By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

A new era of Portage County athletics is officially here.

A new, still nameless, league has been introduced for the start of the 2027-28 season.

Administration and athletic departments from eight different schools formally announced the league on Friday through a press release that was supported by all Superintendents and sent by Garfield High School Superintendent Ted Lysiak.

The schools included in the new league are Crestwood, Garfield, Mogadore, Ravenna, Rootstown, Southeast, Springfield and Waterloo.

All eight districts voted unanimously to join the league at their respective Board of Education meetings.

Seven school boards voted 5-0 in approval of joining the new league and Crestwood voted 4-0, with one of its members absent on the night of the Board of Education meeting.

“Our communities are close, our schools share a rich athletic history, and our students deserve opportunities that reduce travel time while increasing excitement and school pride,” the group shared in a joint statement. “The new conference allows us to honor tradition while building something strong and sustainable for the future.”

Garfield, Southeast and Waterloo will be leaving the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.

Crestwood and Rootstown will exit the Chagrin Valley Conference.

Ravenna and Springfield will depart from the Metro Athletic Conference.

Mogadore, which most recently were members of the PTC, is playing the 2025-26 and 2026-27 athletic seasons as an independent.

All eight schools are former members of the Portage Trail Conference and seven of the schools (save for Springfield) were all members of the Portage County League.

The other five Portage County schools — Aurora, Field, Kent Roosevelt, Streetsboro and Windham — were not formally invited to join the new league based on knowledge gained through previous communication that the group would not be interested in considering it as an option.

Prior to the creation of this new league, it was explored to potentially expand the Metro Athletic Conference and the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, but both leagues denied interest in that option.

A third-party commissioner will be brought on to coordinate and oversee the new league, but nobody has been placed in that role yet. It has been communicated that the league will go through an interview process with a few candidates before making a formal announcement on who the commissioner will be.

Here is what the Superintendents and Athletic Directors are saying:

CRESTWOOD SUPERINTENDENT AIREANE CURTIS

“I’m very excited to get this league started. It has been a long two years of talks with districts and school board members to make a decision that will benefit our community and more important our students. With the formation of this new league, our students will be traveling less distances, which in turn helps them be able to focus more on academics outside of athletics. In addition, our families will not be traveling long distances for matchups as well. It allows our students to have a high quality athletic experience closer to home. Many of our students play club and travel sports with these students from surrounding districts and it will be fun to be able to play them in our new league.”

CRESTWOOD ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BRITTANY DYE

“I am so happy to be a part of this. This has taken many years and a lot of effort from many people behind the scenes. I’m grateful that I was able to see this vision become a reality and help push it past the finish line. I believe that this will give our district the opportunity to reignite old rivalries, save travel time and money and give our student-athletes a positive experience. This new conference will provide more opportunities for our families and friends to see their loved ones play locally. My hope is that student sections will be able to travel well, creating a fun atmosphere for every game.

“Each district has its distinctions, but it feels like we’re all cut from the same cloth. We share the same priorities for our student-athletes. I really respect the leadership from each school. They have consistently made decisions in the best interests of our student-athletes even when doing so was difficult. They have each demonstrated strong ethics, and I value the opportunity to learn from and work alongside them.”

GARFIELD SUPERINTENDENT TED LYSIAK

“This has been an exciting and very thoughtful process for all involved. Over the past year, Superintendents and Athletic Directors from across Portage County and the surrounding area have spent countless hours talking, listening and collaborating to make sure this decision truly serves our students and communities. The relationships that exist among these schools made those conversations productive, and frankly, enjoyable.

“We’re incredibly excited about the conference because it brings together schools that share proximity, history and a deep sense of community pride. Renewing local rivalries means more families in the stands, shorter travel for students and athletic experiences that feel connected to our towns our kids represent. That’s a win for everyone.

“I also want to be clear that we are very grateful for our time in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference and for the member schools who welcomed Garfield and treated us exceptionally well. Those relationships remain important to us, and we appreciate the professionalism and sportsmanship that defined our experience in that league.

“At the end of the day, this move is about creating the best possible environment for student-athletes — one that balances competition, community engagement and sustainability. We believe that the (new) conference does that, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”

MOGADORE SUPERINTENDENT JOHN KNAPP

“It is very exciting to bring tradition forward with the formation of a county-regional athletic conference. Rebuilding relationships through athletic competitions with nearby districts strengthens the greater community. This newly visioned league will reflect the values and reinforce the importance of interscholastic competition impacts on skill building, self confidence, communication, leadership development, teamwork and links to successful future enlistment, employment and enrollment for students. I am thankful for the collaboration and action of the Superintendents and Athletic Directors to see this league happen.”

RAVENNA SUPERINTENDENT BEN RIBELIN

“We are thrilled to be entering a new athletic league that will provide meaningful benefits for our student-athletes, schools and communities. One of the most significant advantages of this new league is reduced travel time for all member schools, allowing students to spend less time on the road and more time focused on academics, family and rst. Getting students home earlier from athletic events reinforces the importance of academics and overall student well-being.

“This league also allows us to renew and strengthen local rivalries, fostering school spirit and community engagement while competing against respected neighboring districts. The league’s structure provides a more size-appropriate competitive environment for our student-athletes, helping ensure positive and balanced athletic experiences. In addition, the local nature of the league is expected to lead to increased local media coverage, further highlighting the accomplishments of our students and schools.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of each and every Superintendent and Athletic Director from the participating schools. Their hard work and commitment to what is best for students made this opportunity a reality.”

ROOTSTOWN SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW HAWKINS

“The Rootstown Local School District is excited to announce that it will be joining a newly formed athletic league alongside seven other area school districts, beginning with the 2027–2028 school year.

“Rootstown holds a great deal of respect for the fellow member schools and looks forward to renewing longstanding rivalries while building new competitive traditions. This new league will provide student-athletes with a strong and competitive environment, while also offering meaningful benefits to students, families, and communities.

“By significantly reducing travel time, the league will allow students to spend more time at home, while increasing community involvement and support at athletic events. The Rootstown Local School District is proud to be part of this exciting new chapter in interscholastic athletics.”

ROOTSTOWN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR KEITH WAESCH

“This is very exciting for the youth and most of the communities in Portage County. This has been a huge topic of conversation almost everywhere I have traveled in the county over the past five-plus years. People just kept saying, ‘We miss the good old days of local rivalries.’ I’m ecstatic that the ‘good old days’ are about 18 months away.

“A lot of meetings, time and effort have taken place for this to become a reality. I applaud all of those who have been involved, because it really has been a group effort. I see first-hand the energy in a gym or at a facility when two local communities get together compared to two school districts that don’t have that tradition of competition against each other. I might feel like a kid again in 2027-28.”

SOUTHEAST SUPERINTENDENT BOB DUNN

“This is something we have been advocating for over the past decade and seeing it finally come to fruition is truly exciting. The new league will significantly reduce travel time, allowing our student-athletes to have more time for their school work. It will also renew longstanding rivalries, increase game attendance, lower transportation costs, enhance media coverage for our student-athletes and create new leadership programs in partnership with neighboring schools. We are confident this league will have a lasting, positive impact on our students and our community for years to come.”

SOUTHEAST ATHLETIC DIRECTOR PATRICK YOUEL

“In March of 2023, we, at Southeast, had to make a very difficult decision to leave the PTC to join the MVAC and leave our Portage County roots. We did so, because it was in the best interest of our student-athletes and our community at that time. Since then, Southeast’s hope of a revitalized Portage County-based league has come to be, and we are very excited to be founding members of the new conference with the seven other schools. We look forward to the benefits this league will have for our student-athletes and community, with renewing rivalries, increased revenue, more media coverage and the other opportunities the new league has in store for all of the schools involved.

“With that excitement, comes a very big thank you to the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference and all of those member schools for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of that conference and for the relationships that we were able to form between those schools and communities and Southeast Local Schools. We plan to continue many of those relationships with non-conference games moving forward. That league is top notch and the decision to leave the MVAC is one that was not easy, but coming back to our Portage County roots was in the best interest of Southeast Local Schools. We are excited for the future.”

SPRINGFIELD SUPERINTENDENT SHELLEY MONACHINO

“We are thrilled to be entering into a new athletic league that will provide meaningful benefits for our student-athletes, schools and communities. One of the most significant advantages of this new league is reduced travel time for all member schools, allowing students to spend less time on the road and more time focused on academics, family and rest. Getting students home earlier from athletic events reinforces the importance of academics and overall student well-being.

“This league also allows us to renew and strengthen local rivalries, fostering school spirit and community engagement while competing against respected neighboring districts. The league’s structure provides a more size-appropriate competitive environment for our student-athletes, helping ensure positive and balanced athletic experiences. In addition, the local nature of the league is expected to lead to increased local media coverage, further highlighting the accomplishments of our students and schools.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of each and every Superintendent and Athletic Director from the participating schools. Their hard work and commitment to what is best for students made this opportunity a reality.”

WATERLOO SUPERINTENDENT FRANK GANT

“For many years, there has been discussion about bringing back the Portage County League. Community members and alumni have shared fond memories of the conference and its significance to those who participated. Families have expressed concerns about the MVAC, noting that the distance of the schools limits opportunities for families and community members to attend away games. In response to these concerns, we surveyed families, students, coaches and staff about our athletic programs. The survey results overwhelmingly indicated a need to schedule teams that are considered local  and are a better fit for our community.

“Families do not want to consistently drive more than 30 miles to support our student-athletes. While administering and reviewing the survey results, we also examined additional data sources to determine what is best for our student-athletes. The findings were surprising and suggested that we need to make significant changes if we wish to compete at a high level. Last year, only 33 percent of high-school students participated in a sport during the fall season, and that number dropped below 25 percent for winter and spring sports. These participation rates will significantly impact the performance of our student-athletes.

“The benefits of this transition include renewed local rivalries, increased attendance from family and friends at away games, reduced transportation costs, earlier arrivals home for student-athletes after games, and more opportunities to showcase our student-athletes locally.”