SUBURBAN LEAGUE: Administrators seek split for OHSAA state tournaments

OHSAA Division III State Championship trophy held by an OHSAA staff member. (Photo: Chuck Cordes/Ohsfbmedia.com)

OHIO — Administrators from the Suburban League initiated a petition to separate public and private school state tournaments, according to multiple reports. 

The Suburban League consists of 16 teams split into two conferences (American and National), according to the league website. Wadsworth is the only member school that declined to join the petition. 

The issue was discussed during an OHSAA regional administrator meeting on Tuesday, September 8, and again on Tuesday, September 15, at Streetsboro and Cincinnati Princeton High Schools. 

The organizers of the petition have a December deadline to gain support to have a referendum item placed on the May 2027 ballot for high school principals. 

"We have a committee made up of athletic directors, principals, and superintendents that have explored the possibility and have had multiple discussions about this and have met with the OHSAA to prepare the referendum item." Eckenrode elaborated. 

The OHSAA's annual referendum voting period is from May 1-15 each year. Each member school has one vote to cast by the high school principal on each referendum issue on a ballot. 

"At this time, we are going through the process laid out by the OHSAA and their constitution and bylaws," said Rob Eckedrode, Nordonia Athletic Director. "We have the referendum item ready to go, and as the bylaws call for, we are soliciting signatures to get it on the ballot and see where it goes."

Only high school principals can sign the petition; additionally, if the organizers receive at least 75 signatures, including at least five from each of the six OHSAA districts, a petition would be placed on the May 2027 ballot for a vote from the full membership. 

If the referendum is passed in May, separate state tournaments could be initiated during the 2028-2029 school year. 

At the high school level, there are 691 public schools and 121 private schools competing in the OHSAA. 

Right now, it's just a waiting game to find out whether enough school principals will put their names on the petition and gain traction.