The Dual County League (DCL) is a dual county high school athletic conference in District 4 of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). The conference serves schools from Middlesex County and Suffolk County.
The league was founded in 1946 by schools Ashland, Dover-Sherborne, Medfield, Millis, Wayland, Weston, and Westwood; the name deriving from the counties of Middlesex and Norfolk.
History The original seven schools founded the league in 1946 for the upcoming basketball season. Ashland was the first to leave in 1948, replacing them the following year would be Norfolk County Agricultural High School. Sudbury high school joined in 1951, and would become Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School three years later. Medfield and Westwood left in 1957, with the newly founded Bedford High School replacing them. The following year Dover-Sherborne, Millis and Norfolk Agricultural left the league; in 1959 Lynnfield High School and a returning Ashland replaced them. This stretched the borders of the league all the way up to Essex County. The beginning of the '60s saw Acton-Boxborough Regional High School and Holliston High School join the league, however Holliston would leave after their first year. North Reading High School and a returning Westwood replaced Holliston in 1961; Westwood becoming the sole school from Norfolk County in the league. North Reading only stayed until 1966, however.
Ashland, after having to constantly punch above their weight class, left for good in 1970 to the Tri-Valley League. Replacing them was Newton South High School, who had already been playing Hockey in the league for multiple years. Concord-Carlisle High School and Maynard High School joined in 1973, replacing Lynnfield who left for the Cape Ann League and Westwood who left for the Tri-Valley League. Maynard's stay would be short-lived, however, and they would return to the Midland League the following year in 1974.
With departures of Lynnfield and Westwood, only schools from the Middlesex County made up the league. This would change in 1982, with Boston Latin School beginning their transition from the Boston City League to the DCL. This made them the only school from Suffolk County.
In 1992, Westford Academy left the newly formed Midland Wachusett League for the Dual County. The league remained unchanged for 15 years until Tyngsborough High School made the jump from the lower division Commonwealth Athletic Conference. Additionally, Arlington High School began their transition to the DCL the same year from the Greater Boston League which would be completed in 2008. Waltham High School quickly joined in 2008, and the large size of the league caused it to split into two divisions based on size. The large division consisted of Acton-Boxborough, Boston Latin, Lincoln-Sudbury, Newton South, Waltham and Westford. The small division consisted of Arlington, Bedford, Concord-Carlisle, Tyngsborough, Wayland, and Weston.
By 2011, Arlington and Tyngsborough were having trouble competing against the many larger schools, and left to the Middlesex and Midland-Wachusett, respectively. Finally, in 2014 Cambridge Rindge and Latin School left the Greater Boston League to become the most recent member of the Dual County.
The league no longer has two divisions, and Weston is currently an independent in football.
Member schools The following eleven schools are a member of the Dual County League. School Location Colors Nickname Type Year JoinedYear founded Enrollment Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Acton, Massachusetts Blue & Gold Revolution public secondary 19601955 1,951 Bedford High School Bedford, Massachusetts Blue & White Buccaneers public secondary 19571955 829 Boston Latin School Boston, Massachusetts Purple & White Wolfpack public exam secondary 19821635 2,383 Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Cambridge, Massachusetts Black, Silver, & White Falcons public secondary 20141648 1,836 Concord-Carlisle High School Concord, Massachusetts Maroon & White Patriots public secondary 19731852 1,300 Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Sudbury, Massachusetts Navy Blue & White Warriors public secondary 19511954 1,641 Newton South High School Newton, Massachusetts Blue & Orange Lions public secondary 19701960 1,740 Waltham High School Waltham, Massachusetts Red & White Hawks public secondary 20081968 1,375 Wayland High School Wayland, Massachusetts Orange & Black Warriors public secondary 19461854 870 Westford Academy Westford, Massachusetts Maroon & Grey Ghosts public secondary 19921792 1,651 Weston High School Weston, Massachusetts Maroon, Grey, & White Wildcats public secondary 19461932 757
Former members +SchoolLocationColorsNicknameYears in LeagueCurrent LeagueArlington High SchoolArlington, MassachusettsMaroon, Grey, & White Spy Ponders2008-2011Middlesex LeagueAshland High SchoolAshland, MassachusettsBlue, White, & Red Clockers1946-1948, 1959-1970Tri-Valley LeagueDover-Sherborn High SchoolDover, MassachusettsBlue, White, & Black Raiders1946-1959Tri-Valley LeagueHolliston High SchoolHolliston, MassachusettsRed & White Panthers1960-1961Tri-Valley LeagueLynnfield High SchoolLynnfield, MassachusettsBlue & Gold Pioneers1959-1973Cape Ann LeagueMaynard High SchoolMaynard, MassachusettsOrange & Black Tigers1973-1974Midland Wachusett LeagueMedfield High SchoolMedfield, MassachusettsBlue, White, & Carolina Blue Warriors1946-1956Tri-Valley LeagueMillis High SchoolMillis, MassachusettsMaroon & Silver Mohawks1946-1958Tri-Valley LeagueNorfolk County Agricultural High SchoolWalpole, MassachusettsBlue & Gold Rams1949-1958Mayflower LeagueNorth Reading High SchoolNorth Reading, MassachusettsGreen & Gold Hornets1961-1966Cape Ann LeagueTyngsborough High SchoolTyngsborough, MassachusettsRed, Black, & White Tigers2007-2011Midland Wachusett LeagueWestwood High SchoolWestwood, MassachusettsForest Green & White Wolverines1946-1957, 1961-1973Tri-Valley League
State championships This is a list of MIAA state championships won by schools while a part of the DCL
Football Source:
Note: From 1972 to 2012, football state championships were separated by region, so there would be multiple champions from each division. From 1972 to 1977 and from 1997 to 2008, it was split between Eastern Mass and Central/Western Mass and there would be two champions in each division. From 1978 to 1996 and from 2009 to 2012 Central and Western Mass split so there would be three champions in each division. In 2013 everything was combined and therefore only allowed one state champion per division. Acton-Boxborough: 1994 D2B Eastern; 2001-2003 D2 Eastern; 2004 D1A Eastern Concord-Carlisle: 1978, 2011 D3 Eastern Lincoln-Sudbury: 1985, 1986, 1989 D3 Eastern Wayland: 2006 D1A Eastern Westford: 1993 D3B Eastern Weston: 1991, 1998 D6A Eastern; 1996 D6B Eastern
Cross country Source:
Boys Weston: 1990 D2 Concord-Carlisle: 2018 D1
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 2017, 2019 D1 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2007, 2009 D1 Newton South: 1993, 2008 D1 Weston: 2022 D3 Westford: 2024 D1
Field hockey Source: Acton-Boxborough: 2000, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015 D1 Weston: 2008 D1
Fall volleyball Source: Weston: 2023 D3
Soccer Source:
Boys
Concord-Carlisle: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017 D2; 2023 D1 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2002 D2; 2015 D1 Wayland: 2001 D3 Westford: 1992 D2 Weston: 2009 D3
Girls
Acton-Boxborough: 2007 D1 Concord-Carlisle: 1979, 1980 D1, 1990 D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2003 D1 Weston: 1997 (Co-Champs with Sutton High School), 2010, 2012 D3
Fall golf Source: Bedford: 1998 D3 Concord-Carlisle: 2008 D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1996, 2019 D1; 2007 D2 Wayland: 2009 D3; 2014 D2 Weston: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013-2016, 2022, 2023 D3
Fall swim & dive Source:
Girls Acton-Boxborough: 1982-1987, 1991-1998; 2021, 2022 D1 Bedford: 1974, 1975 Wayland: 1973
Basketball Source:
Boys Acton-Boxborough: 1970, 1971 Class D Cambridge R&L: 2016, 2017 D1 Wayland: 1947 Class C; 1957, 1958 Class D; 1981 D2; 1991 D3 Weston: 1955 Class D; 1998 D3 Westwood: 1962 Class D
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 2001 D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2007 D2
Winter swim & dive Source:
Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 1988-1995, 2000 D1 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1987 D1; 1998 D2 Wayland: 2009, 2010, 2017-2020, 2025, 2026 D2 Westford: 2015, 2023 D1 Weston: 1983 D1; 1986-1990,1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2008, 2012-2016, 2022-2024 D2
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 2024-2026 D1 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2009, 2011, 2015, 2023 D1 Wayland: 2006-2009, 2012-2014, 2019 D2 Westford: 2012-2014, 2016-2020, 2022 D1 Weston: 2015, 2024-2026 D2
Gymnastics Source: Lincoln-Sudbury: 1978 (Co-Champs with Somerset Berkley Regional High School) Westford: 1993
Ice hockey Source: Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 1974 D2 Boston Latin: 2005, 2024 D2 Waltham: 2018 D1 Weston: 2024 (Co-Champs with Dover-Sherborn High School)
Girls
Boston Latin: 2002 D1 Westford: 2004 D2
Alpine ski Source:
Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 1983, 1984 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1990, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2012
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 1984 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1985-1988, 2016 Westford: 2012
Nordic ski Source:
Boys
Concord-Carlisle: 1983-1986, 2018, 2019 Lincoln-Sudbury: 2010 Newton South: 2024
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 1983-1986, 2019 (Co-Champs with Mount Greylock Regional School), 2022, 2023 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1991, 2013, 2014
Indoor track & field Source:
Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 2012, 2024 D1 Bedford: 1990 Class D (Co-Champs with Bishop Stang High School) Lincoln-Sudbury: 1985, 1986 Class B Wayland: 1993-1995 Class D; 2003 D3 Weston: 1973, 1991, 1997 Class D; 2019 D5 Westford: 2002 Class B (Co-Champs with Natick High School) Westwood: 1972 Class D
Girls Acton-Boxborough: 2006, 2007 D1 Concord-Carlisle: 2017 D3; 2020 All-State Lincoln-Sudbury: 1988 Class B; 2008 D1 Newton South: 1993, 1994 Class B; 2003, 2004 D2; 2009, 2017 D1 Weston: 1997, 1998 Class D; 2022, 2023 D5; 2026 D4 Westford: 2008, 2026 D2
Wrestling Source:
Boys Weston: 1998 D3 Wayland: 2006, 2010 D3
Baseball Source: Lincoln-Sudbury: 2005 D2; 2007, 2011 D1
Softball Source: Bedford: 1990 D3
Outdoor track & field Source:
Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 2021 All-State
Girls
Cambridge R&L: 2015 All-State Lincoln-Sudbury: 2006, 2007 All-State Newton South: 2008 All-State Weston: 2022, 2025, 2026 D5 Westford: 2021 All-State
Lacrosse Source:
Boys
Acton-Boxborough: 2014 D1 Concord-Carlisle: 1982, 1987, 1998 All-State; 2012, 2021 D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1978, 1991, 1994 All-State; 2015-2017, 2019 D1 Weston: 2011 D3
Girls
Concord-Carlisle: 2025, 2026 D1 Acton-Boxborough: 1987 Eastern Mass. D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1988 Eastern Mass. D1; 2023 D1 Wayland: 1987 Eastern Mass. D1; 1990, 1991 Cross-Division
Spring volleyball Source: Lincoln-Sudbury: 2011 Newton South: 2014 Wayland: 2026 D2
Tennis Source:
Boys Acton-Boxborough: 2017, 2022 D1 Bedford: 2002 D2 Concord-Carlisle: 1992, 1999-2001 D2; 1993, 2008, 2009 D1; 2019, 2021, 2022 Eastern Mass D2 Lincoln-Sudbury: 1986-1988, 1990-1992 D1 Newton South: 1967 All-State; 1978 Class A; 1997 D1 Wayland: 1993, 1994 D1; 2012 D2; 2015, 2017 Eastern Mass D2 Weston: 1974-1976 Class A; 2010, 2011 D1; 2017-2019, 2021, 2026 D3; 2022, 2023 D4
Girls
Acton-Boxborough: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021 D1 Boston Latin: 2001-2003 D1 Concord-Carlisle: 1984-1988, 1990-1994, 2004, 2005 D1; 2012-2014 D2; 2015 Eastern Mass D2 Newton South: 1976, 1977 All-State; 2026 D1 Westford: 2010, 2011 D1 Weston: 1978 All-State; 2010, 2019 D3
References