Ohio Southwest Region defunct athletic conferences


This is a list of former high school athletic conferences in the Southwest Region of Ohio, as designated by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. If a conference had members that span multiple regions, the conference is placed in the article of the region most of its former members hail from. Because the names of localities and their corresponding high schools do not always match and because there is often a possibility of ambiguity with respect to either the name of a locality or the name of a high school, the following table gives both in every case, with the locality name first, in plain type, and the high school name second in boldface type. The school's team nickname is given last.

Brown County League

The BCL was one of the local small-school county leagues in Southwest Ohio. Consolidation reduced the number of teams to five by 1967, and in 1970 these five joined with the Adams and Highland county leagues to form the Southern Hills Athletic League.
  • Aberdeen Pirates
  • Decatur Bulldogs
  • Fayetteville-Perry Rockets
  • Georgetown G-Men
  • Hamersville Hornets
  • Higginsport Wildcats
  • Mount Orab Mounties
  • Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington Bluejays
  • Russellville Ramblers
  • Sardinia Zephyrs
  • Sardinia Eastern Brown Warriors
  • Mount Orab Western Brown Broncos

    Butler County League

  • Fairfield Indians 1
  • Darrtown Hanover Eagles
  • Monroe Lemon-Monroe Hornets 2
  • Wetherington Liberty Lions
  • Oxford McGuffey Green Wave
  • Okeana Morgan Township Mustangs
  • Reily Bluebirds
  • Ross Rams 3, 4
  • Seven Mile Panthers 3, 4
  • Shandon Spartans
  • Somerville Eagles
  • Oxford Stewart Tigers
  • Trenton Trojans
  • West Chester Liberty-Union Thunderbirds
  • Jacksonburg Wayne Warriors
  • New Miami Vikings 5
  • Oxford Talawanda Braves 3
  1. Concurrent with MML 1951-53.
  2. Concurrent with Little 6 League 1939-51.
  3. Concurrent with Little Southwestern League 1956-59.
  4. Concurrent with Southwestern Ohio Conference 1959-65.
  5. Concurrent with SOC 1960-65.

    Cincinnati Public League/Interscholastic Athletic Association of Cincinnati

The Interscholastic Athletic Association was founded March 23, 1896, and continued for several years with both public and private high schools until 1931, when it rebranded itself as the Public High School League. Now encompassing solely the public high schools in Cincinnati, the league lasted until 1985, when reshuffling of city and suburban Cincinnati high schools took place, which led to the formation of the Cincinnati Hills League, Eastern Metro Conference, Metro County Conference, and Western Metro Conference.
This small-school county league is another that hosted members from outside their borders. In this case, Harveysburg from Warren County joined a few years before the conference ended, as the school would merge with three Clinton County schools to become Clinton-Massie. The school would actually be based in Harveysburg until a new school was built near Clarksville, in Clinton County. Blanchester was not included in the 1959–60 standings, due to growing to a AA-sized school by annexing Jefferson, but were allowed back into league play the following season. Blanchester and Clinton-Massie would concurrently play in the CCL and Fort Ancient Valley Conference for the 1964–65 school year, after which the other two CCL schools consolidated into East Clinton, who would join the FAVC nine years later.
  • Ogden Adams Eagles
  • Blanchester Wildcats
  • Clarksville Indians
  • Midland Jefferson Blue Jays
  • Kingman Bulldogs
  • Martinsville Rockets
  • New Vienna Tigers
  • Port William Bulldogs
  • Sabina Golden Eagles
  • Lees Creek Simon Kenton Tigers
  • Harveysburg Tigers
  • Harveysburg/Clarksville Clinton-Massie Falcons
  • New Vienna New Kenton Tigers

    Cross County Conference

The conference was originally the Darke County League, began in 1923. The League renamed itself after most of the Wayne Trace League merged with the DCL in 1978. The conference ended in 2021, as the schools split into the Three Rivers Conference and the Western Ohio Athletic Conference.
Former members
One of the short-lived conferences resulting from realignment in the Cincinnati area, the league merged into the Queen City Conference superconference in 1989.
The DVL was formed in 1956, as the Madison County League was reduced through consolidation from nine schools to four over a two-year period, forcing the schools to seek other schools to compete with. Growing from its five initial schools, the conference grew to 11 schools by 1963, but never achieved any sense of stability, as schools joined and left for other conferences throughout its existence. The conference folded in 1977, as five of its members left for other leagues at the same time.
  • Ashville-Harrison Broncos1
  • Jamestown Greeneview Rams2
  • Newport Madison-South Lions3
  • North Lewisburg Triad Cardinals4
  • West Jefferson Roughriders3
  • Plain City Jonathan Alder Pioneers6
  • Mount Sterling The Plains Blue Devils
  • Cedarville Indians
  • West Liberty-Salem Tigers
  • Yellow Springs Bulldogs
  • Ashville Teays Valley Vikings
  • Mechanicsburg Indians
  • South Charleston Southeastern Trojans
  • Xenia Woodrow Wilson Cadets
  • London Madison-Plains Golden Eagles5
  • Dayton Jefferson Broncos
  1. Concurrent with Pickaway County League 1956–61.
  2. Concurrent with Greene County League 1956–61.
  3. Concurrent with Madison County League 1956–57.
  4. Concurrent with Champaign County League 1956–61.
  5. Concurrent with South Central Ohio League 1974–75.
  6. Concurrent with Central Buckeye League 1976–77)

    Eastern Hills League

This conference began as Milford and New Richmond, kicked out of the Clermont County League after becoming exempt schools, joined with neighbors from far eastern Hamilton County. The league ended in 1985, as major realignment took place in the Cincinnati area.
  • Indian Hill Braves
  • Loveland Tigers
  • Madeira Mustangs
  • Mariemont Warriors
  • Milford Eagles
  • New Richmond Lions
  • Deer Park Wildcats
  • Montgomery Sycamore Aviators
  • Glen Este Trojans

    Eastern Metro Conference

One of the short-lived conferences resulting from realignment in the Cincinnati area, the league merged into the Queen City Conference superconference in 1989.
The FAVC started in 1964, as schools from the dwindling Clinton County League joined with the Warren County League, by 1999 the league became a superconference in the Southwest Region, as a large chunk of the Queen City Conference joined to help form two divisions. A later expansion took place in 2006, as the Mid-Miami League folded. However, this aggressive expansion also led to the conference's demise, as the schools decided to split into the Eastern Cincinnati Conference and Southwest Ohio Conference in 2012.

Girls Greater Catholic League

Conference Website: http://ggcl.gclsports.com/
The Girls' Greater Catholic League merged with the Greater Catholic League under one banner in 2013.
The Greater Miami Valley Conference began operation during the 1982–83 school year but folded at the conclusion of the 2000–01 school year when the league merged with the Western Ohio League, forming the Greater Western Ohio Conference. The initial GMVC was formed with six schools from the Miami Central Conference - Vandalia-Butler, Northmont, Piqua, Sidney, Trotwood-Madison, and Tecumseh. They were joined by Greenville from the Southwestern Buckeye League and Troy, which withdrew from the Western Ohio League. Tecumseh left the league at the conclusion of the 1989–90 school year and was replaced with West Carrollton from the Mid-Miami League. West Carrollton eventually left the GMVC after the 1998–99 school year to re-join the Mid-Miami League, but was not replaced, leaving the league with seven schools.
  • Troy Trojans
  • Vandalia Butler Aviators
  • Clayton Northmont Thunderbolts
  • Piqua Indians
  • Sidney Yellow Jackets
  • Greenville Green Wave
  • New Carlisle Tecumseh Arrows
  • Trotwood-Madison Rams
  • West Carrollton Pirates

    Greene County League

  • Beavercreek Beavers
  • Bellbrook Golden Eagles
  • Bowersville Bulldogs
  • Cedarville Indians
  • Xenia East Eagles
  • Fairborn Flyers1
  • Jamestown-Silvercreek Vikings
  • Grape Grove Ross
  • Spring Valley Spartans
  • Yellow Springs Bulldogs
  • Jamestown Greeneview' Rams2
  1. Concurrent with Little 6 League 1939–54.
  2. Concurrent with Darby Valley League 1956–61.

    Hamilton County League

  • Colerain Cardinals
  • Deer Park Wildcats
  • Finneytown Wildcats
  • Forest Park Chargers
  • Glendale Vikings
  • Greenhills Pioneers
  • Harrison Wildcats
  • Indian Hill Braves
  • Lockland Panthers
  • Madeira Mustangs
  • Mariemont Warriors
  • Mount Healthy Owls
  • North College Hill Trojans
  • Norwood Indians
  • Bridgetown Oak Hills Highlanders
  • Reading Blue Devils
  • St. Bernard-Elmwood Place Titans
  • Sharonville Engineers
  • North Bend Taylor Yellowjackets
  • Terrace Park Bulldogs
  • Wyoming Cowboys
  • Forestville Anderson Redskins
  • Loveland Tigers
  • Lockland Wayne Tigers
  • Glendale Princeton Vikings
  • Montgomery Sycamore Aviators
  • Lincoln Heights Tigers
  • Pleasant Run Northwest Knights
  • Turpin Hills Turpin Spartans
The HCL operated in an East-West divisional format until 1969, when it went to American and National divisions.
The table below shows the alignment the final school year of 1984-85 before the breakup of the league.
AmericanNational
AndersonFinneytown
ColerainGreenhills
Forest ParkHarrison
Mount HealthyNorth College Hill
NorthwestNorwood
Oak HillsReading
TurpinTaylor
Wyoming

Kenton Trace Conference

  • Blanchester Wildcats
  • Cedarville Indians
  • Clarksville Clinton-Massie Falcons
  • Sabina East Clinton Astros
  • Jamestown Greeneview Rams
  • London Madison-Plains Golden Eagles
  • South Charleston Southeastern Trojans
  • Waynesville Spartans
  • Yellow Springs Bulldogs

    Little Six League

A secondary conference for schools that were larger than most of their county peers, yet too small to be competitive amongst city schools. Football was the primary sport contested, though the league crowned champions in other sports as well. The league folded when all schools had left their county leagues for conferences with similar demographics.
  • Vandalia Butler Aviators 1
  • Fairborn Flyers 2
  • Franklin Wildcats 3
  • Lebanon Warriors 3
  • Monroe Lemon-Monroe Hornets 4
  • Northridge Polar Bears 5
  1. Concurrent with Montgomery County League 1939-41 and 1945–51, and SWBL 1941-45 and 1951-54.
  2. Concurrent with Greene County League 1939-54.
  3. Concurrent with Warren County League 1939-51, and MML 1951-54.
  4. Concurrent with Butler County League 1939-51, and MML 1951-54.
  5. Concurrent with MCL 1939-51, and MML 1951-54.

    Mad River Valley League

Originally the Clark County League, the MRVL gained its name in 1955, as the five remaining CCL members added Mechanicsburg, and later others from outside the original boundaries. The league's demise started in 1973, as four schools broke off to form the Three Rivers League in 1973, and folded the next year as three of the five remaining schools formed the Central Buckeye Conference.
  • Catawba Panthers
  • Enon Greenon Knights
  • Lawrenceville Bullskinners
  • New Moorefield Falcons
  • North Hampton Northwestern Warriors
  • Oak Grove Oaks
  • Olive Branch Spartans
  • Plattsburgh Pirates
  • Selma Spartans
  • South Charleston Southeastern Trojans
  • New Carlisle Tecumseh Arrows
  • Springfield Northeastern Jets
  • Mechanicsburg Indians
  • St. Paris Graham Falcons
  • Springfield Shawnee Braves
  • Covington Buccaneers
  • Casstown Miami East Vikings
  • Fairborn Park Hills Vikings

    Metro County Conference

A short-lived conference formed as a result of shifting Hamilton County schools in 1985, the league merged into the Queen City Conference in 1989.
The Miami Central Conference began operation during the 1975–76 school year but folded at the conclusion of the 1981–82 school year. Vandalia-Butler, Northmont, Piqua, Sidney, Trotwood-Madison, and Tecumseh withdrew from the MCC to form the Greater Miami Valley Conference with Greenville from the Southwestern Buckeye League and Troy from the Western Ohio League. Fairborn Baker and Fairborn Park Hills merged to become Fairborn and joined the Western Ohio League, while Miamisburg and West Carrollton joined the Mid-Miami League at the start of the 1982–83 school year.
  • Fairborn Baker Flyers
  • Vandalia Butler Aviators
  • Miamisburg Vikings
  • Clayton Northmont Thunderbolts
  • Fairborn Park Hills Vikings
  • Piqua Indians
  • Sidney Yellow Jackets
  • New Carlisle Tecumseh Arrows
  • Trotwood-Madison Rams
  • West Carrollton Pirates

    Miami County League

  • Phoneton Bethel Bees
  • Bradford Railroaders
  • Covington Buccaneers
  • Grayson Elizabeth Township Eagles
  • Lena-Conover Red Devils
  • Casstown Lostcreek Lions
  • West Milton Milton-Union Bulldogs
  • Pleasant Hill Newton Indians
  • Staunton Scotties
  • Tipp City Tippecanoe Red Devils
  • Potsdam Union Township Panthers
  • Staunton Miami Central Jets

    Miami Valley League

The Miami Valley League began competition during the 1926–27 school year, when the MVL held its first league championship in track. Football and basketball began with the 1927–28 school year. The league operated through the 1974–75 school year, when the three long-time members of the league formed the Miami Central Conference with similar-sized schools. In 2019 the league resumed competition after 10 teams left the Greater Western Ohio Conference. The Miami Valley League was resurrected in 2019.
Started in 1956 as Little Southwestern League when Little Miami of the Warren County League joined with Bishop Fenwick and three Butler County League teams, who remained in the BCL initially. Little Miami returned to the WCL and was replaced by Lakota in 1959, prompting a rebrand to become the Southwestern Ohio Conference. While temporarily staving off defections to the Mid-Miami League by absorbing the rest of the BCL and having members concurrently in the MML and SOC, the conference was down to four members by 1970. After changing the name to the PVL in 1972, the league only lasted three years, as New Miami and Ross joined the Wayne Trace League, while Edgewood and Madison retained their membership in the MML.
  • Middletown Bishop Fenwick Falcons
  • Morrow Little Miami Panthers
  • Hamilton Ross Rams1
  • Seven Mile Panthers1
  • Oxford Talawanda Braves1
  • West Chester Lakota Thunderbirds
  • Middletown Madison Mohawks3
  • Hamilton New Miami Vikings2
  • Oxford Reily Bluebirds
  • Trenton Trojans
  • Trenton Edgewood Cougars4
  1. Also played in Butler County League 1956–65.
  2. Also played in Butler County League 1960–65.
  3. Also played in Mid-Miami League 1966–75.
  4. Also played in Mid-Miami League 1971–75.

    Preble County League

  • Camden Cubs
  • College Corner Trojans1 |Union County
  • Five Points Dixon Dragons
  • Gratis Trojans
  • Campbellstown Jackson Redskins
  • New Paris Jefferson Hornets
  • Enterprise Lanier Tigers
  • Lewisburg Tigers
  • West Manchester Monroe Wildcats
  • Verona Vikings
  • West Alexandria Bulldogs
  • West Elkton Yellow Jackets
  • Camden Preble Shawnee Arrows 2, 5
  • West Alexandria Twin Valley South Panthers2, 5
  • New Paris National Trail Blazers3, 5
  • Lewisburg Twin Valley North Panthers4, 5
  1. Played concurrently in the PCL and Indiana's Union County Conference 1920's-1940, and Whitewater Valley Conference 1940–1967.
  2. Played concurrently in the PCL and Dayton Suburban League 1964–72.
  3. Played concurrently in the PCL and Dayton Suburban League 1968–72.
  4. Played concurrently in the PCL and Dayton Suburban League 1969–72.
  5. Played concurrently in the PCL and Southwest Ohio League 1972–74.

    Queen City Conference

After the Cincinnati Hills League left the Queen City Conference Alliance in 1989, the Cross County League, Eastern Metro Conference, Metro County Conference, and Western Metro Conference all combined to form this super-conference. It survived intact with a three division alignment until 1999, when seven members left for the Fort Ancient Valley Conference. Further defections led to the remaining schools to combine with the Dayton City League to form the Southwest Ohio Public League.

Football-Only League (2015-2018)

American Division
National Division
  • Cincinnati Aiken Falcons
  • Dayton Belmont Bison
  • Cincinnati Cincinnati College Prep Lions
  • Cincinnati Gamble Montessori Gators
  • Dayton Ponitz Career Technology Center Golden Panthers
  • Cincinnati Riverview East Academy Hawks
  • Cincinnati Woodward Bulldogs

    2002-07 League

American Division
National Division
Former members
Both teams played in the American Division while in SWOPL play. Both left for the Fort Ancient Valley Conference
  • Cincinnati Mount Healthy Fighting Owls
  • Cincinnati Walnut Hills Eagles

    Southwestern Rivers Conference

  • Springfield Catholic Central Irish
  • Covington Buccaneers
  • St. Paris Graham Falcons
  • Sidney Lehman Catholic Cavaliers
  • Casstown Miami East Vikings
  • West Milton Milton-Union Bulldogs
  • Tipp City Tippecanoe Red Devils
  • Versailles Tigers
  • Riverside Stebbins Indians
  • Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan Raiders

    Stillwater Valley League

  • Bradford Railroaders 1
  • Covington Buccaneers
  • West Milton Milton-Union Bulldogs 2
  • Pleasant Hill Newton Indians
  • Tipp City Tippecanoe Red Devils 2
  • Versailles Tigers 3
  1. Concurrent with MCL 1934-41 and 1942–64
  2. Concurrent with SWBL 1944-51.
  3. Concurrent with SWBL 1944-51.

    Warren County League

  • Carlisle Indians
  • Franklin Wildcats1
  • Harveysburg Tigers
  • Kings Mills Kings Knights
  • Lebanon Warriors1
  • Mason William Mason Comets
  • Morrow Little Miami Panthers
  • Springboro Panthers
  • Waynesville Spartans
  1. Concurrent with Little 6 League 1939–51.

    Wayne Trace League

The league began in 1922 as the Montgomery County League, then became the Dayton Suburban League in 1964 as the five remaining MCL schools branched out beyond the county. When the Southwestern Ohio Conference rebranded itself as the Paper Valley League in 1972, the DSL once again changed its name to the Southwestern Ohio League. Three years later, after a major shakeup where five schools left, and two Paper Valley League schools joined, leading to the WTL name. This only lasted three years, as most of the conference joined the Cross-County Conference in 1978.
  • Brookville Blue Devils
  • Vandalia Butler Aces1
  • Centerville Elks
  • New Lebanon Dixie Greyhounds
  • Kettering Fairmont Dragons
  • Dayton Fairview Bulldogs
  • Farmersville Wildcats
  • Germantown Cardinals
  • Miamisburg Vikings
  • Trotwood-Madison Rams
  • West Carrollton Pirates
  • Dayton Jefferson Broncos
  • Moraine Mustangs
  • Northridge Polar Bears2
  • Oakwood Lumberjacks
  • Phillipsburg Panthers
  • Englewood Randolph Township Bobcats
  • Huber Heights Wayne Warriors
  • Bellbrook Golden Eagles
  • Carlisle Indians
  • Camden Preble-Shawnee Arrows3
  • West Alexandria Twin Valley South Panthers3
  • Xenia Woodrow Wilson Cadets
  • Germantown Valley View Spartans
  • Lewisburg Twin Valley North Panthers4
  • New Paris National Trail Blazers4
  • Eaton Eagles
  • Hamilton New Miami Vikings
  • Hamilton Ross Rams
  1. Concurrent with Little 6 League 1939–41, and 1945–51.
  2. Concurrent with Little 6 League 1939–51.
  3. Concurrent with Preble County League 1964–74.
  4. Concurrent with Preble County League 1969–74.

    West Central Ohio Conference (WCOC)

The WCOC began in the 1930s as the Logan County League, rebranding itself as the WCOC in 1970, as the conference had long since grown past the Logan County borders. It lasted until 2001, when most of the schools split into the Northwest Central and Ohio Heritage conferences.
  • Belle Center Eagles
  • DeGraff Pirates
  • Huntsville Hunters
  • Valley Hi Monroe Township Mustangs
  • East Liberty Perry-Zane Jayhawks
  • Quincy Trojans
  • Rushsylvania Rockets
  • Lakeview Stokes Township Spartans
  • Rushsylvania Buckeye Local Bucks
  • Lewistown Washington Local Eagles
  • West Liberty West Liberty-Salem Tigers
  • West Mansfield Trojans
  • Zanesfield-Monroe Indians
  • Middlefield Zane Township Middies
  • Lewistown Indian Lake Lakers
  • Zanesfield Logan Hills Indians
  • Waynesfield-Goshen Tigers
  • Milford Center Fairbanks Panthers
  • Degraff Riverside Pirates
  • Ridgeway Ridgemont Golden Gophers
  • Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan Raiders
  • Mechanicsburg Indians
  • North Lewisburg Triad' Cardinals

    Western Metro Conference

  • Cincinnati Greenhills Pioneers
  • Harrison Wildcats
  • Cincinnati Hughes Center Big Red
  • North College Hill Trojans
  • North Bend Taylor Yellow Jackets
  • Cincinnati Taft Senators

    Western Ohio League

Founded as a conference for larger schools in the Dayton suburban area, the league merged with the Greater Miami Valley Conference to form the Greater Western Ohio Conference in 2001.