Saginaw Valley League

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The Saginaw Valley High School Association (commonly referred to as the Saginaw Valley League) is a high school sports league formed in 1904 within the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), located in the Bay, Genesee, Isabella, Lapeer, Midland, and Saginaw counties in Michigan area.

History[]

SVL was formed in the fall of 1904 with five teams: Bay City Eastern (Bay City Central), Bay City Western (Bay City Handy), Saginaw Eastern (Saginaw High), Arthur Hill, and Flint High (Flint Central).[1]

In August 2012, the final four teams of the Big Nine Conference, Carman-Ainsworth, Davison, Flint Powers Catholic and Flushing, joined the league in its South Division. With the Flint Metro League losing Lapeer East and Lapeer West, Flushing and Carman-Ainsworth applied to join that league with Flushing's membership approved starting in the 2014-15 year.[2]

Bay City John Glenn joined in 2017, but left in 2020.[3][4] Grand Blanc joined in 2018.[5][6]

Starting in 2021, Saginaw and Saginaw Arthur Hill formed a co-op team football in preparation of a high school merger.[7] Traverse City Central and Traverse City West announced they would be joining the Red Division in 2022 as football-only members.[8]

Member schools[]

The Saginaw Valley League currently has 14 member schools.

Current members[]

School Nickname Location Joined Previous Conference
Red Division
Bay City Central Wolves Bay City
Bay City Western Warriors Auburn 1974 Independent
Midland Chemics Midland
Midland Dow Chargers Midland 1971, 1981 Independent
Mount Pleasant Oilers Mount Pleasant 2005 Independent
Saginaw Heritage Hawks Saginaw Township 1994 Independent
Blue Division
Davison Cardinals Davison 2012 Big Nine Conference
Flint Carman-Ainsworth Cavaliers Flint Township 2012 Big Nine Conference
Flint Powers Catholic Chargers Flint 2012 Big Nine Conference
Grand Blanc Bobcats Grand Blanc 2018 Kensington Lakes Activities Association
Lapeer Lightning Lapeer 2014 None (school opened)
Saginaw Arthur Lumberjacks Saginaw 1961 Arrowhead Conference

Former members[]

School Nickname Location Joined Previous Conference Departed Successive Conference
Owosso Trojans Owosso pre-1950 1951 Independent
Pontiac Central Chiefs Pontiac pre-1950 1994 Oakland Activities Association
Flint Central Indians Flint 1904 2009 None (school closed)
Flint Northwestern Wildcats Flint 1969 Independent 2017 None (school closed)
Flint Southwestern Knights Flint 1961 Independent 2019 Genesee Area Conference
Bay City Handy Wildcats Bay City 1961 Arrowhead Conference 1980 Independent
Flint Northern Vikings Flint pre-1950 2013 None (school closed)
Flushing Raiders Flushing Township 2012 Big Nine Conference 2014 Flint Metro League
Bay City Glenn Bobcats Bangor Township 2017 Independent 2020 Tri-Valley Conference
Saginaw Trojans Saginaw 1950 Independent 2021 Co-op with Arthur Hill
  • From 1969–1979, the Conference splint into a Saginaw Valley East and a Saginaw Valley West Conference. Many Conference Realignments happened during this time.

Membership Timeline since 1950[]

Saginaw Valley League[9]
Saginaw Valley East
Saginaw Valley West
Football only
Traverse City West Senior High SchoolTraverse City Central High SchoolSaginaw High SchoolSaginaw Heritage High SchoolArthur Hill High SchoolPowers Catholic High SchoolPontiac Central High SchoolOwosso High SchoolMount Pleasant High School (Michigan)Midland High School (Michigan)Herbert Henry Dow High SchoolLapeer High SchoolGrand Blanc High SchoolFlushing High School (Michigan)Flint Southwestern AcademyFlint Northwestern High SchoolFlint Northern High SchoolFlint Central High SchoolDavison Community SchoolsCarman-Ainsworth High SchoolWestern High School (Auburn, Michigan)Bay City T.L Handy High SchoolJohn Glenn High School (Bay City, Michigan)Bay City Central High School

List of Saginaw Valley League Conference Champions[]

[10]

References[]

  1. ^ Glory: History of Saginaw County Sports pp 177.
  2. ^ "Flushing to join Flint Metro League, creating 'major concern' in the Saginaw Valley League South Division". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. ^ Thompson, Lee (October 25, 2016). "Official at last, John Glenn is full-fledged member of Saginaw Valley League". The Bay City Times. mlive Media Group. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "John Glenn's departure for Tri-Valley not ideal for Saginaw Valley League". mlive. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  5. ^ http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/8378221031860953758/saginaw-valley-league-accepts-grand-blanc-high-school/
  6. ^ http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2016/10/board_votes_bangor_john_glenn.html
  7. ^ Boomer, Kaytie. "Saginaw United held a practice at Arthur Hill High School on Tuesday, June 22, 2021". mlive. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  8. ^ Kochanny, Drew. "Traverse City programs leaving Big North for Saginaw Valley for football". Petoskey News-Review. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  9. ^ Michigan High School Football
  10. ^ 2011 -2012 Dow High School Athletic Handbook.
    • 2011–2012 Midland High School Athletic Handbook.
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