Ohio high school athletic conferences

This is a list of high school athletic conferences in Ohio.[1]

Because the names of localities and their corresponding high schools do not always match and because there is often a possibility of ambiguity with respect to either the name of a locality or the name of a high school, the following table gives both in every case, with the locality name first, in plain type, and the high school name second in boldface type. The school's team nickname is given last.

Contents

Akron City Series

Former members

All-American Conference

Blue Division

Red Division

White Division

Blanchard Valley Conference

Main article: Blanchard Valley Conference (OHSAA)

Buckeye 8

Buckeye 8 Past Teams

Buckeye Border Conference

Main article: Buckeye Border Conference (OHSAA)

(non-football, established 1967)

(Edon and Hilltop are members of the TAAC for football, but are members of this league for every other sport.)

Former members

Central Buckeye Conference

Website: http://www.cbcsportsonline.com/

Kenton Trail Division

Mad River Division

Central Catholic League

Former members

Chagrin Valley Conference

Chagrin Division

Valley Division

Metro Division

Cincinnati Hills League

Website: http://www.chlsports.com/

Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference

Website: http://www.cmacstats.com/

Cleveland Senate Athletic League

Columbus City League

North Division

South Division

Cross County Conference

Website: http://www.crosscountyconference.com/wordpress/

Dayton City League

East Central Ohio League

Main article: East Central Ohio League (OHSAA)

Scarlet Division

Gray Division

Federal League

Main article: Federal League (OHSAA)

(1) Joined for all sports, besides football, in Fall 2003. Joined conference for football in Fall 2004.

(2) Formed as a consolidation of Glenwood and Oakwood high schools in 1975, both of whom were previous members of the conference.

Former members

Firelands Conference

Main article: Firelands Conference (OHSAA)

Former members

Fort Ancient Valley Conference

Conference Website: http://www.favcsports.com/

Football divisions

Buckeye Division

Cardinal Division

Scarlet Division

2010–11 divisions

Starting with the 2010–11 school year, sports other than football have been organized into two divisions, instead of the three-division system to the left:[2]

East Division

These schools, with the exception of Little Miami and Wilmington, plan to form a separate league in the fall of 2011-2012.[3]

West Division

Former members

Girls Greater Cincinnati League

Main article: Girls Greater Cincinnati League

Conference Website: http://www.ggclsports.com/

Scarlet

Grey North

Grey Central

Former members

Greater Catholic League

Conference Website: http://www.gclsports.com/

North

Central

South

Former members

Greater Miami Conference

Conference Website: http://www.gmcsports.com/

Greater Western Ohio Conference

Conference Website: http://www.gwocsports.com/

Central Division

North Division

South Division

Green Meadows Conference

Conference Website: http://www.greenmeadowsconf.com

Main article: Green Meadows Conference (OHSAA)

Independents

Inter-Tri County League

Conference Website: http://www.itclfootball.net/

Upper Tier

Lower II

Inter-Valley Conference

Future member

Former Members

Lake Erie League

Lake Division

Shaker Heights will leave the Lake Erie League beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.

Erie Division

Lorain Southview consolidated with Lorain Admiral King for the 2010-2011 school year and became "Lorain High School." They will use the Admiral King building until the brand new Lorain High School is built.

Former Members

Metro Buckeye Conference

Conference Website: http://www.metrobuckeyesports.com/

Former Members

Miami Valley Conference

Conference Website: http://miamivalleyconference.org/

Main article: Miami Valley Conference

Mid-Buckeye Conference

Main article: Mid-Buckeye Conference (OHSAA)

Conference Website: http://mbcsports.org/

The Mid-Buckeye Conference, known also at times as the Middle Buckeye Conference, has had three separate incarnations. The original league began in 1948 and lasted until 1962. The MBC reformed again in 1963 and lasted until 1979. The third and, so far, final reformation took place in 1981, and that league has lasted to this day.

Former members

Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference

Main article: Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference (OHSAA)

Conference Website: http://www.moacsports.com/MISC/home.htm

Blue Division

Red Division

Future Members

Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League

Main article: Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League (OHSAA)

Mid-State League

Buckeye Division

Cardinal Division

Ohio Division

Midland Athletic League

Main article: Midland Athletic League (OHSAA)

Conference Website: http://www.tiffinohiosports.com/midland_athletic_league.html

Midwest Athletic Conference

Main article: Midwest Athletic Conference

Conference Website: http://www.midwestathleticconference.com/

Original Members

Muskingum Valley League

Former Member

North Central Conference

Main article: North Central Conference (OHSAA)

Former Members

North Coast League

Main article: North Coast League (OHSAA)

Blue Division

White Division

Northeast Ohio Conference

Main article: Northeast Ohio Conference

Three six-member divisions — Valley, River and Lake — vary by sport.

Future member(s)

Former members

Northeastern Athletic Conference

Big School

Small School

Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, Windham will join the Northeastern Athletic Conference[9]

Northeastern Buckeye Conference

Main article: Northeastern Buckeye Conference (OHSAA)

Former Members

Northern 10 Athletic Conference (beginning in 2014)

Main article: Northern 10 Athletic Conference

Northern Buckeye Conference

Main article: Northern Buckeye Conference (OHSAA)

Northern Lakes League

Main article: Northern Lakes League

Former Members

Northern Ohio League

Main article: Northern Ohio League (OHSAA)

Former Members

Northwest Central Conference

Main article: Northwest Central Conference (OHSAA)

Future Members[10]

Former Members

Northwest Conference

Main article: Northwest Conference (OHSAA)

The Northwest Conference began in 1947. Original members were: Lafayette Wolves- Shawnee Indians- Spencerville Bearcats- Delphos Jefferson Wildcats- Pandora-Gilboa Rockets- Columbus Grove Bulldogs- Elida Bulldogs- Forest Rangers

In 1957 the conference began a basketball schedule with the following schools: Ada Bulldogs- Bath Wildcats- Beaverdam Beavers- Gomer Bobcats- Delphos Jefferson Wildcats- Lafayette Wolves- Harrod Wildcats- Spencerville Bearcats- Elida Bulldogs

Former Members

Northwest Ohio Catholic Schools Association[11]

(this is a secondary conference for the smaller schools belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo)

Northwest Ohio Athletic League

Main article: Northwest Ohio Athletic League (OHSAA)

Former members

Ohio Capital Conference

Main article: Ohio Capital Conference

Conference last realigned in 2008-09.
Four Divisions, Eight Schools per Division, the Ohio, Central, Cardinal, and Capital. The Buckeye Division, used from 2004-05 through 2007-08 school years, has been discontinued.

Capital Division

Cardinal Division

Central Division

Ohio Division

Former Members :

The school became a Junior High only. District built new school, Galloway Westland Cougars, to replace it.

Ohio Cardinal Conference

Main article: Ohio Cardinal Conference

(founded 2003)

Ohio Heritage Conference

Ohio Valley Athletic Conference [12]

Main article: Ohio Valley Athletic Conference

Division A

Division AA

Division AAA

Division AAAA

Division AAAAA

Conference Affiliations

Ohio Valley Conference

Former Members:

Patriot Athletic Conference

Main article: Patriot Athletic Conference (Ohio)

Stars Division

Stripes Division

Pioneer Valley Conference

Portage Trail Conference

Main article: Portage Trail Conference

Metro Division

County Division

*= the East Canton girls basketball team is known as the Wizards

Schools that submitted letters of interest to replace East Canton and Windham include: Barberton, Lake Center Christian, Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas and Northwest.[15]

Premier Athletic Conference

Principals Athletic Conference

Main article: Principals Athletic Conference (OHSAA)

Also known as PAC-8

Putnam County League

(no football)

On the junior high level, three more middle schools are added to the league:

Sandusky Bay Conference

Main article: Sandusky Bay Conference (OHSAA)

Former Members

Scioto Valley Conference

Former Members:

Shelby County Athletic League

South Central Ohio League

Future Member

Former Members:

Southeastern Ohio Athletic League

Former Members:

Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference

http://www.sbaac.net/

National Division

Future Member

Southern Hills Athletic League

Southern Ohio Conference

Main article: Southern Ohio Conference (OHSAA)

Division I (Smaller Schools)

Division II (Larger Schools)

Former Members

Southwestern Buckeye League

http://www.swblathletics.com/

Southwestern Division (Bigger Schools)

Buckeye Division (Small Schools)

Former Members

Southwestern Conference

Former members

Suburban League

Main article: Suburban League (OHSAA)

Former members

Three Rivers Athletic Conference

+++Conference started play in 2011

Main article: Three Rivers Athletic Conference

Toledo Area Athletic Conference

Main article: Toledo Area Athletic Conference (OHSAA)

(Edon and Hilltop are football-only members, for other sports they are members of the Buckeye Border Conference)

Former members

Toledo City League

Main article: Toledo City League (OHSAA)

Former Members

Tri-Valley Conference

Main article: Tri-Valley Conference

Ohio Division

Hocking Division

Former Members:

Wayne County Athletic League

Main article: Wayne County Athletic League (OHSAA)

Former members

West Shore Conference

The current member schools of the West Shore Conference through 2011 are in red. Future members are in blue. Fairview and Firelands will leave and be replaced by Elyria Catholic in 2011, and Lakewood will join in 2012. Vermilion will leave in 2012.

Future Members

Former Members

Western Buckeye League

Main article: Western Buckeye League (OHSAA)

Former Members

Defunct conferences

All-Ohio Conference/League

(197?-1989)

Note: Was the AOC until 1983, then became the AOL.

Black Fork Valley Conference

The all-time members of the Black Fork Valley Conference. (1979–1982) Charter Members

Buckeye Central Conference

(1987–1993)

The league was created after the Buckeye Conference folded. The league was an unideal resort for member schools that had to bear extensive travel, and it folded shortly after Fremont Ross and Findlay left for the now-defunct Great Lakes League.

Buckeye Conference

(1954–1987)

The league was created after the Buckeye League folded and took the members that didn't leave for the Great Lakes League.

Buckeye League

(1929–1954)

Cardinal Conference

Further information: Cardinal Conference (OHSAA)

(1960–1987)

Note: The Ohio Cardinal Conference was created in 2003 to preserve the legacy of the former Cardinal Conference.

Central Buckeye League

(1978-1990)

Central Division

Buckeye Division

Central Ohio League

Chippewa Conference

East Suburban Conference

(19xx-2007, football only)

Erie Shore Conference

(1987–1997)

Great Lakes League

(1956–2003) The GLL existed from fall of 1956 until spring of 2003 before essentially transforming into the Greater Buckeye Conference. It had been born off of the old Great Northern Conference's Orange Division. The following schools were members at some point:

Great Northern Conference

(c. 1945-1956)

The Great Northern Conference was created shortly after the end of World War II with the inaugural members of Clay, Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, Whitmer, and Sylvania. Anthony Wayne would join in 1953 after recently being consolidated. The GNC eventually added several members in 1956, splitting into a big schools division (Orange Division) and small schools division (Blue Division), both which would later split off into the Great Lakes League and Northern Lakes League, respectively.

Greater Buckeye Conference

(2003-2011)

Main article: Greater Buckeye Conference (OHSAA)

Inland Conference

(1957–1988)

The Inland Conference formed in 1957 with 8 members. Brookside left in 1970 and was replaced by Lutheran West. Highland left in 1976 and was replaced by Independence. Brooklyn and Cuyahoga Heights joined in 1979 and the league was divided into an East Division (Brooklyn, Buckeye, Cuyahoga Heights, Independence, Lutheran West) and a West Division (Avon, Columbia, Firelands, Keystone, South Amherst). Season ending conference championship games in most sports were played between the winners of each division, to crown the overall conference champion. Avon, Firelands and Keystone left at the end of the 1985-86 school year and began play in the newly formed Lorain County Conference in the Fall of 1986. The remaining Inland Conference schools returned to the one division format, until the league dissolved at the end of the 1987-88 school year, which is when South Amherst was absorbed by Firelands. All remaining members, except Buckeye, joined the newly formed Metropolitan Athletic Conference in the Fall of 1988.

Source:[16]

^NOTE: South Amherst remained open until 1988 [2], Anyone who can verify what actually did happen is encouraged to post that information here.

Interscholastic Athletic Association of Cincinnati

The Interscholastic Athletic Association was founded March 23, 1896,[17] and continued for several years.

Johnny Appleseed Conference

The all-time members of the Johnny Appleseed Conference. (1962–1980) Charter Members

Other Members

Lakeland Conference

(fall 1954-spring 1986)

Lakeshore Conference

(1963–1972; 1979–1985) The Lakeshore Conference were two separate leagues made-up of schools that were in both loops. The original conference was formed in 1963 and folded in 1972 when four of its six members left. The second Lakeshore Conference came into existence around 1979 and folded after the 1985 football season.

Charter members of the original Lakeshore Conference in 1963

Other members of the first original conference:

Members at the time of the second dissolution:

The league folded after the 1985 football season when Hopewell-Loudon, North Baltimore, St. Wendelin and Seneca East left for the Midland Athletic League. This left Danbury, Northwood, and Ottawa Hills as independents until Northwood joined the Suburban Lakes League in 1986 and the other two joined the Toledo Area Athletic Conference in 1988.

Six Schools Set For New League

Licking County League

(Fall 1927-Spring 1988)

Recreating the LCL

Lorain County Conference

(fall 1986-spring 2005)

Mahoning Valley Conference

Maumee Valley League

(19??-c. 1957)

The MVL comprised many teams on the eastern fringes of the NWOAL and the western edges of the NLL. In 1945, Sylvania Burnham, Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, and Whitmer left to form the Great Northern Conference. The league eventually dissolved after Anthony Wayne and Springfield left for the Great Northern Conference/Northern Lakes League and Archbold, Delta, and Swanton went to the NWOAL.

Metropolitan Area Conference (MAC-8)

(1988-2005)

Michigan-Ohio Border Conference

(1972–1981)

Six Schools Set For New League

Mid-Ohio Conference

(1953–1990) The Mid-Ohio Conference was founded in 1953 and remained a fairly stable league until 1977, when three teams left to join the Central Buckeye League. The league lasted as an eight-team league for much of the rest of their existence until 1990, when the four Morrow County schools left to join the newly-formed Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. Three other teams joined the North Central Conference, while the one other, Marion Catholic, remained independent for a number of years.

Charter Members

Other Members

Mohican Area Conference

(1989–2004) Charter Members

Other Members

Northeastern Conference

Northern Border League

(1969–1978)

Archbold, Liberty Center, Montpelier, and Wauseon were dual members of the NBL and the NWOAL during the league's entire existence. Evergreen was for the first two years of the league's existence until fully staying in the NBL. See NWOAL for the league history.

Northwest Buckeye League

(football only)

Ohio Heartland Conference

(1987–2003)

Ashland, Lexington, Madison, Mansfield Senior, and Orrville helped to form the Ohio Cardinal Conference in 2003. Vermilion is in the West Shore Conference and Marion Harding will be a member of the Greater Buckeye Conference until 2011.

Pioneer Conference

(1977–2007)

Seaway Conference

(1959–19??)

Southwestern Rivers Conference

(fall 1982 - spring 2001)

Steel Valley Conference

(1949–2009)

Suburban Lakes League

Main article: Suburban Lakes League (OHSAA)

(1972–2011)

Former members

Western Reserve Conference

(1996–2007)

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site". http://www.ohsaa.org/. Retrieved 2006-12-31. 
  2. ^ a b Amorini, Anthony (2010-07-19). "Realigned FAVC shifts to 2 divisions". The Community Press. http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20100719/SPT01/7190309/. Retrieved 2010-07-20. "The FAVC East Division comprises Anderson, Glen Este, Loveland, and Milford from the FAVC Buckeye and Turpin, Walnut Hills, Kings, Little Miami and Wilmington from the FAVC Cardinal. The FAVC West Division comprises Winton Woods from the FAVC Buckeye and Edgewood, Harrison, Mt. Healthy, Norwood, Northwest, Ross, and Talawanda from the FAVC Scarlet. Amelia, formerly of the FAVC Cardinal, is now part of the Southern Buckeye Conference, which leaves only five football teams in the FAVC Cardinal. The FAVC Buckeye and FAVC Scarlet remain six-team divisions for football." 
  3. ^ Dudukovich, Nick (2010-12-11). "New league goal: Build strong bonds". The Loveland Herald (Loveland, Ohio: The Community Press). http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20101211/SPT01/12110304/. Retrieved 2010-12-12. "Anderson, Glen Este, Kings, Loveland, Milford, Turpin, and Walnut Hills High Schools will leave the Fort Ancient Valley Conference and begin a new conference in the fall of 2012." 
  4. ^ "History". Fort Ancient Valley Conference. 2006-06-14. http://www.favcsports.com/contentPage.aspx?sec=12. Retrieved 2010-10-08. 
  5. ^ Keathley, Hank (2011-02-25). "East Canton to join IVC in 2013-14 school year - New Philadelphia, OH". The Times-Reporter. http://www.timesreporter.com/sports/x1705413930/East-Canton-to-join-IVC-in-2013-14-school-year. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  6. ^ "Youngstown News, Warren Harding officially joins Lake Erie League". Vindy.com. 2009-09-08. http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/sep/08/warren-harding-officially-joins-lake-erie-league/. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  7. ^ a b "N.O.C. Welcomes New Member the Mentor Cardinals!". NortheastOhioConference.org. Northeast Ohio Conference. July 6, 2011. http://northeastohioconference.org/article.cfm?id=178. Retrieved July 20, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Northeast Ohio Conference accepts Shaker Heights". Plain Dealer. 17 December 2010. http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/news/article/4317157800761897587/northeast-ohio-conference-accepts-shaker-heights/. Retrieved 21 December 2010. 
  9. ^ http://www.recordpub.com/news/sports_article/5059839
  10. ^ "Ohio High Forums". Jjhuddle.com. http://www.jjhuddle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257509. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  11. ^ http://www.jjhuddle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257665
  12. ^ http://www.ovac.org/School/Details/63
  13. ^ Keathley, Hank (2011-02-25). "East Canton to join IVC in 2013-14 school year - New Philadelphia, OH". The Times-Reporter. http://www.timesreporter.com/sports/x1705413930/East-Canton-to-join-IVC-in-2013-14-school-year. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  14. ^ http://www.recordpub.com/news/sports_article/5059839
  15. ^ http://www.sportsink.com/259/3663/ptc-looking-at-barberton-nw-aquinas-and-lake-center/Default.aspx
  16. ^ "Buckeye Bucks Football: Team History". Eteamz.com. http://www.eteamz.com/BuckeyeBucks/news/index.cfm?cat=212261. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  17. ^ W.A.O. (April 1896). "Athletics in the High Schools of Cincinnati". Mind and Body: a Monthly Journal Devoted to Physical Education 3 (26): 32. http://books.google.com/books?id=KAwCAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA32. "On the 23d day of March, 1896 ... Hughes, Woodward, and Walnut Hills High School, and Franklin and Technical School, met and formed the ‘Interscholastic Athletic Association of Cincinnati.’" 
  18. ^ Shotwell, John Brough (1902). A History of the Schools of Cincinnati. Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati School Life Company. p. 599. http://books.google.com/books?id=5C44AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA599. "In the past St. Xavier’s College, the Ohio Military Institute, and Covington High School have been members of the association." 
  19. ^ [1]
  20. ^ 7:00 am (2011-03-22). "Licking County League 'a done deal' / Mount Vernon News". Mountvernonnews.com. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/Sports/11/03/22/licking-county-league-a-done-deal. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  21. ^ http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20110427/SPORTS/110427019/Licking-Heights-latest-join-Licking-County-League-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage