Independent School League (Illinois)

The Independent School League (ISL) is an athletic conference comprising 9 private secondary schools in the Chicago metro area. All but one of the schools are also full members of the Illinois High School Association, the governing body for most high school athletics and competitive activities in the state. The schools are all relatively small, most belonging to the smaller classes of competition offered by the IHSA.

Independent School League (Illinois)
ConferenceIHSA
No. of teams9
RegionChicago metro area, Illinois

Members

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School Location Founded Enrollment Team Name Colors IHSA Classes 2/3/4 Reference
Francis W. Parker School Chicago 1901 944 Colonels     A/1A/2A [1]
Lake Forest Academy Lake Forest 1857 435 Caxys     [note 1] [2]
Latin School of Chicago Chicago 1888 1,175 Romans     AA/1A/2A/3A [3]
Northridge Preparatory School Niles 1976 250 Knights     A/1A/1A [4]
North Shore Country Day School Winnetka 1880 535 Raiders     A/1A/2A [5]
Regina Dominican High School Wilmette 1958 508 Panthers     A/1A/2A [6]
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Chicago 1896 2,015 Maroons     AA/2A/3A [7]
The Willows Academy Des Plaines 1974 250 Eagles     A/1A/2A [8]
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart Lake Forest 1858 145 Wildcats     A/1A/2A [9]

Other conference affiliations

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  • North Shore Country Day was the last school to support a football program. It played in the Great 8 Conference (Wisconsin) for the 2015 and 2016 seasons and discontinued the football program in 2017.
  • Northridge Prep, Francis W. Parker School, Latin School, and Woodlands Academy are the only schools to sponsor a Scholastic Bowl team.

History

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The ISL was founded in 1967.[10] The league initially comprised eight teams: Chicago Lab, Elgin, Latin, Morgan Park, North Shore, Francis W. Parker, Harvard-St. George, and Glenwood.

Harvard-St. George closed in 1993, and Glenwood closed its high school in 1979. Lake Forest Academy left the ISL in 2008 and rejoined in 2021.[11] Regina Dominican High School joined in 2022.[12] Morgan Park Academy left the ISL in 2023.[13] Elgin Academy closed in 2024.[14]

Membership timeline

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Full members

IHSA State titles

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  • Chess: Chicago Lab (1973–74)[15]
  • Scholastic Bowl: Latin School (1993–94, 97–98, 2001–02, 03–04, 04–05, 05–06, 08–09)[16]
  • Track & Field (boys): Chicago Lab (1908–09, 09–10, 10–11, 13–14, 18–19)[15]
  • Golf (boys): North Shore Country Day (2011 and 2012)
  • Tennis (boys): Latin School (2020–21, 21-22)
  • Tennis (girls): Jerricka Boone, Morgan Park Academy, singles champion (2009, 2011), North Shore Country Day (2017, 2018) [17] Noelle Lanton and Addison Lanton, Elgin Academy, doubles champion with a perfect season record (2022)
  • Soccer (boys): Latin School (2016–17), Chicago Lab (2019–20), North Shore Country Day (2023-24)
  • Soccer (girls): Latin School (2005–06)[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Chicago (F.W. Parker". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  2. ^ "Lake Forest(L.F. Academy)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Chicago (Latin)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Niles (Northridge Prep)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Winnetka (North Shore Country Day)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  6. ^ "Wilmette (Regina Dominican)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Chicago (University)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  8. ^ "Des Plaines (Willows Academy)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Lake Forest (Woodlands Academy)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  10. ^ Leo, Ralph (8 September 1966), "Prep Football Coaches Predict 1966 Title Winners :Majority Hope to Repeat as League Champs", Chicago Tribune, pp. K16, Marty McCarty, North Shore Country Day, winner of the last year's Private School league White division, which this year is competing in the newly formed Independent School league ...
  11. ^ Miglani, Rohan (April 2, 2021). "Lake Forest Academy Rejoins the ISL". The Spectator.
  12. ^ Carlino, Martin (March 3, 2021). "Regina Dominican athletics will move to Independent Schools League in 2022-23 school year". The Record North Shore.
  13. ^ O'Brien, Tim (January 23, 2024). "MPA makes history, wins first league title". The Beverly Review.
  14. ^ Schneider, Sohana (January 10, 2024). "Elgin Academy, a longtime competitor of U-High's sports teams, to close". U-High Midway.
  15. ^ a b "Season Summaries: Chicago (University)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 28 March 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Season Summaries: Chicago (Latin)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 28 March 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  17. ^ "Illinois high school tennis state finals: Morgan Park Academy's Jerricka Boone bounces back for second title; Hinsdale Central wins 5th in 6 years - Chicago Tribune". Archived from the original on 2012-08-15. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  1. ^ As an associate member of IHSA, Lake Forest Academy is not eligible for statewide competitions.