Small School Conference Shakeup

[stl705]

May be a one-off, but Mendota High School is moving from the Big Northern Conference after a decade to the Three Rivers Conference. The move will put Mendota in a smaller but geographically closer conference where they will be conference mates again with former legendary but defunct NCIC conference schools: Spring Valley Hall, Kewanee, and Princeton.

Football-wise, should be a good thing in the near short term for Mendota as unfortunately the Trojans have not been competitive in recent years in the Big Northern. 3 wins the last 4 years haven’t been fun, but they did finish 2nd in the conference before losing to eventual runner up champ Coal City in the playoffs in 2014.

Link below:

Mendota High School Votes to Leave Big Northern for TRAC | Prairie Communications, LLC

Earlier Tuesday morning in a special session, the Mendota District 289 School Board voted unanimously to leave the Big Northern Conference for the Three

977wmoi.com

 

[Googertys Dog]

May be a one-off, but Mendota High School is moving from the Big Northern Conference after a decade to the Three Rivers Conference. The move will put Mendota in a smaller but geographically closer conference where they will be conference mates again with former legendary but defunct NCIC conference schools: Spring Valley Hall, Kewanee, and Princeton.

Football-wise, should be a good thing in the near short term for Mendota as unfortunately the Trojans have not been competitive in recent years in the Big Northern. 3 wins the last 4 years haven’t been fun, but they did finish 2nd in the conference before losing to eventual runner up champ Coal City in the playoffs in 2014.

Link below:

Mendota High School Votes to Leave Big Northern for TRAC | Prairie Communications, LLC

Earlier Tuesday morning in a special session, the Mendota District 289 School Board voted unanimously to leave the Big Northern Conference for the Three

977wmoi.com

NCIC talk, love it.. Has Mendota ever been good? Saw Charlie Daniels(RIP) at their CornFest, they blew out a transformer, pretty cool at the time..

 

[colin2229]

gorgeous football field.

used to love playing them with our teams form aurora christian. great atmosphere and games.

 

[stl705]

NCIC talk, love it.. Has Mendota ever been good? Saw Charlie Daniels(RIP) at their CornFest, they blew out a transformer, pretty cool at the time..

From 2004 to about 2011 or 12 they made at least 2nd round of playoffs every year except 05, so I’d consider that as good a stretch you’ll find within reason.

Ncic badly needs to come back, such a shame it ended!

Colin, call me old school but I’m disappointed in new stadium, just doesn’t seem to have that home field advantage.

You may not have attended a game at the old Doerner Field, however comparing the atmosphere at the old stadium was like an SEC game compared to Jr tackle game at the new. New field is nice with the turf but it doesn’t have the aura with old one located in the middle of a residential neighborhood and got LOUD. As you can tell I have fond memories at the old stadium it truly was a gem :-(

 

[stl705]

Colin now that I’m thinking.. the era against Aurora Christian would have been at the old stadium I believe in early-mid 00s. Some great games if I remember right with both teams getting big wins.

Bringing me back to memory lane my friend.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

The Big Northern looking for new members would be interesting. The announced closure of the Byron power plant is likely to do truly bad things to Byron, Oregon & Stillman Valley - if it actually happens. Mendota is, size wise, smack in the middle of the Big Northern. Nobody logical geographically...

Do Plano and/or Sandwich think it might be a good move? More travel certainly, but similar to their old I-8 days. And the Reapers & Indians would be the 2d & 3d largest schools in the Big Northern at 700 kids each...which right now might not be real desired by three communities staring at a power plant closure.

 

[Googertys Dog]

From 2004 to about 2011 or 12 they made at least 2nd round of playoffs every year except 05, so I’d consider that as good a stretch you’ll find within reason.

Ncic badly needs to come back, such a shame it ended!

Colin, call me old school but I’m disappointed in new stadium, just doesn’t seem to have that home field advantage.

You may not have attended a game at the old Doerner Field, however comparing the atmosphere at the old stadium was like an SEC game compared to Jr tackle game at the new. New field is nice with the turf but it doesn’t have the aura with old one located in the middle of a residential neighborhood and got LOUD. As you can tell I have fond memories at the old stadium it truly was a gem :-(

I'm going back to the 80's when conference champ made the playoffs.. usually Geneseo. Doerner was cool to play at, especially late fall, chippy fans and players made it fun.

 

[Golden Warrior]

i grew up with and in the NCIC. that said, it ran its course. there was too big of a enrollment discrepancy among the schools for it to continue.

 

[Blue Ruin]

Geneseo

Coincidentally, while out running today, I saw another runner in a Geneseo sweater. And this was in downtown Chicago.

 

[stl705]

I'm going back to the 80's when conference champ made the playoffs.. usually Geneseo. Doerner was cool to play at, especially late fall, chippy fans and players made it fun.

Hey Googertys, I found some interesting info when I stumbled onto former Mendota Football coach Dean Lubbs (79-93) column.

I wasn’t familiar with Coach Lubbs, but here’s a couple excerts from the article:

“During his 15-year tenure as the Trojan mentor, Lubbs compiled an 81-64 career mark with six NCIC titles and six appearances in the Class 3A playoffs. He had eight winning seasons, including six out of his last seven years.“. Per article he took Mendota to playoffs in 1982, first time in school history.

Article on 10-3 ‘87 team regarded as best in school history:
“The Trojan juggernaut continued into the playoffs where they blew out Coal City, Hall and Normal University High on their way to the Class 3A semifinals. In that game, Mendota’s machine was finally derailed by powerful Kankakee Bishop McNamara, which went on to win the state title with a lopsided victory over Taylor Ridge (Rockridge). There is no disputing that the state championship game was played the week before the state finals when Mendota and Bishop Mac slugged it out in Kankakee.”

Lubbs: MHS gridiron great; better in the game of life - The Mendota Reporter

MENDOTA – Respectful and kind. Trustworthy and fair. All attributes most of us strive for, and Dean Lubbs perfected.

mendotareporter.com

 

[Googertys Dog]

Hey Googertys, I found some interesting info when I stumbled onto former Mendota Football coach Dean Lubbs (79-93) column.

I wasn’t familiar with Coach Lubbs, but here’s a couple excerts from the article:

“During his 15-year tenure as the Trojan mentor, Lubbs compiled an 81-64 career mark with six NCIC titles and six appearances in the Class 3A playoffs. He had eight winning seasons, including six out of his last seven years.“. Per article he took Mendota to playoffs in 1982, first time in school history.

Article on 10-3 ‘87 team regarded as best in school history:
“The Trojan juggernaut continued into the playoffs where they blew out Coal City, Hall and Normal University High on their way to the Class 3A semifinals. In that game, Mendota’s machine was finally derailed by powerful Kankakee Bishop McNamara, which went on to win the state title with a lopsided victory over Taylor Ridge (Rockridge). There is no disputing that the state championship game was played the week before the state finals when Mendota and Bishop Mac slugged it out in Kankakee.”

Lubbs: MHS gridiron great; better in the game of life - The Mendota Reporter

MENDOTA – Respectful and kind. Trustworthy and fair. All attributes most of us strive for, and Dean Lubbs perfected.

mendotareporter.com

I remember that team and coach I was a soph.. I think the old LP and current St. Bede baseball coach Booker was on that team, could be wrong, I know his brother was my age..

 

[Googertys Dog]

i grew up with and in the NCIC. that said, it ran its course. there was too big of a enrollment discrepancy among the schools for it to continue.

Does Max Gaumer ring a bell? He brought some success to Princeton for a while, not sure where he went after..

 

[Iluvftbl1]

Max was my HC at Sterling in the Mid 90's. He was there from 1989-2001 I believe. You can find him at Emerald Hill golf course most days.

 

[Golden Warrior]

Does Max Gaumer ring a bell? He brought some success to Princeton for a while, not sure where he went after..

does it ever - max was my freshman basketball coach at sterling hs back in the stone ages. many years later, i was his son tyler's 8th grade basketball coach. these days, tyler is MY daughter's track coach at shs. circle of life, so to speak.

 

[Googertys Dog]

does it ever - max was my freshman basketball coach at sterling hs back in the stone ages. many years later, i was his son tyler's 8th grade basketball coach. these days, tyler is MY daughter's track coach at shs. circle of life, so to speak.

Very cool.. He came to Princeton after my senior year and my buddies younger than me always had really good things to say about him and his coaching..

 

[Googertys Dog]

Max was my HC at Sterling in the Mid 90's. He was there from 1989-2001 I believe. You can find him at Emerald Hill golf course most days.

I think the year he went back to Sterling Princeton played in the 3A State Championship and lost to Bellville Althoff.. The QB of that team with whom I'm still good friends with despite the age difference, loved Gaumer..

 

[colbert]

Getting back to Mendota, they held their own in football and basketball in NCIC and yes, the old field had a far greater atmosphere than current set up. What has happened at Mendota in last decade is emblematic of many rural schools - a declining enrollment and changing demographics, the latter component especially impacting the football and basketball programs.

 

[colin2229]

Colin now that I’m thinking.. the era against Aurora Christian would have been at the old stadium I believe in early-mid 00s. Some great games if I remember right with both teams getting big wins.

Bringing me back to memory lane my friend.

they were at the old stadium. Remember all the tailgaters in the driveways behind our bleachers.

ive driven by the new stadium but have never seen a game there. Looks awesome. I can agree w losing your home field advantage feel though. Looks pretty spread out w the fans not being as close to the field anymore.

 

[guerinfbfan]

NCIC talk, love it.. Has Mendota ever been good?

They were solid between 1987 and 1995 in 3A, making 7 playoff appearances. In 1987 they lost to Bishop McNamara in the 3A semifinals.

Really good stretch between 2004 and 2014, where they made 8 playoff appearances. Two quarterfinal runs, in 2009 & 2010, where they lost to Geneseo and Sandwich.

After 2014, the wheels have really fallen off, as they've compiled a record of 5-49

 

[Googertys Dog]

They were solid between 1987 and 1995 in 3A, making 7 playoff appearances. In 1987 they lost to Bishop McNamara in the 3A semifinals.

Really good stretch between 2004 and 2014, where they made 8 playoff appearances. Two quarterfinal runs, in 2009 & 2010, where they lost to Geneseo and Sandwich.

After 2014, the wheels have really fallen off, as they've compiled a record of 5-49

Ok, sorry. I moved away after 85 so I apologize for my ignorance. My age group rarely lost to Mendota though..

 

[stl705]

Getting back to Mendota, they held their own in football and basketball in NCIC and yes, the old field had a far greater atmosphere than current set up. What has happened at Mendota in last decade is emblematic of many rural schools - a declining enrollment and changing demographics, the latter component especially impacting the football and basketball programs.

Some good points, but I don’t agree with all.

I don’t attribute the recent struggles of the football program with a declining enrollment or changing demographics. If that’s what is happening across many rural schools, then they are in the same boat as their own competition.

Many of the schools’ sports programs have been solid the last decade including basketball on the women’s side, who just this month had an athlete sign with a D1 school - Amellia Bromenschenkel (apologize if I mispelled).

 

[guerinfbfan]

Ok, sorry. I moved away after 85 so I apologize for my ignorance. My age group rarely lost to Mendota though..

No worries buddy, just using IHSA.org for fact checking.