SW Missouri HS conferences histories help.

[Rshs1991]

I am trying to do history of southwest Missouri high school conference affiliations as much as possible. I have some conferences history from basketball previews going back to the EARLY 90's, but with so much movement I have incomplete histories. Any help will help, especially with new conference lately and old defunct conferences!

 

[panther72]

These are from track and the dates are not cut in stone for basketball but should give you a start.

Altitude League 1930-1959

Big 8 1983-

Big # up to Big 13 1932-1982

Central Ozark 1968-2008

Central Ozark large 2009-

Central Ozak Small 2009-2018

Green County 1945-1984

Little 8 1959-1965

Little 10 1930-1934

Mid Lakes 1986-

Midwest 1957-1988

Ozark 8 1963-

Ozark 1959-

Ozark Highlands 2019-

Polk County 1951-1967

Skyline 1954-1967

South Central 1915-

Southwest Central 1950-

Southwest 1983-2008

Southwest 2019-

Southwestern Assocation 1958-?

Spring River Valley 2005-2018

Spring Valley 1963-1969

Summit 1960-?

White River 1959-1968

 

[Baldguy]

The Midwest Conference folded in 2004 when the SRVC was formed. The final members were Jasper, Liberal, Lockwood, Golden City, Everton, and Dadeville. That league did have an earlier split and lost several members when the original Mid-Lakes formed around 1985.

 

[Craig Hull]

I was a sports writer/columnist at The Joplin Globe from 1997-2004. During this time, our sports department coverage area included 81 high schools in three states. While I don't have my record books here at my finger tips, I'll try to go from memory of the the conferences and teams we covered during this time.
Anvil Welch was responsible for tracking down scores and boxes for all 81 boys teams while I was responsible for 81 high school girls teams. We had a system of recording records ... we had 3-ring binders 3 1/2-4 inches deep, each conference had its own tab, each team its own page and on the front we wrote down (pencil) each teams schedule with the head coach and contact information at the top of the page. On the back of the sheet was a crossgrid where you put each varsity player across the top of the page, then each varsity game down the side of the page and enter points scored for each game of that particular season.
At one time, the Globe had boys and girls basketball record books for all 81 basketball teams in the coverage area from the 1970's-present. I possess the books for the 1997-1998 season through 2003-2004 season. I don't know what has become of all of the books, but since I am still good friends with Anvil Welch and both of us still work on records projects for fun on the side, we often share information with each other.

If you have a specific conference or time period you need information on, let me know and I am willing to go visit Mr. Welch and try to secure what you need.

Here were (1997-2004) the conferences and teams we covered by priority:

Ozark Conference (10) -- Joplin, Kickapoo, Glendale, Parkview, Hillcrest, Lebanon, Camdenton, Rolla, Waynesville, West Plains. (If my memory serves me correctly, I remember the Ozark was a Joplin and the Springfield schools, then it expanded and added the other five sometime during the 1990's).

Southwest Conference (5) -- Webb City, Carthage, Neosho, McDonald County, Nevada.

Big 8 (8) -- Carl Junction, Aurora, Cassville. East Newton, Lamar, Monett, Mount Vernon, Seneca (the Big 8 and all of Southeast Kansas was my primary beat for football).

Ozark 8 (8) -- McAuley Regional Catholic, Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, Diamond, Exeter, Purdy, Southwest, Verona, Wheaton.

College Heights Christian School (1, independent) joined MSHSAA from the MCSAA during the 1997-1998 school year and did not have a conference affiliation.

Mid-Lakes (8) -- Greenfield, Fair Grove, Marionville, Miller, Pierce City, Sarcoxie, Strafford, Stockton.

Midwest Conference (6) -- Dadeville, Everton, Golden City, Jasper, Liberal, Lockwood.

Vernon County Conference (4) -- Bronaugh, Hume, Northeast Vernon County, Sheldon.

MISSOURI teams/programs (50)

Here were the other schools/programs we also ran scores and boxes for out of Kansas and Oklahoma:

Southeast Kansas League (9) -- Columbus, Pittsburg, Fort Scott, Labette County, Parsons, Chanute, Iola, Independence and Coffeyville-Field Kindley.

CNC Conference (9) -- Baxter Springs, Galena, Riverton, Southeast-Cherokee, Northeast-Arma, St. Mary's-Colgan, Frontenac, Erie, Girard.

Chetopa and Oswego were members of the Three Rivers League (TRL) we did not print full previews or run scores, standings or boxes on the TRL, but we ran Chetopa and Oswego has independent teams in our coverage area.

Additionally, there has been so much change in Southeast Kansas leagues and classifications. This list above is so out of date its not even funny anymore.

KANSAS teams/programs (20)

Lucky '7' Conference (8) -- Afton, Bluejacket, Commerce, Fairland, Picher, Quapaw, Welch, Wyandotte.

Etc teams (3) -- Miami, Grove and Jay.

This has changed as well as Picher no longer has a school is no longer a community.

OKLAHOMA teams/programs (11)

All told, 81 schools over three states, with girls and boys teams for each school ... some 162 scores and boxes we tried to make sure we had in the paper.

 

[Baldguy]

It might be worth mentioning that in the Vernon County Conference in the early 90s, Shell City and Walker were separate districts and high schools, but consolidated in the middle of that decade to form Northeast Vernon County. So the league would have been five schools in the first part of the 90s.

 

[msubearssuperfan1]

History of Ozark Conference Membership:
Glendale 1963-2024
Kickapoo 1971-2024
Parkview 1958-2024
Hillcrest 1958-2024
Central 1958-1999; 2018-2024
Joplin 1958-1967; 1985-2018
Joplin Parkwood 1968-1984
Joplin Memorial 1968-1981
Lebanon 1974-1984; 2000-2024
Rolla 1982-1987; 2002-2024
Camdenton 2000-2024
Waynesville 2002-2024
West Plains 2002-2024
Sedalia Smith-Cotton 1979-1983
Webb City 1979-1980
Fayetteville(AR) 1958-1963
Bolivar 2020-2024

 

[Craig Hull]

It might be worth mentioning that in the Vernon County Conference in the early 90s, Shell City and Walker were separate districts and high schools, but consolidated in the middle of that decade to form Northeast Vernon County. So the league would have been five schools in the first part of the 90s.

I remember Mr. Welch telling me that Walker and Schell City had consolidated to form NEVC, but he did not say when the consolidation occurred. We spoke briefly by phone today and it was mentioned briefly just how much has changed in the past 20 years (2004-2024).

While working on the Carl Junction Football Records Project (on going) it was interesting to see the history of conference affiliations and who belonged to what conference and for what years.

 

[Rshs1991]

I was a sports writer/columnist at The Joplin Globe from 1997-2004. During this time, our sports department coverage area included 81 high schools in three states. While I don't have my record books here at my finger tips, I'll try to go from memory of the the conferences and teams we covered during this time.
Anvil Welch was responsible for tracking down scores and boxes for all 81 boys teams while I was responsible for 81 high school girls teams. We had a system of recording records ... we had 3-ring binders 3 1/2-4 inches deep, each conference had its own tab, each team its own page and on the front we wrote down (pencil) each teams schedule with the head coach and contact information at the top of the page. On the back of the sheet was a crossgrid where you put each varsity player across the top of the page, then each varsity game down the side of the page and enter points scored for each game of that particular season.
At one time, the Globe had boys and girls basketball record books for all 81 basketball teams in the coverage area from the 1970's-present. I possess the books for the 1997-1998 season through 2003-2004 season. I don't know what has become of all of the books, but since I am still good friends with Anvil Welch and both of us still work on records projects for fun on the side, we often share information with each other.

If you have a specific conference or time period you need information on, let me know and I am willing to go visit Mr. Welch and try to secure what you need.

Here were (1997-2004) the conferences and teams we covered by priority:

Ozark Conference (10) -- Joplin, Kickapoo, Glendale, Parkview, Hillcrest, Lebanon, Camdenton, Rolla, Waynesville, West Plains. (If my memory serves me correctly, I remember the Ozark was a Joplin and the Springfield schools, then it expanded and added the other five sometime during the 1990's).

Southwest Conference (5) -- Webb City, Carthage, Neosho, McDonald County, Nevada.

Big 8 (8) -- Carl Junction, Aurora, Cassville. East Newton, Lamar, Monett, Mount Vernon, Seneca (the Big 8 and all of Southeast Kansas was my primary beat for football).

Ozark 8 (8) -- McAuley Regional Catholic, Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, Diamond, Exeter, Purdy, Southwest, Verona, Wheaton.

College Heights Christian School (1, independent) joined MSHSAA from the MCSAA during the 1997-1998 school year and did not have a conference affiliation.

Mid-Lakes (8) -- Greenfield, Fair Grove, Marionville, Miller, Pierce City, Sarcoxie, Strafford, Stockton.

Midwest Conference (6) -- Dadeville, Everton, Golden City, Jasper, Liberal, Lockwood.

Vernon County Conference (4) -- Bronaugh, Hume, Northeast Vernon County, Sheldon.

MISSOURI teams/programs (50)

Here were the other schools/programs we also ran scores and boxes for out of Kansas and Oklahoma:

Southeast Kansas League (9) -- Columbus, Pittsburg, Fort Scott, Labette County, Parsons, Chanute, Iola, Independence and Coffeyville-Field Kindley.

CNC Conference (9) -- Baxter Springs, Galena, Riverton, Southeast-Cherokee, Northeast-Arma, St. Mary's-Colgan, Frontenac, Erie, Girard.

Chetopa and Oswego were members of the Three Rivers League (TRL) we did not print full previews or run scores, standings or boxes on the TRL, but we ran Chetopa and Oswego has independent teams in our coverage area.

Additionally, there has been so much change in Southeast Kansas leagues and classifications. This list above is so out of date its not even funny anymore.

KANSAS teams/programs (20)

Lucky '7' Conference (8) -- Afton, Bluejacket, Commerce, Fairland, Picher, Quapaw, Welch, Wyandotte.

Etc teams (3) -- Miami, Grove and Jay.

This has changed as well as Picher no longer has a school is no longer a community.

OKLAHOMA teams/programs (11)

All told, 81 schools over three states, with girls and boys teams for each school ... some 162 scores and boxes we tried to make sure we had in the paper.

That is exactly what I was looking for!!!

 

[Rshs1991]

It might be worth mentioning that in the Vernon County Conference in the early 90s, Shell City and Walker were separate districts and high schools, but consolidated in the middle of that decade to form Northeast Vernon County. So the league would have been five schools in the first part of the 90s.

I remember those 2 schools, because my sister spent one year at Walker before she was hireed by a former boss (don't remember the name) to teach at Cassville.

 

[Rshs1991]

I remember Mr. Welch telling me that Walker and Schell City had consolidated to form NEVC, but he did not say when the consolidation occurred. We spoke briefly by phone today and it was mentioned briefly just how much has changed in the past 20 years (2004-2024).

While working on the Carl Junction Football Records Project (on going) it was interesting to see the history of conference affiliations and who belonged to what conference and for what years.

If I remember correctly it was in the mid to late 90's or even EARLY 2000's.

 

[Rshs1991]

I remember how the Green County League (GCL) basically self imploded around 1995. Nixa had already left for the COC, Walnut Grove was leaving for the Polk Cunty Leahue, and shortly after Greenwood announced they were leaving to go Independent. This left Ash Grove, Forsyth, Spfd Catholic, Reeds Spring to become independents for a while. The conference (which really stopped being "green County for a while) also at one time included Fair Grove and Strafford.

 

[MoSooner69]

1993 was the final year of the Green County League. Greenwood dropping Football was the final nail in the coffin. Reeds Spring would be an independent until finally being let into the COC (something the Wolves had been trying to do for years)