- Milwaukee City Conference
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The Milwaukee City Conference (also known as "City Conference") is a high school athletic conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All full-time member institutions are located in the city of Milwaukee and are members of the Milwaukee Public Schools system. Its members participate in WIAA Division 1.
Contents
Membership
Institution Enrollment Nickname Colors Varsity Teams (including co-op teams)
Bay View High School 1,706 Redcats Scarlet & Black 18 Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School (Bradley Tech) 1,554 Trojans Purple & White 17 Custer High School 1,442 Cougars Red & White 13 Hamilton High School 2,226 Wildcats Green & Gold 18 Rufus King High School 1,474 Generals Royal Blue & Gold 18 Madison University High School 1,530 Knights Forest Green & White 19 Marshall High School 783 Eagles Scarlet Red & Columbia Blue 17 North Division High School 606 Blue Devils Blue & White 5 Pulaski High School 1,586 Rams Crimson Red & Navy Blue 17 Riverside University High School 1,572 Tigers Orange & Black 18 South Division High School 1,536 Cardinals Cardinal & White 17 Vincent High School 1,612 Vikings Maroon & Gold 17 Washington High School 1,062 Purgolders Purple & Gold 16 Affiliate members
The following schools are also members of the City Conference on a part-time basis:
- Milwaukee High School of the Arts
- Malcolm X Academy
- Metropolitan High School
- Ronald W. Reagan College Preparatory High School
- Milwaukee School of Languages
- Thomas Edison High School
- Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning
Co-op teams
Because many of the City Conference schools are at a financial disadvantage compared to other schools, a number operate co-op teams. These co-ops are usually between a full-time member and an affiliate member. If applicable, the "host" school is listed in bold.
- Bay View & Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning (football, boys & girls tennis)
- Pulaski & Milwaukee High School Of The Arts (football, girls volleyball, baseball, boys tennis, girls soccer)
- Marshall & School Of Languages (football)
- Ronald W. Reagan& Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning (girls basketball)
- Madison, Marshall & School Of Languages (boys tennis)
- South Division & Bradley Tech (boys tennis)
- Pulaski Milwaukee High School Of The Arts and Ronald W. Reagan (Girls and Boys Swim)
- Riverside Milwaukee and Shorewood (Wrestling)
Sanctioned sports
- Boys and girls
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and field
- Boys Only
- Baseball
- Football
- Wrestling
- Girls only
- Softball
- Volleyball
WIAA championships
Boys' basketball
The City Conference did not allow its teams to compete in the WIAA tournament until the 1951-52 season. The now disbanded Lincoln High School became the first City team to win the state title in 1959. They won four more state titles (1961, 1962, 1966, and 1967) and are considered the tournament's first dynasty.[4]
Hamilton won the Class A title in 1972, the first year in which separate tournaments were held based on enrollment size. Three city schools won consecutive titles at the turn of the decade, as Milwaukee Tech (1979), North Division (1980) and Madison (1981) each took home a Class A crown. Milwaukee Tech (now Bradley Tech) repeated its success in 1983.
Since then, 14 of the titles have gone to one of three City schools: Rufus King (1984, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2004), Washington (1985, 1987, 1991, 1993) and Vincent (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001).[5] Because of this, an intense rivalry has developed among the schools.
Boys' track and field
Vincent has won three Division 1 titles in Boys' Track & Field (2001, 2003 and 2005). Its success, however, is not unprecedented as South Division put together a string of five straight Class A (now known as Division 1) titles from 1985 to 1989. Other City Conference schools have made their presence felt during that time with North Division (1992) and Bradley Tech (1995) each having claimed a Division 1 title. King won in 2006.
Girls' basketball
Washington is one of two City Conference team to have won the WIAA Division 1 title, and have done it a record five times.[6] Its first Class A title came in 1979, and its second in 1990. They accomplished the first three-peat in girls' tournament history (in any division), winning the title in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Vincent has also won the title three, times 2007, 2008 and 2009.[1]
Girls' track and field
Since the WIAA Class A/Division 1 tournament was established in 1972, the following City schools that have won: Custer (1976), Riverside (1986), Bradley Tech (1996) and Rufus King (1989 and 2002).[7] In addition, athletes from the member schools hold five of the individual tournament records.[2]
Controversy
There is often perceived to be a longstanding rift between the City Conference and the WIAA. Most recently, this has come to the forefront in the WIAA's decision to restrict travel outside of Wisconsin and its border states. The decision was made as a response to the practice of City Conference boys' basketball teams, which often traveled long distances to find competition. Athletic directors from City schools argued against the decision, saying the travel was paid for by the host school or event organizer.[3]
Supporters of City Conference schools also point out that its teams are often paired off against each other in the early rounds of WIAA tournaments, assuring that a minimal number of Milwaukee teams make it to the state finals.
The situation has caused some supporters to call for the City Conference to follow the lead of leagues in other major cities ,such as Chicago and Philadelphia, to hold its own tournaments separate from the WIAA.
See also
List of high school athletic conferences in Wisconsin
References
External links and resources
- Milwaukee City Conference pages at Wissports.net
- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Preps Plus Online
Categories:- High school sports associations in the United States
- Sports in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Wisconsin high school sports conferences
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