▁conference ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁ 4 ▁rivers ▁that ▁ran ▁through ▁its ▁ge ographic ▁area , ▁the ▁Rock ▁River , ▁P ec aton ica ▁River , ▁K ish w au kee ▁River ▁and ▁Sug ar ▁River . ▁ ▁History ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁Four ▁R ivers ▁Conference ▁was ▁based ▁primarily ▁on ▁the ▁teams ▁within ▁the ▁East ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁Up state ▁Ill ini ▁Conference . ▁Those ▁teams ▁included : ▁As ht on - Fran k lin ▁Center , ▁Dur and , ▁Kirk land - H ia w ath a , ▁North ▁Bo one , ▁P ec aton ica , ▁Rock ford ▁Christian ▁Life , ▁Rock ford ▁Luther an ▁and ▁South ▁Bel oit . ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Up state ▁Ill ini ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁conference ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Illinois ▁and ▁included ▁ 2 4 ▁teams ▁and ▁ 3 ▁divisions , ▁the ▁East ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁West ▁- ▁Dak ota , ▁East ▁Dub u que , ▁Gal ena , ▁L ena - W ins low , ▁Orange ville , ▁River ▁R idge , ▁Stock ton ▁and ▁Warren ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁- ▁For rest on , ▁Free port ▁Aqu in , ▁Lan ark ▁( E ast land ), ▁Mil ledge ville , ▁M t . ▁Car roll , ▁Pear l ▁City , ▁Pol o ▁and ▁Sav anna . ▁These ▁divisions ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁ge ography ▁and ▁not ▁en roll ment ▁with ▁the ▁hope ▁of ▁keeping ▁rival ries ▁alive ▁and