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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

High School Athletics: Findlay High rejected by City League
Diamond Mine Direct
By DAVE HANNEMAN

STAFF WRITER

With the Greater Buckeye Conference dwindling rapidly, Findlay High School's hopes of realigning with another athletic league took a severe blow Tuesday with the announcement that the school had been rejected by the Toledo City League.

Three current GBC schools -- Findlay, Lima Senior and Fremont Ross -- had applied for admission to the Toledo City League.

Fremont Ross was accepted into the TCL, reportedly by an 8-2 vote during Tuesday's meeting of the City League's Athletic Board of Control. Neither Findlay nor Lima Senior received the seven votes needed to be admitted.

"They really did not give me a reason," Findlay High Athletics Director Nate Weihrauch said.

"We'll be okay, though. We'll go back to the drawing board and see what we can do.

"We'll sit down with our administrators and coaches and see where we want to go from here. Something will come up. We'll be okay."

When the Great Lakes League disbanded in 2002, the Greater Buckeye Conference began operations for the 2003-04 school year. In addition to Findlay, Fremont Ross and Lima Senior, the GBC included Sandusky, Napoleon and Marion Harding.

Recent realignment in a number of leagues has eroded the GBC, however.

Sandusky was accepted into the Northern Ohio League, another conference undergoing a number of changes. Napoleon, the smallest school in the GBC, has accepted a bid to join the Northern Lakes League.

Sandusky and Napoleon will begin competition in their new leagues with the start of the 2011-12 school year.

Fremont Ross' acceptance to the TCL will leave only Findlay, Lima Senior and Marion Harding as GBC members.

All three schools have investigated a number of options, including the NOL, Western Buckeye League and Ohio Capital Conference (Mansfield-area schools). To date, however, no offers have been extended from any other leagues.

The Toledo City League currently consists of St. John's, St. Francis, Central Catholic, Whitmer, Rogers, Start, Waite, Bowsher, Libbey, Woodward, Scott and Oregon Clay. The addition of Fremont Ross will make the Toledo City League a 13-team conference, but there have been reports that one of the City League's public schools may be closed soon.

Despite the recent setback, Weihrauch remained upbeat and optimistic.

"The Findlay Athletic Department and Findlay City Schools will continuously pursue other opportunities for our student athletes," Weihrauch said via e-mail Tuesday night. "Throughout this process, emphasis will remain in providing competitive extra-curricular competition while maintaining fiscal responsibility in regards to travel and expenses.

"While leagues throughout the state continue to shuffle and change, we will look for the best opportunities for our student athletes."

Hanneman: 419-427-8408,

Send an e-mail to Dave Hanneman
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4 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Todd Miller wrote:
TCL
“ Although it seemed like a good fit, I'm not sure what the downside to going independent would be. All of the TCL schools will be scheduling non conference games that could include Findlay. Nate W could produce a great schedule that would benefit our student-athletes and provide good competition without tying us into a league that is bound to change in the coming years anyways. The only downside that I see is the lack of a League Championship. Go Trojans ”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:19:19 PM
Shawn wrote:
Toledo City League
“ Many of the Toledo schools are D1. That's not the reason they didn't take us. ”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 1:11:23 PM
Mac wrote:
City League
“ Many of the Toledo City League schools are Division II in football, although that didn't used to be the case. Enrollment at many of them has been declining. A couple of the schools have even dropped to Division II in three-division sports like wrestling and track. Many of the City League schools never would stand a chance against Findlay, especially in sports like tennis, soccer and golf that just don't get interest from students there. I'm sure that is a key reason many of the schools were against Findlay. ”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 11:54:27 AM
Doug Berger wrote:
Might be obvious
“ Aren't the TCL schools Division II? I could see why they wouldn't want a huge school like Findlay in their league. Probably the same reason Napoleon left the GBC.

Findlay is in a bad place since there aren't many if any Division I schools close by - sounds like any new league will mean a lot of long bus trips ”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:10:36 AM

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