Northwoods Football Conference

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.[1] 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.[2][3] Under the WIAA/WFCA plan, football conferences in both eleven-player and eight-player divisions went through realignment every two years.[1] 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.[4] They were replaced by Clintonville, formerly a member of the MONLPC East division.[5] 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.[6][7] 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]

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.[7] Members were subdivided into two divisions with one mandatory crossover conference game for each member:

Northwoods East Northwoods West
Athens Bruce
Chequamegon/Butternut/Mercer Mellen
Flambeau Northwood/Solon Springs
Hurley Shell Lake
Phillips South Shore
Prentice Washburn
Rib Lake Winter/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.[9]

List of conference members

11-player football

Current members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Primary Conference
Clintonville Clintonville, WI Public 387[10] Truckers     2022 North Eastern
Coleman Coleman, WI Public 206[11] Cougars     2020 Marinette & Oconto
Crandon Crandon, WI Public 226[12] Cardinals     2020 Northern Lakes
Crivitz Crivitz, WI Public 220[13] Wolverines     2020 Marinette & Oconto
Manawa Manawa, WI Public 190[14] Wolves     2024 Central Wisconsin
Northland Pines Eagle River, WI Public 404[15] Eagles       2020 Great Northern
Shicoton Shiocton, WI Public 208[16] Chiefs     2024 Central Wisconsin

Former members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Seasons Primary Conference
Menominee Indian Keshena, WI Federal (Tribal) Eagles     2020–2023 Central Wisconsin
Northern Elite Niagara, WI Public Predators     2020–2021 Marinette & Oconto
Oconto Falls Oconto Falls, WI Public Panthers     2020-2025 North Eastern
Tomahawk Tomahawk, WI Public Hatchets     2020–2023 Great Northern

8-player football

Current members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Primary Conference
Bruce Bruce, WI Public 104[17] Red Raiders     2024 Lakeland
Chequamegon Park Falls, WI Public 182[18] Screaming Eagles     2026 Marawood
Elcho/
White Lake		 Elcho, WI Publc 106[19][20] Wolverines     2026 Northern Lakes, Central Wisconsin
Flambeau Tony, WI Public 130[21] Falcons     2024 Lakeland
Hurley Hurley, WI Public 184[22] Northstars     2024 Northern Lights
Mellen/
Butternut/
Mercer		 Mellen, WI Public 149[23][24][25] Granite Diggers     2026 Northern Lights
Northwood/
Solon Springs		 Minong, WI Public 194[26][27] Evergreens       2024 Lakeland, Northern Lights
Phillips Phillips, WI Public 189[28] Loggers     2024 Marawood
Prentice Prentice, WI Public 109[29] Buccaneers       2024 Marawood
Rib Lake Rib Lake, WI Public 154[30] Redmen       2024 Marawood
Shell Lake Shell Lake, WI Public 193[31] Lakers     2024 Lakeland
South Shore Port Wing, WI Public 61[32] Cardinals       2024 Northern Lights
Three Lakes/
Phelps		 Three Lakes, WI Public 190[33][34] Bluejays     2026 Northern Lakes
Wabeno/
Laona		 Wabeno, WI Public 176[35][36] Rebels     2026 Northern Lakes
Washburn Washburn, WI Public 186[37] Castle Guards     2024 Northern Lights
Winter/
Birchwood		 Winter, WI Public 134[38][39] WarCats     2024 Lakeland

Former members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Seasons Primary Conference
Athens Athens, WI Public Bluejays     2024-2025 Marawood
Chequamegon/
Butternut/
Mercer		 Park Falls, WI Public Screaming Eagles     2024-2025 Marawood
Mellen Mellen, WI Public Granite Diggers     2024-2025 Northern Lights

Membership timeline

11-player

8-player

 Northwoods East  Northwoods West

List of conference champions

11-player

School Quantity Years
Coleman 3 2021, 2022, 2024
Oconto Falls 3 2020, 2023, 2025
Clintonville 0
Crandon 0
Crivitz 0
Manawa 0
Menominee Indian 0
Northern Elite 0
Northland Pines 0
Shiocton 0
Tomahawk 0

8-player

School Quantity Years
Flambeau 1 2025
Northwood/
Solon Springs		 1 2024
Phillips 1 2024
Shell Lake 1 2025
Athens 0
Bruce 0
Chequamegon 0
Chequamegon/
Butternut/
Mercer		 0
Elcho/
White Lake		 0
Hurley 0
Mellen 0
Mellen/
Butternut/
Mercer		 0
Prentice 0
Rib Lake 0
South Shore 0
Three Lakes/
Phelps		 0
Wabeno/
Laona		 0
Washburn 0
Winter/
Birchwood		 0

References

  1. 1 2 "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  2. ↑ Wilson, Travis (18 September 2020). "Northwoods Football Preview". Wisconsin Sports Network. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  4. ↑ McCarthy, Matt "Sweets" (12 October 2021). "Northern Elite era ends with loss to Panthers". Iron Mountain Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  5. ↑ "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  7. 1 2 "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 8-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 8-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "Clintonville". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Coleman". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Crandon". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Crivitz". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Manawa". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Northland Pines". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Shiocton". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Bruce". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Chequamegon". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Elcho". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "White Lake". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Flambeau". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Hurley". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Mellen". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "Butternut". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Mercer". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Northwood". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  27. ↑ "Solon Springs". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  28. ↑ "Phillips". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  29. ↑ "Prentice". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  30. ↑ "Rib Lake". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "Shell Lake". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "South Shore". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "Three Lakes". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Phelps". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  35. ↑ "Wabeno". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  36. ↑ "Laona". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "Washburn". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  38. ↑ "Winter". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  39. ↑ "Birchwood". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
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