Big 8 Conference (Missouri)

Big 8 Conference
Formerly	Big 10, Big 9, Big 13
Conference	Missouri State High School Activities Association
Founded	1928
Commissioner	N/A
Division	East and West
No. of teams	14
Headquarters	N/A, N/A
Region	Missouri Ozarks

The Big Eight Conference is an athletic conference comprising medium-size high schools located in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri. The conference members are based around the Joplin and Springfield areas and are located in the counties of Barry, Barton, Greene, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Stone, Taney, Vernon, and Webster

List of member schools edit

School	Team Name	Town	County	School Enrollment (2019)	Primary MSHSAA class*
West Division
Cassville	Wildcats / LadyCats	Cassville	Barry	570	3
East Newton	Patriots	Granby	Newton	415	2
Lamar	Tigers	Lamar	Barton	398	2
McDonald County	Mustangs	Anderson	McDonald	1119	4
Monett	Cubs	Monett	Barry	772	4
Nevada	Tigers/Lady Tigers	Nevada	Vernon	720	3
Seneca	Indians	Seneca	Newton	449	3
East Division
Aurora	Houn' Dawgs/ Lady Houns	Aurora	Lawrence	567	3
Hollister	Tigers/ Lady Tigers	Hollister	Taney	489	3
Logan-Rogersville	Wildcats	Rogersville	Greene	702	4
Marshfield	Blue Jays/ Lady Jays	Marshfield	Webster	947	4
Mt. Vernon	Mountaineers	Mt. Vernon	Lawrence	471	3
Reeds Spring	Wolves/ Lady Wolves	Reeds Spring	Stone	650	3
Springfield Catholic	Fighting Irish	Springfield	Greene	331	3

History edit

1928 edit

The conference was established as the Southwest Activities Association but was known as the Big 10. Founding members were: Aurora, Carthage, Joplin, Lamar, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Neosho, Nevada, Springfield and Webb City.

1953 edit

The Big 10 changed to the Big 9 when Springfield and Joplin left the conference and Cassville was added.

1963 edit

The Big 10 was re-established when Carl Junction was added.

1976 edit

The Big 10 added McDonald County, East Newton, and Seneca to form the Big 13 Conference.

1979 edit

Webb City leaves the conference for two years thus causing the renaming to the Big 12 Conference.

1981 edit

Webb City is reinstated into the conference. The conference is renamed the Big 13 Conference with schools divided into two divisions.

1982 edit

Joplin (Memorial) lured Neosho, Webb City, Carthage, McDonald County, and Nevada to form the Big 6 Conference. The remaining schools formed the Big 8 Conference (Aurora, Carl Junction, Cassville, East Newton, Lamar, Monett, Mt. Vernon, and Seneca).

In 1985, Joplin Memorial merges with Joplin Parkwood to form Joplin High School and thus, the Big 6 Conference is renamed the Southwest Conference. Teams are: Joplin, Carthage, McDonald County, Neosho, Nevada, and Webb City.

2013 edit

The Big 8 Conference voted to add McDonald County as its ninth member effective in July 2013.

2015 edit

Carl Junction Leaves Big 8 Conference for the Central Ozarks Conference (Large).

2017 edit

The Central Ozark Conference Small Division merged with the Big 8. Joining schools are: Logan-Rogersville, Springfield Catholic, Reeds Spring, Hollister, Marshfield and Nevada.

The Big 8 Conference was shaped into an East and West conference division.^[1]

The West Division includes: McDonald County, Monett, Nevada, Cassville, East Newton, Seneca, and Lamar

The East Division includes: Marshfield, Logan-Rogersville, Aurora, Reeds Spring, Springfield Catholic, Hollister, and Mt. Vernon.

State championships edit

Aurora Houn' Dawgs edit

1964 Boys Track & Field (B)
1965 Boys Indoor Track (M)
1965 Football (M)
1969 Football (2A)
1999 Football (3A)
2017 Baseball (4)
2018 Baseball (4)

Cassville Wildcats edit

1984 Girls Track & Field (1A)
2008 Football (3)
2009 Football (3)

East Newton Patriots edit

1977 Boys Track & Field (2A)
1998 Volleyball (2A)
2022 Boys Track & Field (3A)

Hollister Tigers edit

1999 Boys Basketball (2A)

Lamar Tigers edit

2011 Football (2)
2012 Boys Cross Country (2)
2012 Football (2)
2013 Boys Track & Field (2)
2013 Football (2)
2014 Boys Track & Field (2)
2014 Football (2)
2015 Football (2)
2016 Boys Cross Country (2)
2016 Football (2)
2017 Boys Cross Country (2)
2017 Football (2)
2019 Football (2)
2021 Football (2)
2023 Football (2)

Logan-Rogersville Wildcats edit

1982 Boys Basketball (3A)
1998 Girls Cross Country (2A)
1999 Girls Cross Country (2A)
2000 Girls Cross Country (2A)
2011 Football (3)
2017 Boys Golf (3)
2018 Volleyball (3)

Marshfield Blue Jays edit

1988 Girls Basketball (3A)
1989 Girls Basketball (3A)
1990 Girls Basketball (3A)
1991 Girls Basketball (3A)
1996 Girls Basketball (3A)
1997 Girls Basketball (3A)
1999 Girls Basketball (3A)
1999 Softball (3A)

McDonald County edit

1981 Girls Basketball (3A)
1983 Girls Basketball (3A)

Monett Cubs edit

1971 Football (2A)
1977 Football (2A)
2008 Wrestling (2)
2016 Football (3)
2017 Softball (3)
2019 Wrestling (2)
2020 Wrestling (2)

Mt. Vernon Mountaineers edit

1947 Boys Track (B)
1978 Football (2A)
2002 Girls Golf (1)
2004 Boys Golf (2)
2005 Boys Golf (2)
2010 Girls Basketball (3)
2012 Girls Basketball (3)
2016 Girls Softball (1)

Nevada Tigers edit

1935 Boys Golf
1994 Girls Track & Field (3A)
2010 Softball (3)

Reeds Spring edit

Seneca Indians edit

1985 Wrestling (1A/2A)
1987 Football (2A)
1995 Football (3A)
2007 Cheerleading
2008 Cheerleading
2010 Wrestling (1)
2011 Cheerleading
2015 Cheerleading
2016 Cheerleading
2016 Wrestling (1)

Springield Catholic Fighting Irish edit

1983 Girls Basketball (1A)
1984 Boys Basketball (1A)
1990 Girls Basketball (2A)
1992 Girls Basketball (2A)
1993 Girls Basketball (2A)
1995 Boys Cross Country (1A-2A)
1997 Baseball (2A)
1997 Football (2A)
2010 Girls Cross Country (2)
2010 Girls Soccer (1)
2011 Girls Soccer (1)
2011 Boys Soccer (1)
2012 Boys Soccer (1)
2014 Baseball (3)
2015 Boys Cross Country (2)
2019 Girls Golf (1)

Neighboring Conferences edit

References edit

^ "Big 8 Conference expansion finalized and set for 2018".

[1] "Big 8 Conference expansion finalized and set for 2018".

[1]