TheToledo Area Athletic Conference (TAAC) is a high school athletic conference located innorthwest Ohio, with member schools stretched acrossLucas,Williams, andWood counties. It was formed in 1988,[1] and the league sponsorsfootball,cross country,volleyball,golf,basketball,wrestling,baseball,softball, andtrack & field.
| School | Nickname | Location | Colors | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Stritch Catholic[a] | Cardinals | Oregon | Red, Black | 1995 |
| Emmanuel Christian[a] | Warriors | Toledo | Green, White | 1988 |
| Maumee Valley Country Day[a] | Hawks | Toledo | Navy, White | 1988 |
| Ottawa Hills | Green Bears | Ottawa Hills | Kelly Green, White | 1988 |
| Toledo Christian[b] | Eagles | Toledo | Blue, Gold | 1988 |
| School | Nickname | Location | Colors | Joined | Sport(s) | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edon | Bombers | Edon | Royal Blue, White | 2005 | Football | Buckeye Border Conference |
| Erie Mason | Eagles | Erie Township | Blue, Gold | 2025 | Football | Tri-County Conference |
| Hilltop | Cadets | West Unity | Red, White | 2005 | Football | Buckeye Border Conference |
| Montpelier | Locomotives | Montpelier | Navy Blue, Columbia Blue, White | 2016 | Football | Buckeye Border Conference |
| North Central | Eagles | Pioneer | Maroon, Black, White | 2025 | Football | Buckeye Border Conference |
| Pettisville | Blackbirds | Clinton Township | Black, Gold, White | 2020 | Boys Soccer | Buckeye Border Conference |
| Summerfield | Bulldogs | Summerfield Township | Orange, Black | 2025 | Football | Tri-County Conference |
| Whiteford | Bobcats | Whiteford Township | Blue, Gold | 2025 | Football | Tri-County Conference |
| School | Nickname | Location | Colors | Membership Type | Tenure in League | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiffin Calvert | Senecas | Tiffin | Royal Blue, White | Full | 2014-2016 | |
| Danbury | Lakers | Lakeside | Blue, White | Full | 1988-2018 | |
| Gibsonburg | Golden Bears | Gibsonburg | Orange, Black | Full | 2011-2018 | |
| Lorain Catholic | Spartans | Lorain | Scarlet, Gray | Football-only | 1999-2004 | |
| Northwood | Rangers | Northwood | Blue, Yellow | Full | 2000-2025 | |
| Stryker | Panthers | Stryker | Blue, White | Football-only | 2018-2019 | |
The TAAC began in 1988 when long-time rivalsDanbury,Emmanuel Christian (then known as Emmanuel Baptist),Maumee Valley, andOttawa Hills joined together with the recently expandedToledo Christian (formerlyMcAuley High School) to compete in basketball. WhenCardinal Strich joined in 1995 after going without sports for a while, the league teamed with theBuckeye Border Conference to create the 12-teamToledo Buckeye League, which involved cross-over games with both leagues' members.[2] This setup only lasted until June 1998, but both leagues continue to have members compete against each other.[3]
The first season for TAAC football was in 1999 with Cardinal Stritch, Danbury, Ottawa Hills, Toledo Christian and the recently added football-onlyLorain Catholic competing for the inaugural title.[4]
In 2000,Northwood left the Suburban Lakes League for the TAAC, wanting to compete with schools closer to their size.[5] They initially joined in all sports but football (competing as an independent in 2000), but fully joined the league the next year.
The TAAC lost its first member when Lorain Catholic closed at the end of the 2003-04 school year.[6]
Tired of competing in the Southern Central Athletic Association that was composed of several Michigan schools,Edon andHilltop left to compete as football-only members in the TAAC in 2005. Former ties created in the old TBL made for the easy transition.
Emmanuel Baptist changed its name to Emmanuel Christian in the spring of 2006.[7]
In September 2009,Gibsonburg applied for membership when it became evident that the Suburban Lakes League was going to fold in the spring of 2011. On October 7, they were admitted as the 8th full member school in the league, after being complimented for their facilities and comparable enrollment to current members. They became a full-voting member on January 1, 2010 and joined the league for the 2011–12 school year.[8]
Former commissioner Dick Nowak noted that although the league was set with members, their five-year plan involved adding two more members and possibly going to a two-division format. He would not indicate which schools are interested in TAAC membership at the time. Rick Kaifas became the new TAAC commissioner on April 6, 2011.
In July 2012,Lakota High School andFremont St. Joseph CC both sent letters of inquiry about joining the TAAC, concerned that theMidland Athletic League would dissolve after losing many members to other new leagues.[citation needed]
On May 13, 2013,Tiffin Calvert announced that they would join the TAAC right after the Midland Athletic League disbanded in the spring of 2014.[9]
In May 2014, the TAAC approved addingNWOAL memberMontpelier to its league for football only beginning with the 2016 season. Montpelier's school board approved the move in June 2014.[10][11]
On December 10, 2014, Tiffin Calvert announced plans to leave the TAAC early and join theSandusky Bay Conference beginning with the 2016–17 school year as part of the SBC's expansion plans.[12]
On March 16, 2017, Danbury announced plans to join theSandusky Bay Conference in the River Division of the Conference beginning in the 2018–19 school year. They will be exiting the TAAC as one of the first original members of the conference when it first formed in 1988.[13]
On March 20, 2017, Gibsonburg also announced plans to leave the TAAC with Danbury to join the Sandusky Bay Conference in the River Division of the Conference beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. They will be exiting the TAAC as members since the 2011–12 school year.[14]
In May 2017, it was announced thatStryker will join the league as a football-only member for the 2018 season.[15]
In October 2019, Stryker and Toledo Christian agreed at a meeting to form the newNorthern 8 Football Conference forOHSAA schools that are committing to play8-man football for the future.[16] The OHSAA does not currently sponsor the 8-man game,[17] but several member schools resorted to that option recently instead of playing the traditional 11-man game or choosing not to play out the season.[18] Stryker and Toledo Christian will forfeit their football membership in the TAAC, but will remain members of the Buckeye Border Conference and the TAAC respectively, for all other sports.
Beginning in the fall of 2020, Pettisville joined the league for boys soccer only.
In June 2022 the TAAC met with Michigan'sTri-County Conference to discuss a possible merger between the two leagues.[19] Around this time Cardinal Stritch announced that they would not field an 11-man football team for the 2022 season. They were able to return to 11-man for the 2023 season.[20]
In January 2024, Northwood and theSandusky Bay Conference announced that the Rangers would be joining the SBC River Division for the 2025–26 school year.[21]
In October 2024, it was announced that one school from Ohio,North Central, and three schools from Michigan,Erie Mason,Summerfield, andWhiteford, would join the league as football-only members starting with the 2025 season. North Central was a football independent and is a member of the Buckeye Border Conference along with Edon, Hilltop, and Montpelier for all other sports. Erie Mason, Summerfield, and Whiteford were the three remaining 11-man football members of their Michigan conference, the Tri-County Conference.[22][23]
In December 2024, Toledo Christian announced it would return to 11-man football as an independent in 2025, and will return to the Toledo Area Athletic Conference in 2026.[24]
On March 3, 2025 Ottawa Hills announced it would follow Northwood to the SBC in 2026.[25]
In October 2025, the seven football only members of the conference (Edon, Erie Mason, Hilltop, Montpelier, North Central, Summerfield, Whiteford) announced they were leaving the TAAC after the 2025 season to form the football onlyGreat Lakes Conference along with Sand Creek from Michigan in 2026.[26] This would make Toledo Christian the only 11 man football team remaining in the conference, as it planned to return to a league schedule in 2026 after playing as an independent in 2025.
| Year | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Cardinal Stritch |
| 2000 | Ottawa Hills |
| 2001 | Northwood |
| 2002 | Northwood |
| 2003 | Northwood |
| 2004 | Northwood, Ottawa Hills |
| 2005 | Ottawa Hills |
| 2006 | Cardinal Stritch |
| 2007 | Northwood |
| 2008 | Northwood |
| 2009 | Northwood |
| 2010 | Toledo Christian |
| 2011 | Northwood |
| 2012 | Northwood |
| 2013 | Northwood |
| 2014 | Calvert |
| 2015 | Gibsonburg |
| 2016 | Gibsonburg, Montpelier |
| 2017 | Gibsonburg, Ottawa Hills |
| 2018 | Northwood |
| 2019 | Northwood |
| 2020 | Northwood |
| 2021 | Edon |
| 2022 | Ottawa Hills |
| 2023 | Ottawa Hills |
| 2024 | Ottawa Hills |
| 2025 | Whiteford |
| Year | Champion(s) | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1988-89 | Ottawa Hills, Emmanuel Baptist | 6-2 |
| 1989-90 | Ottawa Hills, Emmanuel Baptist | 7-1 |
| 1990-91 | Ottawa Hills | 7-1 |
| 1991-92 | Toledo Christian | 8-0 |
| 1992-93 | Maumee Valley | 6-2 |
| 1993-94 | Danbury | 8-0 |
| 1994-95 | Danbury | 7-1 |
| 1995-96 | Ottawa Hills | 9-1 |
| 1996-97 | Ottawa Hills | 10-0 |
| 1997-98 | Emmanuel Baptist | 10-0 |
| 1998-99 | Danbury | 8-2 |
| 1999-00 | Danbury | 8-2 |
| 2000-01 | Danbury | 9-3 |
| 2001-02 | Maumee Valley | 9-3 |
| 2002-03 | Danbury, Ottawa Hills | 10-2 |
| 2003-04 | Ottawa Hills | 11-1 |
| 2004-05 | Danbury | 12-0 |
| 2005-06 | Toledo Christian | 12-0 |
| 2006-07 | Toledo Christian | 12-0 |
| 2007-08 | Ottawa Hills, Toledo Christian | 11-1 |
| 2008-09 | Ottawa Hills, Toledo Christian | 11-1 |
| 2009-10 | Ottawa Hills | 12-0 |
| 2010-11 | Ottawa Hills | 11-1 |
| 2011-12 | Maumee Valley | 13-1 |
| 2012-13 | Toledo Christian | 13-1 |
| 2013-14 | Ottawa Hills | 14-0 |
| 2014-15 | Gibsonburg | 16-0 |
| 2015-16 | Ottawa Hills | 15-1 |
| 2016-17 | Toledo Christian | 14-0 |
| 2017-18 | Cardinal Stritch | 14-0 |
| 2018-19 | Cardinal Stritch | 9-1 |
| 2019-20 | Toledo Christian | 9-1 |
| 2020-21 | Cardinal Stritch | 5-0 |
| 2021-22 | Ottawa Hills | 8-2 |
| 2022-23 | Emmanuel Christian | 9-1 |
Ohio High School Athletic Conferences