The Northwoods Football Conference is a high school football conference located in northeastern Wisconsin. Consisting of eleven-player and eight-player divisions, the conference was formed in 2020 and is affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History The Northwoods Football Conference was formed as an eleven-player football conference for the 2020 season after a sweeping realignment for Wisconsin high school football was unveiled by the WIAA and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association. Four schools were former members of the MONLPC's small schools division (Coleman, Crandon, Crivitz and the Northern Elite cooperative), and one each came from the Central Wisconsin (Menominee Indian), Marawood (Tomahawk) and North Eastern (Oconto Falls) Conferences. The eighth original member, Northland Pines, competed as an independent prior to the creation of the NFC. Under the WIAA/WFCA plan, football conferences in both eleven-player and eight-player divisions went through realignment every two years. For the 2022-2023 realignment cycle, the Northwoods Football Conference lost the Northern Elite football cooperative after the three participating schools (Niagara and Goodman/Pembine) dissolved their partnership and switched to eight-player football. They were replaced by Clintonville, formerly a member of the MONLPC East division. In 2024, Manawa and Shiocton of the Central Wisconsin Conference joined the Northwoods Football League, replacing outgoing members Tomahawk and Menominee Indian. Tomahawk joined their primary home for competition in the Great Northern Conference, and Menominee Indian joined the Central Wisconsin Conference's eight-player football division after transitioning away from eleven-player football. Oconto Falls will be leaving the NFC for the 2026-2027 competition cycle to join the Packerland Conference for football, and the conference will be entering into a scheduling crossover partnership with the Central Wisconsin Conference's large school division.
8-player football In 2024, the Northwoods Football Conference began sponsorship of eight-player football with fourteen schools spread out over two divisions. Nine members were displaced from conferences that had ended football sponsorship: seven from the Lakeland Conference (Chequamegon/Butternut/Mercer, Mellen, Northwood/Solon Springs, Phillips, Shell Lake, Washburn and Winter/Birchwood) and two from the CWC (Athens and Bruce). The other five schools (Flambeau, Hurley, Prentice, Rib Lake and South Shore) were all new to eight-player football after having played eleven-player football either as cooperative or stand-alone programs. Members were subdivided into two divisions with one mandatory crossover conference game for each member: Northwoods EastNorthwoods WestAthensBruceChequamegon/Butternut/MercerMellenFlambeauNorthwood/Solon SpringsHurleyShell LakePhillipsSouth ShorePrenticeWashburnRib LakeWinter/Birchwood For the 2026-2027 realignment cycle, Chequamegon will be playing as a stand-alone program, with their two former cooperative partners (Butternut and Mercer) joining Mellen in a new cooperative. Athens is also leaving to join the North Central Conference as a football member. The conference will also be adding three cooperative programs (Elcho/White Lake, Three Lakes/Phelps and Wabeno/Laona) from the Northeast Football Conference.
List of conference members
11-player football
Current members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedPrimary ConferenceClintonvilleClintonville, WIPublic387Truckers 2022North EasternColemanColeman, WIPublic206Cougars 2020Marinette & OcontoCrandonCrandon, WIPublic226Cardinals 2020Northern LakesCrivitzCrivitz, WIPublic220Wolverines 2020Marinette & OcontoManawaManawa, WIPublic190Wolves 2024Central WisconsinNorthland PinesEagle River, WIPublic404Eagles 2020Great NorthernShicotonShiocton, WIPublic208Chiefs 2024Central Wisconsin
Former members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary ConferenceMenominee IndianKeshena, WIFederal (Tribal)Eagles 2020–2023Central WisconsinNorthern EliteNiagara, WIPublicPredators 2020–2021Marinette & OcontoOconto FallsOconto Falls, WIPublicPanthers 2020-2025North EasternTomahawkTomahawk, WIPublicHatchets 2020–2023Great Northern
8-player football
Current members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedPrimary ConferenceBruceBruce, WIPublic104Red Raiders 2024LakelandChequamegonPark Falls, WIPublic182Screaming Eagles 2026MarawoodElcho/White LakeElcho, WIPublc106Wolverines 2026Northern Lakes, Central WisconsinFlambeauTony, WIPublic130Falcons 2024LakelandHurleyHurley, WIPublic184Northstars 2024Northern LightsMellen/Butternut/MercerMellen, WIPublic149Granite Diggers 2026Northern LightsNorthwood/Solon SpringsMinong, WIPublic194Evergreens 2024Lakeland, Northern LightsPhillipsPhillips, WIPublic189Loggers 2024MarawoodPrenticePrentice, WIPublic109Buccaneers 2024MarawoodRib LakeRib Lake, WIPublic154Redmen 2024MarawoodShell LakeShell Lake, WIPublic193Lakers 2024LakelandSouth ShorePort Wing, WIPublic61Cardinals 2024Northern LightsThree Lakes/PhelpsThree Lakes, WIPublic190Bluejays 2026Northern LakesWabeno/LaonaWabeno, WIPublic176Rebels 2026Northern LakesWashburnWashburn, WIPublic186Castle Guards 2024Northern LightsWinter/BirchwoodWinter, WIPublic134WarCats 2024Lakeland
Former members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary ConferenceAthensAthens, WIPublicBluejays 2024-2025MarawoodChequamegon/Butternut/MercerPark Falls, WIPublicScreaming Eagles 2024-2025MarawoodMellenMellen, WIPublicGranite Diggers 2024-2025Northern Lights
Membership timeline
11-player
8-player
List of conference champions
11-player SchoolQuantityYearsColeman32021, 2022, 2024Oconto Falls32020, 2023, 2025Clintonville0Crandon0Crivitz0Manawa0Menominee Indian0Northern Elite0Northland Pines0Shiocton0Tomahawk0
8-player SchoolQuantityYearsFlambeau12025Northwood/Solon Springs12024Phillips12024Shell Lake12025Athens0Bruce0Chequamegon0Chequamegon/Butternut/Mercer0Elcho/White Lake0Hurley0Mellen0Mellen/Butternut/Mercer0Prentice0Rib Lake0South Shore0Three Lakes/Phelps0Wabeno/Laona0Washburn0Winter/Birchwood0
References