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Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph League
ConferenceMichigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)
Founded2014
No. of teams3 Class C, 6 Class D
RegionSouthwest Michigan
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph (BCS) League is an athletic conference for high schools in southwest Michigan. Founded in 2014 with the inaugural season of play in 2014-15, the conference aspired to grow into a Southwest Michigan "super conference" with membership extending across all MHSAA classes and organized into divisions of schools with similar enrollments. Periodic realignment of divisions allowed members to remain in competition with like-sized schools within the conference thereby avoiding the disruptive effects of conference switching due to changing enrollment. The conference had a unique scheduling philosophy that did not force members to play against conference opponents in different divisions and respected the freedom of members to schedule rivals and other willing conference opponents regardless of size or division.[1][2]

Between 2017 and 2021, the BCS experienced frequent membership changes with eight schools departing & five schools joining. A final attempt to realize its "super-conference" aspiration was attempted in 2019, when membership invitations were extended to ten schools of diverse enrollments.[3] Niles and South Haven were the only two that accepted. However, Niles departed after only a single season and South Haven exited after two seasons. When expansion proved unsuccessful, the remaining larger schools decided to leave for other conferences.[4] Beginning with the 2022-2023 season, the BCS transitioned into being a league catering to small public and private schools in southwest Michigan.

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Boys

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Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling

Girls

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Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball

Member schools

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There are currently 9 member schools. The geographic footprint of the league includes Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties in Michigan.

Current members

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School data in the table below is current for the 2023-24 season according to the MHSAA website.[5]

School Location Mascot Colors Enrollment Class Sports Division Football Division Affiliation Joined Previous Conference
Benton Harbor Countryside Academy Benton Township Cougars Blue & White 179 C BCS n/a Public Charter 2016 Red Arrow Conference
Covert Covert Township Bulldogs Navy Blue & Gold 107 D BCS n/a Public 2017[6] Southwestern Athletic Conference
Eau Claire Eau Claire Fighting Beavers Maroon & White 175 C BCS n/a † Public 2020[7] Southwest 10 Conference
Marcellus Howardsville Christian Flowerfield Township Eagles Red & White 62 D BCS n/a Private 2016 Red Arrow Conference
New Buffalo New Buffalo Bisons Royal Blue & Gold 178 C BCS n/a † Public 2014[8] Red Arrow Conference
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic St. Joseph Lakers Royal Blue, Gold & White 61 D BCS n/a † Private 2014[8] Red Arrow Conference
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran Royalton Township Titans Purple & White 114 D BCS n/a † Private 2015[9] Red Arrow Conference
Three Oaks River Valley Chikaming Township Mustangs Navy & White 155 D BCS n/a Public 2015[9] Red Arrow Conference
Watervliet Grace Christian Bainbridge Township Patriots Royal Blue, Gold & White 19 D BCS n/a Private 2016 Red Arrow Conference

† 8-man football team that is a member of the Southwest Michigan 8-man Football League[10]

Former members

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School Location Joined Previous Conference Departed Successive Conference
Berrien Springs Shamrocks Berrien Springs 2015 Wolverine Conference 2022 Lakeland Conference
Bridgman Bees Bridgman 2014 Lakeland Athletic Conference 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference
Bronson Vikings Bronson 2014 St. Joseph Valley League 2017 Big 8 Conference
Buchanan Bucks Buchanan 2014 Lakeland Athletic Conference 2022 Lakeland Conference
Cassopolis Rangers Jefferson Township 2014 Lakeland Athletic Conference 2017 Southwest 10 Conference
Centreville Bulldogs Centreville 2014 St. Joseph Valley League 2017 Southwest 10 Conference
Comstock Colts Comstock Township 2015 Kalamazoo Valley Association 2021 Southwest 10 Conference
Lawrence Tigers Lawrence 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference 2022 Southwest 10 Conference
Mendon Hornets Mendon 2014 St. Joseph Valley League 2017 Southwest 10 Conference
Niles Vikings Niles 2020 Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference 2021 Wolverine Conference
Brandywine Bobcats Niles Township 2014 Lakeland Athletic Conference 2022 Lakeland Conference
Parchment Panthers Parchment 2015 Kalamazoo Valley Association 2020 Southwestern Athletic Conference
South Haven Rams South Haven 2020 Wolverine Conference 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference
White Pigeon Chiefs White Pigeon 2014 St. Joseph Valley League 2017 Southwest 10 Conference

[6][11][12][13]

Membership Timeline

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League championships

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Baseball

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Red Division White Division Blue Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 Buchanan Bridgman[14] 17-1
2022 Buchanan[15] 7-1

Boys Basketball

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Red Division White Division Blue Division BCS Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2015 Bridgman 7-1 Cassopolis 7-1
2016 Bridgman & Niles Brandywine 8-2 Marcellus Howardsville Christian 9-1 Cassopolis 9-1
2017 Niles Brandywine 9-1 Marcellus Howardsville Christian 7-1 Cassopolis 8-2
2018 Parchment 9-1 Marcellus Howardsville Christian, New Buffalo & St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 10-2
2019 Niles Brandywine 9-1 Marcellus Howardsville Christian 13-0
2020 Niles Brandywine 8-2 Three Oaks River Valley 14-0
2021 Niles Brandywine 5-0 Marcellus Howardsville Christian 8-0
2022 Niles Brandywine 5-1 New Buffalo 9-0
2023 Eau Claire 13-1

Girls Basketball

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Red Division White Division Blue Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2015 Niles Brandywine 8-0 Bronson 7-1
2016 Niles Brandywine 10-0 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 8-0 Mendon 9-1
2017 Buchanan & Comstock 9-1 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 8-0 Centreville 10-0
2018 Comstock 10-0 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 12-0
2019 Comstock 10-0 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 9-1
2020 Niles Brandywine 10-0 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 13-1
2021 Buchanan 6-0[16] St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran & New Buffalo 8-1
2022 Buchanan & Niles Brandywine 5-1 Bridgman 6-0

Football

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Blue Division Red Division White Division BCS Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2014 Mendon 4-0 Bridgman 4-0
2015 Bridgman 4-0 Cassopolis 4-0 Buchanan 3-0
2016 St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 4-0 Cassopolis 4-0 Berrien Springs 3-0
2017 St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 4-0 N/A N/A Berrien Springs 3-0
2018 Niles Brandywine 3-0 N/A N/A Berrien Springs 3-0
2019 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Berrien Springs 3-0
2020 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Buchanan 4-0[17]
2021 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Berrien Springs 3-0[18]

Softball

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Red Division White Division Blue Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2014
2015
2016 Bridgman[19] 9-1
2017
2018 Three Oaks River Valley
2019 Bridgman Three Oaks River Valley
2020
2021 Buchanan
2022 Buchanan 7-1

Volleyball

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Red Division White Division Blue Division
Season School Division
Record 		School Division
Record 		School Division
Record
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 Bridgman [20] New Buffalo [20]
2020
2021 Buchanan 6-0[21]

State championships

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Schools that have participated in MHSAA state championship finals while being members of the BCS League.

Baseball
Finish Year School Division
Runner-Up[22] 2015 Buchanan 3
Runner-Up[22] 2015 Centreville 4
Champion[23][24] 2022 Buchanan 3
Boys Track & Field
Finish Year School Division
Runner-Up[25][26] 2018 Berrien Springs 3
Champion[27] 2022 Berrien Springs 2
Girls Cross County
Finish Year School Division
Champion[28][29] 2019 Bridgman 4
Softball
Finish Year School Division
Runner-Up[30] 2015 Bronson 3
Runner-Up[31][30] 2021 Buchanan 3
Volleyball
Finish Year School Division
Champion[32] 2015 Bronson C
Champion[32] 2016 Bronson C

References

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  1. ^ "Berrien-Cass-St. Joe Conference Archives". Leader Publications. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  2. ^ Tribune, Jack Walkden South Bend. "High school sports: A dream conference?". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  3. ^ "Jason Mitchell: BCS wants to expand. So who's signing up?".
  4. ^ "New athletic conference gets the go-ahead from school boards". December 17, 2021.
  5. ^ https://www.mhsaa.com/sites/default/files/Enrollment%20and%20Classification/2324enroll.pdf
  6. ^ a b "Southwest 10 Conference prepares for its debut in Fall 2017". mlive. January 17, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  7. ^ Correspondent, DEBRA HAIGHT-HP. "Eau Claire schools joins BCS Athletic Conference". The Herald Palladium. Retrieved February 23, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ a b "A Summer of Change | WSJM Sports". June 9, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "BCS expanding to 15 teams for 2015-16". Leader Publications. August 13, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  10. ^ Hafer, Val (November 15, 2018). "New 8-Man Football Conference Formed In SW Michigan". 106.1 & 1400 WSJM Sports. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  11. ^ "Southwest Schools Begin League Shuffle > SecondHalf". Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  12. ^ "South Haven, Parchment to join new athletic conferences in 2020". mlive. September 30, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "Local athletic conferences could see movement".
  14. ^ "Bee baseball, softball teams win league titles; Mustangs advance from pre-district".
  15. ^ "Bucks sweep Bobcats to claim Red Division title". May 18, 2022.
  16. ^ "Buchanan boys, girls basketball teams sweep rival Niles, Lady Bucks clinch BCS Red title". March 20, 2021.
  17. ^ "Michigan football roundup: Historic night for BCS-champion Bucks as they beat Vikings for first time since 1966".
  18. ^ "Hailey runs wild as Berrien Springs bests short-handed Bobcats 26-6". October 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "Bees BCS Red softball champions".
  20. ^ a b "Bison, Bees claim conference volleyball titles".
  21. ^ "Buchanan wins outright BCS Red Division championship". October 24, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Yearly Champions | Baseball | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  23. ^ "Buchanan Baseball Closes 2021-22 Sports Year as Champ for 1st Time Since 1985".
  24. ^ "South Bend Tribune".
  25. ^ "Division 3 state track finals: All the best stories, photos and videos". June 3, 2018.
  26. ^ "Team Champions | Boys Track & Field | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  27. ^ "2022 MHSAA Division 2 track and field state final highlights, champs, more". June 5, 2022.
  28. ^ "Bridgman girls win state cross country championship".
  29. ^ "Team Champions | Girls Cross Country | MHSAA Sports".
  30. ^ a b "Yearly Champions | Softball | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  31. ^ "Oh so close: Gritty, unranked Buchanan upended after remarkable run to state title game".
  32. ^ a b "Yearly Champions | Girls Volleyball | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on May 16, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
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