Kettle Moraine Conference

The Kettle Moraine Conference is a former high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine region. It existed from 1928 to 1963 and all member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

Founding and Formative Years (1928-1957)

The Kettle Moraine Conference was formed in 1928 by five small high schools in Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties: Grafton, Howards Grove, Oostburg, Random Lake and Waldo.[1][2] Glenbeulah High School would join in 1929[3] from the Fox Valley Tri-County League, and Howards Grove would leave the conference a year later.[4] Cedar Grove joined the Kettle Moraine Conference in 1931, bringing conference membership to six schools.[5] It would remain at six when Howards Grove made their return to the Kettle Moraine Conference in 1934, replacing Glenbeulah, who exited the conference that year.[6] Glenbeulah would return in 1939,[7] and the conference would continue as a seven-member circuit for fifteen years. Stockbridge High School joined in 1954, bringing membership to its highest total of eight schools.[8]

Decline and Dissolution (1957-1963)

In 1957, the Kettle Moraine Conference lost Glenbeulah after their school district consolidated with Elkhart Lake,[9] with the new Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High School remaining in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference.[10] Grafton would leave the next year to join the new Scenic Moraine Conference,[11] decreasing membership to six schools. In 1960, Oostburg left to join the Eastern Wisconsin Conference[12] and Random Lake joined the Scenic Moraine Conference.[13] The Kettle Moraine Conference would play for two seasons as a four-member loop before Waldo High School closed after consolidation with Sheboygan Falls in 1962.[14] Down to only three members, the conference would compete for one more season before disbanding in 1963. Two of the three remaining schools (Cedar Grove and Howards Grove) would join the Eastern Wisconsin Conference,[15] and Stockbridge would compete independent of conference affiliation before joining the Bay-Lakes Conference in 1970.[16]

Conference Membership History

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Grafton Grafton, WI Public 713 Blackhawks     1928[1][2] 1958[11] Scenic Moraine North Shore
Howards Grove Howards Grove, WI Pubilc 283 Tigers     1928,[1][2] 1934[6] 1930,[4] 1963[15] Independent, Eastern Wisconsin Big East
Oostburg Oostburg, WI Public 331 Dutchmen     1928[1][2] 1960[12] Eastern Wisconsin Big East
Random Lake Random Lake, WI Public 244 Rams     1928[1][2] 1960[13] Scenic Moraine Big East
Waldo Waldo, WI Public N/A Golden Royals     1928[1][2] 1962[14] Closed (consolidated into Sheboygan Falls)
Glenbeulah Glenbeulah, WI Public N/A Boosters     1929,[3] 1939[7] 1934,[6] 1957[9] Closed (consolidated into Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah)
Cedar Grove Cedar Grove, WI Public 291 Rockets     1931[5] 1963[15] Eastern Wisconsin Big East
Stockbridge Stockbridge, WI Public 54 Indians     1954[8] 1963[16] Independent

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "High School Conference Ready for Finishing Touch". Random Lake Times. 11 October 1928. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Grafton Lead is Increased". The Sheboygan Press. 28 February 1929. p. 16. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Three Quintets Tied At Top in Kettle Moraine". The Sheboygan Press. 12 December 1929. p. 26. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Grafton Leads Kettle-Moraine Caging League". The Sheboygan Press. 22 January 1930. p. 12. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b "K-M Fives at Halfway Mark". The Sheboygan Press. 21 January 1932. p. 14. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Grafton Tackles Cedar Grove Five Friday Evening". The Sheboygan Press. 24 January 1935. p. 12. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Oostburg is Leading K-M Conference". The Sheboygan Press. 3 February 1940. p. 12. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Kettle Moraine Eyes '54 Season - Stockbridge New School In Circuit". The Sheboygan Press. 18 November 1954. p. 38. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b "New Teachers at Elkhart Lake". The Sheboygan Press. 29 August 1957. p. 6. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Brillion Duels Elkhart Lake". Appleton Post-Crescent. 12 December 1957. p. 34. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Indians Get Set to Open Play in New Scenic Moraine League". Kewaskum Statesman. 22 August 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b Pelkin, Dwight (9 December 1959). "It's This Way". The Sheboygan Press. p. 35. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Random Lake Officially Out". The Sheboygan Press. 11 February 1959. p. 26. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Waldo To Play Oldtimers In Cage 'Farewell'". The Sheboygan Press. 1 March 1962. p. 16. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Cedar Grove Invades Howards Grove Gym". The Sheboygan Press. 14 December 1962. p. 21. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  16. ^ a b Kohl, Tom (3 September 1970). "Vikings Home Opener Against Stockbridge". Fond du Lac Reporter. p. 35. Retrieved 17 December 2024.