The Little Ten Conference is the oldest continuous high school athletic conference in the state of Illinois. Founded in 1919, it comprised the following small high schools in northern Illinois: Earlville, Hinckley, Leland, Paw Paw, Plano, Rollo, Sandwich, Shabbona, Somonauk, and Waterman. The conference is still in operation and currently consists of the following members: DePue, Earlville, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek, Kirkland Hiawatha, LaMoille, Leland, Newark, Serena, Somonauk, and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA). Over the years, there have been a number of other area schools in the conference, including Malta.

Eight of the original ten schools are still members in some form. Charter members consist of Earlville, Leland, Somonauk, Hinckley (now combined into Hinckley Big Rock), and Paw Paw, Shabbona, Waterman, & Rollo (which have respectively merged to form Indian Creek.)

The Little Ten conference gets reported in many sources with the biggest being the Little 10 Network, on Instagram.

In February 2019, the Little Ten Conference held its 100th league boys basketball tournament.

Schools in the conference compete in 8-Man Football, Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance, Music, Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys Baseball and Girls Softball.Shawlocal.com

Current Membership School Location County Mascot Colors Joined Enrollment IHSA Classes 2/3/4 IHSA Music Class IHSA Football Class IHSA Cheer/Dance Class DePue High School DePue, Illinois Bureau Little GiantsLady Giants Blue, Orange 2020 122 A/1A/1A D NA NA EarlvilleHigh School Earlville, Illinois LaSalle Red Raiders Red, Black, White 19192006♠ 134 A/1A/1A D NA Small Squad Hinckley-Big Rock High School Hinckley, Illinois DeKalb RoyalsLady Royals Blue, White 1957 202 A/1A/1A C NA Small squadIllinois Mathematics and Science AcademyAurora, IllinoisKaneTitans Blue, Silver2021836 - - - - Indian CreekHigh School Shabbona, Illinois DeKalb Timberwolves Red, White, Black 1993♥ 211 A/1A/1A C NA NA Kirkland-HiawathaHigh School Kirkland, Illinois DeKalb HawksLady Hawks Navy Blue, Gold 2006 167 A/1A/1A D 8-man NA La MoilleHigh School La Moille, Illinois Bureau LionsLady Lions Red, White 1996 84 A/1A/1A D NA NA LelandHigh School Leland, Illinois LaSalle PanthersLady Panthers Kelly Green, White 19192006♠ 79 A/1A/1A D NA NA NewarkHigh School Newark, Illinois Kendall NorsemenLady Norsemen Royal Blue, White 1967 165 A/1A/1A D NA NA SerenaHigh School♦ Serena, Illinois LaSalle Huskers Purple, Gold 1938♣ 225 A/1A/1A C NA NA SomonaukHigh School Somonauk, Illinois DeKalb BobcatsLady Bobcats Blue, Yellow 1919 271 A/1A/1A C NA Small squad ♠ Earlville and Leland combined athletic programs in 2006 becoming Leland-Earlville but separated in 2018 ♥ Shabbona and Waterman consolidated to form Indian Creek in 1993. ♦ Harding and Sheridan Schools consolidated with Serena creating the Serena CUSD in 1938. ♣ Harding and Sheridan merged with Serena, creating CUSD2 in 1938. Sources:IHSA Conferences, IHSA Coop Teams, and IHSA Member Schools Directory

Previous members School Location County Mascot Colors Joined Exited School Still Active Extra Information HinckleyHigh School Hinckley, Illinois DeKalb Hawks Blue, Gold 1919 1957 No Consolidated with Big Rock High School forming Hinckley Big Rock High School Paw Paw High School Paw Paw, Illinois Lee Bulldogs Purple, Gold 1919 2018 Yes Still a conference memberCo-Op in sports with Indian Creek Malta High School Malta, Illinois DeKalb Mustangs Red, White 1967 2000 No School ClosedStudents now attend DeKalb High School PlanoHigh School Plano, Illinois Kendall Reapers Purple, White 1919 1967 Yes Joined the Northeast Conference RolloHigh School Rollo, Illinois DeKalb Eagles Blue, Orange 1919 1954♥ No Merged with Shabbona in 1954 Sandwich CommunityHigh School Sandwich, Illinois DeKalb IndiansLady Indians Black, Orange 1919 1967 Yes Joined the Northeast Conference ShabbonaHigh School Shabbona, Illinois DeKalb Indians Red, White 1919 1993♥ No Consolidated with Waterman to form Indian Creek Sheridan High School Sheridan, Illinois LaSalle Cardinal Red, White 1930 1939 No Consolidated with Harding and Serena WatermanHigh School Waterman, Illinois DeKalb Wolverines Red, Black 1919 1993♥ No Consolidated with Shabbona to form Indian Creek

Junior High Conference The Junior High schools of the respective communities have a conference, comprising Earlville Leland Somonauk Indian Creek Hinckley Big Rock Paw Paw Newark Lisbon Serena

High School Conference Members, Past and Present IMSA (2021-) DePue (2020-) Earlville (1919–2006, 2018-)* Leland (1919–2006, 2018-)* Paw Paw (1919-2018, Co-op in sports with Indian Creek)* Malta (1967–2000, school was closed, students now attend DeKalb High School) Kirkland Hiawatha (2006-) Plano (1919–1967, Joined Northeast Conference, then Interstate Eight Conference in 1979-80 with Sandwich)* Sandwich (1919–1967, Joined Northeast Conference, then Interstate Eight Conference in 1979-80 with Plano)* Serena (1938-, formed out of merger with Harding and Sheridan schools) Hinckley (1919–1957)* Hinckley-Big Rock (1957-2019, school district merged with Big Rock) Hinckley Big Rock (2019-, school district removed the dash from its name) Shabbona (1919–1993)* Waterman (1919–1993)* Indian Creek (1993-, Shabbona/Waterman school districts merged) Newark (1967-) LaMoille-Ohio (1996-) Somonauk (1919-)* Sheridan (1930–1939), school closed and district merged with Serena; Elementary school still open, but part of a different conference.) Rollo (1919–1954), school closed and district merged with Shabbona, and became part of Indian Creek)*

* Original conference members

Mascots and Colors The schools are represented by the following team nicknames: Big Rock - Bobcats - blue & gold DePue - Little Giants - blue & orange Earlville - Raiders - red, black, & white Hinckley - Hawks - blue and gold Hinckley-Big Rock - Royals - blue & white IMSA - Titans - columbia blue & silver Indian Creek - Timberwolves - red, black, & white Kirkland Hiawatha - Hawks - navy & gold LaMoille - Lions - red and white Leland - Panthers - kelly green & black Malta - Mustangs - red and white Newark - Norsemen - Royal Blue & White Paw Paw - Bulldogs - purple & yellow Plano - Reapers - purple & white Rollo - Eagles - blue and orange Serena - Huskers - purple and gold Shabbona - Indians - red & white Sheridan - Cardinals - red & white Somonauk - Bobcats - blue & yellow Waterman - Wolverines - red & black

Membership timeline

Boys Basketball Tournament and Regular Season Championships Year Winning team Score Losing team Score Location Regular Season Champ 2026 Indian Creek 40 IMSA 29 Somonauk 2025 Hinckley-Big Rock 47 Indian Creek 44 Somonauk Newark, Hinckley-Big Rock 2024 Serena 51 Earlville 27 Somonauk Serena 2023 Serena 54 Hinckley-Big Rock 46 Somonauk Serena 2022 Somonauk 55 Newark 49 Somonauk Somonauk 2021 Indian Creek 83 Somonauk 73 Shabbona Indian Creek 2020 Indian Creek 62 Newark 33 Somonauk Indian Creek 2019 Newark 55 Indian Creek 44 Somonauk Newark 2018 Newark 71 Indian Creek 49 Somonauk Newark 2017 Newark 80 Indian Creek 73 (2-OT) Somonauk Newark 2016 Newark 63 Indian Creek 50 Somonauk Newark 2015 Newark 58 Hinckley-Big Rock 45 Somonauk Somonauk 2014 Somonauk 64 Newark 57 Somonauk Newark