Dual County Conference
The Dual County Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin, inaugurated in 1926 as the Columbia County Little Six Conference and ending competition in 2001. All conference members were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History
[edit]Beginnings (1926-1939)
[edit]The Dual County Conference opened competition in 1926 as the Columbia County Forensic League.[1] It was started as a league for academic competition before branching out into athletics in 1928.[2] Its membership consisted of six small high schools in south central Wisconsin: five in Columbia County (Cambria, Fall River, Pardeeville, Poynette and Rio) and one just across the county line in Dodge County (Randolph). The conference expanded to seven schools in 1934, adding Fox Lake High School to its membership roster.[3] The name of the conference became the Columbia County Little Seven Conference, despite the fact that the conference now had two schools in Dodge County.[4]
Name Change and Expansion (1939-1970)
[edit]In 1939, the conference added Reeseville High School and changed its name to the Dual County Conference,[5] owing to the fact that the conference now had three member schools in Dodge County instead of one. Reeseville left the conference in 1942[6][7] when they suspended their athletic program during World War II and were replaced by Markesan High School three years later.[8] This marked the Dual County Conference's first foray into Green Lake County, but the name remained unchanged. Poynette, which had historically been the largest school in the conference, joined the Tri-County League in 1954 and were immediately replaced by Princeton (previously of the Little 7-C Conference).[9] Fox Lake made its exit five years later to join the Fox Valley Tri-County League[10] for its final three years before consolidating with Waupun in 1962.[11] Montello, formerly a member of the Big 7-C Conference, joined the Dual County Conference in 1961.[12] In 1970, Green Lake and Westfield joined the Dual County Conference from the Fox Valley Tri-County League and Vacationland Conference, respectively.[13]
Final Years and Eastern Suburban Merger (1970-2001)
[edit]During the final three decades of the Dual County Conference, there were relatively few changes to membership. Markesan left in 1977 to join the Flyway Conference, and were replaced by Poynette, who were previously part of the Capitol Conference and making their return to the Dual County after a nearly quarter century absence.[14] They rejoined the Capitol Conference in 1987,[15] and membership in the Dual County Conference stayed consistent through the rest of the conference's history. The end of the Dual County Conference came in 2001, when they merged with another conference of small schools in south central Wisconsin (the Eastern Suburban Conference) to form the new Trailways Conference.[16]
Conference Membership History
[edit]School | Location | Affiliation | Enrollment | Mascot | Colors | Joined | Left | Conference Joined | Current Conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cambria-Friesland | Cambria, WI | Public | 100 | Hilltoppers | 1926[1] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Fall River | Fall River, WI | Public | 157 | Pirates | 1926[1] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Pardeeville | Pardeeville, WI | Public | 263 | Bulldogs | 1926[1] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Poynette | Poynette, WI | Public | 310 | Indians | 1926,[1] 1977[14] | 1954,[9] 1987[15] | Tri-County, Capitol | Capitol | |
Randolph | Randolph, WI | Public | 198 | Rockets | 1926[1] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Rio | Rio, WI | Public | 111 | Vikings | 1926[1] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Fox Lake | Fox Lake, WI | Public | N/A | Lakers | 1934[3] | 1959[10] | Fox Valley Tri-County | Closed in 1962[11] | |
Reeseville | Reeseville, WI | Public | N/A | Cardinals | 1939[5] | 1942[6][7] | Independent | Closed in 1970[17] | |
Markesan | Markesan, WI | Public | 254 | Hornets | 1945[8] | 1977[14] | Flyway | Trailways | |
Princeton | Princeton, WI | Public | 109 | Tigers | 1954[9] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Montello | Montello, WI | Public | 251 | Hilltoppers | 1961[12] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Green Lake | Green Lake, WI | Public | 101 | Lakers | 1970[13] | 2001[16] | Trailways | ||
Westfield | Westfield, WI | Public | 295 | Pioneers | 1970[13] | 2001[16] | South Central |
List of State Champions
[edit]Fall Sports
[edit]None
Winter Sports
[edit]School | Year | Division |
---|---|---|
Pardeeville | 1936 | Class C |
Randolph | 1996 | Division 4 |
Randolph | 1998 | Division 4 |
School | Year | Division |
---|---|---|
Pardeeville | 1964 | Single Division |
School | Year | Division |
---|---|---|
Fall River | 1981 | Class B |
Fall River | 1982 | Class B |
Spring Sports
[edit]School | Year | Division |
---|---|---|
Pardeeville | 1980 | Class C |
Poynette | 1984 | Class C |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Plan Oratory Circuit in Columbia County". Fox Lake Representative. 4 March 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Poynette H.S. Commencement Activities Will Start Friday". Wisconsin State Journal. 18 May 1928. p. 23. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Poynette Prep Five Trims Fox Lake, 16-13". Wisconsin State Journal. 26 November 1934. p. 9. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Pardeeville Tops Little 7 League". Wisconsin State Journal. 12 December 2024. p. 16. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Columbia-Little 7 Changes Name to Dual County Loop". The Capital Times. 16 September 1939. p. 7. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Rio, Cambria, Pardeeville Share Lead in Dual County League". Wisconsin State Journal. 14 January 1942. p. 16. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Suburban Cage Standings". The Capital Times. 17 January 1943. p. 14. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Prep Notes". Wisconsin State Journal. 22 November 1945. p. 29. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dual County Loop Admits Princeton". Portage Daily Register. 17 February 1954. p. 6.
- ^ a b "High School Cage Standings". Wisconsin State Journal. 20 December 1959. p. 38. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Victim of Progress". Fox Lake Representative. 30 August 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Thrillers Played in Dual County". The Capital Times. 16 September 1961. p. 13. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Westfield, Green Lake join, Dual Conference slates program for changes". Portage Daily Register. 25 February 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Prep Conference Realignment: Madison area changes". The Capital Times. 17 August 1977. p. 69. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b Kitkowski, Dan (26 August 1987). "Poynette powerhouse moves to Capitol". Portage Daily Register. p. 18. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hernandez, Rob. "Realignment falls right into place". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 4B. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ Marolla, Ed (6 March 1969). "Hello Horicon". The Horicon Reporter. p. 1. Retrieved 9 December 2024.