Northeast Corner Conference of Indiana

The Northeast Corner Conference in Indiana

The Northeast Corner Conference is an eleven-member Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA)-sanctioned conference based in Northeast Indiana. Its schools are located within DeKalb, Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties.

History

The conference was formed as the Bi-County Conference in 1964, as the formations of Lakeland and Prairie Heights left Lagrange and Steuben Counties with only seven schools total. Angola already competed in the Northeastern Indiana Athletic Conference, and Lakeland decided to compete independently. The five remaining schools started the conference, though Shipshewanna-Scott and Topeka were due to consolidate by 1966, while Fremont and Hamilton also participated in the State Corner Conference, while staying with their other Steuben County schools. Meanwhile, at that point the five remaining Noble County schools were set to consolidate into two schools themselves, and were also needing new conference affiliation. They joined with the Bi-County Conference teams, and changed their name to the current NECC. Howe Military also joined that year.

Other schools to join since then were Lakeland in 1974, Fairfield in 1980, Garrett in 1981, Eastside in 1983, and Angola and Churubusco in 1989. Howe Military left in 1980, and Garrett followed in 2005 (before rejoining in 2014).

Membership

School Location Mascot Colors Enrollment IHSAA Class
FB
# / County Year Joined Previous Conference
Angola
Community
Angola Hornets                938 AAA/AAAA 76
Steuben
1989 Northeastern Indiana
Central
Noble
Albion Cougars           447 AA/AA 57
Noble
1968 none (new school)
Churubusco Churubusco Eagles                420 AA/AA 92
Whitley
1989 Allen County
Eastside Butler Blazer           413 AA/AA 17
DeKalb
1983 Allen County
Fairfield Goshen Falcons                589 AAA/AAA 20
Elkhart
1980 Northern State
Fremont1 Fremont Eagles                373 A/A 76
Steuben
1964 Steuben County
Garrett2 Garrett Railroaders                604 AAA/AAA 17
DeKalb
1981
2014
Northeastern Indiana
Allen County
Hamilton1 Hamilton Marines           169 A/- 76
Steuben
1964 Steuben County
Lakeland LaGrange Lakers                679 AAA/AAA 44
LaGrange
1973 Independents
Prairie
Heights
LaGrange Panthers                474 AA/AA 44
LaGrange
1964 none (new school)
West
Noble
Ligonier Chargers                717 AAA/AAA 57
Noble
1967 none (new school)
Westview Topeka Warriors                399 AA/- 44
LaGrange
1966 none (new school)
  1. Fremont and Hamilton were concurrent members of the Bi-County and State Corner conferences from 1964 to 1967.
  2. Garrett was a member of the Allen County Athletic Conference from 2005 to 2014.

Former Members

School Location Mascot Colors # / County Year Joined Previous Conference Year Left Conference Joined
Shipshewanna-Scott Shipshewanna Indians                44
LaGrange
1964 LaGrange County 1966 none (consolidated
into Westview)
Topeka Topeka Bears                44
LaGrange
1964 LaGrange County 1966 none (consolidated
into Westview)
Albion Albion Trojans           57
Noble
1966 Noble County 1968 none (consolidated into
Central Noble)
Cromwell Cromwell Spartans           57
Noble
1966 Noble County 1967 none (consolidated
into West Noble)
Howe Military Howe Cadets           44
La Grange
1966 Independents 1980 Independents
(MLC 1984)
Ligonier Ligonier Red Raiders                57
Noble
1966 Noble County 1967 none (consolidated
into West Noble)
Wawaka Wawaka Chargers                57
Noble
1966 Noble County 1967 none (consolidated
into West Noble)
Wolf Lake Wolf Lake Wolves                57
Noble
1966 Noble County 1968 none (consolidated into
Central Noble)

Football Divisions

With Garrett returning to the conference, football will return to the divisional format used between 1989 and 2005. The divisions have always been labeled as Division I (small school) and Division II (large school).

1989-2005 2014-
Small Big Small Big
Central Noble Angola Central Noble Angola
Churubusco Garrett Churubusco Fairfield
Eastside Lakeland Eastside Garrett
Fairfield Prairie Heights Fremont Lakeland
Fremont West Noble Prairie Heights West Noble

Conference Champions

Football

Titles School Years
14 West Noble 1968*, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985*, 1989 (II), 1999 (II), 2000 (II), 2002 (II)*, 2005, 2014 (II)
11 Lakeland 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990 (II)*, 1991 (II)*, 1993 (II)*, 1994 (II), 1995 (II), 1996 (II), 2009*, 2013*
10 Eastside 1988, 1989 (I), 1990 (I), 1991 (I), 1994 (I), 1995 (I)*, 1999 (I), 2002 (I)*, 2004 (I), 2014 (I)
8 Churubusco 1992 (I), 1993 (I), 1995 (I)*, 2002 (I)*, 2009*, 2010*, 2011, 2012
8 Prairie Heights 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973*, 1976, 1977, 1985*
7 Angola 1992 (II), 1993 (II)*, 1997 (II), 1998 (II), 2001 (II), 2002 (II)*, 2010*
7 Fairfield 1996 (I), 1997 (I)*, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2013*
6 Garrett 1990 (II)*, 1991 (II)*, 1993 (II)*, 2002 (II)*, 2003 (II), 2004 (II)
5 Central Noble 1980, 2000 (I), 2001 (I), 2002 (I)*, 2003 (I)
4 Fremont 1968*, 1987, 1997 (I)*, 1998 (I)
1 Hamilton 1973*
0 Howe

Howe (then Howe Military) left in 1980. Hamilton dropped football in 1986.

Boys Basketball

Titles School Years
23 Westview 1973*, 1976, 1977*, 1979, 1980*, 1985, 1986*, 1987*, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997*, 1998*,
1999, 2000, 2007*, 2008, 2010*, 2011, 2013, 2014
12 Lakeland 1975, 1978, 1980*, 1986*, 1992*, 2001, 2003*, 2004*, 2005, 2006*, 2009, 2010*
5 Angola 1996, 1997*, 2002, 2003*, 2006*
5 Fairfield 1981, 1982, 1995, 1998*, 2007*
5 West Noble 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973*, 1986*
4 Central Noble 1970, 1974, 1977*, 1998*
4 Garrett 1984, 1986*, 2003*, 2004*
2 Fremont 1992*, 2012
1 Eastside 1983
1 Hamilton 1992*
1 Prairie Heights 1987*
1 Wolf Lake 1968

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