The 3-C Conference is a former high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in central Wisconsin. Founded in 1928 and ending operations in 1962, all members were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History
1928–1933
The 3-C Conference, originally known as the Tri-County Basketball Conference for its first sponsored sport, was formed in 1928 by seven small high schools in central Wisconsin: Abbotsford, Colby, Dorchester, Granton, Greenwood, Neillsville, and Unity (not to be confused with the Unity High School that was later opened in Balsam Lake). An eighth school (Loyal) was part of this initial group, but wouldn't join in athletic competition until a few years later. The conference's name originated with the three counties that member schools were located in (Clark, Marathon and Taylor). Rib Lake and Spencer joined the 3-C Conference in 1929, and Medford became its tenth member in 1930 after leaving the Wisconsin Valley Conference a few years earlier. Spencer would leave the next year with Loyal entering competition, and in 1932, Neillsville departed for membership in the Little Eight Conference.
1933–1955 In 1933, Westboro entered the 3-C Conference, and the conference split into geographically aligned sections: Northern SectionSouthern SectionAbbotsfordColbyDorchesterGrantonMedfordGreenwoodRib LakeLoyalWestboroUnity Spencer reentered the 3-C Conference in 1934 and were assigned to the conference's Southern Section. In 1935, Loyal left the conference and were replaced by Prentice High School in Price County, entering the league's Northern Section. Despite the addition of a fourth county to the membership stable, the 3-C Conference kept its name. Loyal rejoined the 3-C Conference's Southern Section in 1938, bringing membership back up to twelve schools. Prentice's membership lasted until the middle of World War II, and the conference went back down to eleven schools until Phillips joined the loop's Northern Section in 1949. Football was first sponsored by the conference for the 1948 season, with five members (Abbotsford, Granton, Greenwood, Loyal and Spencer) participating. Unity High School was consolidated into Colby in 1954, leaving the conference with eleven members.
1955–1962
In 1955, Medford and Phillips left the 3-C Conference to become exclusive members of the Lumberjack Conference after having dual affiliation the past two years. Membership decreased to eight schools in 1961 when Abbotsford and Dorchester merged, and divisional play was discontinued as well. The 3-C Conference played its last game in 1962, with four members (Colby, Dor-Abby, Greenwood and Loyal) joining the Cloverbelt Conference, two members (Granton and Spencer) becoming members of the Marawood Conference, and two entered the Flambeau League (Rib Lake and Westboro).
Conference membership history
Final members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceColbyColby, WIPublicHornets 19281962CloverbeltDor-AbbyAbbotsford, WIPublicFalcons 19611962CloverbeltMerger dissolved in 1964, became AbbotsfordGrantonGranton, WIPublicBulldogs 19281962MarawoodCloverbeltGreenwoodGreenwood, WIPublicIndians 19281962CloverbeltLoyalLoyal, WIPublicGreyhounds 19381962CloverbeltRib LakeRib Lake, WIPublicRedmen 19291962FlambeauMarawoodSpencerSpencer, WIPublicRockets 19341962Independent, MarawoodCloverbeltWestboroWestboro, WIPublicTrojans 19331962FlambeauClosed in 1967 (consolidated into Rib Lake)
Previous members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceAbbotsfordAbbotsford, WIPublicPanthers 192819613-C (merged into Dor-Abby)MarawoodDorchesterDorchester, WIPublicRed Devils 192819613-C (merged into Dor-Abby)Merger dissolved in 1964, became AbbotsfordNeillsvilleNeillsville, WIPublicWarriors 19281932Little EightCloverbeltUnityUnity, WIPublicWarriors 19281954Closed (consolidated into Colby)SpencerSpencer, WIPublicRockets 1929,1931,Independent, MarawoodCloverbeltMedfordMedford, WIPublicRaiders 19301955LumberjackGreat NorthernLoyalLoyal, WIPublicGreyhounds 1931,1935,CloverbeltPrenticePrentice, WIPublicBuccaneers 19351943IndependentMarawoodPhillipsPhillips, WIPublicLoggers 19491955LumberjackMarawood
Football-only members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary ConferenceAuburndaleAuburndale, WIPublic229Apaches 1950-1961MarawoodWitheeWithee, WIPublicN/ABluejays 1950-1954Cloverbelt
Membership timeline
Full members
Football members
List of conference champions
Boys Basketball SchoolQuantityYearsColby111933, 1935, 1944, 1947, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961Abbotsford101935, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961Greenwood91934, 1936, 1939, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1955Medford91932, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955Rib Lake91934, 1937, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1958Spencer41938, 1942, 1951, 1952Unity41930, 1937, 1940, 1941Granton21931, 1937Dor-Abby11962Loyal11948Neillsville11929Prentice11937Dorchester0Phillips0Westboro0
Football SchoolQuantityYearsGreenwood61948, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1961Abbotsford31949, 1955, 1958Spencer31949, 1951, 1954Auburndale21954, 1960Colby11959Granton11949Withee11953Dor-Abby0Loyal0
References