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Since 1972-73, 10 different schools have competed for the Suburban Lakes League championships. This upcoming school year will be the final year.
At every school, there have been championship teams. Almost every community believes it’s high school students can compete with other schools, even when their community’s school has a smaller enrollment.
Take Rossford, for instance. Rossford dominated in the Northern Lakes League in the late 1960s when Eastwood, Lake, Genoa, and Elmwood were members. It was a smaller school in the league then, but today it is a much smaller school than growing enrollments at Perrysburg, Sylvania, Anthony Wayne, and Springfield.
If you asked a Rossford old-school resident why the school remains in the NLL, when many of its team struggle year after year, they will deny the school is not competing. Granted, certain classes win championships, especially in sports where enrollment and depth is not a significant factor. But over time, high school students are high school students, no matter where you go, and it shows when you average out the numbers.
In 2011-12, the Northern Buckeye Conference will begin competition with Fostoria, Rossford, and former SLL members Eastwood, Lake, Elmwood, Woodmore, Otsego, and Genoa. SLL charter member Gibsonburg will begin its first year of competition in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference.
The SLL began in 1972-73 with eight schools — Eastwood, Elmwood, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Lakota, Oak Harbor, Otsego, and Woodmore.
Long time Eastwood golf coach Mike Gardner has been keeping track and documenting which schools have won championships since that first season 48 years ago. He has been averaging the championships out, and the results can be shown in an adjacent chart to this article. His book which spells out his research is nearly 50 pages in length, but he says the story isn’t about him, it’s about what his research reveals.
For example, Woodmore, which will be among the smallest schools in the NBC, and Lakota, which left the SLL because school enrollment was decreasing and athletic teams was underperforming compared to early years, have actually done well quite well over the course of time in the SLL.
Both schools have over performed in track and cross country, and in Lakota was outstanding in wrestling at one time. Gardner attributes points to each school in each sport on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, and if there are six teams competing, for instance, it’s 8-7-6-5-4-3, then he adds the points up and averages it out.
“Lakota had a trend. If you look back at the overall points over all sports, through the mid-80s and into the 90s they were very dominating in some things,” Gardner.
Gardner says his research shows that entering the decade of the 1990s, Lakota was still ahead of Eastwood overall in boys sports total ranking accumulated up until that time. However, in the 80s, many Eastwood teams were struggling.
First of all, when the league formed Eastwood’s enrollment wasn’t significantly different than many of the other schools. Today, Eastwood’s enrollment is significantly higher, especially in the girls sports.
For the first seven years only seven boys’ sports counted towards the All-Sports Award. They were baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, wrestling, and track.
Girls sports began in 1974-75, but they did not count toward the All-Sports Award until 1975-76. The sports were volleyball, basketball, and track.
Girls cross country was added and began counting toward the All-Sports Award in 1979-80. Only five schools had cross country in that first year. Genoa, Gibsonburg, and Oak Harbor did not. Oak Harbor added girls cross country in 1980-81. Genoa and Gibsonburg added girls cross country in 1987-88.
Oak Harbor’s last year in the league was 1985-86, leaving to rejoin the Sandusky Bay Conference. The next year, Northwood replaced Oak Harbor.
Girls softball was added and began counting toward the All-Sports Award in 1992-93. Only six schools had softball that first year. Gibsonburg and Lakota did not. Lakota added softball in 1994-95 and Gibsonburg added softball in 1995-96.
Lake was admitted to the league as a ninth member in 1996-97. Northwood’s last year was 1999-2000, leaving for the TAAC and bringing the SLL back to eight members.
Boys soccer was added and began counting toward the All-Sports Award in 2006-07. Only five schools had boys soccer in that first year. Elmwood, Gibonsburg, and Lakota did not.
Girls soccer was added and began counting in 2008-09. Only five girls had girls soccer that first year — Elmwood, Gibsonburg, and Lakota did not.
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