Ohio Cardinal Conference
High school athletic conference from Ohio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ohio Cardinal Conference is an Ohio High School Athletic Association athletic league that began competition in 2003 and is made of member schools from Ashland, Holmes, Richland, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties in Ohio.
Members
 | |
| Classification | OHSAA Divisions I-IV |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Sports fielded |
|
| No. of teams | 7 |
| Region |  Ohio |
| Official website | OCCSports.org |
| School[1] | Nickname | Location | Colors | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | Arrows | Ashland | Orange, black |
2003– | |
| Dover | Crimson Tornadoes | Dover | Crimson and gray
|
2025– | |
| Lexington | Minutemen | Lexington | Purple, gold |
2003– | |
| Madison Comprehensive | Rams | Madison Twp. | Green, white |
2003– | |
| Mansfield | Tygers | Mansfield | Orange, brown |
2003– | |
| New Philadelphia | Quakers | New Philadelphia | Red, black |
2022– | |
| West Holmes | Knights | Millersburg | Blue, red, white |
2003– | Leaving for the Principals Athletic Conference in 2028 |
| Wooster | Generals | Wooster | Blue, gold |
2003– | |
Former members
| School | Nickname | Location | Colors | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Fork | Colts | Bellville | Green, black, white |
2004–2017 | left for Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference |
| Mount Vernon | Yellow Jackets | Mount Vernon | Orange, black |
2016–2024 | left for Licking County League |
| Orrville | Red Riders | Orrville | Red, White, black |
2003–2016 | left for Principals Athletic Conference |
History
The Ohio Cardinal Conference derives its name from the historic Cardinal Conference, a former league that included New Philadelphia, Dover, Coshocton, Ashland, Wooster, Mansfield Malabar, and Mansfield Madison.
In 2001, athletic directors from several area schools met in Mansfield, Ohio, to discuss the creation of a new athletic conference. Seven schools agreed to form the Ohio Cardinal Conference (OCC).[1] Five of the founding members—Ashland, Lexington, Mansfield Madison, Mansfield Senior, and Orrville—came from the now-defunct Ohio Heartland Conference.[2] West Holmes joined from the Mohican-Area Conference, while Wooster joined from the Federal League.[2] Clear Fork later became the conference’s first non-original member when it joined for the 2004–05 school year.
The conference experienced some administrative challenges in its early stages. The league’s first commissioner, Jim Glauer, resigned in 2002 before the OCC began official competition. He was replaced by Orrville athletic director Ron Dessecker, who continues to serve as the conference’s commissioner.[3]
Conference membership has evolved over time. West Holmes High School explored leaving the OCC to join the East Central Ohio League, reviving discussions that began in 2007. A departure in 2009–10 would have left the OCC with an odd number of teams, but West Holmes ultimately decided to remain in the conference.[4]
In 2009, Triway High School received an invitation to join the OCC but declined, choosing to remain in the Principals Athletic Conference (PAC-8).[5] Several years later, in March 2015, Orrville accepted an invitation to join the PAC-8 beginning in 2016.[6] To replace Orrville, the OCC extended an invitation to Mount Vernon, which joined the conference that same year.[7]
Further changes occurred in March 2016 when the OCC voted to remove Clear Fork following the 2017–18 school year. Clear Fork subsequently joined the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.[8]
The conference expanded again in April 2020 when New Philadelphia was invited to become the OCC’s eighth member beginning with the 2022–23 school year. As part of the agreement, New Philadelphia was permitted to continue its Week 10 football rivalry with Dover, one of the oldest rivalries in Ohio high school football.[9]
Additional realignment occurred in December 2022 when Mount Vernon announced it would leave the OCC after the 2023–24 school year to join the Licking County League.[10] To maintain conference membership levels, the OCC extended an invitation to Dover High School on December 13, 2023, to join the conference beginning with the 2025–26 school year, with football competition starting in 2026–27.[11] Dover officially accepted the invitation on January 11, 2024.[12]
West Holmes announced in March 2026, that they plan to depart from the OCC beginning the 2028–29 school year, with their intention on joining the Principals Athletic Conference.[13]
State championships
This table only includes state championships won by schools while a member of the Ohio Cardinal Conference:[14]
| School | Sport | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland | Boys' Bowling | 2025 |
| Clear Fork | Boys' Baseball | 2010[15] |
| Lexington | Girls' Tennis
Boys' Tennis Girls' Cross Country Boys' Cross Country |
2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012
2004, 2013 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 2015, 2017 |
| Madison | Girls Soccer | 2020 |
| Mansfield | none | |
| Mount Vernon | none | |
| Orrville | Volleyball | 2003[16] |
| West Holmes | Girls' Basketball | 2014[17] |
| Wooster | none |