Southern Five Conference

The Southern Five Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin. Its membership was concentrated in southeastern Wisconsin and was in existence from 1928 to 1946. All members were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

13km
8.1miles
Location of Original Southern Five Conference Members

The Southern Five Conference, alternatively known as the Little Five Conference[1] and the Southern State Conference[2] during its history, was formed in 1928 by a group of five medium-sized high schools in Racine and Walworth Counties: Burlington, Delavan (now Delavan-Darien), Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and Whitewater Normal.[3] The addition of Walworth to the conference, first as a football-only member in 1932 and for all sports in 1935 brought the membership roster to its high of six schools.[4] They would only last two more seasons as conference members,[5] and the ledger experienced a net decrease to five schools with Whitewater Normal and Whitewater of the Rock River Valley League swapping affiliations.[6] Competition lasted for eighteen years before the members of the Southern Five joined with three IHSA-affiliated high schools in neighboring McHenry County, Illinois (Harvard, Marengo and McHenry) to form the Southern Wisconsin-Northern Illinois Conference, more commonly known as the SWANI Conference, in 1946.[7]

Conference membership history

Full members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Burlington Burlington, WI Public 1,001 Demons     1928[3] 1946[7] SWANI Southern Lakes
Delavan Delavan, WI Public 628 Comets     1928[3] 1946[7] SWANI Rock Valley
Elkhorn Elkhorn, WI Public 1,142 Elks     1928[3] 1946[7] SWANI Southern Lakes
Lake Geneva Lake Geneva, WI Public N/A Resorters     1928[3] 1946[7] SWANI Closed in 1958 (consolidated into Badger)
Whitewater Normal Whitewater, WI Public (Lab school) N/A Quakers, Preps     1928[3] 1937[5] Rock River Valley Closed in 1959
Walworth Walworth, WI Public N/A Warriors     1935[4] 1937[5] Independent Closed in 1958 (consolidated into Big Foot)
Whitewater Whitewater, WI Public 606 Quakers     1937[5] 1946[7] SWANI Capitol (2025)

Football-only members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Seasons Primary Conference
Walworth Walworth, WI Public N/A Warriors     1932-1934[4][5] Southeastern Wisconsin

Membership timeline

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

School Quantity Years
Delavan 8 1930, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1941, 1942
Burlington 7 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1944
Elkhorn 3 1929, 1945, 1946
Lake Geneva 2 1935, 1943
Whitewater 1 1940
Walworth 0
Whitewater Normal 0

Football

School Quantity Years
Lake Geneva 6 1933, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1941, 1945
Burlington 4 1932, 1935, 1943, 1944
Delavan 3 1929, 1939, 1942
Elkhorn 3 1928, 1930, 1931
Walworth 1 1934
Whitewater 1 1940
Whitewater Normal 0

References

  1. ^ "Rivals Are Tied in Conference Race". Racine Journal Times. January 27, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Southern State Conference (standings)". Wisconsin State Journal. February 28, 1934. p. 12. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Conference Is Formed by Five High Schools". Lake Geneva Regional News. April 26, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Southern Conference Expands Cage Loop". Burlington Free Press. April 25, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Southern State Athletic Group". Burlington Free Press. May 6, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  6. ^ "Rock Valley League Opens This Weekend". Stoughton Courier. December 8, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Illinois, Wisconsin High Schools Organize New "Swami" Conference". Racine Journal Times. March 29, 1946. p. 14. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
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