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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 (IHSA). The conference comprises public high schools with small enrollments in portions of Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties.
Contents
Current membership
Sources:IHSA Conferences and IHSA Member Schools Directory
History
The Lincoln Trail Conference (LTC) 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 (Henry, Low Point-Washburn, Midland) 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:
Timeline
Competitive success
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:
Cooperative arrangements
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