Northern Buckeye Conference

The Northern Buckeye Conference (NBC) is an OHSAA high school athletic conference that began athletic competition in 2011 with 8 high schools from Northwest Ohio's Ottawa and Wood counties as members.

Members

The member schools of the Northern Buckeye Conference.
School Nickname Location Enrollment (CB/FB 2020) State FB Region (2020) Colors Type Middle school(s) Joined League
Eastwood Eagles Pemberville 200 5:18 Red, White, Columbia Blue
     
Public Eastwood MS 2011
Fostoria Redmen Fostoria 207 5:18 Red, Black
   
Public Fostoria JHS 2011
Genoa Comets Genoa 192 5:18 Maroon, Gray
   
Public John C. Roberts MS 2011
Lake Flyers Millbury 193 5:18 Navy Blue, White, Columbia Blue
     
Public Lake MS 2011
Otsego Knights Tontogany 189 5:18 Black, Orange, White
     
Public Otsego JHS 2011
Maumee Panthers Maumee 285 3:10 Purple, Gold
   
Public Gateway MS 2023
Oak Harbor Rockets Oak Harbor 204 5:18 Red, Green, White
     
Public Oak Harbor MS 2023
Rossford Bulldogs Rossford 242 4:14 Maroon, Gray
   
Public Rossford JHS 2011

Former members

School Nickname Location Colors Tenure Current Conference
Elmwood Royals Bloomdale Royal Blue, White
   
2011-2023 Blanchard Valley Conference
Woodmore Wildcats Elmore Navy, Gold
   
2011-2023 Sandusky Bay Conference

History

2010s

The NBC officially formed on July 1, 2011, and began its inaugural season in fall 2011.[1] The idea for the league was born in spring 2009 when the Suburban Lakes League was unable to gather enough votes among member schools to make former Northern Lakes League member Rossford its eighth member as a replacement for Lakota.[2] The SLL principals created a plan for a 12-team, two-division league upon the request of Eastwood's superintendent, and voted 6–0–1 to begin contacting schools to invite them into this league.[3] Shortly after, the idea for expansion was dropped when the seven members could not agree on which schools to approve extending membership to. Speculation on proposed members was pointed at Rossford, Fostoria, Maumee, Northwood, Ottawa Hills, Cardinal Stritch, and Danbury.

Ultimately, the five SLL schools that "voted" for Rossford's inclusion held a superintendent's meeting without Gibsonburg and Elmwood to discuss creating a new league. In this meeting, Eastwood, Genoa, Lake, Otsego and Woodmore decide to withdraw from the Suburban Lakes League in order to create a new league with Rossford called the Northern Buckeye Conference.[4] Former NLL commissioner and Northview High School athletic director Larry Jones was named league commissioner, which became effective on August 1, 2009. Plans to add two more schools to the league became a priority shortly after. Elmwood, Fostoria, and Maumee confirmed receiving verbal invitations to apply for NBC membership, and on August 5, 2009, Commissioner Jones announced that only Elmwood and Fostoria had formally applied prior to the July 31 deadline.[5] Maumee's school board voted on August 3, 2009, to remain in the NLL.[6] The NBC voted to invite both Elmwood and Fostoria on August 12, to which Fostoria quickly accepted on August 17[7] and Elmwood on September 9, after they were denied admission into the Midland Athletic League.[8]

Since the league has Northern Lakes League commissioner Larry Morrison as a consultant, and five of the schools had prior membership with the NLL, the NBC set up their league bylaws and constitution similar to the NLL's. This also includes a "majority rules" clause for votes, which is different from the SLL's that called for a 75% vote.

Commissioner Jones stepped down at the end of May 2013 and handed the reins over to Dave Bringman.[9]

2020s

In August 2020, Elmwood announced they had received a formal invitation from the Blanchard Valley Conference and were seriously looking at the opportunity. However, no immediate plans were announced to leave the Northern Buckeye Conference.[10] Ultimately, on February 8, 2021, multiple sources confirmed the Elmwood Local Schools board unanimously approved that the Elmwood Royals would leave the NBC and join the Blanchard Valley Conference in the 2023-2024 school year or sooner.[11]

On March 22, 2021, the school board at Maumee voted unanimously to leave the NLL and join the Northern Buckeye Conference no later than the 2023-24 school year as a replacement for Elmwood, following their departure to Blanchard Valley Conference.[12]

On May 20, 2021, Woodmore's school board announced they were going to accept the Sandusky Bay Conference's invitation to join their league for the 2023-24 school year.[13] It is speculated that Woodmore will leave the NBC to play in the SBC's River Division with schools of similar enrollment size.

On May 26, 2021, the school board at Oak Harbor announced they would be leaving the SBC and accepting the NBC's invitation to replace Woodmore.[14]

League championships

Boys championships[15]

School YearFootballSoccerCross CountryGolfBasketballWrestlingBaseballTrack & Field
2011-12 Eastwood Woodmore Elmwood Woodmore Eastwood, Lake Elmwood Lake Eastwood
2012-13 Genoa Woodmore Otsego Woodmore Otsego Genoa Otsego Eastwood
2013-14 Genoa Rossford Otsego Lake Lake Genoa Lake Eastwood
2014-15 Eastwood Rossford Otsego Rossford Lake, Rossford Genoa Genoa Eastwood
2015-16 Lake Eastwood Otsego Rossford Elmwood, Rossford Genoa Eastwood, Elmwood, Lake Eastwood
2016-17 Eastwood Lake Otsego Rossford Eastwood, Genoa Genoa Rossford Eastwood
2017-18 Eastwood Lake, Woodmore Eastwood Genoa Genoa Genoa Eastwood Eastwood
2018-19 Genoa Woodmore Genoa Genoa Genoa Genoa Lake Eastwood
2019-20 Eastwood Rossford Otsego Genoa Rossford Eastwood Season Canceled Season Canceled
2020-21 Otsego Genoa Genoa Genoa, Woodmore Rossford Elmwood Lake Genoa
2021-22 Otsego Genoa Otsego Lake Eastwood Lake Eastwood Eastwood
2022-23 Eastwood Genoa, Lake Otsego Genoa Rossford Genoa Eastwood Eastwood

Girls championships[15]

School YearVolleyballSoccerCross CountryGolfBasketballSoftballTrack & Field
2011-12 Eastwood Lake Eastwood Elmwood Lake Eastwood Eastwood
2012-13 Eastwood Lake Eastwood Otsego Elmwood Elmwood Eastwood
2013-14 Otsego Woodmore Eastwood Elmwood Elmwood Eastwood Eastwood
2014-15 Otsego Lake Eastwood Otsego Otsego Elmwood Eastwood
2015-16 Eastwood, Otsego Woodmore Woodmore Elmwood Genoa Eastwood Eastwood
2016-17 Eastwood Woodmore Otsego Rossford Otsego Eastwood Eastwood
2017-18 Eastwood Lake Eastwood Otsego Eastwood, Elmwood Eastwood Eastwood
2018-19 Fostoria Lake Woodmore Otsego Eastwood, Elmwood, Lake Eastwood Eastwood
2019-20 Otsego Eastwood Genoa Otsego Otsego Season Canceled Season Canceled
2020-21 Eastwood, Lake Eastwood Woodmore Rossford Elmwood, Woodmore Otsego Eastwood
2021-22 Lake Eastwood Eastwood Otsego Elmwood, Lake Otsego Eastwood
2022-23 Lake Eastwood Eastwood Otsego Fostoria, Woodmore Eastwood Woodmore

Individual State Champions

  • Erik Fertig, Eastwood, Discus, 2019
  • Katelyn Meyer, Eastwood, High Jump, 2018
  • Erik Fertig, Eastwood, Discus, 2018
  • Regan Clay, Rossford, 400m, 2016
  • Regan Clay, Rossford, 400m, 2015
  • Cole Gorski, Otsego, Pole Vault, 2014[16]
  • Jay Nino, Genoa, Wrestling (220 lb.), 2014[17]

See also

Ohio High School Athletic Conferences

References

  1. Held, Chayse (June 9, 2009). "Five SLL schools, Rossford plan new league". Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  2. "Suburban Lakes League says no to Bulldogs' bid". Toledo Blade. June 3, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  3. Junga, Steve (March 25, 2009). "SLL plans 12-team, 2-division alignment". Toledo Blade. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  4. Junga, Steve (May 22, 2009). "5 from SLL join Rossford for new league". Toledo Blade. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  5. Junga, Steve (May 22, 2009). "5 from SLL join Rossford for new league". Toledo Blade. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  6. Junga, Steve (July 19, 2010). "New frontier ahead for area leagues". Toledo Blade. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  7. "Fostoria votes to join NBC". Toledo Blade. August 18, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  8. Held, Chayse (September 9, 2009). "Elmwood to join Northern Buckeye Conference". Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  9. "NBC commissioner Jones retiring".
  10. Hanneman, Dave (August 18, 2020). "BVC Tenders Invitation to Elmwood". The Courier (Findlay). Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  11. Hanneman, Dave (February 8, 2021). "Elmwood accepts offer to join BVC". The Courier (Findlay). Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  12. Junga, Steve (March 22, 2021). "Maumee to leave NLL, join NBC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  13. Junga, Steve (May 21, 2021). "Woodmore to exit NBC, join SBC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  14. Junga, Steve (May 26, 2021). "Oak Harbor to accept invitation to join NBC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  15. "Northern Buckeye Conference". Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  16. Junga, Steve (June 7, 2014). "Otsego's Cole Gorski vaults to win". Toledo Blade.
  17. Emmons, Donald (March 6, 2014). "Genoa's Nino collects Ohio title and record". Toledo Blade.

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