Forreston’s State Football Win Adds To Growing NUIC Title List

With Forreston's latest IHSA 1A football State championship, it's time to look at the list of NUIC schools' State trophy cases in all sports.

Dakota and West Carroll hold the top spot with 15 pieces of hardware.

Dakota has the most State championships with nine. Dakota hopes to add another this wrestling season as they go for a fifth straight title.

West Carroll has one top four state finish. Before the consolidation, Savanna, Mount Carroll and Thomson all won or placed at State.

1. Dakota 15. 9-3-2-1. 1st. Football 2005, 2007, 2011. Wrestling 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. Volleyball 2011. 2nd. Wrestling 1994. Volleyball 2012, 2014. 3rd. Wrestling 2005, 2007. 4th. Wrestling 1989.

2. West Carroll 15. West Carroll 1, Savanna 10, Mount Carroll 3, Thomson 1.
West Carroll. 0-0-0-1. 4th. Softball 2009. Savanna. 6-1-3-0. 1st. Wrestling 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981. 2nd. Boys track 1985. 3rd. 1962, 1978, 1983. Mount Carroll. 0-2-1-0. 2nd. Boys basketball 1911, 2003. 3rd. Boys basketball 1909. Thomson. 0-0-0-1. 4th. Boys basketball 1972.

3. Eastland 12. 4-3-1-4. 1st. Volleyball 2008, 2009, 2015. Football 2014. 2nd. Volleyball 2016. Baseball 2011. Softball 1999. 3rd. Girls basketball 2014. 4th. Boys basketball. 2010, 2013. Baseball 2009. Volleyball 2003.

4. Stockton 8. 2-4-1-1. 1st. Football 1978, 1991. 2nd. Football. 1975, 1977, 2004, 2012. 3rd. Girls basketball 2001. 4th. Girls basketball 1993. Note. In co-op with Lena-Winslow second in wrestling in 2012.

5. Lena-Winslow. 7. 2-2-0-3. 1st. Football 2010, 2013. 2nd. Wrestling 2012. Boys track 1993. 4th. Boys basketball 1984. Baseball 2012. Volleyball 2002.

6. Forreston 6. 2-1-2-1. 1st. Football 2014, 2016. 2nd. Girls track 1995. 3rd. Girls track 1996. Boys cross country 1987. 4th. Boys basketball 2015.

7. Freeport Aquin. 5. 5-0-0-0. All five are state championships. 1st. Football 1981, 1986, 2005. Girls basketball 2012, 2013.

8. Galena. 4. 3-1-0-0. 1st. Football 1997, 2003, 2007. 2nd. Football 1999.

9. Amboy 4. 1-2-0-1. 1st. Football 1984. 2nd. Football 1979, 1980. 4th. Girls softball 2014.

10. Durand 2. 0-1-1-0. 2nd. Football 1985. 3rd. Bass Fishing 2015.

11. Milledgeville 2. 1-0-1-0. 1st. Softball 2013. 3rd. Softball 2012.

12. Orangeville 1. 1-0-0-0. 1st. Football 1989.

13. River Ridge 1. 0-1-0-0. 2nd. Girls basketball 2011.

14. Scales Mound 1. 0-1-0-0. 2nd. Volleyball 2010.

15. Pearl City 1. 1-0-0-0. 1st Football (Coop with Eastland) 2014.

16. Warren, Polo, Pecatonica, East Dubuque and Ashton/Franklin Center.

A State boys basketball title has been elusive for the NUIC. That is in stark contrast to the many state championships won by NUIC schools in football.

The highest finish in modern history came in 2003 when Mount Carroll was state runner-up. They finished 32-2 coming up short in the championship game to Hales Franciscan 58-53.

Mount Carroll was second in 1911 and third in 1909. The only other schools to get State hardware were five fourth place finishes. Thomson in the first year of the A/AA in 1972, Lena-Winslow 1984, Forreston 2015 and Eastland in 2010 and 2013.

Teams that made it to the Elite Eight (when A/AA) before losing in the quarterfinals were Dakota (1978, 1985, 1993), Aquin (1983), West Carroll (2007), Pearl City (1987), Forreston (1988), Lena-Winslow (1988) and Orangeville (1991).

Teams that have won Sectionals before losing in the Super Sectional are Forreston (1999, 2006, 2011), Eastland (2008), Warren (1981), Dakota (1985), Lena-Winslow (1979), Franklin Center (1980) and River Ridge (1990, 1992, 1994).

Schools still looking for an elusive Sectional title are Polo, Durand, Pecatonica, Stockton, Galena, East Dubuque, Scales Mound, Milledgeville and Amboy.