Northeastern Athletic Conference
The Northeastern Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference made up of several schools from Trumbull, Portage, Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties in Ohio. They compete in the Ohio High School Athletic Association.[1]
History
[edit]Founded in 2002, the Northeastern Athletic Conference was made up of members of the now defunct East Suburban Conference. The founding members are Bristol, Bloomfield, Chalker, Lordstown, Maplewood and Pymatuning Valley.[2][3]
Two more nearby schools, Badger and Mathews High School would both respectively join the following year in 2003.
In 2008, the league would grow bigger with Ledgemont High School being accepted into the NAC after leaving the East Suburban Conference.
In 2009, the league would accept more members Grand Valley High School joining. The league would also begin conference play for the first time for Football this year. Cleveland Lutheran East would join 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 conference the Portage Trail Conference.[4]
in 2014, the NAC would be down a member for the first time since the league's creation with Ledgemont High School closing after the 2013–2014 school year with a territory transfer with Berkshire High School.[5] However, they wouldn't look far for their replacement as Newbury High School would join the NAC after leaving the Chagrin Valley Conference.[6]
in 2019 after 10 years being in the conference, Grand Valley would announce their intention on joining the Chagrin Valley Conference.[7]
in 2020, the league would find Grand Valleys replacement in Fairport Harding High School, who joined the league after their 15-year long tenure in the Chagrin Valley Conference.[8]
in 2022, despite playing a conference schedule with the league for years, Ashtabula St. John High School would finally be accepted into the NAC[9]
in 2020, Newbury High School would close. The school would merge with West Geauga.[10]
in 2021, Chalker would leave the NAC for football, after cancelling their 2021 season due to lack of players.[11] Chalker will remain out of the league as a conference opponent for at least a few more years with them now being a part of the Northern 8 Football Conference. (8-man football)[12]
in 2024, Grand Valley would re-join the NAC after a 5-year tenure with the Chagrin Valley Conference.[13]
in 2025, the NAC would accept another nearby school with Cardinal High School in Middlefield, joining after leaving the Chagrin Valley Conference.[14]
Fairport Harding had announced their intention in 2025 to play one more year with the NAC before re-joining their former conference, Chagrin Valley Conference, ending their tenure with the NAC after 6 years.[15]
Current members
[edit]Stripes Conference
| School | Location | Nickname | Colors | Division | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol High School | Bristolville | Panthers | Black & Gold
|
Stripes | 2002- | no football |
| Bloomfield High School | Bloomfield | Cardinals | Red & Black
|
Stripes | 2002- | no football |
| Chalker High School | Southington | Wildcats | Orange & black
|
Stripes | 2002- | not in conference for football |
| Lordstown High School | Lordstown | Red Devils | Red & Blue
|
Stripes | 2002- | no football |
| St. John High School | Ashtabula | Heralds | Navy Blue & White
|
Stripes | 2022- | |
| Windham High School | Windham | Bombers | Black & Gold
|
Stripes | 2013- |
Stars Conference
| School | Location | Nickname | Colors | Division | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Badger High School | Kinsman | Braves | Red & white
|
Stars | 2003- | no football |
| Cardinal High School | Middlefield | Huskies | Red Black & White
|
Stars | 2025- | |
| Grand Valley High School | Orwell | Mustangs | Royal Blue, Navy Blue, White and Grey
|
Stars | 2009-2019;2024- | |
| Fairport Harding High School | Fairport Harbor | Skippers | Maroon & White
|
Stars | 2020-2026 | Leaving for Chagrin Valley Conference in 2026. |
| Maplewood High School | Mecca | Rockets | Blue & White
|
Stars | 2002- | no football |
| Mathews High School | Vienna | Mustangs | Red Black & White
|
Stars | 2003- | |
| Pymatuning Valley High School | Andover | Lakers | Maroon & Gold
|
Stars | 2002- |
Former members
[edit]| School | Location | Nickname | Colors | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legdemont High School | Thompson | Redskins | Red & white
|
2008-2014 | School closed in 2014. merged with Berkshire High School. |
| Lutheran East High School | Cleveland Heights | Falcons | Blue & White
|
2009-2012 | football only joined in 2009. left conference in 2012 to become independent. |
| Newbury High School | Newbury | Black Knights | Orange & black
|
2014-2020 | School closed in 2020. merged with West Geauga High School. |
| Valley Christian High School | Youngstown | Eagles | Royal Blue & Gold
|
2009-2010 | Only joined conference for one season. Left to become independent in 2010 |
Championships
[edit]List of conference championships since 2002
| Year | Football | Boys Golf | Girls Golf | Boys Cross Country | Girls Cross Country | Volleyball | Girls Basketball | Boys Basketball | Baseball | Softball |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Pymatuning Valley | St. John | Maplewood | Bristol | St. John | Mathews | ||||
| 2023-24 | Pymatuning Valley | St. John | Badger | Bristol | St. John | Mathews | ||||
| 2022-23 | Pymatuning Valley | St. John | Badger | Pymatuning Valley | Mathews | Chalker/Pymatuning Valley | ||||
| 2021-22 | Pymatuning Valley | Badger | Maplewood | Bristol | Mathews | Mathews | Mathews | |||
| 2020-21 | Pymatuning Valley | Badger | Bristol | Bristol | Pymatuning Valley | Mathews | ||||
| 2019-20 | Pymatuning Valley | Badger | Maplewood | Bristol | COVID - NO SEASON | COVID - NO SEASON | ||||
| 2018-19 | Windham | Newbury | Bristol | Pymatuning Valley | Bristol | Bristol | ||||
| 2017-18 | Grand Valley | Mathews | Pymatuning Valley | Bristol | ||||||
| 2016-17 | Grand Valley | Lordstown | Lordstown | Bristol | ||||||
| 2015-16 | Grand Valley | Grand Valley | Windham | Bristol | ||||||
| 2014-15 | Mathews | Windham | Windham | Maplewood | ||||||
| 2013-14 | Grand Valley | Windham | Pymatuning Valley | Maplewood | ||||||
| 2012-13 | Grand Valley | Ledgemont | Maplewood | Bristol | ||||||
| 2011-12 | Ledgemont | Pymatuning Valley | Pymatuning Valley | Mathews | ||||||
| 2010-09 | Ledgemont | Lordstown | Pymatuning Valley | Pymatuning Valley | ||||||
| 2009-10 | Valley Christian | Lordstown | Pymatuning Valley | Mathews | ||||||
| 2008-09 | N/A | Lordstown | Maplewood | Maplewood | ||||||
| 2007-08 | N/A | Lordstown | Maplewood | Pymatuning Valley | ||||||
| 2006-07 | N/A | Pymatuning Valley | Pymatuning Valley | |||||||
| 2005-06 | N/A | Pymatuning Valley | ||||||||
| 2004-05 | N/A | |||||||||
| 2003-04 | N/A | |||||||||
| 2002-03 | N/A |
References
[edit]- ^ "NAC Sports - Northeastern Athletic Conference Ohio". 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Murphy, Brian (2000-12-01). "NEC seeking to increase membership". News-Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "1960s a time of change in area school athletics". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Bly, Denise (2012-10-29). "G-Men - Bombers Football, The End of an Era". Weekly Villager. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Ledgemont Set to Close High School". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Newbury to Join NAC". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Greco, Michael (2018-04-20). "Edgewood, Grand Valley joining CVC in 2019-20". Star Beacon. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ updated, This story will be; JKampf.com, John Kampf; JKmapf.com, John Kampf; KampfJKampf.com, John (2019-04-26). "Fairport leaving Chagrin Valley Conference for NAC". News-Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Greco, Michael (2021-05-11). "St. John to join NAC starting in 2022-23 school year". Star Beacon. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Newbury, West Geauga schools to merge beginning in 2020-21". wkyc.com. 2019-01-08. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Chalker cancels first five contests". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Chalker to join 8-man league". tribtoday.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Dillaway, Warren; Beacon, Star; Ashtabula; read, Ohio·2 min (2023-06-29). "GV seeking return to NAC". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ 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.
- ^ 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.