Western Reserve Conference

The Western Reserve Conference is a high school athletics conference made up of members from Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake counties in Northeast Ohio. They compete in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and began play in the 2015–16 school year. It is anticipated the current conference will cease operations at the end of the 2025–26 school year as all current members are planning on changing to other league affiliations for the 2026–27 school year. Historically, it is the fourth athletics conference to use the Western Reserve name, succeeding a previous Western Reserve Conference that existed from 1996 to 2007 and two other earlier leagues that existed in the early and mid 20th century.^[1][2]

Current members

Western Reserve Conference membership as of 2015.

School	Nickname	Location	Colors	Tenure	Notes
Chardon	Hilltoppers	Chardon	Red & black	2015–	leaving for Chagrin Valley Conference in 2026
Eastlake North	Rangers	Eastlake	Orange & black	2015–	leaving for Chagrin Valley Conference in 2026
Kenston	Bombers	Bainbridge	Blue & white	2015–	leaving for Suburban League in 2026
Mayfield	Wildcats	Mayfield	Green & white	2015–	leaving for Suburban League in 2026
Riverside	Beavers	Painesville	Black & gold	2015–	leaving for Greater Cleveland Conference in 2026
Willoughby South	Rebels	Willoughby	Columbia blue & gray	2015–	leaving for Chagrin Valley Conference in 2026

Earlier conferences

There are three earlier leagues in Northeast Ohio that used the Western Reserve name.

Trolley League/Western Reserve League

The first league to use the Western Reserve name was founded as the Trolley League in 1919. It assumed the name of Western Reserve League or Western Reserve Conference around 1931 after the Interurban trolley line was shut down.

School	Nickname	Location	Tenure	Notes
Cuyahoga Falls	Black Tigers	Cuyahoga Falls	1919–1929; 1937–1948	league dissolved
Kenmore	Cardinals	Akron	1919–1929	left for Akron City Series
Kent State	Blue Devils	Kent	1919–1937	left for the Metro League
St. Vincent	Fighting Irish	Akron	1938–1948	league dissolved
Bedford	Bearcats	Bedford	1921–?	departure year unknown
Ellet	Orangemen	Akron	1931–1937	left for Metro League
Medina	Battling Bees	Medina	?–1931	year joined unknown
Orrville	Red Raiders	Orrville	1920–1924; 1926–1929; 1932–1938
Ravenna	Ravens	Ravenna	1919–1948	league dissolved
Roosevelt	Rough Riders	Kent	1919–1948	league dissolved
Wadsworth	Grizzlies	Wadsworth	1931–1941

Lake Erie League/Western Reserve Conference

The second league to use the Western Reserve name was founded as the Lake County League in the 1920s. It was renamed the Western Reserve Conference in 1948 and existed until 1968.

School	Nickname	Location	Tenure	Notes
Conneaut	Trojans	Conneaut	1951–1959	left for Northeastern Conference
Edgewood	Warriors	Ashtabula	1962–1965	left for Northeastern Conference
Harbor	Mariners	Ashtabula	1951–1965	left for Northeastern Conference
Jefferson	Falcons	Jefferson	1954–1968	left for Northeastern
Fairport Harding	Skippers	Fairport Harbor	1948–1951; 1962–1968	left for Northeastern in 1951, rejoined in 1962 and left for Lake Shore Conference in 1968
Kirtland	Hornets	Kirtland	1948–1960	left for Great Lakes Athletic Conference
Rowe	Vikings	Conneaut	1951–1964	consolidated into Conneaut
Spencer	Wildcats	Geneva	1957–1961	consolidated into Geneva
Madison	Blue Streaks	Madison	1948–1968	left for Lake Shore League
Harvey	Red Raiders	Painesville	?–1928	year joined unknown.
Perry	Pirates	Perry	?–1968	year joined unknown, left for Lake Shore League
Wickliffe	Blue Devils	Wickliffe	?–1957	year joined unknown, left for Northeastern Conference
Union	Rangers	Willougby	?–1928	year joined unknown, left for Lake Shore League

Western Reserve Conference (1996)

The third Western Reserve Conference was established in 1996 and existed until 2007.

School	Nickname	Location	Tenure	Notes
Barberton	Magics	Barberton	1996–2005	left for Suburban League
Brush	Arcs	Lyndhurst	1996–2007	left for Northeast Ohio Conference
Cuyahoga Falls	Black Tigers	Cuyahoga Falls	1996–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Hudson	Explorers	Hudson	1997–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Kenston	Bombers	Bainbridge	1996–2005	left for Chagrin Valley Conference
Mayfield	Wildcats	Mayfield	1998–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Nordonia	Knights	Macedonia	1997–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Orange	Lions	Pepper Pike	1996–1998	left for Chagrin Valley Conference
Ravenna	Ravens	Ravenna	1996–2005	left for Portage Trail Conference
Roosevelt	Rough Riders	Kent	1996–2005	left for Portage Trail Conference
Solon	Comets	Solon	1996–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Stow–Munroe Falls	Bulldogs	Stow	1996–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
Twinsburg	Tigers	Twinsburg	1996–2007	merged into Northeast Ohio Conference
West Geauga	Wolverines	Chesterland	1996–1998	left for Chagrin Valley Conference

History

The first conference to use the Western Reserve name was founded in 1919 as the Trolley League with its member schools being located along the Interurban trolley line. The founding members were Cuyahoga Falls, Kenmore, Ravenna, Roosevelt, and Kent State. Later, Bedford, Orrville, and Medina, had stints as members. The trolley line was shut down in 1931, so the league was renamed as the Western Reserve League or Western Reserve Conference after the Connecticut Western Reserve, with Ellet and Wadsworth joining that season. St. Vincent joined in 1938, but by the mid-1940s, the league was down to only four members: Cuyahoga Falls, Roosevelt, Ravenna, and St. Vincent. After the 1947–48 season, the league disbanded.^[3]

The second Western Reserve Conference was originally known as the Lake County League and existed from the early 1920s. It assumed the WRC name beginning in 1948 and existed until 1968.

A third Western Reserve Conference began play in 1996, as the five remaining schools from the Metro League merged with five schools from the Chagrin Valley Conference. The founding members of this third WRC were Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Kenston, Orange, Roosevelt, Ravenna, Solon, Stow-Munroe Falls, West Geauga, and Twinsburg. West Geauga and Orange only played two seasons in the WRC before returning to the CVC. Hudson and Nordonia joined in 1997 to bring the total to twelve schools, followed by Brush and Mayfield in 1998 to replace West Geauga and Orange. From its foundation in 1996 until 2005, it was divided into North and South divisions, with six schools in each division. After the exits of Barberton, Ravenna, Roosevelt, and Kenston in 2005, the divisions were dissolved. At the conclusion of the 2006–07 school year, the league merged with the Pioneer Conference to form the Northeast Ohio Conference.

In 2013, it was announced that a new Western Reserve Conference, the fourth to use the name, would be created, with Chardon, Kenston, Mayfield, North, Riverside, and South joining from the PAC. The conference began play in the 2015-16 school year.^[4]

The current Western Reserve Conference will break up following the 2025-26 school year, as Kenston and Mayfield accepted invitations to join the Suburban League, while North, South, and Chardon are planning on joining the Chagrin Valley Conference. Riverside will join the Greater Cleveland Conference.^[5]

References

1. Leonard, Michael (June 28, 2015). "Northeast Ohio Conference Fades Into History With a Whimper". Tallmadge Express. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
3. Cuyahogan. Cuyahoga Falls City School District. 1948. p. 90. The Tigers, while playing only 500 ball, were able to bring to C.F.H.S. the Western Reserve league banner in the last season of its operation.
4. "New Conference Provides Top Competition for Area Teams". Geauga County Maple Leaf | Your News Resource in Geauga County. January 1, 1970. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
5. Lillstrung, Chris; News-Herald, The; Willoughby; read, Ohio·6 min (October 15, 2025). "Western Reserve Conference has, by and large, served its purpose in football | Opinion". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 20, 2025.