The Northern Ohio League (NOL) was an Ohio High School Athletic Association athletic league in north central Ohio that began competition in 1944 and disbanded in 2017 after six of its seven members joined the Sandusky Bay Conference.
All-time members
SchoolNicknameLocationColorsTenureLeft forCurrent league (2026) BellevueRedmenBellevueRed, White 1944-2017SBCSBC Lake Division, Northern Ohio Conference BucyrusRedmenBucyrusRed, White 1944–2002NCCN10ColumbianTornadoesTiffinBlue, Gold 1954-2017SBCSBC Lake Division, Northern Ohio Conference CrestlineBulldogsCrestlineBlue, White 1944–1954JACMBCFostoriaRedmenFostoriaRed, Black 2002–2011NBCNBCGalion TigersGalion Orange, Blue 1944–2011NCCMOACNorwalkTruckersNorwalkBlue, Gold 1944-2017SBCSBC Lake Division, Northern Ohio Conference OntarioWarriorsOntarioBlue, Gold 2013-2017MOACMOACSanduskyBlue StreaksSanduskyBlue, White 2011-2017SBCSBC Lake Division, Northern Ohio Conference ShelbyWhippetsShelbyRed, Gray 1944-2017SBCMOACUpper SanduskyRamsUpper SanduskyBlack, Orange 1944–2011NCCN10WillardCrimson FlashesWillardCrimson, White 1944-2017SBCSBC Bay/River Divisions
League History 1940s The NOL was formed in 1944 as the third-oldest high school league in Ohio. The original members were Bellevue, Bucyrus, Crestline, Galion, Norwalk, Shelby, Upper Sandusky and Willard.
1950s In 1954, Crestline left and was replaced by Tiffin Columbian.http://www.crawfordcountybasketball.com/northernohioleague.html Northern Ohio League Index, CrawfordCountyBasketball.com
2000s In what was accepted as a move based on competing with schools closer to their size, Bucyrus left after the 2001-02 school year for the North Central Conference and was replaced by Fostoria during winter of the 2002-03 school year. Fostoria had considered joining the NOL back in 1961. In February and March 2009, Upper Sandusky and Galion were accepted as the ninth and tenth members of the North Central Conference, beginning in fall 2011. Both schools had cited long travel for NOL games as partial factors. Meanwhile, Fostoria applied for membership in the Suburban Lakes League, but was initially turned down. In June 2009, the member schools of the NOL voted to accept Sandusky into the league, with competition beginning in 2011. On August 17, 2009, Fostoria voted to join the newly formed Northern Buckeye Conference in 2011 with Rossford, coming from the Northern Lakes League and Eastwood, Elmwood, Genoa, Lake, Otsego and Woodmore, all schools that are coming from the Suburban Lakes League. Clear Fork (Ohio Cardinal Conference) and Vermilion (West Shore Conference) are brought up as potential candidates to bring the league's membership back to 8 schools.
2010s After a proposal to merge with the Sandusky Bay Conference was turned down by SBC principals, the NOL sought out additional members for their league. Vermilion was initially admitted as a future member in 2011, to join in all sports but football for 2012-13, and for football in 2013-14. However, at a board meeting on June 11, 2012, they decided to recommit to the West Shore Conference and not leave for the NOL in 2012. Ontario was admitted as a member of the NOL for the 2013-14 school year. This happened a year before the North Central Conference folded in 2014. Galion was also invited to re-join the league, but they ultimately decided to join the MOAC after citing concern over potential league trips to Vermilion. According to the Willard Times-Junction, letters were sent to schools to consider NOL membership: former NOL members Upper Sandusky and Galion; Clyde, Edison, and Huron of the Sandusky Bay Conference; Clear Fork of the Ohio Cardinal Conference; and Western Reserve of the Firelands Conference. Because of their shrinking enrollment, it had been rumored that Willard considered options outside of the NOL, including the newly formed Northern 10 Athletic Conference. On March 8, 2016, Ontario announced that they would join the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in the 2017-18 school year as they were not invited to join the SBC. Eight days later, it was announced by Clyde High School principal William J. Webb that the remaining six NOL schools would join the Sandusky Bay Conference for the 2017-18 school year, ending the NOL after 73 years of competition.
Championships Boys Championships All league champions have been updated besides champions from Crestline, Fostoria and Galion.
Year Football Cross Country Golf Soccer Basketball Bowling Swimming Wrestling Baseball Track & Field Tennis 1944-45 Bellevue, Galion Bellevue Started 2014-15 Started 2008-09 1945-46 Upper Sandusky Norwalk Started 2008-09 Shelby Upper Sandusky 1946-47 Shelby Bellevue, Upper Sandusky Started 2008-09 Galion Upper Sandusky 1947-48 Upper Sandusky Bellevue Started 2008-09 Willard Upper Sandusky 1948-49 Bucyrus Bucyrus Started 2008-09 Galion 1949-50 Shelby Shelby, Willard Started 2008-09 Upper Sandusky 1950-51 Shelby Bucyrus, Galion Started 2008-09 Galion Upper Sandusky 1951-52 Bellevue Norwalk Bellevue Started 2008-09 Willard Shelby 1952-53 Shelby, Upper Sandusky Norwalk, Shelby Bellevue, Bucyrus, Shelby Started 2008-09 Bucyrus Bellevue 1953-54 Shelby Shelby Bellevue Started 2008-09 Galion Bellevue 1954-55 Shelby Shelby Shelby Started 2008-09 Shelby Shelby 1955-56 Upper Sandusky Shelby Shelby Started 2008-09 Shelby Shelby 1956-57 Shelby Shelby Started 2008-09 Galion Shelby 1957-58 Galion Galion Started 2008-09 Bucyrus 1958-59 Galion Upper Sandusky, Willard Started 2008-09 Bucyrus 1959-60 Shelby Norwalk Started 2008-09 Bucyrus 1960-61 Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Bucyrus 1961-62 Bellevue Norwalk Started 2008-09 Willard Columbian 1962-63 Bellevue Columbian Started 2008-09 Galion Columbian 1963-64 Bellevue, Bucyrus, Willard Upper Sandusky Started 2008-09 Galion Columbian Bellevue 1964-65 Bellevue Bucyrus Started 2008-09 Galion Shelby Bellevue 1965-66 Shelby Shelby Columbian Started 2008-09 Galion Columbian Shelby 1966-67 Bellevue Columbian Started 2008-09 Galion Columbian Bellevue, Shelby 1967-68 Shelby Bucyrus, Willard Started 2008-09 Galion, Shelby Shelby Shelby 1968-69 Shelby Norwalk Bellevue Started 2008-09 Galion, Shelby Shelby Bellevue 1969-70 Shelby Columbian Bellevue, Columbian Started 2008-09 Columbian, Willard Columbian Bucyrus 1970-71 Bucyrus Columbian Upper Sandusky Columbian Started 2008-09 Norwalk Columbian Upper Sandusky Bucyrus 1971-72 Columbian, Shelby Columbian Columbian Galion Started 2008-09 Norwalk Galion Shelby Bucyrus 1972-73 Bellevue Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Galion Bellevue 1973-74 Bellevue Norwalk Galion, Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Columbian Shelby 1974-75 Columbian, Norwalk, Shelby Bucyrus Shelby Galion Started 2008-09 Norwalk Norwalk Shelby Shelby 1975-76 Bellevue Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Norwalk, Shelby Shelby 1976-77 Norwalk Columbian Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Galion Shelby Norwalk 1977-78 Shelby Columbian Shelby Columbian Started 2008-09 Galion Upper Sandusky 1978-79 Galion Columbian Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Bellevue Columbian Columbian 1979-80 Willard Shelby Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Columbian Willard 1980-81 Shelby Shelby Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Columbian Norwalk, Shelby Galion Willard 1981-82 Bellevue Bellevue Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Shelby Galion Willard 1982-83 Bellevue Bellevue Shelby Bellevue Started 2008-09 Columbian Shelby Galion Columbian 1983-84 Columbian Bellevue Willard Started 2008-09 Shelby Columbian Columbian 1984-85 Shelby Bellevue, Shelby Bellevue Bellevue Started 2008-09 Shelby Shelby Norwalk 1985-86 Galion Bellevue Willard Started 2008-09 Shelby Shelby Norwalk 1986-87 Columbian, Galion Shelby Upper Sandusky Willard Started 2008-09 Columbian, Shelby Shelby Norwalk 1987-88 Columbian Columbian Upper Sandusky Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Columbian Columbian Norwalk 1988-89 Columbian Shelby Upper Sandusky Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bellevue Columbian Norwalk 1989-90 Columbian, Galion Columbian, Shelby Upper Sandusky Bellevue Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bucyrus Willard Norwalk 1990-91 Willard Columbian Willard Started 2008-09 Norwalk Bucyrus, Galion Columbian Norwalk 1991-92 Bellevue, Bucyrus, Willard Columbian Bellevue Shelby, Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bucyrus Columbian Shelby 1992-93 Bellevue Columbian Bellevue Bellevue, Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bucyrus Columbian Bucyrus, Shelby 1993-94 Bellevue Columbian Bellevue, Shelby Bellevue Started 2008-09 Bellevue, Norwalk Shelby, Upper Sandusky Willard Norwalk 1994-95 Bellevue Columbian Shelby Bellevue Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bellevue, Columbian Willard Norwalk 1995-96 Columbian Columbian Upper Sandusky Bellevue, Columbian Started 2008-09 Bellevue Columbian Upper Sandusky 1996-97 Bellevue, Columbian Willard Bellevue Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bucyrus, Galion Shelby Norwalk 1997-98 Bellevue, Galion Columbian Upper Sandusky Bellevue, Shelby Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bellevue Shelby Norwalk 1998-99 Shelby Columbian Shelby Shelby Started 2008-09 Bellevue Shelby Columbian Norwalk 1999-00 Bellevue, Willard Columbian Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Galion Columbian Norwalk 2000-01 Bellevue, Columbian, Shelby Columbian Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Norwalk Shelby Norwalk 2001-02 Bellevue, Columbian Columbian Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Bellevue, Columbian Shelby Norwalk 2002-03 Columbian Columbian Shelby Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Columbian Shelby Norwalk 2003-04 Bellevue, Columbian, Upper Sandusky Columbian Norwalk Fostoria Started 2008-09 Bellevue, Willard Galion Shelby Norwalk, Willard 2004-05 Bellevue Columbian Upper Sandusky Upper Sandusky Started 2008-09 Willard Bellevue Bellevue Norwalk 2005-06 Columbian Norwalk, Willard Willard Started 2008-09 Bellevue Norwalk, Shelby Galion Columbian, Norwalk 2006-07 Columbian Columbian Upper Sandusky Started 2008-09 Shelby Shelby Norwalk 2007-08 Columbian, Fostoria Willard Fostoria Started 2008-09 Bellevue Fostoria Shelby Bellevue 2008-09 Columbian, Fostoria Willard Columbian, Upper Sandusky Columbian Bellevue Fostoria Columbian Willard 2009-10 Galion Shelby Columbian, Shelby Columbian Bellevue, Columbian, Shelby Galion Norwalk Bellevue, Columbian, Norwalk Shelby Norwalk 2010-11 Columbian Columbian Upper Sandusky Norwalk, Shelby Galion Norwalk Norwalk Shelby Norwalk 2011-12 Sandusky Norwalk Willard Norwalk Sandusky Norwalk Columbian, Bellevue, Norwalk Bellevue Norwalk 2012-13 Columbian Norwalk Willard Norwalk Sandusky Sandusky Norwalk Norwalk Norwalk 2013-14 Columbian Columbian Bellevue Columbian Norwalk, Ontario Ontario Sandusky Ontario Norwalk Shelby 2014-15 Norwalk Willard Bellevue Norwalk Ontario Willard Ontario Bellevue, Sandusky Bellevue Sandusky Shelby 2015-16 Bellevue Norwalk Norwalk Ontario Ontario, Sandusky Columbian Shelby Bellevue Shelby Shelby Norwalk 2016-17 Sandusky Norwalk Norwalk Ontario Sandusky Sandusky Sandusky Sandusky Shelby Bellevue Norwalk Year Football Cross Country Golf Soccer Basketball Bowling Swimming Wrestling Baseball Track & Field Tennis
Girls Championships All league champions have been updated besides champions from Fostoria and Galion.