# BCS League

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.
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. 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. Beginning with the 2022-2023 season, the BCS transitioned into being a league catering to small public and private schools in southwest Michigan.

## Sponsored Sports
### Boys

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

### Girls

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

## Member schools

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

School data in the table below is current for the 2023-24 season according to the MHSAA website.
| 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 | Southwestern Athletic Conference |
| Eau Claire | Eau Claire | Fighting Beavers | Maroon & White | 175 | C | BCS | n/a † | Public | 2020 | 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 | Red Arrow Conference |
| Our Lady of the Lake Catholic | St. Joseph | Lakers | Royal Blue, Gold & White | 61 | D | BCS | n/a † | Private | 2014 | Red Arrow Conference |
| St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran | Royalton Township | Titans | Purple & White | 114 | D | BCS | n/a † | Private | 2015 | Red Arrow Conference |
| Three Oaks River Valley | Chikaming Township | Mustangs | Navy & White | 155 | D | BCS | n/a | Public | 2015 | 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

### Former members

| 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 |

### Membership Timeline
## League championships
### Baseball

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

### Boys Basketball

| | Red Division | Red Division | White Division | White Division | Blue Division | Blue Division | BCS 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

| | Red Division | Red Division | White Division | White Division | Blue 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 | St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran & New Buffalo | 8-1 |
| 2022 | Buchanan & Niles Brandywine | 5-1 | Bridgman | 6-0 |

### Football

| | Blue Division | Blue Division | Red Division | Red Division | White Division | White Division | BCS 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 |
| 2021 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Berrien Springs | 3-0 |

### Softball

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

### Volleyball

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

## State championships

Schools that have participated in MHSAA state championship finals while being members of the BCS League.
Baseball :
| Finish | Year | School | Division |
| Runner-Up | 2015 | Buchanan | 3 |
| Runner-Up | 2015 | Centreville | 4 |
| Champion | 2022 | Buchanan | 3 |
Boys Track & Field :
| Finish | Year | School | Division |
| Runner-Up | 2018 | Berrien Springs | 3 |
| Champion | 2022 | Berrien Springs | 2 |
Girls Cross County :
| Finish | Year | School | Division |
| Champion | 2019 | Bridgman | 4 |
Softball :
| Finish | Year | School | Division |
| Runner-Up | 2015 | Bronson | 3 |
| Runner-Up | 2021 | Buchanan | 3 |
Volleyball :
| Finish | Year | School | Division |
| Champion | 2015 | Bronson | C |
| Champion | 2016 | Bronson | C |