The Sandusky Bay Conference is a high school athletic conference in the Sandusky Bay area of north central Ohio. It is affiliated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Members

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The SBC has 22 full members schools located within Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca counties. The schools range in size from Division 3 to Division 7. The reasonably short travel distances and limited range of sizes promotes tight competition throughout all sanctioned sports and a long history of membership with several rivalries. Several member schools have won state championships.

 
The overall league lineup and divisional breakdown beginning in 2023-24.
 
The football divisional breakdown beginning in 2023-24.

Member schools

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Division School Nickname Location Enrollment (CB/FB 2023) State Region (FB 2023) Colors Tenure
Football (FB) Other Sports
 Lake   Lake  Clyde Fliers Clyde 284 3:10 Blue, Gold
   
1949-
 Lake   Lake  Columbian Tornadoes Tiffin 340 3:10 Blue, Gold
   
2017-
 Lake   Lake  Norwalk Truckers Norwalk 363 3:10 Blue, Gold
   
2017-
 Lake   Lake  Perkins Pirates Perkins Township 268 4:14 Black, White
   
1972-
 Lake   Lake  Sandusky Blue Streaks Sandusky 346 3:10 Blue, White
   
2017-
 Bay   Lake  Bellevue Redmen Bellevue 238 4:14 Red, White
   
2017-
 Bay   Bay  Edison Chargers Milan 169 5:18 Blue, Orange
   
1986-
 Bay   Bay  Huron Tigers Huron 159 5:18 Red, Gray
   
1968-
 Bay   Bay  Port Clinton Redskins Port Clinton 200 5:18 Red, White
   
1948-1949, 1980-
 Bay   Bay  Vermilion Sailors Vermilion 235 4:14 Purple & Vegas Gold
   
2016-
 River   Bay  Margaretta Polar Bears Castalia 143 6:22 Green, White
   
1963-
 River   Bay  Willard Crimson Flashes Willard 199 5:18 Crimson, White
   
2017-
 River   River  Calvert Senecas Tiffin 58 7:26 Royal Blue, White
   
1958-1966, 1972-1986, 2016-
 River   River  Gibsonburg Golden Bears Gibsonburg 109 7:26 Orange, Black
   
1948-1959, 1963-1972, 2018-
 River   River  Hopewell-Loudon Chieftains Bascom 111 7:26 Scarlet, Gray
   
2019-
 River   River  Lakota Raiders Kansas 141 6:22 Navy Blue, White
   
1960-1972, 2016-
 River   River  Woodmore Wildcats Elmore 119 6:22 Navy, Gold
   
2023-
 None   River  Danbury Lakers Lakeside Blue, White
   
1948-1957, 2018-
 None   River  New Riegel Blue Jackets New Riegel Navy Blue, Vegas Gold
   
2016-
 None   River  Old Fort Stockaders Old Fort Brown, Gold
   
2016-
 None   River  St. Joseph (SJCC) Crimson Streaks Fremont 57 7:26 Crimson, Gray
   
1948-1986, 2016-
 None   River  St. Mary (SMCC) Panthers Sandusky Navy Blue, Vegas Gold
   
1950-2014, 2016-

Future members

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Division School Nickname Location Enrollment (CB/FB 2023) State Region (FB 2023) Colors Tenure
Football (FB) Other Sports
 River   River  Northwood Rangers Northwood 253 5:18 Blue, Gold
   
2025-

Former members

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Former members who returned to the SBC with the 2016 and 2018 expansions are outlined in those sections.

School Nickname Location Colors Tenure Left for Currently in
Carey Blue Devils Carey Blue, White
   
1958-1963 NCC N10
Elmore Bulldogs Elmore Black, Gold, White
     
1948-1958 Seaway Conference Consolidated into Woodmore HS, now a member of the NBC
Genoa Comets Genoa Maroon, Gray
   
1948-1956 NLL NBC
Mohawk Warriors Sycamore Red, Black
   
1960-1962 NCC N10
Oak Harbor Rockets Oak Harbor Green, Red
   
1948-1972, 1986-2023 SLL, NBC NBC
St. Wendelin Mohawks Fostoria Black, Gold
   
1968-1972, 2016-2017 Lakeshore Conference, eventually the MAL Closed in June 2017
Shelby Whippets Shelby Red, Gray
   
2017-2018 (football only, Fall 2018) MOAC MOAC

Athletic competition

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The conference was established in 1948 and offers competition in the following sports:

League history

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1940s

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  • 1948: The SBC is formed with inaugural members Danbury, Elmore, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton & Fremont St. Joseph CC.
  • 1949: Port Clinton leaves and is replaced by Clyde.

1950s

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  • 1950: Sandusky St. Mary CC joins.
  • 1956: Genoa leaves to help form the Northern Lakes League.
  • 1957: Danbury leaves.
  • 1958: Elmore leaves and is replaced by Tiffin Calvert and Carey.
  • 1959: Gibsonburg leaves.

1960s

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  • 1960: Lakota & Mohawk join.
  • 1963: Carey leaves and is replaced by Margaretta & Gibsonburg, who rejoins after a four-year absence.
  • 1966: Tiffin Calvert leaves.
  • 1968: Huron & Fostoria St. Wendelin join.

1970s

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  • 1972: Gibsonburg, Lakota & Oak Harbor leave to form the Suburban Lakes League. St. Wendelin also leaves the league. They are replaced by Sandusky Perkins & Tiffin Calvert, who rejoins the league.

1980s

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2010s

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  • 2013: On February 1, St. Mary CC announced they would be forming a new league called the Sandusky River League in 2014-15 with Calvert (who instead joined the TAAC), Lakota, New Riegel, Old Fort & St. Joseph CC. St. Wendelin would join them later. This league's intent was to have 8 football-playing members and 2-3 non-football schools. This league will ultimately give a home to the remaining MAL schools.[1]
  • 2014: On December 10, the SBC announced plans to expand.[2] Invitations were accepted by Lakota, New Riegel, Old Fort, Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic, Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic & Fostoria St. Wendelin Catholic (all of which now play in the Sandusky River League), Tiffin Calvert, a former member of the SBC now a member of the TAAC, and Vermilion, currently a member of the West Shore Conference.
  • 2016: On March 16, Clyde principal William J. Webb and the Northern Ohio League announced that the NOL will merge into the SBC for the 2017-18 school year. Bellevue, Norwalk, Sandusky, Shelby, Tiffin Columbian, and Willard will become the league's newest members.[3][4]
  • 2017: Both Gibsonburg and Danbury announced that they would leave the TAAC and return to the SBC for the 2018-2019 school year. In April 2017, St. Wendelin announced that it would close in June following the 2016-2017 school year.[5]
In July 2017, North Union announced they would be leaving the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference to join the Central Buckeye Conference. This prompted the MOAC to invite Shelby as a replacement, which they accepted. The Whippets would spend only one year in the SBC.[6]
  • 2019: In August 2017 Hopewell-Loudon announced that they would leave the Blanchard Valley Conference for the Sandusky Bay Conference in the 2019-2020 school year after being offered an invitation to replace Shelby.[7][8]

2020s

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  • 2021: On May 20, 2021, the school board at Woodmore announced they were going to accept the Sandusky Bay Conference's invitation to join their league for the 2023–24 school year.[9] It is speculated that Woodmore will play in the SBC's River Division with schools of similar enrollment size.
On May 26, 2021, the school board at Oak Harbor announced they would be leaving the SBC and accepting the Northern Buckeye Conference's invitation to replace Woodmore.[10]
On July 19, 2021, St. Mary CC announced that they would be playing football in the Northern 8 Football Conference for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with the intention to return to 11-man football at some point.[11]
  • 2023: On October 20, 2023, St. Joseph Central Catholic announced they would play 8-man football in the Northern 8 Football Conference beginning in 2024. They join fellow SBC members Danbury and St. Mary CC in the 8-man circuit.[12]
  • 2024: In January 2024, Northwood and the SBC announced that the Rangers would be joining the River Division for the 2025–26 school year.[13] Northwood had been a member of the Toledo Area Athletic Conference since 2000. The SBC River will then be split into a North Division (Danbury, Gibsonburg, Northwood, SJCC, SMCC, and Woodmore) and a South Division (Calvert, Hopewell-Loudon, Lakota, New Riegel, and Old Fort).

2010s expansions

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2016

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The first wave of expansion will begin with the 2016-17 school year and will consist of two divisions that will divide schools by size. The larger schools will make up the Bay Division, and the smaller schools will make up the River Division. The divisional lineup will vary depending on the sport, with Margaretta playing in the River Division for football & wrestling, and in the Bay Division for all other sports. New Riegel & Old Fort do not have football. The two divisions will operate more-or-less as two separate leagues under a single parent umbrella and will crown two separate champions in each sport. There will be no forced crossovers in football and inter-divisional games will not count toward conference records.[14]

2017

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On March 16, 2016, both Clyde principal William J. Webb and NOL president Nate Artino (Bellevue principal) announced that six of the NOL schools were invited to join the SBC for the 2017-18 school year. Mr. Webb declined to disclose details on divisional breakdowns until all six school boards had approved the league switch.[15]

On March 17, 2016, Norwalk Director of Student Activities Josh Schlotterer advised the divisional breakdown would be based on enrollment and some schools would slide between divisions for football and all other sports as there are three non-football members.[16]

2018

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On March 16, 2017, SBC Executive Secretary/Treasurer Gregg Hedden announced that Danbury Local Schools would be joining the conference, effective in 2018, adding that Danbury would be a member of the River Division.[17]

On March 20, SBC Executive Secretary/Treasurer Gregg Hedden announced that Gibsonburg Local Schools would be joining the River Division, effective 2018. Their school board voted unanimously to join at the fall of 2018 sports season. Gibsonburg leaves the Toledo Athletic Area Conference. This adds Gibsonburg as the 9th Member of the River Division.[18]

After a school board meeting in August 2017, Hopewell-Loudon agreed to join the River Division for the 2019-2020 school year.[19]

League Timeline

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Championships

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Championships

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__Year__ Football[20] Boys Basketball[21] Baseball[22] Volleyball[23] Girls Basketball[24] Softball[25]
1948-49 Port Clinton Gibsonburg, Port Clinton, St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1949-50 Oak Harbor, St. Joseph Elmore No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1950-51 Oak Harbor St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1951-52 St. Mary CC St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1952-53 St. Joseph CC St. Mary CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1953-54 St. Mary CC St. Joseph CC, St. Mary CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1954-55 Gibsonburg St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1955-56 St. Joseph, St. Mary St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1956-57 St. Joseph CC St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion No Champion
1957-58 St. Mary CC St. Joseph CC Clyde No Champion No Champion No Champion
1958-59 Gibsonburg Oak Harbor Tiffin Calvert No Champion No Champion No Champion
1959-60 St. Joe, Tiffin Calvert St. Joseph CC Tiffin Calvert No Champion No Champion No Champion
1960-61 St. Joseph CC St. Joseph CC Tiffin Calvert No Champion No Champion No Champion
1961-62 Tiffin Calvert Mohawk St. Joseph CC, Tiffin Calvert No Champion No Champion No Champion
1962-63 St. Joseph CC Clyde St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion
1963-64 St. Joseph CC St. Joseph CC Clyde No Champion No Champion No Champion
1964-65 St. Joseph CC Margaretta Tiffin Calvert No Champion No Champion No Champion
1965-66 Tiffin Calvert St. Mary CC Gibsonburg, St. Mary CC No Champion No Champion No Champion
1966-67 St. Mary CC Gibsonburg, Port Clinton, St. Joseph St. Mary CC No Champion No Champion No Champion
1967-68 St. Joseph CC Clyde No Champion No Champion No Champion
1968-69 St. Mary CC St. Mary CC Clyde, St. Mary CC No Champion No Champion No Champion
1969-70 Huron St. Mary CC Margaretta No Champion No Champion No Champion
1970-71 Huron St. Joseph CC Gibsonburg No Champion No Champion No Champion
1971-72 St. Joseph CC Huron Gibsonburg, Huron No Champion No Champion No Champion
1972-73 Clyde Huron St. Joseph CC No Champion No Champion No Champion
1973-74 Clyde, Huron St. Mary CC Margaretta, Perkins, St. Joe, St. Mary Huron No Champion No Champion
1974-75 Clyde, St. Joseph CC Tiffin Calvert Margaretta Huron Perkins, St. Mary No Champion
1975-76 Perkins St. Mary CC St. Mary CC Clyde Perkins No Champion
1976-77 Huron Perkins, Tiffin Calvert Huron Clyde Clyde No Champion
1977-78 Tiffin Calvert Huron Margaretta Clyde Clyde No Champion
1978-79 Tiffin Calvert Perkins Clyde Clyde Huron No Champion
1979-80 Tiffin Calvert St. Mary CC Tiffin Calvert Tiffin Calvert Huron No Champion
1980-81 Huron, Tiffin Calvert Port Clinton St. Joseph CC Clyde Huron No Champion
1981-82 Huron, Tiffin Calvert Huron Huron, Port Clinton, St. Mary Clyde, Tiffin Calvert Huron No Champion
1982-83 Perkins Huron Tiffin Calvert Clyde Huron Margaretta, St. Joseph
1983-84 Huron, Margaretta Perkins Perkins, Port Clinton, St. Mary Clyde Perkins, St. Mary Margaretta
1984-85 Huron Port Clinton Margaretta Clyde Huron Margaretta, Tiffin Calvert
1985-86 Margaretta Port Clinton Clyde, Margaretta, Port Clinton Clyde, Perkins Margaretta, Perkins Tiffin Calvert
1986-87 Margaretta Oak Harbor, Perkins Huron, Port Clinton Clyde Margaretta Margaretta
1987-88 Huron Huron St. Mary CC Margaretta Margaretta Margaretta
1988-89 Perkins Huron Margaretta Oak Harbor Margaretta, Oak Harbor Margaretta
1989-90 St. Mary CC Huron, Port Clinton Margaretta, St. Mary CC Oak Harbor Oak Harbor Margaretta
1990-91 Oak Harbor, St. Mary CC Port Clinton St. Mary CC Clyde Margaretta Edison
1991-92 Margaretta, Oak Harbor Huron, Port Clinton Edison, Oak Harbor Huron Edison, Margaretta Edison, Margaretta
1992-93 Clyde, St. Mary CC Port Clinton Margaretta Clyde Margaretta Margaretta
1993-94 Clyde Clyde Clyde, St. Mary CC Edison Margaretta Edison
1994-95 Clyde Clyde, Perkins Huron, St. Mary CC Clyde Margaretta Edison, Clyde, Oak Harbor
1995-96 Clyde, Margaretta, Oak Harbor Port Clinton St. Mary CC Clyde Clyde Oak Harbor, St. Mary CC
1996-97 Margaretta Huron Perkins Huron Huron Oak Harbor
1997-98 Clyde, Margaretta Huron Perkins Margaretta Clyde Clyde
1998-99 Huron Perkins Perkins Margaretta Margaretta Oak Harbor
1999-00 Perkins Oak Harbor Clyde Huron Huron Clyde
2000-01 Perkins Oak Harbor Perkins Huron Clyde, Margaretta Clyde
2001-02 Huron, Margaretta Port Clinton, St. Mary CC Perkins Huron Margaretta, Perkins Clyde, Oak Harbor
2002-03 Huron, Oak Harbor Port Clinton Perkins Huron Oak Harbor Clyde
2003-04 Huron Margaretta Perkins Huron Oak Harbor Clyde
2004-05 Huron Huron Port Clinton Huron Margaretta Clyde
2005-06 Clyde, Huron Huron Perkins Huron Margaretta Perkins
2006-07 Oak Harbor Perkins Perkins Huron Perkins Perkins
2007-08 Clyde Clyde Perkins Huron Perkins Clyde, Perkins
2008-09 Clyde Edison Perkins Huron Margaretta Oak Harbor
2009-10 Clyde, Perkins Port Clinton Perkins Huron Perkins Perkins
2010-11 Clyde Edison Perkins Edison, Huron, Margaretta Clyde Perkins
2011-12 Clyde Perkins Oak Harbor Edison Clyde Edison
2012-13 Perkins Perkins Perkins Huron Clyde Perkins
2013-14 Perkins Perkins Perkins Huron Clyde Edison
2014-15 Huron Huron Edison, Huron Huron Port Clinton Perkins
2015-16 Clyde, Edison Edison Huron Edison, Huron Oak Harbor Edison

Championships - Multi-division Era

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Divisional Championships - Fall Sports

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__Year__ Division Cross C

(Boys)

Cross C

(Girls)

Football Golf

(Boys)

Golf

(Girls)

Soccer

(Boys)

Soccer

(Girls)

Tennis

(Girls)

Volleyball
2016-17 Bay Edison Edison Clyde, Edison, Port Clinton Huron Edison Oak Harbor Oak Harbor Clyde Huron
River Old Fort St. Mary CC Tiffin Calvert New Riegel Old Fort
2017-18 Lake Shelby Bellevue Sandusky Clyde Shelby Vermilion Norwalk Clyde Norwalk
Bay Edison Edison Shelby Vermillion Edison Edison Edison Willard Oak Harbor
River Lakota St. Mary CC Calvert Lakota Calvert, New Riegel
2018-19 Lake Norwalk Columbian Columbian, Clyde Bellevue Norwalk Norwalk Bellevue
Bay Oak Harbor Huron Willard
River Gibsonburg
2019-20 Lake Norwalk Columbian Columbian, Norwalk Norwalk Bellevue Norwalk Norwalk Norwalk Bellevue, Norwalk
Bay Huron Edison Oak Harbor
River Hopewell-Loudon Hopewell-Loudon Gibsonburg
2020-21 Lake Columbian[26] Columbian[27] Bellevue Bellevue[28]
Bay Huron[29] Edison[29] Huron[30] Huron[28]
River New Riegel[31] Gibsonburg[32] Hopewell-Loudon Hopewell-Loudon[28]

Divisional Championships - Winter Sports

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__Year__ Division Basketball

(Boys)

Basketball

(Girls)

Bowling

(Boys)

Bowling

(Girls)

Swimming

(Boys)

Swimming

(Girls)

Wrestling
2016-17 Bay Huron, Perkins, Vermilion Clyde Perkins Vermilion Perkins Oak Harbor Edison
River Old Fort St. Joseph CC, Old Fort St. Mary CC
2017-18 Lake Sandusky Bellevue Perkins Perkins Perkins Perkins Perkins
Bay Vermilion Willard Oak Harbor Oak Harbor Edison
River New Riegel, Old Fort St. Joseph CC St. Mary CC
2018-19 Lake Norwalk Bellevue Perkins
Bay Vermilion, Willard Margaretta Huron/Dive Edison
River Old Fort, St. Mary CC Old Fort, St. Mary CC Gibsonburg
2019-20 Lake Sandusky Bellevue Perkins
Bay Oak Harbor, Willard Huron/Dive
River Old Fort

Divisional Championships - Spring Sports

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__Year__ Division Baseball Softball Tennis

(Boys)

Track & Field

(Boys)

Track & Field

(Girls)

2016-17 Bay Vermilion Oak Harbor Clyde Perkins Oak Harbor
River Old Fort St. Joseph CC St. Joseph CC
2017-18 Lake Bellevue, Clyde Bellevue Clyde Perkins Shelby
Bay Vermilion Edison Oak Harbor
River Lakota Calvert St. Joseph CC
2018-19 Lake Bellevue, Norwalk Clyde Columbian Perkins
Bay Vermilion Oak Harbor Oak Harbor
River St. Joeseph CC Lakota
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References

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  1. ^ Panthers leading new athletic league February 1, 2013. sanduskycentralcatholic.org Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today
  2. ^ http://www.sanduskyregister.com/sports/football/6968216 Sandusky Bay Conference expansion finalized
  3. ^ Centers, Joe (March 16, 2016). "NOL to merge with Sandusky Bay Conference". Norwalk Reflector. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  4. ^ Northern Ohio League [@NOhioLeague] (16 March 2016). "Northern Ohio League press release regarding the 2017-18 school year and beyond" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ^ McCray, Vanessa (April 21, 2017). "St. Wendelin Catholic High School to close in June". Toledo Blade. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  6. ^ Schock, Brittany (July 25, 2017). "Shelby moving to the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference". Richland Source. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  7. ^ Cottos, Scott (August 30, 2017). "Prep Sports: Hopewell-Loudon board accepts invite to SBC". Findlay Courier. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Hopewell-Loudon To Leave Blanchard Valley Conference For Sandusky Bay Conference – Stateline Sports Network". 17 August 2017.
  9. ^ Junga, Steve (May 21, 2021). "Woodmore to exit NBC, join SBC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Junga, Steve (May 26, 2021). "Oak Harbor to accept invitation to join NBC". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Kollars, Brian (July 19, 2021). "Northern 8 announces addition of St. Mary CC football". Toledo Blade. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  12. ^ News-Messenger Report (October 20, 2023). "Prioritizing safety, SJCC will move to 8-man football in 2024". Fremont News-Messenger. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  13. ^ Junga, Steve (2024-01-17). "Northwood approved to join Sandusky Bay Conference". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  14. ^ "SBC announces plan for major expansion | USA TODAY High School Sports". 11 December 2014.
  15. ^ McGowan, Rich (March 16, 2016). "SBC invites 6 schools from NOL". Fremont News Messenger. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  16. ^ Staff, Norwalk Reflector (March 17, 2016). "SBC accepts remaining NOL schools for merger". Norwalk Reflector. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  17. ^ Behm, Jon. "Sandusky Bay Conference expands". The Morning Journal. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  18. ^ Behm, Jon (27 December 2000). "High school sports: Sandusky Bay Conference to add Gibsonburg". The Morning Journal. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  19. ^ Behm, Jon. "Sandusky Bay Conference expands".
  20. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  21. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  22. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  23. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  24. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  25. ^ "Margaretta High School Athletic Department". Archived from the original on 2013-06-11.
  26. ^ "Sandusky Bay Conf. Championship Meet" (PDF). baumspage.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Sandusky Bay Conf. Championship Meet" (PDF). baumspage.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  28. ^ a b c "SBC Champions Page – Section B Sports". Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  29. ^ a b "Huron Cross County Boys Win SBC Bay Division Meet | Huron Insider". 17 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  30. ^ "Huron Football Advances to Playoffs | Huron Insider". 3 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  31. ^ "Sandusky Bay Conf. Championship Meet" (PDF). baumspage.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  32. ^ "Sandusky Bay Conf. Championship Meet" (PDF). baumspage.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.