The Lakes Conference is a high school athletic conference whose members are located in mid-sized cities in northwest Iowa . Most of the schools are located in their respective county seats .
37-531: The conference's current lineup consists of five schools in northwestern Iowa. Since Iowa is the only state in the nation that maintains separate governing bodies for boys' and girls' athletics, the classifications are different for each gender. The Iowa High School Athletic Association is divided into classes (from largest to smallest) 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, A, and 8-player for football while the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union
74-524: A fall sport. It is also the only sport that is jointly sanctioned by the IHSAA and the IGHSAU. The current official distance for cross country meets is 5000m (approximately 3.1 miles). The standard format for team scoring, per NFHS guidelines, is to sum the places of the 5 highest placing runners among qualifying teams (teams must have at least 5 runners to qualify in the context of the team competition) to obtain
111-462: A higher classification than their enrollment places them in a sport with four classes. Schools requesting this placement will remain in higher class for two years. As a result, In the 2014-15 school year, there were 97 schools in 2A basketball, even though regulations call for 96 Bowling was first sanctioned by the IHSAA in 2009–2010. Cross Country was first contested in Iowa in 1922, and is considered
148-567: A set of changes in the early 1990s when it added Sibley-Ocheyedan from the Lakes Conference , and Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn and Okoboji from the disbanded Sioux Valley Conference . Maurice-Orange City merged with Floyd Valley to become MOC-Floyd Valley in 1994. The conference remained the same until Hartley–Mevin–Sanborn left for the War Eagle Conference in 2009 and longtime Sibley-Ocheyedan rival Sheldon moved in from
185-633: Is a ten team high school athletic conference in the northwest corner of Iowa , consisting of schools ranging from the smallest class (1A) to the third largest class (3A), and known for its prominence in small school basketball . The Siouxland Conference was founded in 1952 and began play in the 1953–54 school year. Originally the league was made up of: Inwood , George and Rock Rapids from Lyon County ; Orange City , and Hawarden from Sioux County ; and Akron and Le Mars Gehlen from Plymouth County . Rock Valley replaced Augustana Academy of Canton, South Dakota , in 1960. West Sioux of Hawarden left
222-416: Is divided into classes 1A (smallest schools) to 5A (largest schools). The conference offers the following sports: The Lakes Conference dates back to the mid-1940s when Storm Lake, Cherokee, Spirit Lake, Sibley, Sheldon, Emmetsburg, Estherville, and Spencer formed the league. For over four decades, the conference had no membership changes. In the 1980s, Sibley merged with nearby Ocheyedan High School and left
259-502: Is no longer a sanctioned conference sport since the state took control of the entire system in the mid-1990s and created a two-year rotating district system. Nevertheless, Sibley holds a title, while Sioux Center has two and Central Lyon holds two on their own and one more sharing with George–Little Rock with 2 runners-up in class 2A. West Lyon has won five titles (1998, 1999, 2010, 2013, 2019) and finished as class 1A runner up in 2008 and 2014 and 2A runner up in 1995. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
296-693: Is the regulating body for male Iowa high school interscholastic athletics and is a full member of the National Federation of State High School Associations . Its female counterpart, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union , (IGHSAU) is an associate member. Iowa is the only state that maintains separate governing bodies for boys' and girls' athletics. Sports overseen by the IHSAA are baseball , basketball , bowling , cross country , football , golf , soccer , swimming & diving , tennis , track & field , and wrestling . As classifications vary highly across sports, they are included under
333-531: The 2A championship in 2006–07, becoming the first league school to win the state title since Estherville in 1986–87. They followed this up by repeating as state champs in 2007–08, and winning another title in 2009–10. The Lakes Conference sponsored football for over 50 years before the Iowa High School Athletic Association realigned all levels of football into a two-year evolving districts format. Because of this change, many of
370-472: The 2A championship. West Lyon won the 1A championship in 2014, keeping it in the conference for three straight years. Boyden–Hull won its first 2A title in 2020. The Comets competed in the 2A basketball final again in 2021, losing to Western Christian , a team also located in Hull, as a member of the Lakes Conference . It was the first time since 2005 that the two teams had played against each other, and also
407-404: The 2A state championship in 1987–88 and again in 1988–89, and won the 3A title in 2004–05 as MOC-Floyd Valley. Rock Valley has won the championship in 1996, 1998, 2009, and 2010. In 2003, Boyden-Hull was class 1A state champ, while Sioux Center won the 2A title. George–Little Rock won the 1A title in 2006. Boyden-Hull won back to back 1A titles in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, Sheldon also won
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#1732793354212444-663: The 3 state tournaments. In the 4 years prior to 1928 (1924–1927), Iowa State College hosted an "invitational state tournament" in the spring that attracted nearly 40 schools, but was unofficial in nature. Unlike the Summer tournament, the Spring tournament never divided into separate classes. The Fall Tournament was held every summer from 1939 to 1985. Unlike the Summer tournament, the Fall tournament never divided into separate classes. . * IHSAA Board policy allows schools to participate in
481-504: The IHSAA and are not listed on its website, and it is not clear how these championships were determined. 8-Player started having postseason in 2000, the previous two years were regular season due to low number of teams. The standard team scoring format for golf tournaments, per NFHS guidelines, is to add up the scores of 6 players with each player playing 2 rounds of 18 holes. Teams are then ranked according to lowest score. * Plus golf schools that play in 4A conferences that wish to play in
518-673: The Lakes Conference, left the conference to join the Twin Lakes Conference . Emmetsburg officials cited school size comparisons and a lack of ability to compete successfully in the Lakes Conference as the two main reasons for the switch. In March 2018, Le Mars Community announced that it would be leaving the Lakes Conference to join the Missouri River Activities Conference . Le Mars officials explained that they chose to leave due to
555-532: The Lakes Conference. Current War Eagle Conference member Unity Christian, located in Orange City, Iowa has applied for membership to the conference at least 3 times, and been denied each time. Former Lake Conference member and current independent Western Christian has applied twice, and denied each time as well. On 20 September 2022, George-Little Rock applied for membership to the War Eagle Conference . The War Eagle Conference approved membership of
592-528: The Mustangs on October 20, 2022. In October of 2022, the conference finally accepted the membership application of Unity Christian, whom will swap conferences with George-Little Rock. As an independent school, Sioux Center won the big school state title in 1959, followed by the small school state title in 1967, in its first year within the Siouxland Conference. Maurice-Orange City claimed
629-474: The basis of having either a boys or a girls program, as not all schools have both. This is to avoid a situation where boys and girls from the same school do not compete in the same class. Football classifications remain the same for 2 years, following remain the same for the 2021 and 2022 football seasons. Although different sources claim that certain schools to have been state champions in years prior to 1972, these championships are not apparently recognized by
666-426: The conference back up to seven, eight, or even more members. However, until this happens, the conference will temporarily run as a six-school conference. If no school will agree to join the conference after Le Mars's departure, conference officials will meet to discuss future options, including continuing with six teams or disbanding the conference. On February 15, 2021, Western Christian announced it would be leaving
703-513: The conference following the 2021-2022 school year. The school noted it was operating as a geographical outlier, and that distance to the other schools was expensive. The school did not specify which conference it would be joining, it did mention that it was interesting in competing more locally. The school has attempted to join the Siouxland Conference , and was denied membership. It will remain independent of conference affiliation for
740-516: The conference in 1965, and rejoined for a short period in the 1970s. Boyden–Hull became a conference member by 1965. Sioux Center , formerly of the Sioux Empire Conference , and Central Lyon of Rock Rapids joined the Siouxland Conference in 1967. Akron withdrew from the league at the conclusion of the 1975 baseball season. Little Rock merged with George to become George–Little Rock in 1989. The league then went through
777-461: The conference in 1990 to join the Siouxland Conference. Estherville also merged with Lincoln Central High School in the mid-1990s to form Estherville–Lincoln Central High School. For the 1993–94 academic year, LeMars was added to the conference lineup. Hull Western Christian joined the Lakes in 1997–98. Since joining the Lakes, Western Christian has participated in 8 state basketball tournaments and won
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#1732793354212814-415: The fall. In 2006–2007 there were 52 schools in class 4A In 1940, 1941, and 1986–1993, teams could also participate in a separate Fall Championship. Listed below are the champions of those tournaments. Beginning in 1994, the Fall tournament became simply the 4A championship. Those results are included above. The current State Champion is the winner of the spring tournament that has been held since 1995 and
851-470: The first time in Iowa High School Athletic Association history that two teams from the same city met in a title game. Sibley-Ocheyedan won two basketball titles (1986 and 1996), while Rock Valley has three (2001–2003). Central Lyon won the 1A title in 2013. MOC–Floyd Valley won the 3A championship the following season, besting their previous best result, second place in 1997. The schools hold many other state titles as well, including football, which
888-618: The individual sport section. The administrative staff that runs the IHSAA consists of the 7 members in the office of directors, and the 10 members of the board of control. The IHSAA, historically, has had 3 state baseball championships. Currently, there is only one: the Summer State Championship, whose winners are currently recognized as the State Champions. Historically, however, the winners of all 3 tournaments are given credit for State Championships. Iowa
925-570: The instability of the Lakes Conference, disparity of the sizes of schools in the Lakes Conference, and a lack of consistent high-caliber competition from top to bottom in the conference on a yearly basis. Le Mars Community participated in Lakes Conference competition for the 2018–19 school year before leaving for the Missouri River Activities Conference for the 2019–20 school year. Lakes Conference officials have said that they are working to find other schools to bring
962-419: The school year. Cherokee is solidly in class 2A and is not expected to change classes any time soon. In 2009–10, Sheldon left the conference to join the Siouxland Conference . Sheldon officials cited travel distances as the reason for making the jump, as five schools from the Siouxland Conference are closer to Sheldon than the second-closest Lakes Conference school. In 2017 Emmetsburg , a founding member of
999-405: The schools are currently seeing a slight decline in their enrollment. As recently as 5 years ago seven of the league's eight schools were in class 3A, the second highest class in Iowa. Today Storm Lake, and Spencer consistently fall in the top fifteen biggest schools in class 3A while Estherville–Lincoln Central and Spirit Lake often flip between class 2A and class 3A depending on their enrollment for
1036-403: The schools do not compete against each other in football. Though all the schools currently compete in either classes 2A or 3A, most were once in the highest level of classification for the Iowa High School Athletic Association . With the addition of a fourth class in the 1980s, however, none of the conference schools met the enrollment requirement to be in this largest class. In addition, most of
1073-529: The state meet. A separate wheelchair team championship is also awarded. In 2005, the wheelchair championship has been co-ed. The Iowa High School Athletic Association holds two separate team wrestling championships: the Traditional tournament, which also crowns individual champions, and a Dual Team tournament. The dual team tournament was held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids a week after
1110-503: The state of Iowa on a network made up of local television stations. Beginning with the 2016 football championships, IHSAA reached a deal with NBCUniversal -owned Comcast SportsNet Chicago to become the exclusive provider of these sports, making them available across CSN's footprint consisting of Iowa, Illinois and Indiana via television, online and the NBC Sports mobile app. Siouxland Conference The Siouxland Conference
1147-432: The team's score. Teams are then ranked with the lowest score winning. Additionally, a team may have up to 7 runners count in placing for team scores, although only the first 5 scores, with the 6th and 7th runners serving to displace and lower the position of runners on other teams. In classifying Cross Country programs, due to the collaboration of the IHSAA and IGHSAU, teams are included in the largest 48, next 64, etc., on
Lakes Conference - Misplaced Pages Continue
1184-981: The time being. The Lakes Conference has a very successful history in the state tournaments for various sports. Spencer: State champions: 1994 Spirit Lake: State champions: 2012, 2015 Western Christian: State champions: 2016 Western Christian State champions: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016 Western Christian State championships: 1985, 1991, 1996, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021 Estherville: State championships: 1987 Storm Lake: State championships: 1968, 1980 Six-on-six: Estherville: State champions: 1982 Five-on-five: Western Christian: State champions: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 Estherville: State champions: 2022 Spencer: State champions: 2009 Cherokee: State champions: 2007 Spencer: State champions: 1991, 1997 Spirit Lake State champions: 2004 Iowa High School Athletic Association The Iowa High School Athletic Association ( IHSAA )
1221-744: The traditional tournament, until 2012, when it was held the Wednesday before the traditional tournament in Des Moines . This was the subject of much controversy, as several teams sat their state qualifiers for the Dual Team tournament. In 1921–1925, the State University of Iowa (Iowa City) and Iowa State University (Ames) held open state tournaments that were not supervised nor sanctioned by the IHSAA. Prior to 2016, championship events in football, basketball and wrestling were carried across
1258-648: The winner. Both singles and doubles matches are in a best-of-3-sets format. With a 10-point tiebreaker in the 3rd in most cases. Iowa's official track season is currently outdoors. There was also an indoor State Track Meet from 1926 to 1973, and the IHSAA is in the process of collecting and publishing these champions. The following is the current list of official track events according to the IHSAA Track: Field: Wheel Chair: State track titles have been given every year since 1906. Since 2003, there has also been wheelchair events at
1295-408: Was class 2A runner up for football in 2009. Before sharing sports with Rock Valley, Boyden-Hull tied West Harrison for the 1970 Class B track championship. Maurice-Orange City has won the state track championship three times, Sioux Center twice, George and Okoboji once each. Rock Valley has three state golf titles, all won as a member of the Siouxland Conference. Central Lyon and Sheldon have each won
1332-399: Was divided into 2 classes in 1998 and 3 classes starting in 2011. From 1994 to 2000, there was also a fall State Championship tournament that crowned a single champion. Winners of both tournaments are considered State Champions. An IHSAA tennis team consists of 6 competitors. Each head-to-head competition is made of 6 singles and 3 doubles, each worth 1 point, and the first team to 5 points is
1369-407: Was the first State Association in the nation to hold a baseball championship meet in the summer. The summer tournament was first held in 1946, with one classification from 1946 to 1972. From 1973 to 1980, there were 2 classifications (1A and 2A), and since 1981 there have been 4 classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A). The Spring Tournament was held every summer from 1928 to 1972, and is the oldest of
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