The North Coast League (NCL) was a high school athletic conference for Catholic schools in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. The NCL was founded in 1984 by six parochial high schools: Cleveland Central Catholic, Holy Name, Lake Catholic, Padua Franciscan, St. Peter Chanel, and Trinity. The league expanded throughout the 1990s and 2000s, reaching a peak of 13 members in the early-to-mid 2010s, before declining in membership. The NCL disbanded after the 2019-20 school year.[1]

North Coast League
Data
Classification OHSAA Division II, III, and IV
Established 1984
Members initial: 6
peak: 13
final: 12
Sports fielded 10 boys and 9 girls
State Championships 49
Country United States
Region Midwest
States 1 - Ohio

Members edit

School Nickname Location Colors Years in league Current league
Archbishop Hoban High School Knights Akron, Summit County Navy Blue & Old Gold
   
2004–2020 Independent
Beaumont SchoolA Bluestreaks Cleveland Hts., Cuyahoga County Blue & Gold
   
2011–2020 Crown Conference
Benedictine High SchoolB Bengals Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Columbia Blue & White
   
2011–2020 Independent
Cleveland Central Catholic High School Ironmen Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Navy Blue & Red
   
1984–2004; 2006–2020 Independent
Elyria Catholic High School Panthers Elyria, Lorain County Green & White
   
1995–2011 Great Lakes Conference
Gilmour Academy Lancers Gates Mills, Cuyahoga County Blue & Gray
   
2018–2020 Independent
Holy Name High School Green Wave Parma Hts., Cuyahoga County Green & White
   
1984–2015 Great Lakes Conference
John F. Kennedy High School Eagles Warren, Trumbull County Navy Blue & White
   
2011–2020 Portage Trail Conference
Lake Catholic High School Cougars Mentor, Lake County Forest Green & Gray
   
1984–2020 Crown Conference
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School Lions Chardon, Geauga County Blue & Gold
   
1991–2020 Crown Conference
Padua Franciscan High School Bruins Parma, Cuyahoga County Brown & White
   
1984–2020 Crown Conference
Saint Joseph AcademyA Jaguars Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Purple & Gold
   
2018–2020 Independent
St. Peter Chanel High School Firebirds Bedford, Cuyahoga County Red & Black
   
1984–2013 School closed
St. Thomas Aquinas High School Knights Louisville, Stark County Black & Gold
   
2013–2019 Portage Trail Conference
Trinity High School Trojans Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga County Blue & White
   
1984–2019 Chagrin Valley Conference
Valley Christian School Eagles Youngstown, Mahoning County Blue & Bright Gold
   
2015–2017 Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School Vikings Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Red & Columbia Blue
   
2004–2020 Independent
Walsh Jesuit High School Warriors Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County Maroon & Gold
   
2011–2020 Crown Conference

A Girls' sports only
B Boys' sports only

Membership timeline edit

St. Joseph Academy (Cleveland, OH)Gilmour AcademyValley Christian SchoolsSt. Thomas Aquinas High School (Louisville, Ohio)Walsh Jesuit High SchoolJohn F. Kennedy High School (Warren, Ohio)Benedictine High School (Cleveland, Ohio)Beaumont SchoolArchbishop Hoban High SchoolVilla Angela-St. Joseph High SchoolElyria Catholic High SchoolNotre Dame-Cathedral Latin SchoolTrinity High School (Ohio)St. Peter Chanel High SchoolPadua Franciscan High SchoolLake Catholic High SchoolHoly Name High SchoolCleveland Central Catholic High School

Full members Boys sports only Girls sports only

State championships edit

This chart only includes state championships won by the schools while in the North Coast League in sports sanctioned by the NCL.

School Sport Year(s)
Archbishop Hoban Football
Girls Soccer
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
2015
Beaumont School Volleyball 2012
Benedictine Football 2014
Cleveland Central Catholic Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
2009
2007
Elyria Catholic Girls Tennis 2006
Holy Name Girls Soccer 2006
John F. Kennedy Football 2016
Lake Catholic Football
Wrestling
Volleyball
1991, 1992, 2001
1989
2010
NDCL Baseball
Golf
Volleyball
2001, 2009
2000, 2009
2014, 2015
Padua Franciscan Ice Hockey
Volleyball
1986, 1989, 2006
2008, 2009, 2013
St. Peter Chanel Boys Basketball
Football
Wrestling
1999
2001
1986, 1987, 1988, 2011
St. Thomas Aquinas Girls Cross Country
Boys Track and Field
Girls Track and Field
2015
2016
2015, 2016
Trinity Girls Basketball
Boys Track & Field
1990, 1994, 1996
2009
VASJ Boys Basketball
Volleyball
2013, 2015, 2017
2005

Scheduling edit

Football edit

During the season, every school must play five league games, one against every other school in its own division. They are generally played the final five weeks of the season. Schools are also allowed to schedule schools in the other division, however these games are considered independent and do not count in NCL standings. Prior to 2011, each school played an additional school in the other division in a "crossover" game. The crossover opponents rotated on two-year stints.

In 2013, 2017, and 2019, the White Division only had five schools, so they played a four-game schedule those seasons.

Other sports edit

In other sports, such as basketball and volleyball, where more games are played during the season, each school must play 10 games against NCL opponents. Every school plays every other school in its division twice (once home, once away) Schools are also allowed to schedule schools in the other division, however these games are considered independent and do not count in NCL standings. Prior to the 2011 expansion, schools played 13 games: a home-and-away series against division opponents and a single game against inter-division foes.

In other sports such as track and swimming where schools have "meets" instead of individual games, there is one NCL meet for all schools in the league. For ice hockey a tournament is played in December to determine the conference champion as teams do not play an NCL schedule during the regular season.

References edit