The Little Illini Conference is a high school athletic conference in East Central Illinois that is a member of the Illinois High School Association . A group of small schools near the Indiana border, Little Illini is known for its strong football squads, in particular Casey-Westfield, which has won one state football championship The conference has undergone significant rearrangement in the past decade with the addition of several larger schools from the Apollo Conference driving many smaller schools to other conferences.
16-529: The conference origins are twofold, the first iteration dates back to 1970 where the charter members included Casey, Marshall, Martinsville, Oblong, Palestine and Toledo-Cumberland. In 1972, St. Elmo joined the league and it maintained as a seven team conference until 1981, when Palestine left. As for the remaining teams, they would play their last season of football in 1983, leaving for other conferences. The conference would rise again in 1996 with some familiar names as well as some new teams. The second incarnation of
32-595: Is a high school athletic conference in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), based in Central Illinois . While the name implies that the conference has eight schools, there are actually 11 schools currently active, due to other schools changing conference affiliations. The conference was established in time for the 1993–1994 school calendar year. The impetus of the conference formation can be traced as far back as 1981–1982, originating from
48-509: Is a high school athletic conference represented by 6 schools in the central portion of Illinois. It is a member of the Illinois High School Association . The conference offers championships for girls in basketball, cross country, golf, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. In boys' sports, the Apollo offers championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, track & field, and wrestling . The conference
64-723: The Apollo Conference ). Since its inception, Taylorville (following 2013-2014, returning to the Apollo Conference) has departed and Rochester (from the Sangamo Conference , starting 2010-2011), Decatur Eisenhower (from the Big Twelve Conference, starting 2014-2015) & Decatur MacArthur (from the Big Twelve Conference, starting 2014-2015) have entered. Lincoln has departed for the Apollo Conference following
80-716: The Mid-State # Conference (where # indicated the number of active members at that given time). Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin competed as an independent. With these five schools desiring to re-establish local rivalries and reduce travel expenses, the Central State Eight Conference came to fruition. Original membership included Chatham Glenwood, Jacksonville, Lincoln (from the Big Twelve Conference), Springfield, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield Southeast & Taylorville (from
96-487: The 2016-2017 school year, with Normal University joining at that beginning of the 2017-2018 school year from the Corn Belt Conference . Lincoln High School is scheduled to rejoin the conference in the 2023-2024 school year. Quincy Notre Dame is expected to join the conference in 2024 for football only. The conference will then be split up into East and West divisions. The conference is centered on high schools in
112-576: The Apollo, while Newton, Paris and Robinson have moved into the LIC 2022-23 Full members Full members (non-football) Full members (8-man football) Full members (Football Coop) Other Conference Central State Eight Conference Little Illini Conference ) Cahokia Conference Central State Eight Conference The Central State Eight Conference
128-675: The Capitol Conference dissolved, leaving its remaining members (Jacksonville, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin & Springfield Southeast), as well as Big Twelve Conference castoff Springfield, to find new homes. Jacksonville joined the short-lived Greater Midwestern Conference (along with Chatham Glenwood, Hannibal (Missouri), Macomb & Quincy Notre Dame) for five years, then become an independent. Springfield, Springfield Lanphier & Springfield Southeast joined Pekin, Peoria Bergan, Peoria Central, Peoria Manual, Peoria Richwoods, Peoria Spalding & Peoria Woodruff in
144-751: The Little Illini Conference to join the Little Okaw Valley Conference in central Illinois while Paris High School joined the conference. This followed the addition of Newton, Olney and Robinson high schools, which had been longtime members of the Apollo Conference . Edwards County left the LIC for the Black Diamond Conference in 2016. They became an affiliate member in the BDC for baseball and softball from 2014/2015-2015/2016. In 2020 Mount Carmel High School announced they would join
160-626: The conference starting the 2021–22 school year, following the institution of a new playoff system in Illinois and the subsequent collapse of Indiana's Big Eight Conference . While Flora announced they would be departing to the Black Diamond Conference and Red Hill would depart as well. Full members Full members (non-football) Partial member (listed sports) Full members (8-man football) Full members (Football Coop) Other Conference Apollo Conference The Apollo Conference
176-635: The league included Albion-Edwards County, Casey-Westfield, Marshall, Martinsville, Oblong and Toledo-Cumberland. Palestine would return to the fold in 1997 with Bridgeport-Red Hill and Lawrenceville joining in 2001. Flora would join the conference in 2003, however, by 2008 Martinsville would leave the league. The conference has been strong in volleyball with Cumberland reaching the Class 1A final four three straight times from 2008 to 2010. Edwards County took third place in Class 1A in 2007. In 2014 several schools, including Cumberland, Palestine-Hutsonville and Oblong left
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#1732926598553192-605: The newly formed Central State Eight Conference . Olney and Salem joined from the North Egypt Conference , which was dissolved in 2003. Significant changes have occurred for the Apollo Conference. Founding members Newton and Robinson, as well as Olney, left for the Little Illini Conference in the 2012–13 school year. Mattoon joined the league in that same school year, departing from the Big 12 Conference . Teutopolis
208-405: The remnants of the defunct Capitol Conference . At that time, the existing Big Twelve Conference membership of Bloomington, Champaign Central, Danville, Stephen Decatur, Lincoln, Mattoon, Springfield & Urbana voted to drop Springfield and add existing Capitol Conference members Champaign Centennial, Decatur Eisenhower, Decatur MacArthur & Normal Community, as well as Rantoul. As a result,
224-474: Was accepted to join in 2017–2018. Shortly after, Salem elected to join the Cahokia Conference in 2017–18. In 2023, Lincoln will leave the conference and head back to their previous league, The Central State Eight. Geographical concerns and school enrollment has played a part in the switching between Apollo and Little Illini Conferences. Charleston is the only founding member of the conference to stay in
240-600: Was formed in 1970 by charter members Charleston, Newton, Paris and Robinson who left from the Eastern Illinois Conference. In 1972 Decatur Lakeview and Mt. Zion joined the conference after departing the Cenois Conference. Effingham and Taylorville joined in 1981, leaving the Mid-State Conference. Lakeview closed in 1982, bringing the conference back to seven members. In 1993 Taylorville left to join
256-413: Was invited to join the conference, but declined the invitation. The Taylorville Tornadoes rejoined the conference in 2014, while another Apollo founding school, Paris, left for the Little Illini Conference. In 2015, Corn Belt Conference member Mahomet-Seymour was accepted into the conference starting with the 2017–2018 school year. Later in the same year, Central State Eight conference member Lincoln
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