The Little Ten Conference is the oldest continuous high school athletic conference in the state of Illinois. Founded in 1919, it was originally comprised the following small high schools in northern Illinois: Earlville, Hinckley, Leland, Paw Paw, Plano, Rollo, Sandwich, Shabbona, Somonauk, and Waterman. The conference is still in operation and currently consists of the following members: Earlville, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek, Kirkland Hiawatha, LaMoille, Leland, Newark, Paw Paw, Serena, and Somonauk (Earlville and Leland Coop in athletics). Over the years, there have been a number of other area schools in the conference, including Malta.
Charter members consist of Earlville, Leland, Paw Paw, Somonauk, Hinckley (now combined into Hinckley-Big Rock), Shabbona, and Waterman (which have respectively merged to form Indian Creek).
Schools in the conference compete in Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys Baseball and Girls Softball.
The Junior High schools of the respective communities have a conference, comprising
EarlvilleLelandSomonaukIndian CreekHinckley-Big RockPaw PawHigh School Conference Members, Past and Present
Earlville (1919–2006, formed Co-Op with Leland)*Leland (1919–2006, formed Co-Op with Earlville)*Earlville-Leland Co-Op (2006-)Paw Paw (1919-)*Malta (1967–2000, school was closed, students now attend DeKalb High School)Kirkland-Hiawatha (2006-)Plano (1919–1967, Joined Northeast Conference, then Interstate Eight Conference in 1979-80 with Sandwich)*Sandwich (1919–1967, Joined Northeast Conference, then Interstate Eight Conference in 1979-80 with Plano)*Serena (1939-, formed out of merger with Harding and Sheridan schools)Hinckley (1919–1957)*Hinckley-Big Rock (1957-, school district merged with Big Rock)Shabbona (1919–1993)*Waterman (1919–1993)*Indian Creek (1993-, Shabbona/Waterman school districts merged)Newark (1967-)LaMoille-Ohio (1996-)Somonauk (1919-)*Sheridan (1930–1939), school closed and district merged with Serena; Elementary school still open, but part of a different conference.)Rollo (1919–1954), school closed and district merged with Shabbona, and became part of Indian Creek)*Star designates original conference membersMascots and Colors
The schools are represented by the following team nicknames:
Big Rock - Bobcats - blue & goldEarlville - Raiders - red & blackHinckley - Hawks - blue and goldHinckley-Big Rock - Royals - blue & whiteIndian Creek - Timberwolves - red, black, & whiteKirkland Hiawatha - Hawks - navy & goldLaMoille - Lions - red and whiteLeland - Panthers - kelly green & blackMalta - Mustangs - red and whiteNewark - Norsemen - Royal Blue & WhitePaw Paw - Bulldogs - purple & yellowPlano - Reapers - purple & whiteRollo - Eagles - blue and orangeSerena - Huskers - purple and goldShabbona - Indians - red & whiteSheridan - Vikings - orange and blackSomonauk - Bobcats - blue & yellowWaterman - Wolverines - red & blackThird Place Game - Serena 60, Somonauk 54. Consolation - Leland-Earlville 52, LaMoille-Ohio 40 .
** Double Overtime game
