 Wawassee Prep closed in 1975, leaving the conference at 5 until 1981.That year, Kewanna was consolidated into Caston Jr.-Sr. High School, and Bethany Christian became independent.The remaining schools (Huntington Catholic, Marion Bennett, and White's) continued the conference unofficially for a year, then Fort Wayne Christian (later Fort Wayne Keystone) joined in 1982, and Howe Military joined two years later.