Lake Superior Conference

{{OSM Location map

| title =

| coord = {{coord|46.8250|-92.0750}}

| float = right

| zoom = 8

| width = 250

| height = 250

| mark-size1=10

| mark-title1=Cloquet

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|46.7098|-92.4416}} | mark-description1=Location:

| shape-color1=#582c83 | shape1=circle

| mark-title2=Denfeld

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|46.7483|-92.1592}} | mark-description2=Location:

| shape-color2=#ffc72c | shape2=circle

| mark-title3=Duluth Central

| mark-coord3 = {{coord|46.7891|-92.0999}} | mark-description3=Location:

| shape-color3=#d50032 | shape3=circle

| mark-title4=Morgan Park High School (Duluth, Minnesota

| mark-coord4 = {{coord|46.6875|-92.2116}} | mark-description4=Location:

| shape-color4=#002d6c | shape4=circle

| mark-title5=Proctor

| mark-coord5 = {{coord|46.7439|-92.2355}} | mark-description5=Location:

| shape-color5=#115740 | shape5=circle

| mark-title6=Two Harbors

| mark-coord6 = {{coord|47.0498|-91.6646}} | mark-description6=Location:

| shape-color6=#6f2c3f | shape6=circle

| caption = Location of Original Big Six Conference Members:

| auto-caption=1

| wrap=nowrap}}

The Lake Superior Conference was formed in 1939, and it was originally known as the Big Six Conference to reflect the number of its original member schools (Cloquet, Denfeld, Duluth Central, Morgan Park, Proctor and Two Harbors).{{Cite news |date=8 October 1939 |title=Sportolog |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1128736834/?match=1&terms=%22big%20six%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=4}} At the time of the Big Six Conference's formation, all of its members also belonged to the Little Big Ten Conference, which included Duluth Cathedral and three high schools across the Saint Louis River in Wisconsin (Superior Cathedral, Superior Central and Superior East). After a short hiatus from 1946{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Sid |date=3 November 1946 |title=The Locker Room |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1131554115/?match=1&terms=%22big%20six%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=4b}} to 1948,{{Cite news |date=12 May 1948 |title=Big 6 Cage Loop to be Set Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1131019625/?match=1&terms=%22big%20six%20conference%22%20standings |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=14}} the Big Six resumed competition and changed its name as the conference grew; becoming the Big Seven in 1951 (Duluth East),{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Sid |date=11 February 1951 |title=Trojans to Battle Denfeld Five First |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1131311076/?match=1&terms=%22big%20seven%20conference%22%20%22duluth%20east%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=41}} the Big Eight in 1954 (Grand Marais),{{Cite news |date=14 October 1954 |title=Region 7 Committee Bills Meeting Here This Morning |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1128737210/?match=1&terms=%22big%20eight%20conference%22%20%22grand%20marais%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=17}} the Big Nine in 1958 (Silver Bay){{Cite news |date=21 September 1958 |title=Unbeaten Rails Inaugurate Silver Bay Field |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1128710936/?match=1&terms=%22big%20nine%20conference%22%20%22silver%20bay%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=28}} and finally, the Big Ten in 1962 (Hermantown).{{Cite news |date=25 January 1962 |title=Hawks Okayed By Big 9, Conference To Be Known As Big 10 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1128762053/?match=1&terms=%22big%20ten%20conference%22%20%22hermantown%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=20}} The Big Ten Conference maintained its member roster until 1974, when Duluth Cathedral joined the conference, and the conference changed its name to the Lake Superior Conference due to there being more than ten member schools.{{Cite news |date=19 June 1974 |title=Big Ten Conference now "Lake Superior" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1127203111/?match=1&terms=%22lake%20superior%20conference%22%20%22big%20ten%20conference%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=27}}

After the conference's name change, the Lake Superior Conference stayed at eleven schools until 1982, when Morgan Park closed its doors{{Cite news |last=Glumac |first=Ann |date=9 June 1982 |title=Park graduation takes place as usual |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1130487905/?match=1&terms=%22morgan%20park%20high%20school%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=6}} and merged into Denfeld.{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Al |date=10 March 1983 |title=Denfeld, Morgan Park merge in harmony |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1163379762/?match=1&terms=denfeld%20%22morgan%20park%22%20merge |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=11}} The school became known as Denfeld-Morgan Park for one school year before reverting to the original Denfeld name in 1983. The next year, the Lake Superior Conference accepted its first ever Wisconsin-based member in Superior High School.{{Cite book |url=https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/69814?page=102&searchTerm=lake%20superior%20conference |title=Lacedaemon 1984 (see First Year in LSC) |year=1984 |pages=98}} Membership in the Lake Superior Conference remained stable for sixteen years until in 1999, four schools (Duluth Central, Duluth East, Silver Bay and Superior) left the conference; Silver Bay joined the Polar League and the other three schools became independents.{{Cite news |date=8 December 1999 |title=Large schools have talent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1165445699/?match=1&terms=%22lake%20superior%20conference%22%20%22duluth%20central%22%20%22duluth%20east%22%20%22silver%20bay%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=3D}} Prior to the exit of these four schools, the members of the conference voted to disband following the 1999-2000 season, citing disparities in enrollment and compeititon levels.{{Cite news |date=6 November 1998 |title=LSC will disband after year 2000 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1165387392/?match=1&terms=%22lake%20superior%20conference%22%20disband |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=3E}} In 2000, the members of the Lake Superior Conference decided not to disband and two schools made their return: Duluth Central and Superior.{{Cite news |date=13 April 2000 |title=LSC set to return for another year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1165432457/?match=1&terms=%22lake%20superior%20conference%22%20%22duluth%20central%22%20%22cook%20county%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=5C}} Their entry into the Lake Superior Conference offset the loss of Cook County to independent status. In 2006, Two Harbors left to join the Polar League and were replaced by Ashland, who had just left the WIAA's Lumberjack Conference.{{Cite news |last=Weegman |first=Rick |date=8 September 2006 |title=Ashland feels right at home in Minnesota-based conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1132761155/?match=1&terms=%22polar%20league%22%20%22two%20harbors%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=5B}} In preparation for the closing of Duluth Central High School, the athletic programs at Central and Denfeld merged in 2010, initially competing under the Central banner before reverting to Denfield after the two schools merged in 2011.{{Cite news |date=29 December 2010 |title=Top 10 of 2010, The year in local sports |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1136750256/?match=1&terms=%22duluth%20central%22%20denfeld%20merge |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=5}} Ashland left the Lake Superior Conference to compete as an independent for the 2020-21 school year prior to joining the WIAA's Heart O'North Conference.{{Cite news |date=10 March 2020 |title=Ashland moves to HON |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1146706877/?match=1&terms=%22heart%20o%27north%20conference%22%20ashland |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=B3}} They were replaced by Grand Rapids, who previously competed as an independent after leaving the Iron Range Conference in 2019.{{Cite news |date=22 October 2019 |title=Grand Rapids to replace Ashland in LSC |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1146666362/?match=1&terms=ashland%20%22grand%20rapids%22%20%22lake%20superior%20conference%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=A11}} They were followed by Hibbing in 2021, who left the Iron Range in 2020 and brought the Lake Superior Conference to its current tally of eight member schools.{{Cite news |date=9 June 2021 |title=Among other athletes to watch... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1176863225/?match=1&terms=hibbing%20joining%20%22lake%20superior%20conference%22 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=Duluth News-Tribune |pages=B3}}

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1939 till:2030

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:120 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:1939 till:2030 text:Cloquet (1939-present)

bar:2 color:tan1 from:1939 till:2010 text:Denfeld (1939-2010)

bar:2 color:tan1 from:2011 till:2030 text:(2011-present)

bar:3 color:tan1 from:1939 till:1999 text:Duluth Central (1939-1999)

bar:3 color:tan1 from:2000 till:2011 text:(2000-2011)

bar:4 color:tan1 from:1939 till:1982 text:Morgan Park (1939-1982)

bar:5 color:tan1 from:1939 till:2030 text:Proctor (1939-present)

bar:6 color:tan1 from:1939 till:2006 text:Two Harbors (1939-2006)

bar:7 color:tan1 from:1951 till:1999 text:Duluth East (1951-1999)

bar:8 color:tan1 from:1954 till:1989 text:Grand Marais (1954-1989)

bar:8 color:tan1 from:1989 till:2000 text:Cook County (1989-2000)

bar:9 color:tan1 from:1958 till:1999 text:Silver Bay (1958-1999)

bar:10 color:tan1 from:1962 till:2030 text:Hermantown (1962-present)

bar:11 color:tan1 from:1974 till:2030 text:Duluth Cathedral (1974-1987), Marshall School (1987-present)

bar:12 color:tan1 from:1983 till:1999 text:Superior (1983-1999)

bar:12 color:tan1 from:2000 till:2030 text:(2000-present)

bar:13 color:tan1 from:2006 till:2020 text:Ashland (2006-2020)

bar:14 color:tan1 from:2020 till:2030 text:Grand Rapids (2020-present)

bar:15 color:tan1 from:2021 till:2030 text:Hibbing (2021-present)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1939

{{OSM Location map

| title = Lake Superior Conference

| coord = {{coord|47.0500|-92.8000}}

| float = left

| zoom = 8

| width = 600

| height = 300

| mark-title1=Cloquet

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|46.7098|-92.4416}} | mark-description1=Location:

| shape-color1=#582c83 | shape1=n-circle

| mark-title2=Denfeld

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|46.7483|-92.1592}} | mark-description2=Location:

| shape-color2=#6f2c3f | shape2=n-circle

| mark-title3=Grand Rapids

| mark-coord3 = {{coord|47.2473|-93.5416}} | mark-description3=Location:

| shape-color3=#e35205 | shape3=n-circle

| mark-title4=Hermantown

| mark-coord4 = {{coord|46.8255|-92.2428}} | mark-description4=Location:

| shape-color4=#ffc72c | shape4=n-circle

| mark-title5=Hibbing

| mark-coord5 = {{coord|47.4251|-92.9314}} | mark-description5=Location:

| shape-color5=#0032a0 | shape5=n-circle

| mark-title6=Marshall School

| mark-coord6 = {{coord|46.8027|-92.1108}} | mark-description6=Location:

| shape-color6=#000000 | shape6=n-circle

| mark-title7=Proctor

| mark-coord7 = {{coord|46.7439|-92.2355}} | mark-description7=Location:

| shape-color7=#115740 | shape7=n-circle

| mark-title8=Superior

| mark-coord8 = {{coord|46.7073|-92.0844}} | mark-description8=Location:

| shape-color8=#69b3e7 | shape8=n-circle

| caption = Location of Lake Superior Conference full members:

| auto-caption=1

| wrap=nowrap}}

{{clear}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.lakesuperiorconference.org/ Lake Superior Conference (official website)]

Category:Sports organizations established in 1939

Category:Minnesota high school sports conferences

Category:1939 establishments in Wisconsin