The Top of Wisconsin Conference is a former high school football conference comprising small high schools in northern Wisconsin. It was founded in 1969 and was in existence through the 1982 football season. All member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History
The Top of Wisconsin Conference was formed in 1969 in the wake of the dissolution of the Chequamegon Forest Football Conference, which sponsored eight-player football from 1960 to 1968. Three of the conference's former members (Mellen, South Shore and Washburn) were joined by Prentice and three junior varsity programs from the Michigan-Wisconsin Conference (Ashland, Hurley and Northwestern) in forming the initial roster.[1] The conference's four varsity members played both eight-player football against themselves and eleven-player football against the Michigan-Wisconsin Conference JV teams in their early years before making the switch to eleven-player football in the mid-1970s. Hurley's junior varsity program left the conference after one season, and were replaced by new Indianhead Conference members Northwood High School in Minong for the 1970 football season.[2] After the 1971 season, the Top of Wisconsin Conference lost the Northwestern JV program as members, and then Prentice after the 1972 season.[3] The Top of Wisconsin Conference continued on with five members for the rest of the decade, with Northwood leaving for full membership in the Lakeland Conference for the 1980-81 school year.[4][5] The four remaining members played three more seasons before disbanding after the 1982 football season.
Conference membership history
Final members
| School | Location | Affiliation | Mascot | Colors | Seasons | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland JV | Ashland, WI | Public | Oredockers | 1969-1982 | Michigan-Wisconsin, Lumberjack | |
| Mellen | Mellen, WI | Public | Granite Diggers | 1969-1982 | Indianhead | |
| South Shore | Port Wing, WI | Public | Cardinals | 1969-1982 | Indianhead | |
| Washburn | Washburn, WI | Public | Castle Guards | 1969-1982 | Indianhead |
Former members
| School | Location | Affiliation | Mascot | Colors | Seasons | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurley JV | Hurley, WI | Public | Midgets | 1969 | Michigan-Wisconsin | |
| Northwestern JV | Maple, WI | Public | Tigers | 1969-1970 | Michigan-Wisconsin | |
| Northwood | Minong, WI | Public | Evergreens | 1970-1979 | Indianhead | |
| Prentice | Prentice, WI | Public | Buccaneers | 1969-1971 | Flambeau, Lakeland |
Membership timeline
List of conference champions
Source:[6]
| School | Quantity | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Washburn | 6 | 1969, 1970, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
| Mellen | 5 | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 |
| South Shore | 3 | 1977, 1978, 1979 |
| Ashland JV | 0 | |
| Hurley JV | 0 | |
| Northwestern JV | 0 | |
| Northwood | 0 | |
| Prentice | 0 |
References
- ↑ "New League Opens Today". Duluth News Tribune. 4 September 1969. p. 24. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ↑ "Football Schedules (see Top O' Wisconsin Conference)". Duluth News Tribune. 23 August 1970. p. 36. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ↑ "Wisconsin Loop Standings Set (see Top O' Wisconsin)". Ironwood Daily Globe. 21 September 1972. p. 5. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ↑ Stetzer, Rod (25 August 1980). "Trojans must rebuild". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. p. 13. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ↑ "Scoreboard (see Girls Volleyball)". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. 29 October 1981. p. 22. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ↑ "Top of Wisconsin Conference (Eleven-Man Football)". South Shore Sports. Retrieved 12 February 2026.