Southern Ohio Conference


The Southern Ohio Conference is an athletic conference in Ohio. The conference is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, the governing body of Ohio athletics. There are currently seventeen member schools in the conference. The S.O.C. includes teams from five different Ohio counties - Jackson County (Oak Hill High School), Lawrence County, Pike County, and Scioto County. Portsmouth High School will join the conference in 2027. The conference recognizes: baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, football, boys' and girls' soccer, fast pitch softball, boys' and girls' swimming, boys' and girls' tennis, boys' and girls' track and field athletics, and girls' volleyball.
It is listed as part of the Ohio High School Athletic Conferences.

Conference Information

Football
SOC Division I: East, Eastern, Green, Notre Dame, Symmes Valley, South Gallia
SOC Division II: Minford, Northwest, Oak Hill, Portsmouth West, Valley, Waverly, & Wheelersburg
Basketball/Volleyball/Baseball/Softball
SOC Division I: Clay, East, Ironton St. Joseph, Glenwood Green, Notre Dame
SOC Division II: Eastern, Northwest, Oak Hill, South Gallia, Symmes Valley, Western
SOC Division III: Minford, Portsmouth West, South Webster, Valley, Waverly, Wheelersburg

Southern Ohio Conference Mem

Source:

S.O.C. Division I (Smaller Schools)

S.O.C. Division II (Larger Schools)

Minford Falcons2
  • McDermott Northwest Mohawks2 *plays in smaller division for footballOak Hill Oaks *played in smaller division for football until 2019
  • West Portsmouth Portsmouth West Senators South Webster Jeeps4 *plays in smaller division for golf and boys soccer until 2019
  • Lucasville Valley Indians2 *plays in smaller division for boys soccerWaverly Tigers1 Wheelersburg Pirates2, 3
  • Beaver Eastern Eagles4
  1. Concurrent with Pike County League 1946-64.
  2. Concurrent with SCL from entry into SOC until 1979.
  3. Concurrent with Ohio Valley Conference 1954-57.
  4. Concurrent with southeastern Tri-County League from entry into SOC until 1985

Former Members

  1. Concurrent with Lawrence County League for the duration of SOC membership.

Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships and appearances

Portsmouth ClayEast Eastern PikeFranklin Furnace Green
  • MinfordNew BostonNotre DameOak HillSouth Webster
  • Symmes ValleyLucasville ValleyWaverlyPortsmouth West
  • '''Wheelersburg'''

Notable coaches' and player awards

Terri Boldman - Clay Coaches' Hall of Fame, one of only two S.O.C. coaches to lead girls' basketball team to OHSAA Final Four Ed Cable - Recipient of the Ohio Sportsmanship, Ethics, & Integrity Softball Coaches' Award Odie Estep - Ohio Softball Coaches' Hall of Fame Arch Justus - Ohio Basketball Coaches' Hall of Fame, Clay Coaches' Hall of Fame, won 532 total basketball gamesDavid Leightenheimer - Clay Coaches' Hall of Fame & OHSAA Officials' Hall of FameKinney Long - Clay Coaches' Hall of FameEd Miller - Ohio Football Coaches' Hall of Fame, won two Associated Press state titles with Notre Dame in 1967 and 1970 and a Division IV OHSAA title with Wheelersburg in 1989Teresa Ruby - played in the first four OHSAA state softball Final Four tournaments, won two state softball championships in 1980 & 1981 and finished second in 1979, played in the 1980 girls' basketball Final Four, led her softball team to the 2007 state Final Four, holds many Clay basketball records, has her number retired by the school. She also has a star on the Portsmouth Wall of Stars.Carol Vice - Clay Coaches' Hall of Fame, Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame ; Star on Portsmouth's Wall of Stars, made it to the Final Four in softball 9 of 10 years as a coach, won three OHSAA state softball titles while also finishing as runners-up twice, only softball coach from S.O.C. to win a softball titleNorm Persin - Oak Hill Basketball - voted National Basketball Coach of The Year in 2009.