The Centralia Orphans will embark on their 86th and final season in the South 7 Conference this year. At a special board meeting held last night, the Centralia School Board voted unanimously (7-0) to accept an invitation to join the Cahokia Conference, where the Orphans will become the 25th member beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.
The decision was driven by concerns over declining enrollment at Centralia High School, which has seen a significant decrease in student numbers over the past several decades. From a peak enrollment of approximately 1,300 students in the late 1980s, current enrollment now hovers around 800. Principal Reid Shipley noted that Centralia has been losing roughly 10 students annually, and if this trend continues, the school’s enrollment will more closely align with schools like Columbia, Freeburg, and Breese Central, rather than the larger schools in the South 7, such as Mt. Vernon, Carbondale, and Marion, which each have enrollments exceeding 1,000 students.
Board members discussed the long-term impact of these demographic shifts and acknowledged that staying in the South 7 for the sake of tradition would be the “easier” route, but that their primary responsibility was to make decisions in the best interest of the school and its students. The board unanimously agreed that realignment was essential for Centralia’s future.
One public speaker, Mike McManus, the longtime play-by-play voice of the Orphans, offered a perspective that resonated with the board. “While this change might not seem immediately necessary, it’s a move that needs to be made for the future of Centralia High School,” McManus said. “If tradition were everything, we’d still be wearing powdered wigs and drinking tea at 4 in the afternoon.”
The decision to join the Cahokia Conference follows a series of unsuccessful attempts to form a new league. Centralia had previously explored the idea of an I-57 Conference, which would have included teams such as Charleston, Mattoon, Effingham, Salem, Marion, Carbondale, and Mt. Vernon, but those discussions ultimately fell apart. Additionally, talks about a merger between the South 7 and the Mississippi Valley Conference came close to fruition, but were derailed when Mascoutah and Triad joined the Southwestern Conference.
Centralia Superintendent Chuck Lane also expressed the urgency of the situation, stating, “If we hadn’t accepted the invitation, another school in the region would likely have received that offer shortly thereafter.”
This strategic move ensures that Centralia will be better aligned with schools of similar size and resources, securing a competitive and sustainable future for the Orphans’ athletic programs.
