Southwestern Conference (Ohio)

The Southwestern Conference is a Ohio High School Athletic Association athletic league that began conference play in 1937 and is made up of member schools of Cuyahoga and Lorain counties in Ohio. ^[1]

Current members

League members for the 2021-22 school year.

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Tenure	Notes
Avon	Eagles	Avon	Purple & Gold	2015-
Avon Lake	Shoremen	Avon	Maroon & Gold	1964-
Berea-Midpark	Titans	Berea	Blue & Orange	2013-
Elyria	Pioneers	Elyria	Cherry & White	2021-
Marion L. Steele	Comets	Amherst	Forest Green & Gold	1947-1958; 1986-
Midview	Middies	Grafton	Blue & Silver	2015-
North Ridgeville	Rangers	North Ridgeville	Navy Blue & Yellow	2015-
Olmsted Falls	Bulldogs	Olmsted Falls	Navy Blue & Yellow	1954-

Former members

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Tenure	Notes
Bay	Rockets	Bay Village	Blue, White and Red	1954-2005	left for West Shore
Berea	Braves	Berea	Scarlet and Blue	1937-1950; 2005-2013	left in 1950 for Greater Cleveland, consolidated into Berea-Midpark in 2013
Brecksville-Broadview Heights	Bees	Broadview Heights	Crimson and Gold	2005-2015	left for Suburban
Clearview	Clippers	Lorain	Blue and Gold	1945-1954	left for Lakeland
Fairview	Warriors	Fairview Park	Scarlet and Gray	1940-2005	left for West Shore
Medina	Bees	Medina	Green and Gold	1947-1986	left for Pioneer
Midpark	Meteors	Middlesburg Heights	Brown and Orange	2005-2013	consolidated into Berea-Midpark
North Olmsted	Eagles	North Olmsted	Orange and Black	1954-2021	left for Great Lakes
Oberlin	Indians	Oberlin	Blue, White and Red	1937-1964	left for Lakeland
Lakewood	Rangers	Lakewood	Purple & Gold	2015-2020	left for Great Lakes
Rocky River	Pirates	Rocky River	Maroon and White	1937-2005	left for West Shore
Wellington	Dukes	Wellington	Maroon and White	1945-1954	left for Lakeland
Westlake	Demons	Westlake	Forest Green and White	1954-2021	left for Great Lakes

Membership Timeline ^[2]

History

The Southwestern Conference was formed in the 1937 school year, with founding members Berea, Oberlin, and Rocky River

In 1940 Faiview joined the league

8 years after the start of the league, the SWC saw the addition of Wellington and Clearview, In 1945. Just 2 years later in 1947, Medina and Steele were admitted into the league.

In 1950, the first of the founding members Berea left for the Greater Cleveland Conference

In 1954, Olmsted Falls, Westlake and Bay joined as a replacement Clearview, Steele and Wellington who left for the Lakeland Conference.

In 1964, Avon Lake joined the SWC. Founding member Oberlin left the same year.

In 1986, Steele returned to the SWC. Medina left for the Pioneer Conference the same year.

In 2005, Bay, Fairview, and final founding member Rocky River, left for the West Shore Conference. The same year saw the addition of Brecksville-BroadviewHeights and Midpark

Beginning the 2013-2014 school year, Midpark High School merged with Berea High School to form the Berea-Midpark. ^[3]

Avon High School was approved to join the SWC in the 2015-16 school year to accommodate the Berea-Midpark merger. ^[4] Lakewood and Midview joined the same year. ^[5]

In 2013, Brecksville-Broadview Heights was invited to join the Suburban League, which they accepted after a board vote and left after the 2014-15 school year. ^[6]

In 2013, North Ridgeville agreed to join the SWC as a replacement for Brecksville-Broadview Heights in 2015-16. ^[7]

In 2019, Lakewood announced that it would leave the SWC following the 2019-2020 school year to join the Great Lakes Conference. January 2020, Elyria accepted the invitation to join the SWC in 2021-22 as a replacement for Lakewood ^[8]

In February 2020, North Olmsted and Westlake announced their departure from the SWC and joining the Great Lakes Conference in 2021-22. ^[9]

References

1. Perry, Mike (March 20, 2013). "Midview to join SWC in 2015-16". Ohio Prep Zone . Retrieved March 20, 2013.
2. "History - SWC Athletics". SWC Athletics. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
3. The 'Titans' is the Berea school district's new mascot starting in 2013-14
4. Barney, Paul (December 20, 2012). "Avon to move to Southwestern Conference in 2015-16". Ohio Prep Zone . Retrieved March 20, 2013.
5. Perry, Mike (March 20, 2013). "Midview to join SWC in 2015-16". Ohio Prep Zone . Retrieved March 20, 2013.
6. "Elyria and Lorain County news | Chronicle Telegram".
7. "Ohio Prep Zone". www.ohioprepzone.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013.
8. "Southwestern Conference to welcome Elyria in 2021-22". SWC Athletics. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
9. Goul, Matt; clevel; .com (February 20, 2020). "North Olmsted, Westlake leaving Southwestern Conference for Great Lakes Conference". cleveland. Retrieved February 20, 2020.