The Midland Conference was an IHSAA-sanctioned conference located in North Central and Northeast Indiana. Except for having three members between 1981 and 1982 notwithstanding, the conference stayed between four and six members through its lifetime. The conference consisted mostly of private schools, with one public school and one military academy holding membership at some point.

The Midland Conference in Indiana

History

edit

The conference was formed in 1971 with 6 schools: Bethany Christian, Divine Heart, Huntington Catholic, Kewanna, Wawasee Prep, and White's. Divine Child left after the first year, and was replaced by Marion Bennett in 1973-74. Wawassee Prep closed in 1975, leaving the conference at 5 until 1981. That year, Kewanna was consolidated into Caston Jr.-Sr. High School, and Bethany Christian became independent. The remaining schools (Huntington Catholic, Marion Bennett, and White's) continued the conference unofficially for a year, then Fort Wayne Christian (later Fort Wayne Keystone) joined in 1982, and Howe Military joined two years later. This lineup only lasted one season, as Fort Wayne Canterbury replaced the closing Huntington Catholic. Bethany Christian joined for the 1987-88 school year, and were replaced by Lakeview Christian in 1988. Once Marion Bennett closed in 1993, the conference entered its most stable lineup, not changing until Lakewood Park Christian joined in 2000. Canterbury left in 2002, followed by Lakewood Park leaving in 2009, leaving four schools. Keystone closed after the 2009-10 school year, and with Howe, Lakeview, and White's unable to find replacement schools, the conference disbanded after that season.

Membership

edit
School Location Mascot Colors County Year joined Previous conference Year left Conference joined
Bethany Christian Goshen Bruins     20
Elkhart
1971
1987
Independents
1981
1988
Independents
Independents
Divine Heart Donaldson Chargers     50
Marshall
1971 1972 Independents
(closed 1979)
Huntington
Catholic
Huntington Ramblers     35
Huntington
1971 Independents 1985 Independents
none (school closed)
Kewanna Kewanna Indians     25
Fulton
1971 Independents
(TVAC 1968)
1981 none (consolidated
into Caston)
Wawassee Prep Syracuse Lakers     50
Marshall
1971 Independents
(opened 1968)
1975 none (school closed)
White's Wabash Warriors     85
Wabash
1971 Independents 2010 Independents
(left IHSAA 2011)
Marion
Bennett
Marion Trojans     27
Grant
1973 1993 Independents
none (school closed)
Fort Wayne
Keystone
Fort Wayne Eagles     02
Allen
1982 joined IHSAA 2010 none (school
closed)
Howe Howe Wildcats     44
La Grange
1984 Independents
(NECC 1980)
2010 Independents
Fort Wayne
Canterbury
Fort Wayne Cavaliers     2
Allen
1985 2002 Independents
Lakeview
Christian
Marion Lions       27
Grant
1988 2010 Independents
Lakewood Park
Christian
Auburn Panthers       17
Dekalb
1997 ACSI (joined
IHSAA 2000)
2009 Independents

Membership timeline

edit

Membership timeline

edit
Lakewood Park Christian SchoolMarion Lakeview Christian AcedemyCanterbury High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana)Howe Military AcademyKeystone High School (Indiana)Bennett High School (Indiana)White's Junior-Senior High SchoolWawasee Preparatory SchoolCaston Junior-Senior High SchoolHuntington Catholic High SchoolDivine Heart SeminaryBethany Christian Schools

Resources

edit