{{Short description|Wisconsin high school athletic conference (1932-1970)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
The '''Wolf River Valley Conference''' is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin, with its membership concentrated in the north central part of the state. Founded in 1932 and dissolved in 1970, its member schools belonged to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
== History ==
=== 1932–1957 === {{OSM Location map | title = | coord = {{coord|44.8285|-89.1788}} | float = right | zoom = 8 <!--(1=wisconsin, 18=a street)--> | width = 250 | height = 250 | mark-size1=10 | mark-title1=Birnamwood | mark-coord1={{coord|44.9334|-89.2108}} | mark-description1=Location: | shape-color1=#ff8200 | shape1=circle | mark-title2=Mattoon | mark-coord2={{coord|45.0042|-89.0415}} | mark-description2=Location: | shape-color2=#9d2235 | shape2=circle | mark-title3=Rosholt | mark-coord3={{coord|44.6298|-89.3131}} | mark-description3=Location: | shape-color3=#ffc72c | shape3=circle | mark-title4=Tigerton | mark-coord4={{coord|44.7395|-89.0572}} | mark-description4=Location: | shape-color4=#582c83 | shape4=circle | mark-title5=Wittenberg | mark-coord5={{coord|44.8285|-89.1788}} | mark-description5=Location: | shape-color5=#6f2c3f | shape5=circle | caption = Location of Original Wolf River Valley Conference Members | auto-caption= | wrap=wrap}} The Wolf River Valley Conference was formed in 1932 from a split of four schools from the Central Wisconsin Conference. Birnamwood, Rosholt, Tigerton and Wittenberg were all members of the conference's Northern Section and were joined by Mattoon to form a five-member circuit.<ref name="Founding">{{Cite news |date=26 April 1932 |title=Five High Schools in New Conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/273023094/?match=1&terms=%22wolf%20river%20valley%20conference%22 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wausau Daily Herald |pages=10}}</ref> Four out of the five original members were located in Shawano County, with one (Rosholt) based in Portage County. By the end of the 1930s that number had increased to eight schools as Scandinavia joined in 1934<ref name="1934 Scandinavia">{{Cite news |date=15 January 1935 |title=Information on Wisconsin's High School Basketball Leagues |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/405645404/?match=1&terms=%22wolf%20valley%22%20scandinavia |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=12}}</ref> and two schools (Bowler and Gresham) entered the conference in 1939.<ref name="1939 Bowler Gresham">{{Cite news |date=14 February 1940 |title=Birnamwood and Wittenberg Share Wolf Valley Lead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/250378458/?match=1&terms=%22wolf%20river%20valley%22%20standings |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Stevens Point Journal |pages=6}}</ref> The Wolf River Valley Conference would compete with this membership roster for just over a decade before Wittenberg left to compete as an independent in 1948,<ref name="1948 Wittenberg">{{Cite news |date=2 March 1950 |title=Wittenberg, Hodags Meet in WIAA Play Tonight at Antigo |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/10564843/?match=1&terms=%22wolf%20valley%22%20standings |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Rhinelander Daily News |pages=6}}</ref> leaving the conference with seven members. White Lake would join from the Northern Lakes Conference in 1957,<ref name="1957 White Lake">{{Cite news |date=2 March 1958 |title=Prep Cage Standings (see Northern Lakes and Wolf River Valley) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/397176424/?match=1&terms=%22white%20lake%22%20%22wolf%20river%20valley%22 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=24}}</ref> bringing membership back up to eight schools.
=== 1957–1970 === {{OSM Location map | title = | coord = {{coord|44.8285|-89.1788}} | float = right | zoom = 8 <!--(1=wisconsin, 18=a street)--> | width = 250 | height = 250 | mark-size1=10 | mark-title1=Birnamwood | mark-coord1={{coord|44.9334|-89.2108}} | mark-description1=Location: | shape-color1=#ff8200 | shape1=circle | mark-title2=Bowler | mark-coord2={{coord|44.8573|-88.9828}} | mark-description2=Location: | shape-color2=#000000 | shape2=circle | mark-title3=Gresham | mark-coord3={{coord|44.8456|-88.7819}} | mark-description3=Location: | shape-color3=#a2aaad | shape3=circle | mark-title4=Rosholt | mark-coord4={{coord|44.6298|-89.3131}} | mark-description4=Location: | shape-color4=#ffc72c | shape4=circle | mark-title5=Tigerton | mark-coord5={{coord|44.7395|-89.0572}} | mark-description5=Location: | shape-color5=#582c83 | shape5=circle | mark-title6=White Lake | mark-coord6={{coord|45.1561|-88.7639}} | mark-description6=Location: | shape-color6=#d50032 | shape6=circle | caption = Location of Final Wolf River Valley Conference Members | auto-caption= | wrap=wrap}} In the 1960s, rural school district consolidation began to take its toll on Wolf River Valley Conference membership. The first to leave the conference was Scandinavia in 1960 after their merger with Iola of the Central Wisconsin Conference.<ref name="1960 Iola-Scandinavia">{{Cite news |date=9 February 1961 |title=Phants Can Clinch Share of NEW Title (see Central Wisconsin Conference standings) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189069964/?match=1&terms=%22central%20wisconsin%20conference%22%20standings%20%22iola-scandinavia%22 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=3}}</ref> Mattoon followed them out in 1962 as their district was consolidated into Antigo of the Wisconsin Valley Conference.<ref name="1962 Mattoon">{{Cite news |date=20 July 1962 |title=Joint School Districts to Meet Monday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188921970/?match=1&terms=%22mattoon%20high%20school%22%20antigo |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=19}}</ref> Bear Creek would join in 1965 after their exit from the Little Nine Conference,<ref name="1965 Bear Creek">{{Cite news |date=4 December 1964 |title=Brillion Will Leave EWC |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/396132914/? |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=20}}</ref> but their stay was short-lived as the district was folded into Clintonville of the Mid-Eastern Conference in 1969.<ref name="1969 Bear Creek">{{Cite news |last=Laib |first=Mildred |date=20 October 1969 |title=Bear Creek Students Like Change |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/290979138/?match=1&terms=%22bear%20creek%20high%20school%22%20clintonville |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=1}}</ref> The Wolf River Valley Conference was disbanded in 1970, with Bowler, Rosholt and Tigerton becoming members of the Central State Conference.<ref name="1970-01 Central State">{{Cite news |date=12 September 1969 |title=Port to join 10-school conference next year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/243542895/?match=1&terms=%22central%20state%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune |pages=8}}</ref> Gresham and White Lake became independents, and both joined conferences in 1972 (Gresham to the Central State, White Lake to the Northern Lakes).<ref name="1972-01 Gresham">{{Cite news |date=22 November 1971 |title=CSC Admits Two New for 1971-72 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/251217384/?match=1&terms=%22central%20state%20conference%22%20granton%20gresham |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Stevens Point Journal |pages=14}}</ref><ref name="1972-02 White Lake">{{Cite news |last=Kloppenburg |first=Dick |date=13 April 1972 |title=Poor Richard's Sports Almanac |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/272857869/?match=1&terms=%22northern%20lakes%22%20%22white%20lake%22 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wausau Daily Herald |pages=19}}</ref> Birnamwood was merged with Wittenberg in 1970, and the new Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School inherited Wittenberg's place in the Central Wisconsin Conference.<ref name="1970-02 Witt-Birn">{{Cite news |date=23 August 1969 |title=Wittenberg-Birnamwood Classes Start Wednesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/272714410/?match=1&terms=%22wittenberg-birnamwood%20high%20school%22 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=Wausau Daily Herald |pages=3}}</ref>{{clear}}
== Conference membership history ==
=== Final members === {| class="wikitable sortable" !School !Location !Affiliation !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |- |'''Birnamwood''' |Birnamwood, WI |Public |Orioles |{{color box|ff8200}} {{color box|black}} |1932<ref name="Founding" /> |1970<ref name="1970-02 Witt-Birn" /> | colspan="2" |Closed (merged into Wittenberg-Birnamwood) |- |'''Bowler''' |Bowler, WI |Public |Panthers |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|black}} |1939<ref name="1939 Bowler Gresham" /> |1970<ref name="1970-01 Central State" /> |Central State |Central Wisconsin |- |'''Gresham''' |Gresham, WI |Public |Wildcats |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|a2aaad}} |1939<ref name="1939 Bowler Gresham" /> |1970<ref name="1972-01 Gresham" /> |Independent |Central Wisconsin |- |'''Rosholt''' |Rosholt, WI |Public |Hornets |{{color box|black}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |1932<ref name="Founding" /> |1970<ref name="1970-01 Central State" /> |Central State |Central Wisconsin |- |'''Tigerton''' |Tigerton, WI |Public |Tigers |{{color box|582c83}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |1932<ref name="Founding" /> |1970<ref name="1970-01 Central State" /> |Central State |Central Wisconsin |- |'''White Lake''' |White Lake, WI |Public |Lakers |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} {{color box|black}} |1957<ref name="1957 White Lake" /> |1970<ref name="1972-02 White Lake" /> |Independent |Central Wisconsin |}
=== Previous members === {| class="wikitable sortable" !School !Location !Affiliation !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |- |'''Bear Creek''' |Bear Creek, WI |Public |Bruins |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} |1965<ref name="1965 Bear Creek" /> |1969<ref name="1969 Bear Creek" /> | colspan="2" |Closed (consolidated into Clintonville) |- |'''Mattoon''' |Mattoon, WI |Public |Cardinals |{{color box|9d2235}} {{color box|white}} |1932<ref name="Founding" /> |1962<ref name="1962 Mattoon" /> | colspan="2" |Closed (consolidated into Antigo) |- |'''Scandinavia''' |Scandinavia, WI |Public |Vikings |{{color box|753bbd}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |1934<ref name="1934 Scandinavia" /> |1960<ref name="1960 Iola-Scandinavia" /> | colspan="2" |Closed (merged into Iola-Scandinavia) |- |'''Wittenberg''' |Wittenberg, WI |Public |Wildcats |{{color box|6f2c3f}} {{color box|white}} |1932<ref name="Founding" /> |1948<ref name="1948 Wittenberg" /> |Independent |Closed (merged into Wittenberg-Birnamwood) |}
==Membership timeline== <timeline> DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1932 till:1970 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:40 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white
PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m
bar:1 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1970 text:Birnamwood (1932-1970) bar:2 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1962 text:Mattoon (1932-1962) bar:3 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1970 text:Rosholt (1932-1970) bar:4 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1970 text:Tigerton (1932-1970) bar:5 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1948 text:Wittenberg (1932-1948) bar:6 color:tan1 from:1934 till:1960 text:Scandinavia (1934-1960) bar:7 color:tan1 from:1939 till:1970 text:Bowler (1939-1970) bar:8 color:tan1 from:1939 till:1970 text:Gresham (1939-1970) bar:9 color:tan1 from:1957 till:1970 text:White Lake (1957-1970) bar:10 color:tan1 from:1965 till:1969 text:Bear Creek (1965-1969)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1932
</timeline>
== List of conference champions == === Boys Basketball === {| class="wikitable" !School !Quantity !Years |- | style="background: #ff8200; color: black; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #000000, inset -2px -2px 0 #000000;" | '''Birnamwood''' |8 |1936, 1938, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961 |- | style="background: #582c83; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #ffc72c, inset -2px -2px 0 #ffc72c;" | '''Tigerton''' |8 |1933, 1934, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1959, 1969, 1970 |- | style="background: #d50032; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #a2aaad, inset -2px -2px 0 #a2aaad;" | '''Gresham''' |5 |1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966 |- | style="background: #6f2c3f; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #ffffff, inset -2px -2px 0 #ffffff;" | '''Wittenberg''' |5 |1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948 |- | style="background: #9d2235; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #ffffff, inset -2px -2px 0 #ffffff;" | '''Mattoon''' |4 |1937, 1938, 1955, 1957 |- | style="background: black; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #d50032, inset -2px -2px 0 #d50032;" | '''Bowler''' |3 |1954, 1962, 1963 |- | style="background: #ffc72c; color: black; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #000000, inset -2px -2px 0 #000000;" | '''Rosholt''' |3 |1935, 1951, 1968 |- | style="background: #ba0c2f; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #ffffff, inset -2px -2px 0 #ffffff;" | '''Bear Creek''' |1 |1967 |- | style="background: #753bbd; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #ffc72c, inset -2px -2px 0 #ffc72c;" | '''Scandinavia''' |0 | |- | style="background: #d50032; color: white; box-shadow: inset 2px 2px 0 #000000, inset -2px -2px 0 #000000;" | '''White Lake''' |0 | |- | colspan="3" |'''Champions from 1939-1941 and 1949 unknown''' |}
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
{{Wisconsin high school athletic conferences}}
Category:Wisconsin high school sports conferences Category:Sports organizations established in 1932 Category:1932 establishments in Wisconsin Category:1970 disestablishments in Wisconsin