Northeastern Athletic Conference

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The Northeastern Athletic Conference is an Ohio High School Athletic Association athletic conference made up of member schools from Trumbull, Portage, Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties in Ohio. [1] The NAC began conference play in 2002 and was formed by members of the East Suburban Conference. NAC members played football concurrently with the ESC until the 2009 football season.

Contents

Members

SchoolLocationNicknameColorsTenureNotes
Badger Kinsman BravesRed & white

  

2003–no football
Bristol Bristolville PanthersBlack & gold

  

2002–no football
Bloomfield Bloomfield CardinalsRed & black

  

2002–no football
Cardinal Middlefield HuskiesRed, black & white

   

2025–
Chalker Southington WildcatsOrange & black

  

2002–

(Football 2009–2020)

Chalker in Northern 8 Football Conference for football
Grand Valley Orwell MustangsRoyal Blue, navy blue, white and grey

    

2009–2019;2024-
Fairport Harding Fairport Harbor SkippersMaroon & white

  

2020–Leaving for Chagrin Valley Conference in 2026.
Lordstown Lordstown Red DevilsRed & blue

  

2002–no football
Maplewood Mecca RocketsBlue & white

  

2002–no football
Mathews Vienna MustangsRed black & white

   

2003–

(Football 2009–)

Pymatuning Valley Andover LakersMaroon & gold

  

2002–

(Football 2009–)

St. John Ashtabula HeraldsNavy Blue & white

  

2022–
Windham Windham BombersBlack & gold

  

2013–

(Football 2013–2025)

Windham in Northern 8 Football Conference for Football

Future members

SchoolLocationNicknameColorsYear JoiningNote
Leetonia Leetonia BearsNavy Blue and White

  

2026Joining in 2026 from Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference

Former members

SchoolLocationNicknameColorsTenureNotes
Legdemont Thompson RedskinsRed & white

  

2008–2014School closed in 2014. merged with Berkshire High School.
Lutheran East Cleveland Heights FalconsBlue & white

  

2009–2012football only joined in 2009. left conference in 2012 to become independent.
Newbury Newbury Black KnightsOrange & black

  

2014–2020School closed in 2020. merged with West Geauga High School.

Membership timeline

Northeastern Athletic Conference

History

The Northeastern Athletic Conference (NAC) was founded in 2002 and formed by former members of the now-defunct East Suburban Conference Bristol, Bloomfield, Chalker, Lordstown, Maplewood and Pymatuning Valley. The East Suburban Conference became a football only conference until the fall 2008 season. [2] [3] Two additional nearby schools, Badger and Mathews, joined in the 2003-04 school year.

In 2008, the former Ledgemont High School was accepted into the NAC after leaving the East Suburban Conference. In 2009, the league added two more members Grand Valley High School and Lutheran East. The league would also begin conference play for the first time for football this year. Lutheran East joined the league for football only the same year. they left the conference in 2012.

In 2013, Windham High School was accepted into the NAC, leaving their former Portage Trail Conference. [4] Ledgemont High School closed after the 2013–2014 school year after a territory transfer with Berkshire High School. [5] Newbury High School replaced their spot NAC in 2014 after leaving the Chagrin Valley Conference. [6]

After 10 years of being in the conference, Grand Valley left the NAC in 2019, in favor of joining the Chagrin Valley Conference. [7] Fairport Harding High School, joined the league after their 15-year long tenure in the Chagrin Valley Conference in 2020. [8] Newbury High School closed following the 2019–20 school year, merging with West Geauga High School. [9]

Chalker left the NAC for football, after the 2021 season, cancelling their season due to lack of players. [10] Chalker became a member of the Northern 8 Football Conference. (8-man football) in 2024. [11]

Despite playing a conference schedule in all sports with the league for years, Ashtabula St. John High School officially joined the NAC in 2022. [12]

In 2024, Grand Valley re-joined the NAC after a 5-year tenure with the Chagrin Valley Conference. [13] the NAC added also added Cardinal High School in Middlefield in 2025 who joined after leaving the Chagrin Valley Conference. [14]

Fairport Harding announced their intention to play one more year with the NAC before re-joining their former Chagrin Valley Conference starting the 2026–27 school year, ending their tenure with the NAC after 6 years. [15] On September 24th, 2025, Leetonia High School announced that they have accepted their invitation to join the NAC, leaving the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference, and will begin conference play in the 2026–27 school year. [16]

On November 26th, 2025, Windham announced they were accepted into the Northern 8 Football Conference beginning the 2026–27 school year, with roster numbers decreasing in recent years. [17]

Championships

List of conference championships since 2002

YearFootballVolleyballGirls BasketballBoys BasketballBaseballSoftball
2025-26FairportCardinalGrand ValleyFairport
2024-25Pymatuning ValleySt. JohnMaplewoodBristolSt. JohnMathews
2023-24Pymatuning ValleySt. JohnBadgerBadger/BristolSt. JohnMathews
2022-23Pymatuning ValleySt. JohnBadgerPymatuning ValleyMathewsChalker/Pymatuning Valley
2021-22Pymatuning ValleyMaplewoodBristolMathewsMathewsMathews
2020-21Pymatuning ValleyBadgerBristolBristolPymatuning ValleyMathews
2019-20Pymatuning ValleyBadgerMaplewoodBristolCOVID - NO SEASONCOVID - NO SEASON
2018-19WindhamNewburyBristolPymatuning ValleyBristolBristol
2017-18Grand ValleyMathewsPymatuning ValleyBristolMaplewoodBristol
2016-17Grand ValleyLordstownLordstownBristolMathewsBristol
2015-16Grand ValleyGrand ValleyWindhamBristolMaplewoodBristol
2014-15MathewsWindhamWindhamMaplewoodBristolBristol
2013-14Grand ValleyWindhamPymatuning ValleyMaplewoodMaplewoodBristol
2012-13Grand ValleyLedgemontMaplewoodBristolMaplewoodBristol
2011-12LedgemontPymatuning ValleyPymatuning ValleyMathewsMaplewoodBristol
2010-11LedgemontLordstownPymatuning ValleyPymatuning ValleyMaplewoodBristol
2009-10ChalkerLordstownPymatuning ValleyMathewsMaplewoodBristol
2008-09N/ALordstownMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewood
2007-08N/ALordstownMaplewoodPymatuning ValleyMaplewoodMaplewood
2006-07N/ALordstownPymatuning ValleyPymatuning ValleyMaplewoodMaplewood
2005-06N/AMaplewood/BristolMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewood
2004-05N/AMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewoodMaplewood
2003-04N/AMaplewoodMaplewoodLordstownLordstownMaplewood
2002-03N/ABristolMaplewoodLordstownLordstownMaplewood

References

  1. "NAC Sports - Northeastern Athletic Conference Ohio". 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  2. Murphy, Brian (2000-12-01). "NEC seeking to increase membership". News-Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  3. "1960s a time of change in area school athletics". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  4. Bly, Denise (2012-10-29). "G-Men - Bombers Football, The End of an Era". Weekly Villager. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  5. "Ledgemont Set to Close High School". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  6. "Newbury to Join NAC". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  7. Greco, Michael (2018-04-20). "Edgewood, Grand Valley joining CVC in 2019-20". Star Beacon. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  8. Kampf, John (2019-04-26). "Fairport leaving Chagrin Valley Conference for NAC". News-Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  9. "Newbury, West Geauga schools to merge beginning in 2020-21". wkyc.com. 2019-01-08. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  10. "Chalker cancels first five contests". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  11. "Chalker to join 8-man league". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  12. Greco, Michael (2021-05-11). "St. John to join NAC starting in 2022-23 school year". Star Beacon. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  13. "GV seeking return to NAC".
  14. Ward, Jamie (2024-06-27). "Cardinal Joining Northeastern Athletic Conference in Fall 2025". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  15. Matt Goul, cleveland com (2025-02-18). "Chagrin Valley Conference adding Chardon, Eastlake North, Willoughby South and Fairport Harding in 2026". cleveland. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  16. "Leetonia to leave EOAC for NAC". reviewonline.com. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  17. "Windham football switches to 8-man".