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. The conference comprises public high schools with small enrollments in portions of Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties.

Current membership

Sources:IHSA Conferences and IHSA Member Schools Directory

History

The Lincoln Trail Conference 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.
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 which is not a member for other sports.
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:
SchoolYearsConsolidationsConference Came FromConference Went To
Aledo High School2006–2009Aledo+Westmer=Mercer County Olympic Mercer County remained in LTC
Alexis High School1976–1993;
1998–2004		Alexis+Warren=United Little 6 ;
Bi County		Bi County ;
United remained in LTC
AlWood High School1976–PresentAlpha+Woodhull=AlWood Corn Belt
Annawan High School1995–PresentIndian Valley
Cambridge High School1976–PresentCorn Belt
Galva High School1976–PresentLittle 6
Mercer County High School2009–PresentAledo+Westmer=Mercer County Consolidation of 2 LTC members
Princeville High School1995–PresentIndian Valley
River Valley CoopFootball only 2010–2012Henry+Low Point-Washburn+Midland=River Valley CoopBig Rivers
ROVA High School1976–1987Rio+Oneida+Victoria+Altona=ROVA ;
ROVA+Galesburg =ROWVA 		Little 6 ROWVA remained in LTC
ROWVA High School1987–PresentROVA+Galesburg =ROWVA Consolidation of LTC member and some Western Big 6 member students
Stark County High School1992–PresentToulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County Consolidation of LTC member and Indian Valley member
Toulon-LaFayette High School1976–1992Toulon Township+LaFayette=Toulon-LaFayette ;
Toulon-LaFayette+Wyoming=Stark County 		Blackhawk & Inter County Athletic Conference Stark County remained in LTC
Union High School 1998–2004Biggsville+Gladstone-Qquawka=Union ;
Union+Stronghurst Southern=West Central 		Bi County West Central
United High School2004–PresentAlexis+Warren=United ;
added Yorkwood 		Consolidation of 2 LTC members ;
added Prairieland member
Warren High School 1998–2004Alexis+Warren=United Bi County United remained in LTC
Westmer High School1989–2009Joy+Keithsburg+New Boston=Westmer ;
Aledo+Westmer= Mercer County 		Olympic 1976–1987;
Unknown 1987–1989		Mercer County remained in LTC
Wethersfield High School1976–PresentBlackhawk
West Central High School2005–PresentUnion+Stronghurst Southern=West Central Consolidation of 2 West Central members
West Prairie High School 2010–2014
Winola High School1976–1988New Windsor+Viola=Winola ;
Winola into Sherrard 		Corn Belt Olympic

Timeline

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:
Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, or before joining the conference several member schools won Illinois state championships, including:
Due to the small enrollment, several Lincoln Trail Conference schools form cooperative arrangements. The current arrangements are shown below.
Boys Baseball
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Cross Country
Girls Cross Country
Boys Football
Girls Volleyball
Boys Golf
Girls Golf
Boys Track and Field
Girls Track and Field
Girls Softball