Big North Conference (Michigan)

The Big North Conference is a high school conference based in northern Michigan, and is affiliated with the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA). Created in 1997 after the split of Traverse City High School into Central and West High School. It combined the eight largest schools in Northern Michigan. In 2004, due to decreasing enrollment Cheboygan and Sault Area left the conference. They were replaced in 2011 with West Branch Ogemaw Heights, but they left the conference after the 2015-16 school year due to decreasing enrollment as well.

This article is about the sports conference in Michigan. For the conference in New Jersey, see Big North Conference.

Location of Big North schools

Member schools

School	Mascot	Colors	Class (enrollment)	City	County	Year joined	Previous league
Alpena High School	Wildcats		A (1253)	Alpena	Alpena	1997	Great Lakes Athletic Conference
Cadillac High School	Vikings		B (853)	Cadillac	Wexford	1997	North Central Conference
Central High School	Trojans		A (1345)	Traverse City	Grand Traverse	1997	Great Lakes Athletic Conference
Gaylord High School	Blue Devils		A (980)	Gaylord	Otsego	1997	Michigan Huron Shores Conference
Petoskey High School	Northmen		A (941)	Petoskey	Emmet	1997	Michigan Huron Shores Conference
West Senior High School	Titans		A (1582)	Traverse City	Grand Traverse	1997	None (new school)

Former schools

School	Mascot	Colors	Class (enrollment)	City	County	Year joined	Previous league	Year left	Current league
Cheboygan High School	Chiefs		B (548)	Cheboygan	Cheboygan	1997	Michigan Huron Shores Conference	2004	Straits Area Conference (Northern Michigan Football League)
Ogemaw Heights High School	Falcons		B (626)	West Branch	Ogemaw	2011	Northeast Michigan Conference	2016	Independent
Sault Area High School	Blue Devils		B (717)	Sault Ste. Marie	Chippewa	1997	Michigan Huron Shores Conference	2004	Straits Area Conference (Great Northern for Football)

Membership timeline

Football champions

From 1997 to 1999 the Big North had a A division and a B division

Year	A Champion	Record	B Champion	Record
1997	Traverse City West	7–2–0 (3–0–0)	Petoskey	8–1–0 (3–0–0)
1998	Traverse City West	6–3 (3–0)	Petoskey	9–2 (3–0)
1999	Traverse City West	5–4 (3–0)	Sault Ste. Marie	7–3 (3–0)

Since 2000, the conference has operated with one division.

Year	Champion	Record
2000	Cadillac	9–1 (7–0)
2001	Gaylord	9–1 (7–0)
2002	Gaylord	11–1 (7–0)
2003	Traverse City West	7–3 (7–0)
2004	Traverse City West	10–1 (5–0)
2005	Gaylord	6–3 (4–1)
2005	Traverse City Central	6–4 (4–1)
2006	Traverse City West	6–4 (5–0)
2007	Traverse City Central	5–4 (4–1)
2007	Traverse City West	6–4 (4–1)
2008	Petoskey	9–2 (4–1)
2008	Traverse City West	6–4 (4–1)
2009	Cadillac	8–2 (5–0)
2010	Petoskey	8–2 (4–1)
2010	Traverse City West	6–4 (4–1)
2011	Petoskey	9–2 (6–0)
2012	Traverse City Central	9–2 (6–0)
2013	Cadillac	11–1 (6–0)
2014	Cadillac	9–1 (6–0)
2015	Traverse City Central	9–1 (6–0)
2016	Traverse City Central	9–2 (5–0)
2017	Traverse City West	9–2 (5–0)
2018	Traverse City West	7–3 (5–0)
2019	Traverse City Central	8–2 (5–0)

References