Illinois Valley Central High School competes in the Illini Prairie Conference and is a member school in the Illinois High School Association. In the 2017–2018 school year, IVCHS joined the new Illini Prairie Conference following the merger of the Corn Belt Conference and Okaw Valley Conference. In the IHSA, IVC has appeared in the IHSA Final Four on four occasions, most recently in 2010. IVC's first appearance in the IHSA Final Four was in the 2006 Class A Boys' Basketball State Championship where the Ghosts fell to Seneca HS 44–47. Later that year in May, IVCHS arrived back in the final four this time playing for the Class 1A state title in boys' baseball. This time IVC top Trenton 8–3 for IVC's first and only State title to date. IVC returned to the final four in 2008 for the Class AA Boys' Baseball state championship against Stanford HS where IVC fell to Olympia finishing 2nd. IVC's most recent appearance in the IHSA Final Four was in Boys' Baseball, however IVC fell to Harrisburg 1–7 in the semifinal before finishing 3rd against Elmhurst 6–4. IVCHS coops with nearby Dunlap High School for some athletics.
Mascot
Their mascot is the Grey Ghosts, with school colors of maroon and grey. Different theories exist regarding the origin of the mascot name, which up until 1940 was the Maroons. The Grey Ghost was inducted into the ESPN nickname hall of fame in 1987.
Activities
IVC has a wide range of activities to offer including a large fine arts department. IVC's music department offers marching band, a concert band, a wind ensemble, and two jazz bands. The music department also offers different levels of choral music including Chorale and various ensembles. The IVC Marching Grey Ghosts have accumulated 15 state titles since 1990, most recently in 2019 at the State of Illinois Marching Invitational. The Marching Grey Ghosts have participated in numerous national performances including the Fiesta Bowl Parade, the Citrus Bowl Parade, and the 2007 National Memorial Day Parade.
History
Illinois Valley Central High School was formed out of the consolidation of Chillicothe High School in 1976. Chillicothe High School used to be in what is now the elementary and junior high school. In 1977, they constructed a new school which sits on the corner of Bradley Ave and Sycamore St. in Chillicothe. Surrounding communities may have also possessed high schools at some time which were consolidated into the current IVCHS.
