Southern Eight Conference

Former Wisconsin high school athletic conference

The Southern Eight Conference is a former high school athletic conference in southwestern Wisconsin, operating from 1971 to 1987. All member schools belonged to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

## History

[edit]

30km
19miles

Location of Original Southern Eight Conference Members

The Southern Eight Conference was formed as the result of a split of member schools in the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League. In 1970, Richland Center High School was accepted as the fifteenth member of the SWAL (effective 1971) and was added to the seven-member North Section.[1] Soon after their acceptance, the other eight schools in the South Section voted to split the conference along geographic lines[2][3] to maintain traditional rivalries and cut transportation expenses.[4] The Southern Eight began competition in 1971, and its membership roster was remarkably stable over the course of its history. The only changes happened in 1983 with Mount Horeb's exit to the Capitol Conference[5] and the addition of Southwestern High School in Hazel Green.[6] The end of the Southern Eight Conference came in 1987, when the conference remerged with the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League to create a new fourteen-member conference subdivided by enrollment size.[7]

## Conference membership history

[edit]

School  | Location  | Affiliation  | Enrollment  | Mascot  | Colors  | Joined  | Left  | Conference Joined  | Current Conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Cuba City | Cuba City, WI | Public  | 273  | Cubans  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | Southwest Wisconsin Activities League
Darlington | Darlington, WI | Public  | 280  | Redbirds  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | Southwest Wisconsin Activities League
Dodgeville | Dodgeville, WI | Public  | 375  | Dodgers  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | SWAL | Southwest Wisconsin
Iowa-Grant | Livingston, WI | Public  | 204  | Panthers  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | Southwest Wisconsin Activities League
Lancaster | Lancaster, WI | Public  | 295  | Flying Arrows  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | SWAL | Southwest Wisconsin
Mineral Point | Mineral Point, WI | Public  | 245  | Pointers  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | Southwest Wisconsin Activities League
Mount Horeb | Mount Horeb, WI | Public  | 792  | Vikings  |     | 1971[3] | 1983[5] | Capitol | Badger
Platteville | Platteville, WI | Public  | 513  | Hillmen  |     | 1971[3] | 1987[7] | SWAL | Southwest Wisconsin
Southwestern | Hazel Green, WI | Public  | 162  | Wildcats  |     | 1983[6] | 1987[7] | Southwest Wisconsin Activities League

## Membership timeline

[edit]

## List of state champions

[edit]

### Fall sports

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Boys Cross Country School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Dodgeville  | 1972  | Small Schools
Platteville  | 1979  | Class B
Platteville  | 1980  | Class B
Mount Horeb  | 1981  | Class B
Platteville  | 1984  | Class B
Darlington  | 1985  | Class C
Darlington  | 1986  | Class C
Football School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Iowa-Grant  | 1977  | Division 3
Platteville  | 1984  | Division 4
Girls Volleyball School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Platteville  | 1977  | Class B
Iowa-Grant  | 1978  | Class C
Platteville  | 1979  | Class B

### Winter sports

[edit]

Boys Basketball School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Cuba City  | 1981  | Class B
Iowa-Grant  | 1981  | Class C
Girls Basketball School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Lancaster  | 1976  | Class B
Cuba City  | 1977  | Class B
Lancaster  | 1979  | Class B
Cuba City  | 1980  | Class B
Platteville  | 1984  | Class B
Gymnastics School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Mount Horeb  | 1978  | Class B
Mount Horeb  | 1983  | Class B
Boys Wrestling School  | Year  | Division

|
|

Mineral Point  | 1980  | Class C
Mineral Point  | 1981  | Class C
Mineral Point  | 1982  | Class C
Mineral Point  | 1983  | Class C
Mineral Point  | 1985  | Class C
Mineral Point  | 1986  | Class C

### Spring sports

[edit]

None

## List of conference champions

[edit]

### Boys Basketball

[edit]

School  | Quantity  | Years

|
|

Cuba City | 10  | 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987
Platteville | 4  | 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986
Dodgeville | 2  | 1973, 1978
Iowa-Grant  | 1  | 1982
Mineral Point | 1  | 1974
Darlington | 0  |
Lancaster | 0  |
Mount Horeb | 0  |
Southwestern | 0  |

### Girls Basketball

[edit]

School  | Quantity  | Years

|
|

Cuba City | 6  | 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985
Lancaster | 3  | 1976, 1979, 1983
Platteville | 1  | 1984
Southwestern | 1  | 1986
Darlington | 0  |
Dodgeville | 0  |
Iowa-Grant  | 0  |
Mineral Point | 0  |
Mount Horeb | 0  |
Champions from 1987 unknown

### Football

[edit]

School  | Quantity  | Years

|
|

Platteville | 7  | 1971, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Iowa-Grant  | 5  | 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979
Cuba City | 2  | 1975, 1981
Darlington | 1  | 1973
Dodgeville | 1  | 1986
Lancaster | 1  | 1971
Mount Horeb | 1  | 1978
Mineral Point | 0  |
Southwestern | 0  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Richland Center Joins Big SWAL". The La Crosse Tribune. March 24, 1970. p. 12. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
2. ^ "Six Schools Bolt SWAL To Form Own Conference". The Boscobel Dial. p. 1. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "New Conference Is Southern Eight". Wisconsin State Journal. December 18, 1970. p. 22. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
4. ^ "Darlington OKs New Sports Link". The Capital Times. February 17, 1970. p. 5. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
5. ^ a b "Mount Horeb prepares for a new group of foes". Wisconsin State Journal. August 28, 1983. pp. 49 (Football '83 insert). Retrieved December 10, 2024.
6. ^ a b "Realignment plan approved". Racine Journal Times. pp. 2C. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "SWAL, Southern Eight combined as one league". The Boscobel Dial. p. 17. Retrieved December 10, 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Wisconsin high school athletic conferences

Organizations|

* WIAA (1895-present)
* WISAA (1968-2000)
* WCIAA (1957-1968)

Current|

* Badger
* Bay
* Big East
* Big Eight
* Big Rivers
* Capitol
* Central Wisconsin
* Classic 8
* Cloverbelt
* Coulee
* Dairyland
* Dunn-St. Croix
* East Central
* Eastern Wisconsin
* Fox River Classic
* Fox Valley Association
* Great Northern
* Greater Metro
* Heart O'North
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* Marawood
* Marinette & Oconto
* Metro Classic
* Middle Border
* Midwest Classic
* Milwaukee City
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* North Eastern
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* Northern Lakes
* Northern Lights
* Packerland
* Ridge & Valley
* Rock Valley
* Scenic Bluffs
* Six Rivers
* South Central
* Southeast
* Southern Lakes
* Southwest Wisconsin
* SWAL
* Trailways
* Wisconsin Flyway
* Wisconsin Valley
* Woodland

Former|

* 3-C (1928-1962)
* 4-C (1934-1953)
* 7-C (1926-1962)
* 10-12 (1946-1948)
* Badger Lutheran (1961-1964)
* Bay-Lakes (1970-1979)
* Bi-County (1928-1959)
* Big Nine (1985-1993)
* Black Hawk League (1930-1997)
* Braveland (1953-1993)
* Central Lakes (1952-1962)
* Central Lakeshore (1969-2015)
* Central State (1962-1984)
* Central Wisconsin Catholic (1956-2000)
* Classic (1973-1983)
* Dual County (1926-2001)
* East Central (1970-2001)
* East Central Flyway (2001-2007)
* Eastern Suburban (1969-2001)
* Eastern Valley (2007-2015)
* Eastern Wisconsin (1923-1970)
* Flambeau (1940-1970)
* Flambeauland (1946-1955)
* Flyway (1970-2001)
* Fox River Valley (1923-2007)
* Fox Valley Catholic (1929-1971)
* Fox Valley Christian (1971-1999)
* Fox Valley Tri-County (1924-1970)
* Gateway (1941-1952)
* Granite Valley (1945-1951)
* Granite Valley (1954-1960)
* Head of the Lakes (1918-1954)
* I-W League (1960-1964)
* Iowa County (1927-1960)
* Juneau County (1926-1958)
* Kettle Moraine (1928-1969)
* Kickapoo Valley (1907-1971)
* Lakeshore (1997-2008)
* Little Eight (1926-1937)
* Little Five (1930-1935)
* Little Nine (1928-1970)
* Little Seven (1926-1934)
* Little Ten (1925-1970)
* Lumberjack (1953-2008)
* Madison Suburban (1926-1969)
* Marathon County (1928-1949)
* Menominee Valley (1945-1947)
* Metro (1974-1997)
* Michigan-Wisconsin (1937-1973)
* Mid-Eastern (1952-1970)
* Mid-Valley (1946-1950)
* Midwest Prep (1940-1983)
* Milwaukee Catholic (1930-1974)
* Mississippi Valley (1933-1965)
* Mississippi Valley Triangular (1936-1940)
* Monroe-Vernon (1928-1958)
* Nicolet (1938-1942)
* Northeastern Wisconsin (1927-1970)
* Northern Wisconsin (1955-1956)
* Northwest Border (1940-1955)
* Olympian (1970-2015)
* Parkland (1963-2006)
* Peninsula (1933-1970)
* Rock River Valley (1922-1952)
* Scenic Central (1958-1979)
* South Central (1926-1941)
* South Shore (1970-1980)
* Southeastern Badger (1963-1970)
* Southeastern Wisconsin (1928-1963)
* Southern Eight (1971-1987)
* Southern Five (1928-1946)
* Southern Regional (1937-1958)
* Southern Six (1928-1941)
* Southern Ten (1941-1952)
* State Line (1927-1997)
* Suburban (1925-1985)
* Suburban Park (1985-1993)
* SWANI (1946-1952)
* SWAPS (1957-1961)
* SWISS (1982-2006)
* Trempealeau Valley (1927-1959)
* Tri-County (1923-1963)
* Upper St. Croix Valley (1934-1994)
* Upper Wisconsin (1926-1937)
* Vacationland (1966-1970)
* Valley 8 (1999-2007)
* West Central (1941-1952)
* West Central (1959-1977)
* West Grant (1930-1960)
* Western Wisconsin (1931-1937)
* Wisconsin Little Ten (1970-2017)
* Wisconsin River (1928-1960)
* Wisconsin Seminary (1963-1969)
* Wolf River Valley (1932-1970)
* Wood County (1925-1942)

Football-only|

* 856 (1953-1956)
* Across the Bay (2022-present)
* Chippewa-Black River Valley (1929-1944)
* Cloverwood (2008-2019)
* CWC-8 (2020-2023)
* Eastern Suburban (2020-present)
* Fox Valley Classic (Spring 2021)
* Lower Fox (1933-1936)
* MONLPC (2017-2021)
* North Central (2024-present)
* Northeast-8 (2024-present)
* Northern Border (2022-2023)
* Northwest Football League (1994-1995)
* Northwoods (2020-present)
* Olympian-Packerland (2007-2014)
* Parkland (2020-present)
* Southeast-8 (2024-present)
* Southern Dairyland (1959-1962)
* Suburban Six-Man (1939-1957)
* Tri-County Football (1934-1944)
* Tri-Valley (1953-1958)
* Valley Football Association (2011-2023)
* WCFC (1997)
* WIFA (1995-1997)

Future|

* Conference Yet To Be Named (2025-future)
* Glacier Trails (2025-future)

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