Lincoln Prairie Conference Formed; Will Begin Play in the Coming School Year

In a statement, Okaw Valley High School Principal Matt Shoaff, who will serve as conference president, said, "We all are excited to move forward with the new conference and look forward to providing excellence in academics and athletics."

The 15 schools making up the Lincoln Prairie Conference voted in December to withdraw from the Little Okaw Valley Conference. The members are Arcola, Argenta-Oreana, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, Bement, Blue Ridge, Cerro Gordo, Cumberland, Decatur LSA, Heritage, Kansas, Oakland, Okaw Valley, Sangamon Valley, Shiloh and Villa Grove.

That leaves four members...Hutsonville-Palestine, Oblong, Martinsville, and Dugger, Indiana...in the Little Okaw Valley.

Cumberland High School Principal Kevin Maynard reported on the progress of completing the conference to his school board at this month's meeting. Maynard said the conference will offer football, volleyball, cross country, golf, basketball, baseball, softball, track and Scholar Bowl and will also offer music and drama.

Maynard said the Little Okaw Valley is made up of two divisions; now, the member schools of the Lincoln Prairie will all be in one conference.