bearcats Lady Bearcats |
Blue, White |
2006 | 174 | A/1A/1A | 1A | 8-Man | Yes Cissna Park |
| Watseka[25] | Watseka, IL | Iroquois | Warriors | Maroon, White |
2021 | 300 | A/1A/1A | 1A/2A | 11-man | None |
| Westville[26] | Westville, IL | Vermilion | Tigers Lady Tigers |
Orange, Black |
2003 | 370 | A/1A/1A | 2A | 11-man | None |
Previous Members
| School | Location | Mascot | Colors | Year Joined |
Year Exited |
School In Use |
Consolidated Closed |
Current District/Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatsworth[27] | Chatsworth, IL | Bluebirds | Blue, Orange |
1933[1] | 1985 | No | Consolidated | Prairie Central |
| Cullom Community[28] | Cullom, IL | Ramblers | Blue, White |
1933[1] | 1968 | Yes | Consolidated | Tri-Point |
| Forrest Township[29] | Forrest, IL | Eskimos | Red, Black, White |
1933[1] | 1949 | No | Consolidated Forrest-Strawn-Wing |
Prairie Central |
| Herscher | Herscher, IL | Tigers | Gold, Black |
1933[1] | 1956 | Yes | Left the Conference | Illinois Central Eight Conference |
| Saunemin[30] | Saunemin, IL | Eagles | Purple, White |
1933[1] | 1987 | No | Closed | Pontiac Township |
| Kempton[31] | Kempton, IL | Red Devils | Red, White |
1939[32] | 1946 | No | Consolidated Kempton-Cabery |
Tri-Point |
| Piper City[33] | Piper City, IL | Blue Streaks | Blue, White |
1939[32] | 1974 | Yes | Consolidated Ford Central |
Tri-Point |
| Ford Central[34] | Piper City, IL | Cougars | Columbia Blue, Gold |
1939[32] | 1983 | Yes | Consolidated | Tri-Point |
| Reddick[35] | Reddick, IL | Bulldogs | Orange, Black, White |
1939[32] | 1944 | No | Left the Conference | Herscher |
| Onarga[36] | Onarga, IL | Indians | Maroon, White |
1941[37] | 1983 | Yes | Consolidated | Iroquois West |
| Kempton-Cabery[38] | Kempton, IL | Komanches | Red, Black, White |
1946[39] | 1968 | Yes | Consolidated | Tri-Point |
| Forrest-Strawn-Wing[40] | Forrest, IL | Eskimos | Red, Black, White |
1949[41] | 1985 | No | Consolidated | Prairie Central |
| Roberts-Thawville[42] | Roberts, IL | Leprechauns | Green, White |
1953[43] | 1974 | No | Consolidated Ford Central |
Tri-Point |
| Melvin-Sibley[44][45] | Melvin, IL | Rams | Orange, Black |
1956[46] | 1988 | No | Consolidated | Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley |
| Onarga Military[47] | Onarga, IL | YellowJackets Spartans |
Purple, Gold |
1956[46] | 1970 | No | Closed | Iroquois West |
| Reddick R.U.C.E.[35] | Reddick, IL | Bulldogs | Orange, Black, White |
1962[48][49] | 1988 | No | Consolidated | Herscher |
| Gilman[50] | Gilman, IL | Owls | Red, Blue |
1962[49] | 1983 | Yes | Consolidated | Iroquois West |
| Tri-Point | Cullom, IL | Chargers | Scarlet, White, Royal |
1968[51] | 1988 | Yes | Conference Disbanded |
River Valley Conference |
| Cornell[52] | Cornell, IL | Cardinals | Maroon, White |
1972[53][54][55] | 1987 | No | Consolidated | Flanagan-Cornell |
| Milford | Milford, IL | Bearcats Lady Bearcats |
Blue, White |
1972[55] | 1982 | Yes | Left the Conference | Vermilion Valley Conference |
| Gardner-South Wilmington | Gardner, IL | Panthers Lady Panthers |
Orange, Black |
1986 | 1988 | Yes | Conference Disbanded |
River Valley Conference |
| Mazon-Verona-Kinsman[56] | Mazon, IL | Red Devils | Red, White |
1986 | 1988 | Yes | Consolidated | Seneca |
Sources:IHSA Conferences,[57] and IHSA Member Schools Directory[58]
Membership timeline
Vermilion Valley (Original) Vermilion Valley (Current)