Fox Valley Catholic Conference
{{Short description|Former Wisconsin high school athletic conference}}The Fox Valley Catholic Conference is a former high school athletic conference in northeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 1929, it was composed entirely of Catholic high schools and was succeeded by the Fox Valley Christian Conference in 1971. The conference and its member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association from 1957 to 1968, and the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association from 1968 to 1971.
History
= 1929-1942 =
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| mark-title4=St. Mary
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| mark-title5=St. Mary Catholic
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| mark-title6=St. Norbert
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The Fox Valley Catholic Conference was formed in 1929 by seven parochial high schools within the Diocese of Green Bay: Cathedral in Green Bay, Our Lady of Lourdes in Marinette, St. John in Little Chute, St. Mary in Oshkosh, St. Mary Catholic in Neenah, St. Norbert in De Pere and St. Peter's in Oshkosh.{{Cite news |date=7 December 1929 |title=Catholic Valley Conference Formed for Athletic Games |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/186322862/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20river%20valley%20catholic%22%20standings |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=13}} Cathedral spent two seasons in the conference before leaving in 1931 to compete as an independent.{{Cite news |date=11 December 1931 |title=St. Norbert High and Oshkosh Meet Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/187871405/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=20}}{{Cite news |date=29 February 1932 |title=Five Teams Begin Play Tuesday in St. Norbert MEet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188813723/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=11}} St. Joseph of Marinette joined in 1932,{{Cite news |date=22 October 1932 |title=Outline Program of Basketball for Catholic Schools |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188155479/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20cathedral%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=11}} but they only lasted one season in the conference before leaving.{{Cite news |date=20 February 1934 |title=St. Mary's Cagers in DePere Tournament |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444934326/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Neenah Daily News-Times |pages=4}} St. Mary left the Fox Valley Catholic Conference in 1935,{{Cite news |date=10 December 1935 |title=St. John and St. Mary's Quintets Clash Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/395894256/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=14}} but returned two years later, offsetting the loss of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1937.{{Cite news |date=9 December 1937 |title=Catholic Quints to Play at Home Tomorrow Night |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/246224780/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Oshkosh Northwestern |pages=17}} St. Joseph Indian School on the Menominee Indian reservation in Keshena joined the conference in 1939,{{Cite news |date=17 November 1939 |title=St. Peter's Meet Alumni Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/246236273/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Oshkosh Northwestern |pages=19}} and Our Lady of Lourdes and newcomers St. Mary's Springs joined the Fox Valley Catholic Conference in 1940.{{Cite news |date=4 January 1941 |title=St. Mary's Beat Keshena Quintet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/476726935/?match=1&terms=%22st.%20joseph%20high%20school%22%20marinette |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Oshkosh Northwestern |pages=13}} St. Mary's Springs was the only conference member not in the Green Bay diocese, as Fond du Lac County was part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Green Bay Central Catholic joined the conference after opening in 1941,{{Cite news |date=13 November 1941 |title=Valley Catholic Loop Lays Plans for Cage Season |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/396120414/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=19}} the same year that the two Catholic high schools in Oshkosh (St. Mary and St. Peter's) closed their doors.{{Cite news |date=9 April 1941 |title=Plan Awards Day for Greyhounds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/476747984/?match=1&terms=%22st.%20mary%20high%20school%22%20oshkosh |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Oshkosh Northwestern |pages=17}}{{Cite news |date=25 April 1941 |title=Award Emblems to Keymen Cage Squad at Dinner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/476728508/?match=1&terms=%22st.%20peter%20high%20school%22%20oshkosh |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Oshkosh Northwestern |pages=14}}
= 1942-1961 =
In 1942, the Fox Valley Catholic Conference lost three additional members: Our Lady of Lourdes (for the second time), St. Joseph Indian and St. Mary's Springs.{{Cite news |date=26 February 1943 |title=Griesbach, Zephyr Forward Conference Scoring Champion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/396103770/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=12}} The conference continued with four active members for the next two years before Our Lady of Lourdes rejoined in 1944.{{Cite news |date=23 January 1945 |title=Central Invades Lourdes Court |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/187818434/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=11}} St. Mary's Springs made their return in 1948, bringing membership back up to six schools.{{Cite news |date=26 July 1948 |title=St. Mary's Springs Signs a Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/445527470/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Menasha Record |pages=1}} During the 1950s, several Fox Valley Catholic Conference schools went through name changes. Green Bay Central Catholic renamed itself Our Lady of Premontre when it was relocated from downtown to the west side of Green Bay in 1955,{{Cite news |date=31 January 1955 |title=Premontre is Name of New School |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189355098/?match=1&terms=%22premontre%20high%20school%22 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=3}} and two schools changed their names in 1959. Our Lady of Lourdes became Marinette Central Catholic when the city's Catholic schools were consolidated,{{Cite news |date=24 April 1958 |title=School Fund Drive Opens at Marinette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188299972/?match=1&terms=%22marinette%20catholic%20high%20school%22 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=21}} and St. Norbert was changed to Abbot Pennings when it was moved into the old Nicolet High School building in De Pere.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=John |date=18 June 1958 |title=City of De Pere Is Ideal Combination of Historic Charm, Modern Efficiency |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188517950/?match=1&terms=%22abbot%20pennings%20high%20school%22 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=23}}
= 1961-1971 =
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In 1961, membership in the Fox Valley Catholic Conference increased to eight schools with the addition of Lourdes Academy in Oshkosh and Xavier in Appleton.{{Cite news |last=Mancosky |first=George |date=20 September 1961 |title=Premontre Favored to Win Crown in Newly-Enlarged Ctholic Conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/287180324/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20catholic%20conference%22%20lourdes%20xavier |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=B14}} Roncalli High School in Manitowoc became the conference's ninth member in 1968 after a one-year stint in the WIAA's Kettle Moraine Conference.{{Cite news |date=31 October 1967 |title=St. Mary Menasha is 1st Roncalli Rival in FRVCC |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/292284735/?match=1&terms=%22kettle%20moraine%20conference%22%20roncalli |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter |pages=9}} The conference continued with this lineup until it was ended in 1971, when the first non-Catholic member was accepted into the group (Fox Valley Lutheran in Appleton) and the new conference christened itself the Fox Valley Christian Conference in recognition.{{Cite news |date=16 March 1971 |title=FVCC Athletic Chiefs Vote for Name Change |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/287863480/?match=1&terms=%22fox%20valley%20christian%20conference%22 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=Appleton Post-Crescent |pages=19}}{{clear}}
Conference membership history
| class="wikitable sortable"
!School !Location !Affiliation ![https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/1292447 Enrollment] !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |
| Abbot Pennings
|Private (Catholic, Norbertine) |N/A (Boys only) |Squires |{{color box|115740}} {{color box|white}} |Closed in 1990 (merged into Notre Dame Academy) |
| Cathedral
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Bluegolds |{{color box|002d6c}} {{color box|b3a369}} |Independent |Closed in 1941 |
| Marinette Central Catholic
|Private (Catholic) |38 |Cavaliers |{{color box|173f35}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |
| St. John
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Flying Dutchmen |{{color box|0032a0}} {{color box|white}} |Closed in 1973 |
| St. Mary
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Greyhounds |{{color box|005eb8}} {{color box|white}} | colspan="2" |Closed |
| St. Mary Catholic
|Private (Catholic) |277 |Zephyrs |{{color box|69b3e7}} {{color box|ffc72c}} {{color box|041e42}} |
| St. Peter's
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Keymen |{{color box|00843d}} {{color box|white}} | colspan="2" |Closed |
| St. Joseph
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Unknown |Unknown |Independent |Closed (date unknown) |
| St. Joseph Indian
|Private (Catholic) |N/A |Indians |{{color box|0032a0}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |Independent |Closed in 1952 |
| St. Mary's Springs
|Private (Catholic) |263 |Ledgers |{{color box|005eb8}} {{color box|white}} |
| Our Lady of Premontre
|Private (Catholic) |N/A (Boys only) |Cadets |{{color box|041e42}} {{color box|ffc72c}} |Closed in 1990 (merged into Notre Dame Academy) |
| Lourdes Academy
|Private (Catholic) |178 |Knights |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|black}} |
| Xavier
|Private (Catholic) |468 |Hawks |{{color box|002d6c}} {{color box|a2aaad}} |Bay |
| Roncalli
|Private (Catholic) |223 |Jets |{{color box|041e42}} {{color box|69b3e7}} |
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1929 till:1971
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:75 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m
bar:1 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1931 text:Green Bay Cathedral (1929-1931)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1937 text:Our Lady of Lourdes (1929-1937)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1940 till:1942 text:(1940-1942)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1944 till:1959 text:(1944-1959)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1959 till:1971 text:Marinette Central Catholic (1959-1971)
bar:3 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1971 text:St. John (1929-1971)
bar:4 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1935 text:St. Mary (1929-1935)
bar:4 color:tan1 from:1937 till:1941 text:(1937-1941)
bar:5 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1971 text:St. Mary Catholic (1929-1971)
bar:6 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1959 text:St. Norbert (1929-1959)
bar:6 color:tan1 from:1959 till:1971 text:Abbot Pennings (1959-1971)
bar:7 color:tan1 from:1929 till:1941 text:St. Peter's (1929-1941)
bar:8 color:tan1 from:1932 till:1933 text:St. Joseph (1932-1933)
bar:9 color:tan1 from:1939 till:1942 text:St. Joseph Indian (1939-1942)
bar:10 color:tan1 from:1940 till:1942 text:St. Mary's Springs (1940-1942, 1948-1971)
bar:10 color:tan1 from:1948 till:1971 text:
bar:11 color:tan1 from:1941 till:1955 text:Green Bay Central Catholic (1941-1955)
bar:11 color:tan1 from:1955 till:1971 text:Our Lady of Premontre (1955-1971)
bar:12 color:tan1 from:1961 till:1971 text:Lourdes Academy (1961-1971)
bar:13 color:tan1 from:1961 till:1971 text:Xavier (1961-1971)
bar:14 color:tan1 from:1968 till:1971 text:Roncalli (1968-1971)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1929
List of state champions
= Fall sports =
| class="wikitable"
|+Boys Cross Country !School !Year !Organization !Division |
| Roncalli
|WISAA |Class B |
| Roncalli
|WISAA |Class B |
| class="wikitable"
|+Football !School !Year !Organization |
| Roncalli
|WISAA |
| Our Lady of Premontre
|WISAA |
= Winter sports =
| class="wikitable"
|+Boys Basketball !School !Year !Organization |
| St. Norbert
|WCIAA |
| St. Mary Catholic
|WCIAA |
| Xavier
|WCIAA |
| Marinette Central Catholic
|WCIAA |
= Spring sports =
| class="wikitable"
|+Boys Golf !School !Year !Organization |
| St. Mary's Springs
|WCIAA |
| class="wikitable"
|+Boys Tennis !School !Year !Organization |
| Xavier (co-champions)
|WCIAA |
| class="wikitable"
|+Boys Track & Field !School !Year !Organization !Division |
| Our Lady of Premontre
|WISAA |Class A |
| Lourdes Academy
|WISAA |Class B |
| Roncalli
|WISAA |Class B |
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Wisconsin high school athletic conferences}}
Category:Wisconsin high school sports conferences
Category:Sports organizations established in 1929