April 16, 2024
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Three Rivers will realign with East-West Divisions for football

Princeton will be reunited with Bureau Valley and Mendota

By Kevin Hieronymus

Princeton and Hall will realign in the Three Rivers East Division this fall against Bureau Valley, St. Bede, Kewanee, Newman and newcomer Mendota. (Mike Vaughn)

The Three Rivers will realign its football conferences this fall to coincide with the rest of their sports.

There will no longer be the Mississippi and Rock Divisions, but rather East and West, which are formed geographically now for all sports with the addition of newcomers Mendota and Monmouth-Roseville.

The East Division will line up with Mississippi Division holdovers Hall, Kewanee, Princeton and St. Bede along with former Rock Division Newman and Bureau Valley members and newcomer Mendota.

The West Division will be made up of Erie-Prophetstown, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Orion, Riverdale, Rockridge and Sherrard.

The new realignments will bring Bureau Valley vs. Princeton together on the gridiron for the first time since 1998, a game won by Princeton, 40-0. The Tigers lead the all-time series 2-0.

It will also renew old rivalries for Mendota with longtime NCIC foes Princeton and Hall. Mendota replaces Fulton, a charter member of the TRAC, which is departing for the NUIC.

Princeton and Mendota last met in the West Central in 2011, the Trojans winning 48-12. That was also Mendota’s last game with Hall, defeating the Red Devils 36-14.

Mendota, which is joining the Three Rivers from the Big Northern, will be playing St. Bede for the first time in more than three decades.

The Princeton-Newman game will no longer be a crossover contest, but become a highly anticipated yearly meeting.

Princeton’s crossover games this fall will be against West opponents Monmouth-Roseville, Rockridge and Orion.

Bureau Valley’s crossover games will come against Riverdale, Sherrard and E-P.

St. Bede will draw West foes E-P, Sherrard and Riverdale for crossovers.

Hall’s crossover opponents will be Orion, Monmouth-Roseville and Morrison.

Fulton, a charter member of the TRAC, is departing for the NUIC this fall.

2021 TRAC Fall realignment with enrollment

East Division

Kewanee 557

Mendota 554

Princeton 517

Hall 426

Newman 374

Bureau Valley 341

St. Bede 281

West Division

Monmouth-Roseville 522

Sherrard 468

Erie-Prophetstown 440

Rockridge 358

Orion 342

Riverdale 327

Morrison 270