The Ohio Cardinal Conference is an Ohio High School Athletic Association athletic league that began competition in 2003 and is made of member schools from Ashland, Holmes, Richland, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties in Ohio.
Members
School"The History of the Ohio Cardinal Conference." Ohio Cardinal Conference http://www.occsports.org/history.html. Accessed June 17, 2008.NicknameLocationColorsTenureNotesAshlandArrowsAshlandOrange, black 2003–DoverCrimson TornadoesDoverCrimson and gray 2025–LexingtonMinutemenLexingtonPurple, gold 2003–Madison ComprehensiveRamsMadison Twp.Green, white 2003–MansfieldTygersMansfieldOrange, brown 2003–New PhiladelphiaQuakersNew PhiladelphiaRed, black 2022–West Holmes KnightsMillersburgBlue, red, white 2003–Leaving for the Principals Athletic Conference in 2028WoosterGeneralsWoosterBlue, gold 2003–
Former members SchoolNicknameLocationColorsTenureNotesClear ForkColtsBellvilleGreen, black, white 2004–2017left for Mid-Ohio Athletic ConferenceMount VernonYellow JacketsMount VernonOrange, black 2016–2024left for Licking County LeagueOrrvilleRed RidersOrrvilleRed, White, black 2003–2016left for Principals Athletic Conference
History The Ohio Cardinal Conference derives its name from the historic Cardinal Conference, a former league that included New Philadelphia, Dover, Coshocton, Ashland, Wooster, Mansfield Malabar, and Mansfield Madison.
In 2001, athletic directors from several area schools met in Mansfield, Ohio, to discuss the creation of a new athletic conference. Seven schools agreed to form the Ohio Cardinal Conference (OCC). Five of the founding members—Ashland, Lexington, Mansfield Madison, Mansfield Senior, and Orrville—came from the now-defunct Ohio Heartland Conference.McCormick, Michael. "New league provides sense of rivalry." Coshocton Tribune, August 22, 2003 West Holmes joined from the Mohican-Area Conference, while Wooster joined from the Federal League. Clear Fork later became the conference’s first non-original member when it joined for the 2004–05 school year.
The conference experienced some administrative challenges in its early stages. The league’s first commissioner, Jim Glauer, resigned in 2002 before the OCC began official competition. He was replaced by Orrville athletic director Ron Dessecker, who continues to serve as the conference’s commissioner.Ogle, Gary. "Glauer leaves OCC." Mansfield News Journal, October 18, 2002.
Conference membership has evolved over time. West Holmes High School explored leaving the OCC to join the East Central Ohio League, reviving discussions that began in 2007. A departure in 2009–10 would have left the OCC with an odd number of teams, but West Holmes ultimately decided to remain in the conference.Dorksen, Aaron. "West Holmes' Kaufman explains interest in ECOL." The Wooster Daily Record, February 22, 2008.
In 2009, Triway High School received an invitation to join the OCC but declined, choosing to remain in the Principals Athletic Conference (PAC-8). Several years later, in March 2015, Orrville accepted an invitation to join the PAC-8 beginning in 2016. To replace Orrville, the OCC extended an invitation to Mount Vernon, which joined the conference that same year.
Further changes occurred in March 2016 when the OCC voted to remove Clear Fork following the 2017–18 school year. Clear Fork subsequently joined the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.
The conference expanded again in April 2020 when New Philadelphia was invited to become the OCC’s eighth member beginning with the 2022–23 school year. As part of the agreement, New Philadelphia was permitted to continue its Week 10 football rivalry with Dover, one of the oldest rivalries in Ohio high school football. Alt URL
Additional realignment occurred in December 2022 when Mount Vernon announced it would leave the OCC after the 2023–24 school year to join the Licking County League. To maintain conference membership levels, the OCC extended an invitation to Dover High School on December 13, 2023, to join the conference beginning with the 2025–26 school year, with football competition starting in 2026–27. Dover officially accepted the invitation on January 11, 2024.
West Holmes announced in March 2026, that they plan to depart from the OCC beginning the 2028–29 school year, with their intention on joining the Principals Athletic Conference.
State championships This table only includes state championships won by schools while a member of the Ohio Cardinal Conference:
School Sport Year(s)AshlandBoys' Bowling2025Clear ForkBoys' Baseball2010LexingtonGirls' Tennis Boys' Tennis
Girls' Cross Country
Boys' Cross Country2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 2004, 2013
2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
2015, 2017, 2025Madison Girls Soccer2020MansfieldnoneMount VernonnoneOrrvilleVolleyball2003West HolmesGirls' Basketball2014Woosternone
References
External links Ohio Cardinal Conference home