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Draft:Black Hawk League

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The Black Hawk League is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin. Formed in 1930 and in operation until 1997, its membership consisted primarily of small high schools in the southwest corner of Wisconsin. All members (with the exception of two) were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

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Founding and Early Years (1930-1959)

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The Black Hawk League was founded in 1930 by six small high schools in southwestern Wisconsin: Belmont, Benton, Hazel Green (now Southwestern), New Diggings, Shullsburg and South Wayne.[1] It was named after the portion of southwestern Wisconsin (then Michigan Territory) where the Black Hawk War had been fought a century earlier. Membership grew to eight schools after World War II with the addition of Gratiot High School in 1946[2] and Scales Mound High School in 1947.[3] In 1953, New Diggings High School was closed when their district was consolidated into Hazel Green,[4] and Scales Mound left two years later to join the U.S. Grant Conference, an IHSA-sponsored conference in Illinois.[5]

Consolidation-Driven Realignment (1959-1979)

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The consolidation of rural school districts and folding of smaller athletic conferences in southwestern Wisconsin continued to affect Black Hawk League membership into the 1960s and 1970s. Cassville and Potosi joined from the West Grant League in 1959,[6] and Bloomington joined the next year when the conference disbanded after all other members were lost to consolidation.[7] South Wayne left to join the State Line League in 1962[8] and were replaced by Highland joined from the Iowa-Wisconsin River League in 1963,[9] one year before that conference's demise. The Black Hawk League lost Gratiot when it consolidated with South Wayne to form Black Hawk High School in 1967,[10] and they took South Wayne's place in the State Line League. West Grant moved over from the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League in 1969 to take their place.[11] The Black Hawk League added a tenth member (and its only private school) in 1979 when Martin Luther Prep moved their campus from New Ulm, Minnesota to the former Campion High School campus in Prairie du Chien.[12]

Final Years and State Line League Merger (1979-1997)

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Southwestern High School's exit for the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League brought conference membership in the Black Hawk League to nine in 1983.[13] 1995 saw an even more drastic change to membership, with a net loss of two schools in the process. Martin Luther Prep merged with Northwestern Prep in Watertown to form Luther Prep, closing the Prairie du Chien campus in the process.[14] In addition, Bloomington and West Grant were consolidated into River Ridge High School,[15][16] repurposing the West Grant High School campus for their new home. Two years later, the seven members of the Black Hawk League merged with the nine members of the State Line League to form the new Six Rivers Conference.[17]

Conference Membership History

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School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Belmont Belmont, WI Public 121 Braves     1930[1] 1997[17] Six Rivers
Benton Benton, WI Public 65 Zephyrs     1930[1] 1997[17] Six Rivers
New Diggings New Diggings, WI Public N/A Midgets     1930[1] 1953[4] Closed (consolidated into Hazel Green)
Shullsburg Shullsburg, WI Public 104 Miners     1930[1] 1997[17] Six Rivers
South Wayne South Wayne, WI Public N/A Vandals     1930[1] 1962[8] State Line Closed (consolidated into Black Hawk)[10]
Southwestern Hazel Green, WI Public 162 Wildcats     1930[1] 1983[13] Southern Eight SWAL
Gratiot Gratiot, WI Public N/A Hilltoppers     1946[2] 1967[10] Closed (consolidated into Black Hawk)[10]
Scales Mound Scales Mound, IL Public 80[18] Hornets     1947[3] 1955[5] U.S. Grant (IHSA) Northwest Upsate Illini (IHSA)
Cassville Cassville, WI Public 57 Comets     1959[6] 1997[17] Six Rivers
Potosi Potosi, WI Public 107 Chieftains     1959[6] 1997[17] Six Rivers
Bloomington Bloomington, WI Public N/A Blue Jays     1960[7] 1995[15][16] Closed (consolidated into River Ridge)[15][16]
Highland Highland, WI Public 105 Cardinals     1963[9] 1997[17] Six Rivers
West Grant Patch Grove, WI Public N/A Falcons     1969[11] 1995[15][16] Closed (consolidated into River Ridge)[15][16]
Martin Luther Prep Prairie du Chien, WI Private (Lutheran, WELS) N/A Rams     1979[12] 1995[14] Merged with Northwestern Prep (Luther Prep)
River Ridge Patch Grove, WI Public 175 Timberwolves       1995[15][16] 1997[17] Six Rivers

List of State Champions

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Fall Sports

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Football
School Year Division
Martin Luther Prep 1979[19] WISAA Class B
Martin Luther Prep 1982[20] WISAA Class B
Martin Luther Prep 1987[21] WISAA Class B

Winter Sports

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Boys Basketball
School Year Division
Bloomington 1972 Class B
Shullsburg 1991 Division 4
Cassville 1994 Division 4
Cassville 1995 Division 4

Spring Sports

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Baseball
School Year Division
Potosi 1993 Division 3
Softball
School Year Division
Martin Luther Prep 1989[22] WISAA Class B
Girls Track & Field
School Year Division
Bloomington 1975 Class C

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Black Hawk League for Preps Organized". Wisconsin State Journal. 14 November 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Southern State Prep Basketball Standings". Wisconsin State Journal. 22 December 1946. p. 28. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b Dommershausen, Joe (24 November 1947). "Preps to Open Play in Six More Loops". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 16. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b "New Diggings Case Settled". Platteville Journal and Grant County News. 11 December 1952. p. 15. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Hanover Wins". Freeport Journal-Standard. 15 February 1956. p. 10. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Blackhawk Prep League Admits Cassville, Potosi". Wisconsin State Journal. 29 August 1958. p. 34. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b Patterson, John (18 February 1960). "Blackhawk League Accepts Bluejays". The Bloomington Record. p. 1. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b "South Wayne to Enter State Line Prep Loop". Wisconsin State Journal. 24 September 1961. p. 30. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Prep Cage Standings". Wisconsin State Journal. 22 December 1963. p. 24. Retrieved 11 December 1963. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d Wedeward, Dave (14 September 1967). "High Notes". Janesville Weekly Gazette. p. 19. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b "West Grant to be in Blackhawk League". The Boscobel Dial. 10 October 1968. p. 9. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b Associated Press (12 December 1978). "WISAA adds three, increases size to 64". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 19. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Iowa-Grant, Cuba City put heat on Platteville". Wisconsin State Journal. 28 August 1983. pp. 54 (Football '83 insert). Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b Kabelowsky, Steve (25 August 1994). "Martin Luther Prep hopes final season is one to remember". La Crosse Tribune. pp. 33 (Football '94 insert). Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "Variety of issues approved, defeated". Wisconsin State Journal. 9 November 1994. p. 11. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "Defending champ Cassville will be tested". Wisconsin State Journal. 27 August 1995. pp. 67 (Football '95 insert). Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h Hernandez, Rob (20 May 1997). "Leagues realign: For now, merger brings no changes". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 30. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Two-Year Cycle Enrollments and Classifications". Illinois High School Association. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Lutheran's crusade falls short". Racine Journal Times. 4 November 1979. pp. 1C. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Martin Luther wins WISAA Class B title". Wisconsin State Journal. 7 November 1982. p. 28. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  21. ^ Associated Press (8 November 1987). "Prairie du Chien wins in WISAA football". Oshkosh Northwestern. p. 32. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  22. ^ AP, State Journal staff (21 May 1989). "Martin Luther Prep takes softball title". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 9E. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
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