Big North Conference (Michigan)

The Big North Conference (BNC) 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

In 2021, the league announced the departure of Traverse City Central and Traverse City West high schools' football programs, and those schools becoming associate members of the Saginaw Valley League.[1] The four remaining Big North schools are expected to join the Northern Michigan Football League in a new division, thus rendering the Big North Conference a non-football conference effective in summer of 2022.[2]

Member schools
School Mascot Colors Class (enrollment) City County Year joined Previous league
Alpena High School[3] Wildcats     A (1,180) Alpena Alpena 1997 Great Lakes Athletic Conference
Cadillac High School[4] Vikings     B (811) Cadillac Wexford 1997 North Central Conference
Gaylord High School[5] Blue Devils     A (901) Gaylord Otsego 1997 Michigan Huron Shores Conference
Petoskey High School[6] Northmen     A (943) Petoskey Emmet 1997 Michigan Huron Shores Conference
Traverse City Central High School[7] Trojans     A (1,417) Traverse City Grand Traverse 1997 Great Lakes Athletic Conference
Traverse City West Senior High School[8] Titans     A (1,629) Traverse City Grand Traverse 1997 N/A (new school)

Former schools
School Mascot Colors Class (enrollment) City County Year joined Previous league Year left Current league
Cheboygan High School Chiefs     B (605) Cheboygan Cheboygan 1997 Michigan Huron Shores Conference 2004 Straits Area Conference (Northern Michigan Football League)
Ogemaw Heights High School Falcons     B (572) West Branch Ogemaw 2011 Northeast Michigan Conference 2016 Independent
Sault Area High School Blue Devils     B (719) Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa 1997 Michigan Huron Shores Conference 2004 Straits Area Conference (Great Northern for Football)

Membership timeline
Non-football (2022)
Traverse City West Senior High SchoolPetoskey High SchoolGaylord High SchoolCentral High School (Traverse City, Michigan)Cadillac High SchoolAlpena High School (Michigan)

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)
2020 Traverse City Central 9-2 (5-0)
2021 Traverse City Central 12-2 (5-0)

References
  1. "Saginaw Valley League adds Traverse City West, Central football programs". mlive. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  2. arosenthal@record-eagle.com, James Cook jcook@record-eagle com and ANDREW ROSENTHAL. "Central, West football leaving BNC to join Saginaw Valley League". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  3. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  4. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  5. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  6. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  7. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  8. "MHSAA > Schools". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
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