Suburban Lakes League (OHSAA)

The Suburban Lakes League (SLL) was an OHSAA athletic league with 7 member schools located in northwest Ohio. The league was formed in 1972 by former members of the Northern Lakes League, Sandusky Bay Conference, and the Lakeshore Conference.

Members at the time of dissolution

• Eastwood Eagles (1972-2011)
• Elmwood Royals (1972-2011)
• Genoa Comets (1972-2011)
• Gibsonburg Golden Bears (1972-2011)
• Lake Flyers (1996-2011)
• Otsego Knights (1972-2011)
• Woodmore Wildcats (1972-2011)

Former members

• Lakota Raiders (1972–2009)
• Northwood Rangers (1986–2000)
• Oak Harbor Rockets (1972–1986)

League history

1970s

• For the 1972-73 school year, Eastwood, Elmwood, and Genoa leave the Northern Lakes League to form the SLL with Gibsonburg, Lakota, and Oak Harbor from the Sandusky Bay Conference, and Otsego and Woodmore from the Lakeshore Conference.^[1]

1980s

• At the end of the 1985-86 school year, Oak Harbor leaves to rejoin the Sandusky Bay Conference, leaving the SLL with seven members.^[2]
• Northwood joined the league as the eighth member for the 1986-87 school year after the Lakeshore Conference had folded in the winter of 1985.

1990s

• Lake becomes the ninth league member in 1996, leaving the NLL in similar fashion to its SLL predecessors.^[3]
• In 1999, the SLL extended an invitation to Rossford to be its tenth member. Rossford declined, which caused the SLL and TAAC to consider realigning their members with other area schools based on enrollment.^[4]

2000s

• In 2000, Northwood leaves the league for the TAAC after Rossford declines to join the SLL as its tenth member.
• In 2008, realignment issues are stirred up again when Lakota decides to leave for the Midland Athletic League in 2009, opening the door for another potential member.^[5] Rossford was considered as the prime choice for replacement, but a 4-3 vote amongst member schools (4 in favor, 3 against) turned them down. 6 schools would have had to approve Rossford's admission due to the 75% vote clause.
• In 2009, both Rossford and Fostoria High Schools were turned down as potential members with the current members not gathering the necessary 6-1 vote. However, the 7 SLL school principals later considered expanding the league to 12 members by the 2011-12 school year, with 2 divisions (Big Schools and Small Schools). The 5 other schools were not specifically named, but it was noted that both Rossford and Fostoria fit the profile of the larger school division, which would have included Eastwood, Genoa, Lake, and Otsego. The smaller division would have consisted of Elmwood, Gibsonburg, Woodmore, and 3 other area schools close to their enrollment sizes. Geography and size pointed at Northwood, Ottawa Hills, Cardinal Stritch, and Toledo Christian.^[6] Genoa and Eastwood's superintendents decided that the 12 team league would not work because they did not want Fostoria in their league.
• In May 2009, Eastwood, Genoa, Lake, Otsego, and Woodmore agreed to withdraw from the SLL and form a new league with Rossford.^[7] This was an attempt to circumvent the bylaws of the league after Rossford was voted down by a 5-2 vote (Rossford needed 75% (6 out of 7) of the vote to be added into the SLL). It was decided that league play for the new Northern Buckeye Conference would begin in the fall of 2011. This move left Elmwood and Gibsonburg as the lone members of the SLL for that time.
• Elmwood was invited to join the NBC on August 12 along with Fostoria.^[8]
• On September 9, 2009, Elmwood officially joined the NBC^[9] after being turned away from the MAL the day before.^[10] Gibsonburg was also denied MAL membership, but they applied to join the TAAC on September 16.^[11]
• Gibsonburg was invited to join the TAAC on October 7, 2009. They became a voting member of the league on January 1, 2010 and joined the TAAC when the SLL dissolved in 2011.^[12]

2010s

• Athletic competition for the league ended with the conclusion of the spring sports seasons in 2011.

State Champions

BOYS

• Woodmore- Golf (Class A) - 1979, 1981
• Gibsonburg - Baseball (Div. IV) - 2005
• Eastwood- Track & Field (Div. II) - 2009, 2010

GIRLS

• Otsego - Volleyball (Div. III) - 1992
• Eastwood - Volleyball (Div. II) - 1993
• Woodmore - Cross Country (Div. II) - 1992, 1993
• Woodmore - Cross Country (Div. III) - 1994
• Woodmore - Track & Field (Div. III) - 1993
• Gibsonburg - Softball (Div. IV) - 2001, 2002, 2003

Football champions

See also

• Ohio High School Athletic Conferences

External links

• List of SLL Football Champions
• Oak Harbor leaving SLL at the end of the '85-'86 school year
• Latest Meeting Appears Fruitful on Formation of New Prep League, Toledo Blade, 11 Dec 1970
• SLL plans 12-team, 2-division alignment (March 25, 2009)
• Possible Small Division members (from the Courier in Findlay, Ohio).
• Rossford BOE Vote on May 18, 2009
• 5 from SLL join Rossford for new league
• Elmwood considering a move to the MAL
• Elmwood to join Northern Buckeye Conference
• Gibsonburg applies to become TAAC member
• Gibsonburg becomes eighth member of TAAC

References

1. ^ "New Prep Conference Set". Toledo Blade. December 16, 1970. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XPcjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5QEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6085,4950540&dq=lake+northern+lakes+league&hl=en. Retrieved September 9, 2010. 
2. ^ "Maumee Wrestlers Win Northern Lakes Crown". Toledo Blade. February 23, 1986. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hQ4VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2AIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5443,288001&dq=oak+harbor+suburban+lakes+league&hl=en. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
3. ^ "Northview to join Northern Lakes League". Toledo Blade. August 29, 1995. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=St0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aQMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6647,9533797&dq=lake+join+suburban+lakes+league&hl=en. Retrieved September 9, 2010. 
4. ^ Schooley, Duane (December 16, 1999). "SLL and TAAC mull realignment". Toledo Blade. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BdcjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rwMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6544,269284&dq=northwood+join+taac&hl=en. Retrieved September 9, 2010. 
5. ^ Junga, Steve (July 19, 2010). "New frontier ahead for area leagues". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/article/20100719/SPORTS12/7190363. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
6. ^ "Sweeping changes are ahead for SLL". Findlay Courier. March 26, 2009. http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2009/Mar/26/ar_sports_032609_story3.asp?d=032609_story3,2009,Mar,26&c=s. Retrieved October 18, 2010. 
7. ^ Junga, Steve (May 22, 2009). "5 from SLL join Rossford for new league". Toledo Blade. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090522/SPORTS12/905220353. Retrieved September 9, 2010. 
8. ^ Junga, Steve (August 13, 2009). "NBC gives invitation to Fostoria, Elmwood". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/article/20090813/SPORTS12/908130379. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
9. ^ Junga, Steve (September 10, 2009). "Elmwood will be eighth school in NBC". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/article/20090910/SPORTS12/909100381. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
10. ^ Junga, Steve (September 9, 2009). "MAL denies 2 SLL schools". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/article/20090909/SPORTS12/909090372. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
11. ^ Junga, Steve (September 17, 2009). "Gibsonburg applies to become TAAC member". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/article/20090917/SPORTS12/909170362. Retrieved September 10, 2010. 
12. ^ Wagner, John (October 7, 2009). "Gibsonburg becomes eighth member of TAAC". Toledo Blade. http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091007/SPORTS12/910079984. Retrieved September 10, 2010.