The Eastern Suburban Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin, originally formed in 1969 and disbanding in 2001. With the exception of the conference's two private schools, all members belonged to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and were located in south central Wisconsin.

History

1969–1977

The Eastern Suburban Conference was formed in 1969 after the dissolution of the eighteen-member Madison Suburban Conference. Six of its original members were part of that conference's Eastern Section (Cambridge, Deerfield, Johnson Creek, Juneau-Reeseville, Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills, and Marshall) with Palmyra and Queen of Apostles in Madison rounding out the original membership roster.[1] Juneau-Reeseville (later renamed Dodgeland) left the conference after only one season to become a charter member of the newly created Flyway Conference.[2] They were replaced by Hustisford and Williams Bay, formerly of the Fox Valley Tri-County League and Indian Trails Conference, respectively.[3]

1977–1987

Waterloo joined the Eastern Suburban Conference from the Capitol Conference in 1977,[4] and two years later, Queen of Apostles High School left the conference after it was closed by the Catholic order (Pallotine Fathers and Brothers of Milwaukee) that ran the school.[5] They were replaced in 1980 by Dodgeland, making their return to the Eastern Suburban after ten years of competition as members of the Flyway Conference.[6] Lake Mills became members of the conference after exiting the Capitol Conference in 1983, giving Lakeside Lutheran a crosstown rival for conference play.[7] For a three-year period, the Eastern Suburban Conference was partitioned into Northern and Southern divisions:

Northern DivisionSouthern Division
DodgelandCambridge
HustisfordDeerfield
Lakeside LutheranJohnson Creek
MarshallLake Mills
WaterlooPalmyra-Eagle
Williams Bay

1987–2001

Lake Mills' stint in the Eastern Suburban Cofnerence was short-lived, as they returned to the Capitol Conference in 1987.[8] Palmyra-Eagle would leave the Eastern Suburban to join the Rock Valley Conference in 1990,[9] and in 1991, the Eastern Suburban and Dual County Conferences traded members for their football-only alignments. Gone were the three smallest schools in the conference (Deerfield, Hustisford and Johnson Creek), and in its place entered the three largest schools from the Dual County (Montello, Pardeeville and Westfield).[10] Lakeside Lutheran would make their exit from the Eastern Suburban Conference in 1995 for membership in the Capitol Conference.[11] The Eastern Suburban Conference would end its run in 2001 with three schools (Cambridge, Marshall and Waterloo) joining the Capitol Conference and the remaining five (Deerfield, Dodgeland, Hustisford, Johnson Creek and Williams Bay) joining with the Dual County Conference to create the new Trailways Conference.[12]

Conference membership history

Final members

SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
CambridgeCambridge, WIPublicBluejays1969[1]2001[12]Capitol
DeerfieldDeerfield, WIPublicDemons1969[1]2001[12]Trailways
DodgelandJuneau, WIPublicTrojans1969,[1] 1980[6]1970,[2] 2001[12]Trailways
HustisfordHustisford, WIPublicFalcons1970[3]2001[12]Trailways
Johnson CreekJohnson Creek, WIPublicBluejays1969[1]2001[12]Trailways
MarshallMarshall, WIPublicCardinals1969[1]2001[12]Capitol
WaterlooWaterloo, WIPublicPirates1977[4]2001[12]Capitol
Williams BayWilliams Bay, WIPublicBulldogs1970[3]2001[12]Trailways

Previous Members

SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Lake MillsLake Mills, WIPublicL-Cats1983[7]1987[8]Capitol
Lakeside LutheranLake Mills, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)Warriors1969[1]1995[11]Capitol
Palmyra-EaglePalmyra, WIPublicPanthers1969[1]1990[9]Rock ValleyTrailways
Queen of ApostlesMadison, WIPrivate (Catholic, Pallotine)Raiders1969[1]1979[5]Closed

Football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary Conference
MontelloMontello, WIPublicHilltoppers1991-2000[10]Dual County
PardeevillePardeeville, WIPublicBulldogs1991-2000[10]Dual County
WestfieldWestfield, WIPublicPioneers1991-2000[10]Dual County

Membership timeline

Full members

Northern Division Southern Division Football-only members Non-football members

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Lakeside Lutheran1992WISAA Division 2[13]
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Cambridge1984Class C
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Cambridge1979Division 5
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Cambridge1974Class C
Cambridge1975Class C
Cambridge1980Class C
Hustisford2000Division 4

Winter sports

Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Marshall1976Class C
Marshall1977Class C
Johnson Creek1984Class C
Lakeside Lutheran1987WISAA Class B[14]
Gymnastics
SchoolYearDivision
Marshall1973Single Division

Spring sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Hustisford1978Class C
Waterloo1999Division 3
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
Marshall1987Class C
Marshall1989Class C
Marshall1994Division 3
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Deerfield1980Class C
Deerfield1981Class C
Cambridge1987Class C
Deerfield1996Division 3
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Palmyra-Eagle1978Class C
Waterloo1987Class C

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Lakeside Lutheran91975, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1994
Marshall61972, 1973, 1976, 1992, 1999, 2000
Waterloo61980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1998
Palmyra-Eagle51974, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990
Cambridge41971, 1996, 1997, 2001
Williams Bay41977, 1987, 1988, 1995
Deerfield11984
Dodgeland11970
Hustisford11997
Johnson Creek0
Lake Mills0
Queen of Apostles0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Cambridge61990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Hustisford51991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
Marshall51976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984
Johnson Creek41980, 1982, 1983, 1984
Dodgeland31981, 1988, 1989
Palmyra-Eagle21986, 1987
Waterloo22000, 2001
Lakeside Lutheran11985
Deerfield0
Lake Mills0
Queen of Apostles0
Williams Bay0

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
Cambridge151971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1999
Waterloo91983, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999
Marshall71972, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2000
Lakeside Lutheran41970, 1975, 1990, 1994
Deerfield21969, 1985
Queen of Apostles21973, 1976
Dodgeland11981
Johnson Creek11978
Palmyra-Eagle11987
Pardeeville11999
Hustisford0
Lake Mills0
Montello0
Westfield0
Williams Bay0

References

  1. ^ Hillstrom, Eric (16 January 1969). "City, Area Prep Hi-Notes". The Capital Times. p. 27. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Flyway Conference Administrators Meet". Fond du Lac Reporter. 30 January 1970. pp. 3 (Section 2). Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Juneau's Schaefer Tops All-Conference". Janesville Weekly Gazette. 25 March 1970. p. 34. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Prep Conference Realignment - Madison area changes". The Capital Times. 17 August 1977. p. 69. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mayo, Virginia (6 February 1979). "Queen of Apostles will close in June". The Capital Times. p. 1. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Dodgeland Move Waits For WIAA Approval". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. 10 July 1979. p. 7. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Changes made in conferences". Waukesha County Freeman. 24 August 1983. pp. 12-C. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  8. ^ McMillin, Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football". The Capital Times. p. 23. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  9. ^ "P-E packs parting shot". Wisconsin State Journal. 27 August 1989. p. 54. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  10. ^ Lynn, Adam (29 August 1991). "ESC-Dual County trade affects 6". The Capital Times. pp. 5B. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  11. ^ Hernandez, Rob (27 August 1995). "Lakeside prepares for a rude welcome". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 58. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  12. ^ Schwab, Frank (25 January 2001). "Valley Christian ready to join new Trailways league". Oshkosh Northwestern. pp. E4. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  13. ^ "The fine print (see Prep Cross Country section)". Appleton Post-Crescent. pp. D2. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Sports in Brief". Sheboygan Press. 9 March 1987. p. 23. Retrieved 9 December 2024.