Wikipedia

Middle Border Conference

The Middle Border Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership base concentrated in western Wisconsin. Formed in 1931, the conference is composed entirely of public schools and is affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

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1931-1967

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Location of Original Middle Border Conference Members

The Middle Border Conference was founded in 1931 by seven small- to medium-sized high schools on the outskirts of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in western Wisconsin: Colfax, Ellsworth, Hudson, Menomonie, New Richmond, River Falls and Spring Valley.[1] Baldwin and Glenwood City joined the Middle Border in 1949 to bring membership to nine schools.[2] Chippewa Falls was also rumored to be joining the conference as the tenth member but not accepted due to their enrollment size being larger than their potential new rivals.[3] The Middle Border's membership roster decreased to eight when Menomonie left the conference to compete as an independent after the 1951 football season.[4] Several years later, they would become members of the Big Rivers Conference.[5]

1967-1989

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Membership in the Middle Border Conference would remain stable until 1967, when Colfax left to compete with smaller schools in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference.[6] They were replaced by Durand, who were competing as independents after the collapse of the original Mississippi Valley Conference two years prior.[7] The addition of Mondovi and Prescott in 1970 briefly brought the Middle Border Conference to ten members,[8] until the exit of Glenwood City and Spring Valley for the Dunn-St. Croix Conference in 1972.[9] They were followed by Prescott in 1977, and Amery (formerly of the Upper St. Croix Valley Conference) took their place to keep the roster at eight schools.[10] Membership stayed at eight schools for just over another decade.

1989-1998

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By the end of the 1980s, two members of the Middle Border Conference (Hudson and River Falls) had grown to the point where they were the largest schools in the conference. They were both invited to join the Big Rivers Conference in 1989 to compete with other schools more comparable in enrollment size.[11] Bloomer moved over from the Heart O'North Conference to take their place and bring the Middle Border to seven schools.[12] This figure would return to eight in 1994, after the loss of two schools (Bloomer returning to the Heart O'North and Mondovi joining the Dunn-St. Croix) and the addition of three schools from the defunct Upper St. Croix Valley Conference (Osceola, St. Croix Falls and Unity).[13] That same year, the Middle Border Conference joined forces with the Heart O'North Conference to create the eighteen-member Northwest Football League, the first of its kind in the state of Wisconsin:[14][15]

Red Conference White Conference Blue Conference
Amery Barron Baldwin-Woodville
Durand-Arkansaw Bloomer Chetek
Ellsworth Ladysmith Cumberland
Hayward Northwestern Mondovi
New Richmond Osceola Prescott
Spooner Unity St. Croix Falls

This arrangement lasted for two seasons until the Northwest Football League was dissolved due to dissatisfaction about long travel distances among conference members.[16] The Heart O'North Conference and Middle Border Conference resumed sponsoring their own football conferences for the 1996 season.

1998-present

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As part of the 1994 realignment plan, New Richmond was kept in the Middle Border Conference but was due to move into the Big Rivers Conference by 1998 due to projected growth in the district.[17] While the district did experience growth, it wasn't to the level expected and their stay in the Big Rivers would only last for four years before returning to the Middle Border in 2002.[18] They were joined by two schools who exited the Dunn-St. Croix Conference: Prescott (who were previously members from 1970-1977) and Somerset. Their addition offset the loss of St. Croix Falls and Unity to the Lakeland Conference that year.[19] Durand-Arkansaw left to become members of the Dunn-St. Croix Conference in 2016,[20] exchanging affiliations with St. Croix Central in Hammond.[21] New Richmond returned to the Big Rivers Conference in 2021,[22] and longtime Cloverbelt Conference members Altoona joined the Middle Border as their replacement.[23]

Football (since 2020)

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In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle.[24] The Middle Border Conference's membership roster was kept intact for football with the exception of New Richmond joining the Big Rivers Conference in 2020, with full membership coming in the next year. The conference also entered into a scheduling alliance with the Coulee Conference that would provide one mandatory crossover game for each member.[25] For the 2022-2023 realignment cycle, the Coulee Conference partnership was ended, and Rice Lake was added as an associate member from the Big Rivers Conference to bring the roster to eight schools.[26] In 2024, Rice Lake made their return to the Big Rivers Conference with full members Altoona shifting over from the Coulee Conference as their replacement.[27] This alignment is set to remain in place through at least the 2027 football season.[28]

List of conference members

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Current members

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School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined
Altoona Altoona, WI Public 560 Railroaders     2021[23]
Amery Amery, WI Public 467 Warriors     1977[10]
Baldwin-Woodville Baldwin, WI Public 506 Blackhawks     1949[2]
Ellsworth Ellsworth, WI Public 518 Panthers     1931[1]
Osceola Osceola, WI Public 552 Chieftains     1994[13]
Prescott Prescott, WI Public 431 Cardinals     1970,[8] 2002[19]
St. Croix Central Hammond, WI Public 514 Panthers     2016[21]
Somerset Somerset, WI Public 470 Spartans     2002[19]

Former members

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School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Colfax Colfax, WI Public 224 Vikings     1931[1] 1967[6] Dunn-St. Croix
Hudson Hudson, WI Public 1,800 Raiders     1931[1] 1989[11] Big Rivers
Menomonie Menomonie, WI Public 1,022 Mustangs     1931[1] 1951[4] Independent Big Rivers
New Richmond New Richmond, WI Public 1,112 Tigers     1931,[1] 2002[18] 1998,[17] 2021[22] Big Rivers Big Rivers
River Falls River Falls, WI Public 1,114 Wildcats     1931[1] 1989[11] Big Rivers
Spring Valley Spring Valley, WI Public 198 Cardinals     1931[1] 1972[9] Dunn-St. Croix
Glenwood City Glenwood City, WI Public 195 Hilltoppers     1949[2] 1972[9] Dunn-St. Croix
Durand-Arkansaw Durand, WI Public 307 Panthers     1967[7] 2016[20] Dunn-St. Croix
Mondovi Mondovi, WI Public 250 Buffaloes     1970[8] 1994[13] Dunn-St. Croix
Bloomer Bloomer, WI Public 429 Blackhawks     1989[12] 1994[13] Heart O'North Cloverbelt
St. Croix Falls St. Croix Falls, WI Public 345 Saints     1994[13] 2002[19] Lakeland Heart O'North
Unity Balsam Lake, WI Public 295 Eagles     1994[13] 2002[19] Lakeland

Former football-only members

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School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Seasons Primary Conference
Rice Lake Rice Lake, WI Public 714 Warriors     2022-2023 Big Rivers

Membership timeline

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Full members

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Football members

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Membership map

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Middle Border Conference
 
30km
19miles
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Location of Middle Border Conference full members:
1
Altoona
2
Amery
3
Baldwin-Woodville
4
Ellsworth
5
Osceola
6
Prescott
7
St. Croix Central
8
Somerset
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Source:[29]

Fall sports

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  • Cross Country (boys and girls)
  • Football
  • Golf (girls)
  • Soccer (boys)
  • Tennis (boys)
  • Volleyball (girls)

Winter sports

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  • Basketball (boys and girls)
  • Hockey (boys)
  • Wrestling

Spring sports

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  • Baseball
  • Golf (boys)
  • Soccer (girls)
  • Softball
  • Tennis (boys)
  • Track & Field (boys and girls)

List of state champions

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Fall sports

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Boys Cross Country
School Year Division
Amery 1997 Division 2
Amery 1998 Division 2
Football
School Year Division
Baldwin-Woodville 1987 Division 4
Ellsworth 1990 Division 3
Baldwin-Woodville 1992 Division 4
Somerset 2002 Division 5
Somerset 2012 Division 4
Somerset 2014 Division 4
Osceola 2015 Division 4
St. Croix Central 2016 Division 4
Girls Golf
School Year Division
Prescott 2020 Division 2
Prescott 2021 Division 2
Prescott 2022 Division 2
Prescott 2023 Division 3

Winter sports

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Boys Basketball
School Year Division
Prescott 2018 Division 3
Girls Basketball
School Year Division
Durand 1986 Class B
Durand 1987 Class B
Boys Wrestling
School Year Division
Ellsworth 1985 Class B
Baldwin-Woodville 1993 Division 2
Ellsworth 2000 Division 2
Ellsworth 2007 Division 2
Ellsworth 2009 Division 2
Ellsworth 2011 Division 2
Ellsworth 2014 Division 2
Ellsworth 2016 Division 2
Ellsworth 2017 Division 2
Amery 2021 Division 2
Amery 2022 Division 2

Spring sports

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Baseball
School Year Division
Prescott 2012 Division 2
Boys Golf
School Year Division
New Richmond 1992 Division 2
New Richmond 1993 Division 2
Ellsworth 2000 Division 2
Softball
School Year Division
Baldwin-Woodville 2012 Division 2
Prescott 2024 Division 3
Boys Track & Field
School Year Division
Hudson 1973 Class B
New Richmond 1982 Class B
Baldwin-Woodville 1983 Class C
Amery 2001 Division 2
Osceola 2004 Division 2
Osceola 2005 Division 2
Girls Track & Field
School Year Division
Osceola 2023 Division 2

List of conference champions

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Boys Basketball

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Source:[30]

School Quantity Years
New Richmond 21 1958, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2020
Hudson 14 1937, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989
Durand-Arkansaw 9 1970, 1971, 1977, 1978, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2013
Prescott 9 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024
Baldwin-Woodville 8 1959, 1988, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012
Amery 6 1987, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2004, 2005
Menomonie 8 1935, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1950
River Falls 8 1934, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1955, 1966, 1967
Spring Valley 7 1932, 1935, 1936, 1939, 1942, 1961, 1962
Ellsworth 6 1951, 1968, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1995
Osceola 5 2000, 2009, 2023, 2024, 2025
Colfax 4 1933, 1952, 1953, 1954
Glenwood City 2 1957, 1969
Bloomer 1 1991
Mondovi 1 1980
Somerset 1 2014
St. Croix Central 1 2021
Altoona 0
St. Croix Falls 0
Unity 0

Girls Basketball

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Source:[31]

School Quantity Years
Durand-Arkansaw 23 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015
New Richmond 6 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 2012, 2014
Baldwin-Woodville 5 1976, 2013, 2014, 2024, 2025
Ellsworth 5 1973, 1974, 1975, 1991, 1995
Somerset 5 2008, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2023
Amery 4 1999, 2000, 2011, 2019
Bloomer 4 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Hudson 4 1973, 1981, 1988, 1989
Osceola 4 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Prescott 3 2020, 2021, 2022
St. Croix Central 2 2018, 2025
Altoona 0
Mondovi 0
River Falls 0
St. Croix Falls 0
Unity 0

Football

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Source:[32]

School Quantity Years
River Falls 21 1938, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988
Baldwin-Woodville 15 1963, 1970, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2019, 2024
Hudson 11 1935, 1936, 1942, 1944, 1954, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1974, 1982
Durand-Arkansaw 10 1967, 1968, 1969, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000, 2002, 2012
Somerset 9 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
New Richmond 8 1940, 1941, 1964, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2010, 2019
Ellsworth 7 1977, 1990, 1999, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2022
Colfax 6 1931, 1932, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1952
Mondovi 6 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1990
Menomonie 5 1933, 1934, 1949, 1950, 1951
Osceola 5 2001, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017
Amery 3 1996, 2000, 2001
Spring Valley 3 1948, 1959, 1960
Glenwood City 1 1958
Rice Lake 1 2023
St. Croix Central 1 2018
Unity 1 1998
Altoona 0
Bloomer 0
Prescott 0
St. Croix Falls 0

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Middle Border Conference History". Middle Border Conference. February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Sports Sidelines". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. April 11, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  3. ^ "Sports Slants". The Dunn County News. November 3, 1948. p. 19. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Menomonie Quits M-B Loop". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. December 5, 1951. p. 12. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  5. ^ Buzzell, Clell (February 28, 1963). "New Big Rivers Rivalry Topped by Old Abes' 9-1". Eau Claire Daily Telegram. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Dunn-St. Croix Opens Today, Has New Team, New Favorite". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. September 1, 1967. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Durand Opens at Thorp, Plays in Middle Border". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. September 8, 1967. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c "Mondovi, Prescott Newcomers in Middle Border Grid Race". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. September 2, 1970. pp. C4. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "Elmwood Faces New Conference Challenge". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. August 31, 1972. pp. B2. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Middle Border campaign opens; Dairyland has key game". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. September 8, 1977. pp. 3B. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c Steinbach, Glenn (May 18, 1988). "Sideline Chatter (WIAA realigns 41 schools)". The Dunn County News. p. 13. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Peterson, Tim (February 16, 1989). "Bloomer playing up to Parr again". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. 2C. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Holmes, Kirk (May 15, 1993). "Area teams on the move". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. D1. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Holmes, Kirk (August 8, 1994). "Prep football: Change in the air". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. D. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Scoreboard (see Football, Prep, Northwest Football League)". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. September 8, 1994. pp. 2D. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Holmes, Kirk (December 11, 1995). "Nobody's mourning early demise of NFL". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. D. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Groskreutz, Stuart (December 17, 1998). "New Richmond would be happy to leave BRC". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "WIAA approves conference realignment". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. April 8, 2001. p. 13. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  19. ^ a b c d e Holmes, Kirk (February 22, 2001). "Final chapter nears". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. p. 34. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "Durand-Arkansaw Basketball History". MaxPreps. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  21. ^ a b "St. Croix Central Basketball History". MaxPreps. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  22. ^ a b "Bloomer". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. March 9, 2021. pp. A7. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Blackhawks sit at 15-9 following win over Macks". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. September 29, 2021. pp. B4. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  24. ^ "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 9, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  25. ^ "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 6, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  26. ^ "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 11, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  27. ^ "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  28. ^ "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  29. ^ "MBC Sports". Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  30. ^ "Conference Champs - Boys Basketball". Middle Border Conference. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  31. ^ "Conference Champs - Girls Basketball". Middle Border Conference. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  32. ^ "Conference Champs - Football". Middle Border Conference. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
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