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HISTORY OF THE PORTER COUNTY CONFERENCE

Our Roots

Prior to the formation of the PCC, the eight county schools conducted their athletic programs in an individual and relatively unorganized manner. This condition was recognized by some of the men in the school, and an effort was made to bring about order and organization. With Chesterton and Portage withdrawing from the Porter County Basketball Tournament, this was the ideal time for the formation of a conference. In May of 1958, Harlan Siegesmund, the principal of Liberty Township School called special meeting of coaches and principals to discuss the possibility of an athletic conference. The "Founding Fathers", were:

  • Karl Speckhard and Earl Grieger (Boone Grove)

  • Myron Knauff and George Miller (Hebron)

  • Walter Richards and Charles Kennedy (Jackson Township)

  • Melvin B. Taylor and Robert Gray (Kouts)

  • Harlan Siegesmund and Dale Ciciora (Liberty Township)

  • Don Guilfourd and Elwyn Studer (Morgan Township)

  • James W. Dold and Harold Hanes (Washington Township)

  • Buell E. Crum and Jim Bogan (Wheeler)

  • Sandra Flohr (Morgan Township)

  • Janet Davis (Washington Township)

  • Amber List (Westville)

  • Sue Knoll (Wheeler)

LaCrosse and Westville High Schools  became a part of the conference in 1976.  In 1998 Westville High School withdrew from the conference. In 2003, Wheeler High School left the conference and South Central High School became a new member.  

In 2008, the Porter County Conference celebrated its golden anniversary (50th) at the 85th Annual tourney by honoring the "Founding Fathers," past Gold Ball, M.E. Dinsmoore, James W. Dold, and Mental Attitude Award winners.  Two committees were formed to rate past PCC boys and girls basketball players and vote on a "Top 50" boys and girls team.  In 2013, Hanover Central withdrew from the PCC, and Westville reentered.  Today, the conference consists of Boone Grove, Hebron, Kouts, LaCrosse, Morgan Township, South Central, Washington Township, and Westville. The conference sponsors 7 varsity boys' championships, 6 varsity girls championships, and all-sports championships for both boys and girls.

Memeber Schools Throughout the Years
boonegrove.jpg 2013-10-13-14:26:6
hebron_edited.jpg
kouts_edited.jpg
lacrosse_edited.jpg 2013-10-13-14:24:51
morgantownship_edited.jpg
southcentral.jpg 2013-10-13-14:27:13
washingtontownship.jpg 2013-10-13-14:23:
westville_edited.jpg

School

Mascot

Colors

 

Boone Grove   

Wolves

Royal Blue/White

​

Hebron 

Hawks

Red/White

​

Kouts

(Eastporter)

Mustangs/Fillies

Black/Gold

​

LaCrosse/Wanatah

(Tri-Township)

Tigers

Forest Green/White

​

Morgan Twp.

(Eastporter)

Cherokees

Kelly Green/Gold

​

South Central

Satellites

Red/White/Blue

​

Washington Twp.

(Eastporter)

Senators

Scarlet Red/Black

​

Westville

Blackhawks

Orange/Black

​

Hanover Central

Wildcats

Cardinal Red/

Columbia Blue

​

Jackson Township

Panthers

Maroon/White

​

Liberty Township

Lions

Blue/Gold

​

Wheeler

Bearcats

Green/White/Orange

Year  1958-59

 
 
117          441          479          531           527          520
​
​
 
163          256          313          344          334           375
​
​
​
117          210          256          240          103            119
​
​
​
 
 
---         145          102           97           103            119            
 
 
 
68          169          162           198           231           236        
​
​
​
---      ---         ---           313           307           322
 
 
 
77        151          205           253           247           269
​
​
​
 
---      ---         187           ---           ---          320
​
​
​
---      212         472          596            589           ---
 
 
 
 
65        441         ---          ---            ---          ---
 
 
 
150      ---         ---          ---            ---          ---
 
 
 
130      325          450          ---           ---          ---
​

1982-83

1995-96

2007-08

2012-13

2018-19
ENROLLMENT

Tournament History 

The Porter County (Boys) Tourney began as a ten team tourney in 1924 and was sponsored annually by the Porter County Principals Association through 1997.  The original teams that participated were Boone Grove, Chesterton, Hebron, Jackson Township, Kouts, Liberty Township, Morgan Township, Portage, Washington Township and Wheeler.  Due to their growth, Chesterton and Portage withdrew from competition following the 1958 tournament.  From 1959-69 eight teams participated before Liberty and Jackson Townships were reorganized into the Duneland School Corporation.  Hanover Central participated for the first time in 1973 and, in 1976, LaCrosse and Westville increased the tournament to nine teams.  In 1998, Westville withdrew from the conference, and the tournament became for the first time and official tournament of the PCC.  Following the 2002-2003 school year, Wheeler withdrew from the conference and South Central participated for the first time in 2004.  At the end of the 2012-2013 season, Hanover Centra withdrew from the conference and Westville rejoined.  Of the current participants, Hebron has won the tournament the most times (17).

​

The Porter County Conference Girls Tournament was held for the first time at Morgan Township High School in 1973, three years before the first girls state tournament!  Seven teams participated in that first tournament and over 250 people attended the finals in which Kouts defeated Boone Grove 56-42.  The Boone Grove Lady Wolves have won the tournament the most times (10).

​

The entire format of the tournament changed in 1998.  The unavailability of some facilities that had been used for the tournament for many years and the dissolution of the Porter County  Principals' Association precipitated extensive discussion and research by the members of the Porter County Conference.  It was decided that the boys tournament would officially become a tournament of the PCC.  The entire format of both tournaments was changed.  One common draw was used for both the boys and girls tournaments.  First round games were played at sites determined by the draw with boys playing first at two sites and the girls playing first at the other two.  However, awards for both tournaments will finally be the same.  Unfortunately, this format was not conducive to the continuation of the Pep Block and Pom Pon competitions. Due to the improved school facilities, the conference voted to return to a single site for both the boys and the girls tournament  in 2001. The conference felt that this change would be back to more traditional tournament atmosphere. The Pep Block competition has returned and a non-competitive Pom Pon also is apart of this new formal. The popular all-star squad with representatives from each school is part of the final.

​

In 2008, the Porter County Conference celebrated its golden anniversary (50th) at the 85th Annual tourney by honoring the "Founding Fathers," past Gold Ball, M.E. Dinsmoore, James W. Dold, and Mental Attitude Award winners.  Two committees were formed to rate past PCC boys and girls basketball players and vote on a "Top 50" boys and girls team.  To accommodate the large crowds, the semi-finals and championship games were moved to Valparaiso High School.

 

 

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