The Vermilion Valley Conference is a high school conference in east-central Illinois, in the United States. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association. The conference comprises 13 small public high schools and one small private school, with enrollments between 100 and 400 students in Edgar, Iroquois and Vermilion counties.
History The original Vermilion Valley Conference was founded in 1933 with schools from Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, and Kankakee counties in east-central Illinois. The five charter members included: Chatsworth, Cullom, Forrest Township, Herscher, and Saunemin.The Great Conferences This version of the Vermilion Valley disbanded in 1989.
The Vermilion Valley Conference was resurrected in 2003 with a new group of high schools. The charter members of the "new" Vermilion Valley included: Armstrong, Bismarck Henning, Chrisman, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Hoopeston Area, Oakwood, Rossville-Alvin, Salt Fork, Schlarman and Westville High Schools. In 2005, Rossville-Alvin High School closed and with the students attending Bismarck Henning, however, Milford joined the league the following year.Vermilion Valley Conference BylawsIHSA Archives Vermilion Valley Football Conference Standings 2004
In 2020, the conference expanded its football presence by adding several schools from other conferences into a "football only", two division league. Schools from the Tri-County Conference; including Dwight and Seneca, as well as Clifton Central, Iroquois West and Watseka from the Sangamon Valley Conference united under the Vermilion Valley moniker. The two divisions included a North Division of Seneca, Momence, Dwight, Clifton Central, Watseka and Iroquois West and a South Division of Hoopeston Area, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Westville, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin, Salt Fork and Oakwood. This unusual mix of three conferences only lasted two years with the development of the Chicago Prairie Football League.
In 2021, the Sangamon Valley Conference disbanded, therefore, Cissna Park, Iroquois West, and Watseka Community High Schools joined as full members of the Vermilion Valley, taking the total number of teams up to 13.
Currently, the league consists of the following teams: Armstrong, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin, Catlin-Salt Fork, Chrisman, Cissna Park, Danville-Schlarman, Fithian-Oakwood, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Gilman-Iroquois West, Hoopeston Area, Milford, Watseka and WestvilleIHSA Conferences
Member schools
School Location County Mascot Colors Joined Enrollment IHSA Classes 1/2/3/4 IHSA Football Class IHSA FootballType Coop/Team Armstrong TownshipArmstrong High School Armstrong, IL Vermilion Trojans Purple, Gold 2003 136 A/1A/1A 3A 11-Man YesHoopeston Bismarck Henning Rossville-AlvinBismarck Henning Rossville-Alvin High School Bismarck, IL Vermilion Blue Devils Blue, Silver, White 2003 338 A/1A/1A 2A 11-Man None Salt ForkSalt Fork High School Catlin, IL Vermilion Storm Black, Silver, White 2003 254 A/1A/1A 1A 11-Man None ChrismanChrisman High School Chrisman, IL Edgar Cardinals Red, Black2003 100 A/1A/1A 2A 11-Man YesGeorgetown-Ridge Farm Cissna ParkCissna Park High School Cissna Park, IL Iroquois Timberwolves Navy Blue, Silver, Columbia Blue 2021 99 A/1A/1A 1A 8-Man YesMilford SchlarmanDanville Schlarman Danville, IL Vermilion Hilltoppers Blue, Gold 2003 145 A/1A/1A 1A 8-Man None OakwoodFithian Oakwood High School Fithian, IL Vermilion Comets Purple, White 2003 305 A/1A/1A 1A/2A 11-man None Georgetown-Ridge FarmGeorgetown-Ridge Farm High School Georgetown, IL Vermilion Buffaloes Purple, Gold, White 2003 277 A/1A/1A 2A 11-Man YesChrisman Hoopeston AreaHoopeston Area High School Hoopeston, IL Vermilion Cornjerkers Blue, White 2003 320 A/1A/1A 3A 11-Man YesArmstrong Iroquois WestIroquois West High School Gilman, IL Iroquois Raiders Blue, Red, White 2021 310 A/1A/1A 1A/2A 11-man None MilfordMilford High School Milford, IL Iroquois BearcatsLady Bearcats Blue, White 2006 174 A/1A/1A 1A 8-Man YesCissna Park WatsekaWatseka High School Watseka, IL Iroquois Warriors Maroon, White 2021 300 A/1A/1A 1A/2A 11-man None WestvilleWestville High School Westville, IL Vermilion TigersLady Tigers Orange, Black 2003 370 A/1A/1A 2A 11-man None
Previous Members
School Location Mascot Colors YearJoined YearExited SchoolIn Use ConsolidatedClosed CurrentDistrict/Conference ChatsworthChatsworth High School Chatsworth, IL Bluebirds Blue, Orange 1933 1985 No Consolidated Prairie Central Cullom CommunityCullom Community High School Cullom, IL Ramblers Blue, White 1933 1968 Yes Consolidated Tri-Point Forrest TownshipForrest Township High School Forrest, IL Eskimos Red, Black, White 1933 1949 No ConsolidatedForrest-Strawn-Wing Prairie Central Herscher Herscher, IL Tigers Gold, Black 1933 1956 Yes Left the Conference Illinois Central Eight Conference SauneminSaunemin High School Saunemin, IL Eagles Purple, White 1933 1987 No Closed Pontiac Township KemptonKempton High School Kempton, IL Red Devils Red, White 1939 1946 No ConsolidatedKempton-Cabery Tri-Point Piper CityPiper City High School Piper City, IL Blue Streaks Blue, White 1939 1974 Yes ConsolidatedFord Central Tri-Point Ford CentralFord Central High School Piper City, IL Cougars Columbia Blue, Gold 1939 1983 Yes Consolidated Tri-Point ReddickReddick High School Reddick, IL Bulldogs Orange, Black, White 1939 1944 No Left the Conference Herscher OnargaOnarga High School Onarga, IL Indians Maroon, White 1941 1983 Yes Consolidated Iroquois West Kempton-CaberyKempton-Cabery High School Kempton, IL Komanches Red, Black, White 1946 1968 Yes Consolidated Tri-Point Forrest-Strawn-WingForrest-Strawn-Wing High School Forrest, IL Eskimos Red, Black, White 1949 1985 No Consolidated Prairie Central Roberts-ThawvilleRoberts-Thawville High School Roberts, IL Leprechauns Green, White 1953 1974 No ConsolidatedFord Central Tri-Point Melvin-SibleyMelvin-Sibley High School Melvin, IL Rams Orange, Black 1956 1988 No Consolidated Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Onarga MilitaryOnarga Military Academy Onarga, IL YellowJacketsSpartans Purple, Gold 1956 1970 No Closed Iroquois West Reddick R.U.C.E. Reddick, IL Bulldogs Orange, Black, White 1962 1988 No Consolidated Herscher GilmanGilman High School Gilman, IL Owls Red, Blue 1962 1983 Yes Consolidated Iroquois West Tri-Point Cullom, IL Chargers Scarlet, White, Royal 1968 1988 Yes ConferenceDisbanded River Valley Conference CornellCornell High School Cornell, IL Cardinals Maroon, White 1972 1987 No Consolidated Flanagan-Cornell Milford Milford, IL BearcatsLady Bearcats Blue, White 1972 1982 Yes Left the Conference Vermilion Valley Conference Gardner-South Wilmington Gardner, IL PanthersLady Panthers Orange, Black 1986 1988 Yes ConferenceDisbanded River Valley Conference Mazon-Verona-KinsmanMazon-Verona-Kinsman High School Mazon, IL Red Devils Red, White 1986 1988 Yes Consolidated Seneca
Sources:IHSA Conferences, and IHSA Member Schools Directory
Membership timeline
References