Northern Lakes League

The Northern Lakes League (NLL), is an OHSAA high school athletic conference that was formed in 1956 and comprises eleven high schools in Northwest Ohio.

Map of current NLL members. Future member Liberty-Benton is shown with a purple dot.

Current members

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Type	Enrollment	Enrollment (CB/FB 2024)	State FB Region (2024)	Middle school(s)	Joined League	Notes
Anthony Wayne	Generals	Whitehouse	Blue, White	Public	1,308	515	2:6	Anthony Wayne JHS	1956
Bowling Green	Bobcats	Bowling Green	Red, Gray	Public	838	352	3:10	Bowling Green JHS	1978
Clay	Eagles	Oregon	Green, Yellow	Public	874	435	2:6	Fassett JHS	2023
Findlay	Trojans	Findlay	Blue, Gold	Public	1,175	638	1:1	Donnell MS, Glenwood MS	2023
Fremont Ross	Little Giants	Fremont	Purple, White	Public	853	403	2:6	Fremont MS	2023
Napoleon	Wildcats	Napoleon	Navy, White	Public	548	256	4:14	Napoleon MS	2011
Northview	Wildcats	Sylvania	Black, Yellow,	Public	1,394	494	2:6	Arbor Hills JHS, McCord JHS	1996
Perrysburg	Yellow Jackets	Perrysburg	Black, Old Gold	Public	1,568	681	1:1	Perrysburg JHS	1956
Southview	Cougars	Sylvania	Orange, Brown	Public	1,061	429	2:6	Arbor Hills JHS, McCord JHS, Timberstone JHS	1976
Springfield	Blue Devils	Holland	Blue, White	Public	1,003	407	2:6	Springfield MS	1962
Whitmer	Panthers	Toledo	Maize, Blue	Public	1,625	883	1:1	Jefferson JHS, Washington JHS	2023

Future member

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Type	Enrollment	Enrollment (CB/FB 2024)	State FB Region (2024)	Middle school(s)	Joining League	Notes
Liberty-Benton	Eagles	Findlay	Blue, White and Red	Public	543	187	5:18	Liberty-Benton MS	2026	Currently in the Blanchard Valley Conference

Former members

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Type	Membership Tenure	Notes
Eastwood	Eagles	Pemberville	Red, White, Columbia	Public	1959–1972	Left for the SLL, now in the NBC
Elmwood	Royals	Bloomdale	Royal Blue, White	Public	1960–1972	Left for the SLL, now in the BVC
Genoa	Comets	Genoa	Maroon, Gray	Public	1956–1972	Left for the SLL, now in the NBC
Lake	Flyers	Millbury	Navy, White, Columbia	Public	1960–1996	Left for the SLL, now in the NBC
Maumee	Panthers	Maumee	Purple, Gold	Public	1956-2023	Left for the NBC
Port Clinton	Redskins	Port Clinton	Red, White	Public	1956–1963	Left for the GLL, now in the SBC
Rossford	Bulldogs	Rossford	Maroon, Gray	Public	1956–2011	Left for the NBC

League history

1950s

• The Great Northern Conference had been created in 1945 with Oregon Clay, Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, Sylvania and Toledo Whitmer as its charter members. ^[1] Anthony Wayne would join them in 1953. League expansion was brought up in 1956 as Bowling Green, Fostoria, Swanton, Oak Harbor, Genoa, Lake, Port Clinton, Toledo Rogers and Holland were considered for membership. 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. ^[2]

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

• The NLL begins for the 1956-57 school year with Anthony Wayne, Genoa, Maumee, Perrysburg, Port Clinton, and Rossford as its charter members. ^[3]
• Eastwood joins in 1959 after being accepted in 1958. ^[4]

1960s

• Elmwood and Lake both join in 1960. ^[5]
• When Springfield (Holland HS until 1959) joins in 1962, the NLL will have its largest membership total at ten schools. ^[6] This would only last for the 1962-63 school year.
• Port Clinton switches into the Great Lakes League ^[7] (the Orange Division of the GNC) in 1963 after winning three football titles in 1957, 1960, and 1962.

1970s

• For the 1972-73 school year, Eastwood, Elmwood, and Genoa leave to help form the Suburban Lakes League (SLL), leaving 6 members for a while. ^[8] Swanton and Napoleon were suggested as replacements.
• Southview joins in 1976 after Sylvania High School splits. ^[9]
• Bowling Green leaves the GLL in 1978 to bring the league total to 8. ^[10]

1980s

• The League membership remains consistent

1990s

• For the 1996-97 school year, Lake leaves to join the SLL, and is replaced by Northview, who leaves the former Great Lakes League. ^[11] The football team remained in the GLL for the 1996 season before fully joining at season's end.
• Around 1999, Rossford first considered leaving the NLL for a league with members closer in their size. The 9-member SLL offered an opening, but Rossford initially declined. ^[12]

2000s

• In 2008, Rossford sent a letter of interest to be considered as the replacement for Lakota in the SLL, who left for the MAL in 2009. ^[13] The SLL could not get a 6-out-of-7 vote to accept Rossford, ensuring they would remain a member of the NLL for at least a few more years. The NLL considered adding Clay and Napoleon to make a ten-school league, but a majority vote was not reached to expand. ^[14]
• In May 2009, Rossford's board of education voted unanimously to leave the Northern Lakes League and form the new Northern Buckeye Conference with Eastwood, Genoa, Lake, Otsego, and Woodmore, all schools that were withdrawing from the Suburban Lakes League. ^[15] Later additions to the NBC included Elmwood and Fostoria. ^[16] The new league began competition in the fall of 2011.
• In June 2009, Napoleon High School accepted the invitation to join the Northern Lakes League in 2011 as the replacement for Rossford. ^[17]
• In August 2009, Maumee's school board voted 3-2 to remain members of the Northern Lakes League and to not accept the NBC's invitation to join their new league. ^[18]

2020s

• In January 2021, the NLL announced a plan to expand the league to 16 members, with two divisions of eight schools each based on enrollment. ^[19] Any schools interested in membership were invited to apply, and it was hinted that expansion would most likely affect the Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC) more than any other leagues.
• On March 22, 2021, Maumee's school board 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 High School. ^[20]
• On April 9, 2021, the seven remaining NLL schools sent invitations to four schools that were currently members of the TRAC: Findlay, Fremont Ross, Oregon Clay, and Whitmer. ^[21] Fremont Ross voted to accept the invitation on April 12, followed by Findlay on April 19, Clay on April 20, and Whitmer on April 21. ^{[22] [23] [24]}
• On November 11, 2022, the NLL announced their division names and alignments for the 2023-24 through 2026-27 school years. The Buckeye Division will be for the larger schools and the Cardinal Division will be for the smaller schools, with a slightly different alignment for football. ^[25] Springfield will play in the Buckeye Division for football during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. They will move to the Cardinal Division and Clay will play in the Buckeye Division for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. School enrollment will be considered every two years for reorganizing and balancing the divisions.
• On January 24, 2025, the NLL invited Liberty-Benton to join the league as a member of the Cardinal Division beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Liberty-Benton accepted the invitation on January 27th. ^[26]

School Boys Girls Total Buckeye Division (2023-24 & 2024-25) (based on OHSAA 22-23 & 23-24 final total enrollments) Whitmer 843 777 1,620 Perrysburg 649 629 1,278 Findlay 642 551 1,193 Anthony Wayne 546 521 1,067 Northview 495 488 983 Cardinal Division (2023-24 & 2024-25) (based on OHSAA 22-23 & 23-24 final total enrollments) Clay 424 422 846 Springfield 397 437 834 Southview 406 408 814 Fremont Ross 400 400 800 Bowling Green 344 330 674 Napoleon 236 200 436

School Boys Girls Total Buckeye Division Football (2023 & 2024) (based on OHSAA 19-20, 20-21, & 21-22 final total enrollments) Whitmer 839 766 1,605 Perrysburg 672 580 1,252 Findlay 600 575 1,175 Anthony Wayne 544 538 1,082 Northview 511 503 1,014 Springfield 452 432 884 Cardinal Division Football (2023 & 2024) (based on OHSAA 19-20, 20-21, & 21-22 final total enrollments) Clay 442 432 874 Fremont Ross 454 399 853 Southview 368 377 745 Bowling Green 361 353 714 Napoleon 248 258 506

All-time membership

Football champions

^[27]

The all-time members of the Northern Lakes League

Year	Champions
1956	Maumee
1957	Port Clinton
1958	Perrysburg
1959	Maumee, Port Clinton
1960	Port Clinton
1961	Perrysburg
1962	Maumee, Port Clinton
1963	Rossford
1964	Rossford
1965	Elmwood
1966	Eastwood
1967	Perrysburg
1968	Rossford
1969	Rossford
1970	Springfield
1971	Lake
1972	Rossford
1973	Anthony Wayne
1974	Anthony Wayne, Maumee, Springfield
1975	Maumee
1976	Anthony Wayne
1977	Perrysburg
1978	Lake
1979	Perrysburg
1980	Perrysburg
1981	Lake, Springfield
1982	Rossford
1983	Lake, Springfield
1984	Bowling Green, Perrysburg
1985	Perrysburg
1986	Maumee
1987	Anthony Wayne
1988	Anthony Wayne, Bowling Green
1989	Rossford
1990	Rossford
1991	Bowling Green, Springfield
1992	Maumee, Southview, Springfield
1993	Springfield, Bowling Green
1994	Springfield, Maumee
1995	Bowling Green
1996	Bowling Green
1997	Bowling Green, Southview
1998	Bowling Green, Southview
1999	Southview
2000	Bowling Green
2001	Maumee, Perrysburg
2002	Rossford
2003	Southview
2004	Southview
2005	Northview, Southview
2006	Perrysburg
2007	Southview
2008	Southview
2009	Maumee, Southview
2010	Southview
2011	Southview
2012	Napoleon
2013	Perrysburg
2014	Perrysburg
2015	Perrysburg
2016	Springfield
2017	Anthony Wayne
2018	Anthony Wayne
2019	Anthony Wayne
2020	Perrysburg
2021	Anthony Wayne
2022	Perrysburg

Divisional Era Champions

Year	Division	Champions
2023	Buckeye	Anthony Wayne, Findlay, Whitmer
	Cardinal	Southview
2024	Buckeye	Anthony Wayne
	Cardinal	Clay
2025	Buckeye
	Cardinal	Napoleon

See also

Ohio High School Athletic Conferences

References

1. Richard, Jim (September 19, 1946). "Rossford Plays Maumee And Perrysburg Meets Sylvania In Suburban Grid Games". Toledo Blade . Retrieved June 14, 2018.
2. Sama, Dominic (October 12, 1957). "Knights Wallop Rogers; Maumee Bows to Bryan". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 27, 2010.
3. "Central, Scott Upsets Jam City League Top Spot". Toledo Blade . October 13, 1956. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
4. Blade Correspondent (February 6, 1960). "Eastwood Roars To Tie For Title (explains that 1959-60 is Eastwood's first year of NLL competition)". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
5. "Elmwood Quells Westwood Rally; Generals Win (shows 1960-61 NLL basketball standings with Elmwood and Lake)". Toledo Blade . December 24, 1960. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
6. Little, Jim (January 26, 1963). "Rossford Trips AW, 28-8, As Jack Tisdale Runs Wild (shows Springfield in the 1962-63 NLL standings as a league member not eligible for the league title)". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
7. Little, Jim (January 27, 1963). "Suburban Leagues Must Be Flexible To Survive". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
8. "New Prep Conference Set". Toledo Blade . December 16, 1970. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
9. Goode, Mike (December 4, 1976). "Southview Zaps AW (Southview opened in 1976; article explains this was an NLL matchup)". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
10. "Lake Wins Northern Lakes League Outright". Toledo Blade . November 3, 1978. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
11. "Northview to join Northern Lakes League". Toledo Blade . August 29, 1995. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
12. Schooley, Duane (December 16, 1999). "SLL and TAAC mull realignment". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
13. "Suburban Lakes League says no to Bulldogs' bid". Toledo Blade . June 3, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
14. Junga, Steve (June 11, 2008). "NLL sticks with 8 teams; league members to reconsider expansion in September". Toledo Blade . Retrieved January 12, 2014.
15. Junga, Steve (May 22, 2009). "5 from SLL join Rossford for new league". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
16. Junga, Steve (May 22, 2009). "5 from SLL join Rossford for new league". Toledo Blade . Retrieved January 12, 2014.
17. Silka, Zach (June 10, 2009). "Napoleon replaces Rossford in NLL". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 9, 2010.
18. Junga, Steve (July 19, 2010). "New frontier ahead for area leagues". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 10, 2010.
19. Junga, Steve (January 15, 2021). "Northern Lakes League plans to expand; announces goal of 2, 8-team divisions". Toledo Blade . Retrieved March 22, 2021.
20. Junga, Steve (March 22, 2021). "Maumee to leave NLL, join NBC". Toledo Blade . Retrieved March 22, 2021.
21. "In the Beginning…Constant Changing High School Athletic Conferences". Stateline Sports Network . April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
22. "Fremont Ross accepts Northern Lakes League Invitation". Fremont News Messenger . April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
23. "Findlay joins Northern Lakes League". Findlay Courier . April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
24. https://go.boarddocs.com/oh/washlsd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BYYH8R474A59 Washington Local Schools Board Minutes (April 21, 2021). Retrieved April 22, 2021
25. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cddd133064ef10001330483/t/63728440dc09c60c559b5c9f/1668449345538/Press+Release+-+Divisions+11_2022.pdf Northern Lakes League Press Release - NLL Divisions (Nov. 11, 2022). Retrieved Nov. 18, 2022 |source=https://www.nllsports.com/
26. "Liberty-Benton accepts invitation to join Northern Lakes League". The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) . January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
27. Junga, Steve (August 20, 2008). "Preview: Southview picked again in NLL". Toledo Blade . Retrieved September 12, 2010.

External links

• List of NLL Football Champions
• 5 from SLL join Rossford for new league
• Napoleon replaces Rossford in NLL
• NLL Basketball Standings with 10 Members, Toledo Blade, January 26 1963