Granite Valley Conference
{{Short description|Former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin}}
The Granite Valley Conference is a former high school athletic conference with its membership based in northeastern Wisconsin. Aside from a three-year stint from 1951 to 1954, the conference operated from 1945 to 1960 and its members were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History
{{OSM Location map
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| mark-title1=Amberg
| mark-coord1={{coord|45.5029|-87.9938}} | mark-description1=Location:
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| mark-title2=Crivitz
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| mark-title3=Pembine
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| mark-title4=Wausaukee
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| caption = Location of Granite Valley Conference Members (1945-1951)
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The Granite Valley Conference was formed in 1945 by four small high schools located along U.S. Route 141 in Marinette County: Amberg, Crivitz, Pembine and Wausaukee.{{Cite news |date=20 November 1954 |title=First Tilt in New Loop To Be Played Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188824722/?match=1&terms=%22granite%20valley%20conference%22 |access-date=21 February 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=14}} The conference was named after the quarrying industry prevalent in the area, specifically the mining of Amberg granite. In addition to their Granite Valley membership, Crivitz maintained dual membership in the Marinette & Oconto Conference during this period. The conference's roster remained stable through the first stint of its history, which ended in 1951 when the Granite Valley Conference was folded into the larger Marinette & Oconto Conference.{{Cite news |date=19 April 1951 |title=M-O Loop Admits Granite Valley Schools, Goodman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/187515057/?match=1&terms=%22m-o%20conference%22%20%22granite%20valley%22 |access-date=21 February 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=43}} This arrangement lasted for three years before three of the four original members joined with Goodman to reform the Granite Valley Conference.{{Cite news |date=19 May 1955 |title=Coleman Frosh Win M-O Conference Meet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189100199/?match=1&terms=%22marinette-oconto%20conference%22 |access-date=21 February 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=42}} The second stint of the Granite Valley Conference lasted six years before folding in 1960 after the consolidation of Amberg into Wausaukee.{{Cite news |date=7 February 1961 |title=NE Race Best Balanced in Years, Gentile Says |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189069713/?match=1&terms=%22granite%20valley%20conference%22 |access-date=22 February 2025 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=3}} After the conference ceased operations, Goodman acquired membership in the Northern Lakes Conference,{{Cite news |date=16 November 1960 |title=Wabeno Favored to Retain Crown in NLC Basketball |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17196199/?match=1&terms=%22northern%20lakes%22%20goodman%20%22granite%20valley%22 |access-date=29 January 2025 |work=Rhinelander Daily News |pages=6}} and Pembine and Wausaukee became independents before joining new conferences a few years later.
Conference membership history
= 1945-1951 =
class="wikitable sortable"
!School !Location !Affiliation ![https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/1292447 Enrollment] !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |
Amberg
|Public |N/A |Ravens |{{color box|black}} {{color box|d50032}} |Closed in 1960 (merged into Wausaukee) |
Crivitz
|Public |215 |Wolverines |{{color box|0032a0}} {{color box|ffc72c}} | colspan="2" |Marinette & Oconto |
Pembine
|Public |68 |Panthers |{{color box|0032a0}} {{color box|white}} |Northern Lakes (coop with Goodman) |
Wausaukee
|Public |126 |Rangers |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} | colspan="2" |Marinette & Oconto |
= 1954-1960 =
class="wikitable sortable"
!School !Location !Affiliation ![https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/1292447 Enrollment] !Mascot !Colors !Joined !Left !Conference Joined !Current Conference |
Amberg
|Public |N/A |Ravens |{{color box|black}} {{color box|d50032}} | colspan="2" |Closed (merged into Wausaukee) |
Goodman
|Public |30 |Falcons |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} |Northern Lakes (coop with Pembine) |
Pembine
|Public |68 |Panthers |{{color box|0032a0}} {{color box|white}} |Independent |Northern Lakes (coop with Goodman) |
Wausaukee
|Public |126 |Rangers |{{color box|d50032}} {{color box|white}} |Independent |
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1945 till:1960
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
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id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
PlotData=
width:13 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m
bar:1 color:tan1 from:1945 till:1951 text:Amberg (1945-1951)
bar:1 color:tan1 from:1954 till:1960 text:(1954-1960)
bar:2 color:tan1 from:1945 till:1951 text:Crivitz (1945-1951)
bar:3 color:tan1 from:1945 till:1951 text:Pembine (1945-1951)
bar:3 color:tan1 from:1954 till:1960 text:(1954-1960)
bar:4 color:tan1 from:1945 till:1951 text:Wausaukee (1945-1951)
bar:4 color:tan1 from:1954 till:1960 text:(1954-1960)
bar:5 color:tan1 from:1954 till:1960 text:Goodman (1954-1960)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1945
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wisconsin high school athletic conferences}}
Category:Wisconsin high school sports conferences
Category:Sports organizations established in 1945
Category:1945 establishments in Wisconsin
Category:1954 establishments in Wisconsin