The Big Northern Conference ( BNC ) is an organization of ten high schools in northern Illinois . These high schools are members of the Illinois High School Association .
32-812: The high schools of the Big Northern Conference are located in the following counties: Boone , DeKalb , LaSalle , Lee , Ogle , Whiteside , and Winnebago . The conference was formed in 1991 as a football -only union of the Big Eight Conference and the Mid-Northern Conference. The original 12 members consisted of six Big Eight schools ( Burlington Central , Genoa-Kingston , Hampshire , Harvard , Marengo , and Richmond-Burton ), five Mid-Northern schools ( Byron , Forreston, Oregon, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago ), and one independent school ( Ottawa Marquette ). Of
64-466: A female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families . 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.33. The county's age distribution consisted of 24.7% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
96-674: A record high of 109 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.29 inches (33 mm) in February to 4.56 inches (116 mm) in June. As of the 2020 United States Census , there were 53,448 people, 18,799 households, and 13,580 families residing in the county. The population density was 189.5 inhabitants per square mile (73.2/km ). There were 20,157 housing units at an average density of 71.5 per square mile (27.6/km ). The racial makeup of
128-565: Is divided into these nine townships : Boone County is located in the Boone-Winnebago County Regional Office of Education #4. Boone County, with neighboring Winnebago County , is located in Illinois's 17th Judicial Circuit . The entirety of Boone County, along with portions of southeastern Winnebago County, is in the third subcircuit. As a historic Yankee settlement, Boone County in its early years
160-506: Is now Boone County. When the New England settlers arrived in what is now Boone County there was nothing but a dense virgin forest and wild prairie. In the late 1870s immigrants began arriving from Germany and Ireland . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 282.039 square miles (730.48 km ) (99.5%), of which 280.741 square miles (727.12 km ) is land and 1.298 square miles (3.36 km ) (0.5%)
192-478: Is water. Logan Avenue county route 40 Genoa Road (T-40) Garden Prairie Road county route 41 Poplar Grove Road county route 32 Capron Road (T-41) In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Belvidere have ranged from a low of 11 °F (−12 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1979 and
224-684: The Erie Canal . They consisted entirely of settlers from New England . These were " Yankee " settlers, that is to say they were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church though due to the Second Great Awakening many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to what
256-555: The Fox Valley Conference in 2011 and was replaced by Rock Falls . Mendota joined for all sports except for football in 2011, but began playing football in the BNC in 2012 along with Rockford Christian who joined that year as a full member. In 2014, Johnsburg rejoined the conference and Dixon became a new member. Following the 2015–16 school year, Burlington Central, Harvard, Johnsburg, Marengo, and Richmond-Burton left
288-768: The Illinois High School Association . The conference comprises 3 small public high schools and 9 small private school, with enrollments between 19 and 850 students in Cook , DeKalb , Kane , Kendall , LaSalle , McHenry , and Winnebago counties. Established in 2009 with nine teams from various conferences including five teams from the Indian Trails Conference , which is a member of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association ,
320-549: The Koster Site seems to indicate that humans had established complex societies ten thousand years ago along the river basins of the Illinois and Mississippi. By the time of European exploration, Upper Mississippian culture collapsed; westward expansion forced many Algonquin -speaking nations into conflict with each other as they moved after encroachment of their lands. Potowatomi and Mascouten tribes were still living in
352-765: The 6 larger schools in the BNC Red Division and the 6 smaller schools in the BNC White Division (with the exception of Ottawa Marquette, which was in the Red Division from 1991–92 to 1997–98 despite having the smallest enrollment in the BNC). Other sports also used the Red and White divisions from 1995–96 to 2000–01, but switched to East and West divisions in 2001–02 (football used East and West divisions in 2002–03 before switching back to Red and White divisions
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#1732794210957384-653: The BNC to join Woodstock and Woodstock North in creating the Kishwaukee River Conference . With 11 schools in the 2016–17 school year, the BNC played as one division for the first time in conference history. In football, BNC schools played against only 8 conference opponents, with the 7 largest schools also playing one game against a team in the KRC. From 1991–92 to 2005–06, the conference's two divisions for football were determined by school size, with
416-466: The Big Eight Conference (1980–81 to 1994–95) before the two conferences merged. Boone County, Illinois Boone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois . As of the 2020 census , the population was 53,448. Its county seat is Belvidere . Boone County is included in the Rockford , IL Metropolitan Statistical Area . Unlike most of Illinois, much of Northern Illinois
448-549: The Mid-Northern Conference and Big Eight Conference continued to play all non-football sports in their respective pre-merger conferences, with a full merger happening at the start of the 1995–96 school year. Marengo, which was part of the Northwest Suburban Conference during the 1990–91 school year before joining the BNC for football in 1991, joined the Big Eight for all other sports. Ottawa Marquette
480-425: The Mid-Northern Conference in other sports.. Mid-Northern (1972-95) Big Eight (1980-95) BNC Football Only (1991-95) Big Northern Conference full members BNC members (non-football) There have been 39 total IHSA State Championships earned by members of the BNC. Additionally, there were also 8 championships won by members of the Mid-Northern Conference (1972–73 to 1994–95) and 2 championships won by members of
512-590: The Northeastern Athletic Conference included teams from the communities of Arlington Heights , Aurora , Chicago , Elgin , Hebron , Kirkland , Mooseheart , and Rockford . After the conclusion of the 2011–12 school year, Rockford Christian left the conference and Elgin's Harvest Christian Academy joined the league. The conference expanded to 10 teams prior to the 2013–14 school year as Crystal Lake's Faith Lutheran High School joined. The conference expanded yet again in 2015 with
544-695: The Republican Party towards an expanded Southern and Western base, and particularly its growing strength with social conservatives, alienated the Yankee North during the 1990s and 2000s, but Boone County remained in Republican hands. The candidacy of Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996 caused George H. W. Bush and Bob Dole both to win Boone County with mere pluralities against Bill Clinton , and in 2008, Illinois resident Barack Obama became
576-522: The addition of Aurora Christian High School , taking the total to 11 teams. The following season the conference expanded to its largest total by adding two teams; Schaumburg Christian High School from Schaumburg , and South Beloit High School from South Beloit making a total of 13 teams. In 2017 the league would shrink back to 12 as Chicago's Luther North High School would close its doors after 108 years of educating students. The league would change again in 2018 after Aurora Christian would leave to join
608-475: The county was 72.5% white, 2.3% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.9% American Indian, 11.6% from other races, and 11.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 24.1% of the population. The most common reported ancestries were German (23.7%), Irish (11.7%), Italian (7.4%), and Swedish (7.4%). Of the 18,799 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had
640-750: The county's vote, and in the century up to 1960 no Democrat reached thirty percent – a degree of GOP loyalty comparable to such famous bastions as Owsley County in Kentucky, Grant County in West Virginia, or Avery County in North Carolina. Even Barry Goldwater , who alienated the Yankee Northeast so much as to lose all but one county there, still won Boone County by 15.6 percentage points, and between 1968 and 1988 no Democrat did better than Jimmy Carter ’s 40.2 percent. The shift of
672-585: The next 15 years. Johnsburg replaced Ottawa Marquette for football in 1998 after joining the BNC for all other sports in 1997, Huntley left in 2003 to join the Fox Valley Conference and was replaced by Rockford Lutheran , and Johnsburg left in 2006 to join the Fox Valley and was replaced by North Boone . The conference has had several changes since 2011 and peaked at 16 schools during the 2014–15 and 2015–16 school years. Hampshire left for
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#1732794210957704-492: The next year). In 2006–07, the BNC permanently switched to East and West divisions for all sports until it ceased having two divisions in 2016–17. In 2018, Rockford Christian moved to the Northeastern Athletic Conference in football while remaining in the BNC for all other sports. Having 10 teams in football made it possible for the BNC to have a full conference schedule, as there are 9 games in
736-513: The only Democrat to carry the county since James K. Polk in 1844. The 2010s have seen a reversal of this Democratic trend due to concern over employment declines in the “ Rust Belt ." 42°20′N 88°49′W / 42.33°N 88.81°W / 42.33; -88.81 Northeastern Athletic Conference (Illinois) The Northeastern Athletic Conference is a high school conference in northeast and north central Illinois . The conference participates in athletics and activities in
768-549: The only football-only member. Forreston left the conference, moving to the Upstate Illini for all sports. Of the schools from either conference who didn't participate in the football-only merger, Huntley was the only one to join the full merger in 1995, replacing Forreston in football. Pecatonica (who ended their co-op with Winnebago in football) and Polo joined the Upstate Illini in 1995, while Mt. Morris closed in 1994 and merged with Oregon. Few more changes occurred over
800-540: The region somewhat from the more recent Wisconsin glaciation . As a result, the county's northern townships resemble a driftless-like area, with higher peak elevations and more surface detail compared to the southern townships dominated by the broad flood plains of the Kishwaukee River and its tributaries. By the time of the first identified human settlements, the region was made up of thickly wooded forested hills and grassy prairie plains. Archeological study at
832-518: The region when white settlers arrived and statehood was declared in 1818. As a political institution, Boone County was formed in March 3, 1836 out of Winnebago County . It was named for Kentucky frontiersman Daniel Boone . The first non-Native American settlers arrived in what is now Boone County in 1835. They arrived as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War as well as the completion of
864-621: The regular season. Rockford Christian returned to the BNC for football in 2021. Mendota left the conference after the 2020–2021 school year to join the Three Rivers Conference . The conference's current members, as of 2021–22: 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) 1995 (all sports) Tri-County Conference (all other sports) 1995 (all sports) 1998 (all sports) 2012 (all sports) From 1991–92 to 1994–95,
896-589: The remaining football teams from each conference, Pecatonica played in a co-op with Winnebago, Polo and Mt. Morris joined the Upstate Illini Conference , and Huntley played an independent schedule. Pecatonica, Polo, and Mt. Morris all continued to play in the Mid-Northern in other sports, and Huntley continued to do the same in the Big Eight. In 1995, the Big Eight and Mid Northern merged for all sports, with Ottawa Marquette remaining
928-455: Was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 70.396 and the median income for a family was $ 84,450. Males had a median income of $ 50,213 versus $ 30,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 32,659. About 5.0% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over. Boone County
960-559: Was a major base for the Free Soil Party , being one of nine Illinois counties to vote for Martin van Buren in 1848. Its Free Soil affinities meant Boone became one of the first strongholds of the Republican Party and remained overwhelmingly Republican for the following century, although it did vote for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 when the Republican Party was severely split. Between at least 1892 and 1928 no Democratic presidential candidate ever managed twenty percent of
992-400: Was independent in all non-football sports during its entire time associated with the BNC. Huntley did not accompany the other Big Eight schools in the BNC football merger, playing football independently for 1991 and 1992 and in the Upstate Illini Conference for 1993 and 1994. Pecatonica from 1990–91 to 1994–95 was in a co-op with Winnebago for football, but they continued to play separately in
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1024-485: Was not submerged in a shallow prehistoric sea . As a result, bedrock found in the area now bounded as Boone County is almost entirely Ordovician , as opposed to nearby counties like McHenry and Carroll which contain large areas of later Silurian bedrock. Till and outwash from the Illinoian glaciation covers area bedrock to a depth of several hundred feet. The county's proximity to the driftless area protected
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