Lincoln Trail Conference

The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The conference comprises public high schools with small enrollments in portions of Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties.

Lincoln Trail Conference
AssociationIHSA
Members11
RegionCentral Illinois (Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties)
Locations
The Lincoln Trail Conference within Illinois

Current membership
School Location Mascot Colors Enrollment IHSA Classes 2/3/4[1] IHSA Music Class[2] IHSA Football Class[3] IHSA Cheerleading Class[2]
AlWood High School Woodhull, IL Aces     116 A/1A/1A D 1A Small squad
Annawan High School Annawan, IL Braves     120 A/1A/1A D 2A Small squad
Cambridge High School Cambridge, IL Vikings     146 A/1A/1A D 1A Small squad
Galva High School Galva, IL Wildcats     179 A/1A/1A D 3A Small Squad
Mercer County High School Aledo, IL Golden Eagles       395 A/1A/2A B 3A Small squad
Princeville High School Princeville, IL Princes     242 A/1A/1A C 1A Small squad
ROWVA High School Oneida, IL Tigers     191 A/1A/1A C 3A Small squad
Stark County High School Toulon, IL Rebels       271 A/1A/1A C 1A Small squad
United Senior High School Monmouth, IL Red Storm       321 A/1A/1A C 2A Small squad
Wethersfield High School Kewanee, IL Flying Geese     189 A/1A/1A C 2A Small squad
West Central High School Biggsville, IL Heat       270 A/1A/1A C 1A Small squad

Sources:IHSA Conferences[4] and IHSA Member Schools Directory[5]

History

The Lincoln Trail Conference (LTC) was established in 1976. The eight charter members included Cambridge, Winola, and Alwood from the Corn Belt Conference; Alexis, Galva and ROVA from the Little 6 Conference; and Wethersfield and Toulon-LaFayette from the Blackhawk Conference.[6]

Wethersfield played an independent schedule that first season and its first full conference slate wasn't until 1977. In 1988 Viola-Winola closed and Joy-Westmer replaced them in 1989. In 1992 Toulon consolidated with Wyoming and became known as Stark County. Alexis left briefly in 1993 and Annawan and Princeville joined in 1995. In 1998 Alexis was back in along with newcomers Biggsville Union and Monmouth Warren. The league divided into two divisions with Cambridge, Galva, Wethersfield, ROWVA, Princeville and Stark County in the East, and Alexis, Annawan, Biggsville, Westmer, Warren and Alwood in the West. In 2004 Alexis and Monmouth Warren consolidated forming Alexis United, and Biggsville Union left the loop to coop with Stronghurst Southern and the division set up was dropped. In 2005 Oneida ROWVA and Woodhull-Alwood co-oped in football and Biggsville Union rejoined under the name of West Central having consolidated with Stronghurst Southern. Football was not a conference sport from 2006–2009. During that time the Lincoln Trail Conference was a component of the West Prairie Trail mega conference for football only. The components of the West Prairie Trail conference were the West Central Conference, Prairieland Conference and Lincoln Trail Conference. The Lincoln Trail may reform as a football conference moving forward with the following teams: Annawan/Wethersfield co-op, Cambridge/AlWood co-op, Galva/Williamsfield co-op, Mercer County, Stark County, Princeville, Sciota West Prairie, West Central, and the River Valley co-op (Henry, Low Point-Washburn, Midland) which is not a member for other sports.[7]

Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, the schools of the present day conference are known to have participated in several other conferences. During the life of the conference many changes have occurred, the following table and timeline summarize major events:[7]

School Years Consolidations Conference Came From Conference Went To
Aledo High School 2006–2009 Aledo+Westmer=Mercer County (2009) Olympic (2006) Mercer County remained in LTC (2009)
Alexis High School 1976–1993;
1998–2004		 Alexis+Warren=United (2004) Little 6 (1976);
Bi County(1998)		 Bi County (1993);
United remained in LTC (2004)
AlWood High School 1976–Present Alpha+Woodhull=AlWood (1948) Corn Belt (1976)
Annawan High School 1995–Present Indian Valley (1995)
Cambridge High School 1976–Present Corn Belt (1976)
Galva High School 1976–Present Little 6 (1976)
Mercer County High School 2009–Present Aledo+Westmer=Mercer County (2009) Consolidation of 2 LTC members (2009)
Princeville High School 1995–Present Indian Valley (1995)
River Valley Coop Football only 2010–2012 Henry+Low Point-Washburn+Midland=River Valley Coop Big Rivers
ROVA High School 1976–1987 Rio+Oneida+Victoria+Altona=ROVA (1948);
ROVA+Galesburg (Wataga students)=ROWVA (1987)		 Little 6 (1976) ROWVA remained in LTC (1987)
ROWVA High School 1987–Present ROVA+Galesburg (Wataga students)=ROWVA (1987) Consolidation of LTC member and some Western Big 6 member students (1987)
Stark County High School 1992–Present Toulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County (1992) Consolidation of LTC member and Indian Valley member (1992)
Toulon-LaFayette High School 1976–1992 Toulon Township+LaFayette=Toulon-LaFayette (1970);
Toulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County (1992)		 Blackhawk & Inter County Athletic Conference (1976) Stark County remained in LTC (1992)
Union High School (Biggsville) 1998–2004 Biggsville+Gladstone-Qquawka=Union (1960);
Union+Stronghurst Southern=West Central (2005)		 Bi County (1998) West Central (2004)
United High School 2004–Present Alexis+Warren=United (2004);
added Yorkwood (2007)		 Consolidation of 2 LTC members (2004);
added Prairieland member (2007)
Warren High School (Monmouth) 1998–2004 Alexis+Warren=United (2004) Bi County (1998) United remained in LTC (2004)
Westmer High School 1989–2009 Joy+Keithsburg+New Boston=Westmer (1960);
Aledo+Westmer= Mercer County (2009)		 Olympic 1976–1987;
Unknown 1987–1989		 Mercer County remained in LTC (2009)
Wethersfield High School 1976–Present Blackhawk (1976)
West Central High School 2005–Present Union+Stronghurst Southern=West Central (2005) Consolidation of 2 West Central members (2005)
West Prairie High School (Sciota) 2010–2014
Winola High School 1976–1988 New Windsor+Viola=Winola (19??);
Winola into Sherrard (1988)		 Corn Belt (1976) Olympic (1988)

Timeline
  • 1976 – Lincoln Trial Conference forms with initial members Alexis, AlWood, Cambridge, Galva, ROVA, Toulon-LaFayette, Wethersfield, and Winola
  • 1987 – ROVA consolidates with Wataga students attending Galesburg to become ROWVA
  • 1988 – Winola leaves
  • 1989 – Westmer joins
  • 1992 – Toulon-LaFayette consolidates with Wyoming to become Stark County
  • 1993 – Alexis leaves
  • 1995 – Annawan and Princeville join
  • 1997 – Divisional east and west format adopted for boys football
  • 1998 – Alexis returns, Union joins, and Warren joins
  • 2004 – Union leaves, Alexis consolidates with Warren to become United, divisional format dropped for boys football
  • 2005 – West Central joins
  • 2006 – Aledo joins and boys football leaves to participate in the West Prairie Trail mega conference
  • 2007 – Yorkwood consolidates into United
  • 2009 – Aledo and Westmer consolidate to become Mercer County
  • 2010 – Boys football returns

Competitive success

The Lincoln Trail Conference has won 3 team state championships and 1 individual championship in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities. Through the 2008–2009 season the conference has won Illinois state titles in:[5]

  • Boys Football (Wethersfield 2001–2002; United 2004–2005; Mercer County 2012–2013)
  • Girls Track and Field (West Central High School Theresa Brokaw Class A 1600 meter run 2006)

Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, or before joining the conference several member schools won Illinois state championships, including:

Cooperative arrangements

Due to the small enrollment, several Lincoln Trail Conference schools form cooperative arrangements. The current arrangements are shown below.

Boys Baseball

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • ROWVA and Williamsfield (non-Conference)

Boys Basketball

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • ROWVA and Williamsfield (non-Conference)

Girls Basketball

  • AlWood and Cambridge

Boys Cross Country

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • Galva and ROWVA

Girls Cross Country

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • Galva and ROWVA

Boys Football

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • Galva, ROWVA, and Williamsfield (non-Conference)

Girls Volleyball

  • AlWood and Cambridge

Boys Golf

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • Galva and ROWVA
  • West Central and West Prairie (non-Conference)

Girls Golf

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • Galva and ROWVA
  • West Central and West Prairie (non-Conference)

Boys Track and Field

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • ROWVA and Williamsfield (non-Conference)

Girls Track and Field

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield
  • ROWVA and Williamsfield (non-Conference)

Girls Softball

  • AlWood and Cambridge
  • Annawan and Wethersfield

References
  1. Archived May 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Archived June 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Archived May 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Archived April 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Schools". IHSA. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  6. "The Great Conferences". Illinoishsglorydays.com. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  7. "The Great Conferences". Illinoishsglorydays.com. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
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