North Central Illinois Conference
Encyclopedia
The North Central Illinois Conference, far better known as the NCIC, was an IHSA
recognized high school extra-curricular conference. It location, as the name would indicate, was in the north-central part of the state. The schools all hailed from communities with municipal populations in the 5000-20,000 range.
Until the departure of the Rochelle Hubs in 2006, the NCIC's 42-year span of unchanged membership was the longest of any high school conference. However, that one change sent shockwaves through the rest of the conference, ultimately resulting in the dissolution of the NCIC at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
, DeKalb, Dixon
, Mendota
, Rochelle, and Sterling
. Over the next thirty years more schools joined, and by 1960, there were twelve member schools.
In the late 1960s it was decided to divide the conference into two divisions. This was due to a wide variance in the sizes of the member schools' populations, and the IHSA regulations which prohibited the larger schools from playing in the same size division against the smaller schools during football playoffs. Thus the conference was split into Northeast and Southwest divisions (later renamed the Reagan and Lincoln divisions). Despite this accommodation, however, over the next thirty years, the larger schools grew far more rapidly than the smaller schools, creating even greater discrepancies; it became doubtful that the twelve schools could continue to share the same banner.
left the NCIC. The Hubs, having won nine consecutive NCIC football championships, were in search of stronger competition, and became a charter member of the Western Sun Conference
. Rochelle was quickly replaced in the conference line-up by Illinois Valley Central High School
, located in Chillicothe. However, the departure of Rochelle created shockwaves through the conference which continue to reverberate.
, a two-division larger school conference. Also joining as a charter member of the NIB-12 was former NCIC powerhouse Rochelle, meaning that over half of the NIB-12's membership consists of former NCIC schols. Also leaving were the Kewanee Boilermakers
, who left for the Three Rivers Conference
.
The NCIC did not immediately dissolve, however. For the 2010-11 school year, the NCIC added one school, the St. Bede Bruins of Peru, who replaced departing Kewanee in all sports except football. The St. Bede football program remains in the Big Rivers. Under IHSA regulations, with only five football participants, the automatic playoff qualifier privileges for the NCIC's champion could be suspended. However, a team could still make the state playoffs as an at-large team, and in fact, both Mendota and IVC gained playoff spots.
The dissolution of the NCIC continued, however, despite gaining St. Bede. Both Rock Falls and Mendota will leave for the Big Northern Conference
after the 2010-2011 academic year,. At least two schools (Princeton and IVC) have accepted invitations to play football--Princeton in the West Central Conference
and IVC in the Mid-State 6
IVC was turned down by four other conferences before successfully petitioning for an invitation from the Mid-State Six. Princeton has not yet found a conference for other sports. Reports have surfaced that Princeton has asked to join the Big Northern Conference, but have not received an invitation.
Even the NCIC's two smallest schools, long-time member Hall Township and new inductee St. Bede, announced that they too were leaving in 2011, for the Tri-County Conference
.. With only one to three schools remaining without other conference affiliations (depending on whether one is talking about football or other sports) the dissolution of the NCIC became a near-certainty.
^ = left for the Big Northern Conference
beginning in the 2011-2012 academic year
% = left for the Tri-County Conference
beginning in the 2011-2012 academic year
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
recognized high school extra-curricular conference. It location, as the name would indicate, was in the north-central part of the state. The schools all hailed from communities with municipal populations in the 5000-20,000 range.
Until the departure of the Rochelle Hubs in 2006, the NCIC's 42-year span of unchanged membership was the longest of any high school conference. However, that one change sent shockwaves through the rest of the conference, ultimately resulting in the dissolution of the NCIC at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
Formation and growth
The North Central Illinois Conference was formed in 1929. Its charter members were BelvidereBelvidere High School (Belvidere, Illinois)
Belvidere High School is located in at 1500 East Ave., Belvidere, Illinois, 61008 in Boone County.The school is perhaps most notable for the deaths of 13 students and staff on the afternoon of April 21, 1967 when an F4 tornado struck the school as part of a massive tornado outbreak in the Midwest...
, DeKalb, Dixon
Dixon High School (Illinois)
Dixon High School is a high school located on Lincoln Statue Drive and Peoria Avenue on the northern side of Dixon, Illinois. In 1918 the north and south districts were consolidated into one district and it was decided that a new, larger high school was needed...
, Mendota
Mendota Township High School
Mendota Township High School is a secondary school located at 2300 W. Main Street, Mendota, Illinois. It currently educates, as of August 2010, 619 students. The school lies within School District No. 280, and MTHS is the only school that the district operates. The district superintendent is Jeff...
, Rochelle, and Sterling
Sterling High School (Illinois)
Sterling High School is a high school, located at 1608 Fourth Ave in Sterling, Illinois. The principal is Jason Austin, a graduate of the high school....
. Over the next thirty years more schools joined, and by 1960, there were twelve member schools.
In the late 1960s it was decided to divide the conference into two divisions. This was due to a wide variance in the sizes of the member schools' populations, and the IHSA regulations which prohibited the larger schools from playing in the same size division against the smaller schools during football playoffs. Thus the conference was split into Northeast and Southwest divisions (later renamed the Reagan and Lincoln divisions). Despite this accommodation, however, over the next thirty years, the larger schools grew far more rapidly than the smaller schools, creating even greater discrepancies; it became doubtful that the twelve schools could continue to share the same banner.
The first crack: Rochelle leaves after 77 years
The 2006 season saw the first change in the conference line-up in 42 years, as the Rochelle HubsRochelle Township High School
Rochelle Township High School, commonly referred to as RTHS, is a secondary school located in Rochelle, Illinois. Originally built in 1918, with nearly a dozen additions built on over the next 80 years, the entire edifice was razed in 2006 upon the completion of a new building, located about a...
left the NCIC. The Hubs, having won nine consecutive NCIC football championships, were in search of stronger competition, and became a charter member of the Western Sun Conference
Western Sun Conference
The Western Sun Conference was an organization of eight high schools in northern Illinois, representing eight communities in that part of the state. These high schools are all members of the Illinois High School Association. The conference began competing during the 2006-2007 academic year. Six of...
. Rochelle was quickly replaced in the conference line-up by Illinois Valley Central High School
Illinois Valley Central Unit District 321
Illinois Valley Central Unit District 321 is the school district in the northeast corner of Peoria County, Illinois, including the communities of Chillicothe, Mossville, and Rome, Illinois.-Schools:...
, located in Chillicothe. However, the departure of Rochelle created shockwaves through the conference which continue to reverberate.
The dam bursts
In 2009, the NCIC added the Morris Redskins to its Reagan Division. However, other long-time NCIC schools, such as LaSalle-Peru, began making plans to find another conference. At the beginning of the 2010-11 school year, all the teams from the NCIC Reagan division left to join the new Northern Illinois Big 12 ConferenceNorthern Illinois Big 12 Conference
The Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference is a high-school athletic conference with twelve high schools in northern Illinois. The conference began competing during the 2010-2011 academic year. In many respects, including membership and organization, the NI-Big 12 is much like a reboot of the old...
, a two-division larger school conference. Also joining as a charter member of the NIB-12 was former NCIC powerhouse Rochelle, meaning that over half of the NIB-12's membership consists of former NCIC schols. Also leaving were the Kewanee Boilermakers
Kewanee High School
Kewanee High School, or KHS, is a public four-year high school located at 1211 E. Third Street in Kewanee, Illinois, a city in Kewanee Township of Henry County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States...
, who left for the Three Rivers Conference
Three Rivers Conference (Illinois)
The Three Rivers Conference, also known as the TRAC-8 , is a high school conference in northwest Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
.
The NCIC did not immediately dissolve, however. For the 2010-11 school year, the NCIC added one school, the St. Bede Bruins of Peru, who replaced departing Kewanee in all sports except football. The St. Bede football program remains in the Big Rivers. Under IHSA regulations, with only five football participants, the automatic playoff qualifier privileges for the NCIC's champion could be suspended. However, a team could still make the state playoffs as an at-large team, and in fact, both Mendota and IVC gained playoff spots.
The dissolution of the NCIC continued, however, despite gaining St. Bede. Both Rock Falls and Mendota will leave for the Big Northern Conference
Big Northern Conference
The Big Northern Conference is an organization of fourteen high schools in northern Illinois. These high schools are members of the Illinois High School Association....
after the 2010-2011 academic year,. At least two schools (Princeton and IVC) have accepted invitations to play football--Princeton in the West Central Conference
West Central Conference (Illinois)
The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
and IVC in the Mid-State 6
Mid-State 6 Conference
The Mid-State 6 Conference is a high school athletic conference in central Illinois.Member schools are*Richwoods*Peoria High School*Manual High School*Notre Dame High School *Notre Dame High School...
IVC was turned down by four other conferences before successfully petitioning for an invitation from the Mid-State Six. Princeton has not yet found a conference for other sports. Reports have surfaced that Princeton has asked to join the Big Northern Conference, but have not received an invitation.
Even the NCIC's two smallest schools, long-time member Hall Township and new inductee St. Bede, announced that they too were leaving in 2011, for the Tri-County Conference
Tri-County Conference (Illinois)
The Tri-County Conference is an affiliation of several small high schools in central Illinois. Current membership includes* Putnam County High School* Midland High School* Henry-Senachwine High School* Marquette High School* Roanoke-Benson High School...
.. With only one to three schools remaining without other conference affiliations (depending on whether one is talking about football or other sports) the dissolution of the NCIC became a near-certainty.
Hope for the future
Without a conference willing to accept them for non-football membership, IVC and Princeton began reconsidering a future in the NCIC. In March, 2011, the principal of IVC, Kenton Bergman, announced that he would personally serve as the new president of the NCIC, and that the conference would continue as a non-football conference. For the 2011-12 school year there would only be three members (IVC, Princeton, and St. Bede), but Bergman stated the conference was developing a three-year plan to expand into a six to eight team conference.. However, news reports in the summer of 2011 indicated that the NCIC has, in fact, folded.Final year membership
- Hall (Spring Valley) High SchoolHall High School (Illinois)Hall High School, also known as Spring Valley Hall, or HHS, is a public four-year high school located at 800 West Erie Street in Spring Valley, Illinois, a small city in Bureau County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. HHS serves the communities and surrounding areas of Spring Valley,...
% - Illinois Valley Central High SchoolIllinois Valley Central High SchoolIllinois Valley Central High School, also known as Chillicothe IVC, IVCHS, or simply IVC, is a public four-year high school located at 1300 West Sycamore Street in Chillicothe, Illinois, a city in Peoria County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States...
- Mendota Township High SchoolMendota Township High SchoolMendota Township High School is a secondary school located at 2300 W. Main Street, Mendota, Illinois. It currently educates, as of August 2010, 619 students. The school lies within School District No. 280, and MTHS is the only school that the district operates. The district superintendent is Jeff...
^ - Princeton High SchoolPrinceton High School (Illinois)Princeton High School is a high school located at 103 S. Euclid Ave in Princeton, Illinois. It is the oldest township high school in Illinois. It generally has an attendance of 600 or more students.- History :...
- Rock Falls High SchoolRock Falls High SchoolRock Falls Township High School, better known simply as Rock Falls High School, is a four year public high school located in Rock Falls, Illinois...
^ - St. Bede AcademySt. Bede AcademySaint Bede Academy is a private, four-year, Catholic college-preparatory high school located in Peru, Illinois. The campus buildings and monastery are situated on of wooded land. The monastery is home to 32 Benedictine monks who have taken a vow of stability, meaning that they remain at Saint Bede...
%
^ = left for the Big Northern Conference
Big Northern Conference
The Big Northern Conference is an organization of fourteen high schools in northern Illinois. These high schools are members of the Illinois High School Association....
beginning in the 2011-2012 academic year
% = left for the Tri-County Conference
Tri-County Conference (Illinois)
The Tri-County Conference is an affiliation of several small high schools in central Illinois. Current membership includes* Putnam County High School* Midland High School* Henry-Senachwine High School* Marquette High School* Roanoke-Benson High School...
beginning in the 2011-2012 academic year