The Greater Buckeye Conference was a high school athletic conference with six members, all located in a large area of northern and northwest Ohio. It was affiliated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The conference was created for the 2003-2004 school year after the Great Lakes League folded, and lasted until the end of the 2010-11 school year.
The conference's longest and most storied rivalry was between the football teams of Fremont Ross and Sandusky. The Little Giants and the Blue Streaks had first played in 1895.
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Transcription
What it means to be a Buckeye [electronic music playing Carmen Ohio] MALE: You don't have to be here very long to know that this Buckeye thing is amazing. It doesn't matter if you think you don't have spirit, you will...because it's everywhere and it's contagious. FEMALE: It's really hard to put your finger on it, but it's just a feeling that you don't get until you realize that you are a student or faculty member at one of the greatest universities in the world. FEMALE: I love Ohio State University. I think it is a grand institution. ARCHIE GRIFFIN: There is a spirit about Buckeyes that I think resonates throughout the world. MALE: It just hits you when you walk on this campus, the feeling that people have and carry with them for generations - that's what the tradition does. MALE: I tell students, whether they are medical students or undergraduate students coming here, Ohio State University is a way of life and that it will impact them professionally and personally for the rest of their lives. JAVAUNE ADAMS-GASTON: Students coming to OSU get to grow and things come at them and that allows them to see themselves in a totally new light where they can see themselves in the world, and what they will be able to accomplish. CATHY LANNING: Everyone puts students first. It's the support structure that's at Ohio State and it's there, it's deliberate and you'll find it like that. [snapping fingers] BERNIE SAVARESE: It's this living, breathing place - it is there to provide all these opportunities and all these challenges for us to really help us become the best that we can be, and I think we deliver on that promise everyday. ROSA AILABOUNI: People really take the time to make a difference in your life and having had that, I really want to make a difference in other people's lives. [guitar strumming quietly] LINN VAN WOERKOM: Everything's here. If you want an expert in physics, they're here. If you are a physics major and you want to know something about politics, we have experts in political science. You can go across campus and you're talking with them, they're your teachers. And then you get a degree and you go off and do policy work. There's amazing things that happen here because we have got world leaders. DR. DAVID E. SCHULLER: This is the big leagues. We've been able to recruit people from universities all around the country because they are drawn to the immensity of the expertise that exists on this campus. MARIA MONICA GIUSTI: I have had the chance to live on the west coast, in the east coast. I have to say that I love Columbus the most. There is something about the culture and the people. KAREN BELL: On Thursday night you can go to the symphony that's on The Oval, on Friday night you can go to the Wexner center. On Saturday night go downtown to the Gallery Hop. There's just always something to do. ALEXA ODOM: They tell you join one of the 950 organizations we have because they know that the classroom is important but so is everything else that you can learn through being in an organization, through doing a club sport, through doing inter murals. Ohio State, I loved, because of the opportunities they put in front of me and said, "Jump in! Do what you can! Dream big! And use this university to make those dreams come true." BRENDAN ADAMS: I knew that here at Ohio State I was going to have the best of the best when it came to facilities. We have the Recreation Physical Activity Center, the new Thompson Library, the Ohio Union - it is our Student Union and you can tell that, you know, its very personal to us here at Ohio State. [xylophone plays Carmen Ohio] KEVIN BOYLE: It's really the whole set of traditions - its the buildings, it's the campus, with the football tradition - the O-H-I-O tradition all of that stuff does is it makes people feel this intimate connection with each other. [CROWD: O-H] It's the feeling that the students are part of something bigger than themselves. [CROWD: I-O!] ARCHIE GRIFFIN: Woody Hayes talked to us as football players about paying it forward. Well, I think that's caught on with Ohio State because people do pay forward. They like doing things to help others. DANNY TRAN: This is definitely The University if you want to make a difference in the world - and that's wonderful to be a part of. ROB BONACCI: To know that I have all the tools going out into the world is a big credit to Ohio State and I really think it's going to help me in being able to achieve those goals in medicine and being able to affect a greater change. LAURA KRAUS: This place has in its essence the ability to take somebody who doesn't come in with a lot and give them a lot - experiences that no one else can match. It changes lives. JOEY CLARK: You can come from nothing and walk away with everything, and I think that's something Ohio State truly exemplifies - giving opportunities to anyone from any walk of life and letting them know that they can be successful. MALE: I've seen kids come here and be completely changed by their experiences here and when they walk out of here, they are going to do something really extraordinarily valuable with themselves and with their lives - and they've done that, I haven't done that, they've done that. ADAM WAGNER: Ohio State can give you so much. All you have to do is be able to accept it. The rewards will be so great and you will grow as a person and it's something to behold. [electronic music]
Members
- Findlay Trojans
- Fremont Ross Little Giants
- Lima Senior Spartans
- Marion Harding Presidents
- Napoleon Wildcats
- Sandusky Blue Streaks
Departing members
| High School | Location | Joined GBC | Tenure of Membership | Charter Member | League in 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Findlay High School | Findlay, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | Three Rivers Athletic Conference |
| Fremont Ross High School | Fremont, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | Three Rivers Athletic Conference |
| Lima Senior High School | Lima, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | Three Rivers Athletic Conference |
| Marion Harding High School | Marion, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | None, joined MOAC in 2014 |
| Napoleon High School | Napoleon, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | Northern Lakes League |
| Sandusky High School | Sandusky, Ohio | 2003 | 2003–2011 | Yes | Northern Ohio League |
History
Great Northern Conference years
The Great Northern Conference was created April 14, 1945, in Maumee in a meeting attended by representatives from Oregon Clay, Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, Sylvania and Toledo Whitmer.[1] All had previously been members of the Maumee Valley League.
Talks on expanding were held in 1950 and 1951 because of increasing enrollments at some schools, but action was not taken until 1952 when Anthony Wayne left the Maumee Valley League to join the GNC gradually, starting with the spring of 1953 in baseball.
Sylvania was forced to cancel its winter and spring sports during the 1957-58 school year after a levy attempt failed in the fall of 1957.
Creation of divisions and two new leagues
Source:[2]
Talks had begun in 1956 to expand the GNC with Bowling Green, Fostoria, Swanton, Oak Harbor, Genoa, Lake, Port Clinton, Toledo Rogers and Holland being considered. The GNC eventually grew and split into two divisions based on size— Orange: (Bowling Green, Clay, Fostoria, Toledo Rogers, Sylvania and Toledo Whitmer) and Blue: (Anthony Wayne, Genoa, Maumee, Perrysburg, Port Clinton and Rossford). The names were changed in 1957, with the Orange Division becoming the Great Lakes League and the Blue Division becoming the Northern Lakes League.
| Great Northern Conference Divisions (created in 1956) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange / Great Lakes League | Blue / Northern Lakes League | ||
| Bowling Green | Anthony Wayne | ||
| Clay | Genoa | ||
| Fostoria | Maumee | ||
| Rogers | Perrysburg | ||
| Sylvania | Port Clinton | ||
| Whitmer | Rossford | ||
Constant change in membership
Bowling Green left the GLL in June 1960, and Bedford (MI) joined in 1961.
Port Clinton switched from the NLL to the GLL with the start of the 1963-64 school year.
Toledo Rogers left the GLL to join the Toledo City League with the start of the 1966-67 school year when their district was absorbed by Toledo Public Schools.
According to GLL constitution, Toledo Whitmer's enrollment became too great in 1967 and the school was dropped from the league with the end of the 1968-69 school year.
Bowling Green rejoined with the start of the 1969-70 school year. At this time, the GLL consisted of Bedford, Bowling Green, Clay, Fostoria, Port Clinton, and Sylvania.
When Sylvania divided into Northview and Southview in 1976, Northview (the original Sylvania HS building) remained in the GLL and Southview joined the NLL.
Bowling Green switched from the GLL to the NLL in 1978, and Napoleon joined the GLL at the start of the 1978-79 school year.
Port Clinton left at the start of the 1980-81 school year for the Sandusky Bay Conference and was replaced by Lima Shawnee, which competed in the GLL only in 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Toledo Whitmer rejoined at the start of the 1982-83 school year.
Fremont Ross joined at the start of the 1991-92 school year, and Findlay joined[3] with the start of the 1995-96 school year.
Sylvania Northview left at the end of the 1996 football season to join the NLL[4] when Lake left for the SLL.
Sandusky was approved to join with the start of the 1997-98 school year, but Napoleon left at the end of the 1996-97 school year.
Lorain Admiral King and Lorain Southview joined at the start of the 2000-2001 school year, but left after one year.
Fostoria left for the Northern Ohio League in all sports but football at the start of the 2002-03 school year. Fostoria joined the NOL in football one year later.
For the GLL's final year of existence in the 2002-03 school year, the members were Clay, Findlay, Fremont Ross, Napoleon, Sandusky, and Whitmer. Clay and Whitmer had accepted an invitation to join the Toledo City League for the following school year, and the league would not continue with four members. The Greater Buckeye Conference was created for the 2003-04 school year, which brought Findlay, Fremont Ross, and Sandusky back with former Buckeye Conference member Marion Harding, while Napoleon remained and Lima Senior joined.
All-time membership of the Great Lakes League (1956-2003)
- Temperance (MI) Bedford Mules (1961–2000)
- Bowling Green Bobcats (1956–1960, 1969–1978)
- Oregon Clay Eagles (1956–2003)
- Findlay Trojans (1995–2003)
- Fostoria Redmen (1956–2002)
- Fremont Ross Little Giants (1991–2003)
- Lima Shawnee Indians (1980–1982)
- Lorain Admiral King Admirals (2000–2001)
- Lorain Southview Saints (2000–2001)
- Napoleon Wildcats (1978–1997, 2002–2003)
- Port Clinton Redskins (1963–1980)
- Sandusky Blue Streaks (1997–2003)
- Sylvania/Sylvania Northview Wildcats (1956–1996)
- Toledo Rogers Rams (1956–1966)
- Toledo Whitmer Panthers (1956–1969, 1982–2003)
The brief GBC years
The GBC was created in fall of 2003 with Findlay, Fremont Ross, Lima Senior, Marion Harding, Napoleon, and Sandusky as the inaugural members, after the GLL ceased to exist.
In June 2009, Napoleon accepted an invitation to join the Northern Lakes League while Sandusky was accepted into the Northern Ohio League. Both began competition in their new conferences in 2011 after citing tedious league travel as a reason for wanting to leave. In August 2009, Findlay, Lima, and later on, Fremont Ross all applied for membership in the Toledo City League. After a league vote on October 13, Fremont Ross was invited to join the City League in 2011, but Findlay and Lima were turned down.
On May 24, 2010, representatives from Findlay and Lima Senior high schools met with the non-TPS members of the Toledo City League to discuss possibly forming a new conference no sooner than 2011. This came after Toledo Public considered cutting junior high, freshmen, and less popular sports from their budget in order to ease their $39 million deficit.[5] This new league would become a valid setup starting in 2011 as the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. Findlay and Lima Senior joined the TRAC right away, leaving Marion Harding without a league affiliation for 2011-12.
| Year | Football Champions |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Marion Harding |
| 2004 | Findlay, Napoleon |
| 2005 | Findlay |
| 2006 | Fremont Ross |
| 2007 | Napoleon |
| 2008 | Findlay |
| 2009 | Findlay, Napoleon, Sandusky |
| 2010 | Fremont Ross |
See also
References
- ^ Richard, Jim (September 19, 1946). "Rossford Plays Maumee And Perrysburg Meets Sylvania In Suburban Grid Games". Toledo Blade. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- ^ Junga, Steve (August 29, 1995). "Changing times: Demise of old City League allows rise of powerful TRAC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Northview to join Northern Lakes League". Toledo Blade. August 29, 1995. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
- ^ "Northview to join Northern Lakes League". Toledo Blade. August 29, 1995. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
- ^ Junga, Steve (May 25, 2010). "Proposed TPS cuts cast doubt on City League". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
External links
- [1]
- Findlay, Lima weigh CL play; Toledo Blade, 15 August 2009
- Fremont Ross shows interest in City League; Toledo Blade, 16 August 2009
- GLL/NLL Basketball Standings, Toledo Blade, Jan 31 1958
- Fremont Ross to join City League; Toledo Blade, 14 October 2009
- Proposed TPS cuts cast doubt on City League; Toledo Blade, 25 May 2010
This page was last edited on 7 January 2024, at 05:52