Ohio High School Athletic Association

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Ohio High School Athletic Association
AbbreviationOHSAA
Formation1907
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeAthletic/Educational
Headquarters4080 Roselea Pl.
Columbus, Ohio U.S.
Region served
Ohio
Official language
English
Executive Director
Doug Ute
AffiliationsNational Federation of State High School Associations
Staff
22
Websiteohsaa.org
Remarks(614) 267-2502

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of competition by divisional separation of schools according to attendance population, and conducts state championship competitions in all the OHSAA-sanctioned sports.

Membership

There are approximately 820 member high schools and 850 more schools in the 7th-8th grade division of the OHSAA. Most public and private high schools in Ohio belong to the OHSAA.[1]

Structure

Districts

The Association is divided into six districts, each with its own District Athletic Board, including the Central District, East District, Northeast District, Northwest District, Southeast District, and Southwest District.

The District boards conduct Sectional and District tournaments. The main OHSAA board conducts Regional and State tournaments.[2]

Classifications and divisions

Member high schools are divided into three classifications (A, AA, AAA). Prior to 1989 many sports held tournaments based on these classifications. Since then, each sport individually divides into numbered divisions based on enrollment, taking into account the total number of schools offering that varsity sport and placing an equal number of schools in each division.

The classifications (A being the smallest schools, AAA the largest) are still used to fill spots on the six District Athletic Boards (two representatives from each class).

The number of divisions varies based on how many schools offer that sport. Football has the most, with seven divisions (Division I being the largest schools). Three sports have a single division: Boys' Ice Hockey, Girls' Field Hockey, and Gymnastics.[2]

History

OHSAA's 100th Anniversary logo.

The OHSAA is an unincorporated,

non-profit organization
founded in 1907. Members of the Western Ohio Superintendents' Round Table had frequently discussed the need of a central organization for high school athletics. In 1906 they passed a resolution to appoint a committee, headed by George R. Eastman, the first President of the Board of Control.

The first OHSAA-sponsored state tournament, Track and Field, was held on May 23, 1908, at Denison University. Columbus North became the first state champions, finishing ahead of Dayton Steele.[1]

The OHSAA is currently headed by a commissioner.[3] Prior to 1925, the Board of Control officers handled duties now associated with the Commissioner.

In 1979, OHSAA adopted a bylaw prohibiting out-of-state students from competing in OHSAA-sponsored activities. This rule was affirmed by the

St. Xavier High School
students from Northern Kentucky.

Commissioners since 1925

  • H.R. Townsend (1925–1944)
  • Harold Emswiler (1944–1958)
  • W.J. McConnell (1958–1963)
  • Paul E. Landis (1963–1969)
  • Harold A. Meyer (1969–1977)
  • George D. Bates (1977–1980)
  • Richard L. Armstrong (1980–1989)
  • Clair Muscaro (1990–2004)
  • Daniel B. Ross, Ph.D. (2004–2018)
  • Jerry Snodgrass (2018–2020)
  • Doug Ute (2020–present)

OHSAA–sponsored sports tournaments

[3]

Boys

Season Sport Tournament Structure # of Divisions 1st Tournament 23-2024 State Tournament Location
Fall
Cross Country
District, Regional, & State 3 1928 Fortress Obetz, Obetz
Memorial Park, Obetz
Fall Football Regional & State 7 1972 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton
Fall Golf Sectional, District & State 3 1927
(Spring sport 1927–1974)
The Ohio State University Golf Club, Columbus Scarlet Course (Div I & II)
North Star Golf Resort, Sunbury (Div III)
Fall
Soccer
Sectional, District, Regional & State 3 1976 Lower.com Field, Columbus
Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 4 1923
Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State 2 2007 HPL Bowling Center, Columbus
Winter Ice Hockey District & State 1 1978 Nationwide Arena, Columbus
Winter Swimming and Diving Sectional, District, & State 2 1928 C. T. Branin Natatorium, Canton
Winter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State 3 1938 Value City Arena at The Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University, Columbus
Winter Wrestling-Dual Meet Regional & State 3 2013–2020 (discontinued)
Winter Gymnastics Sectional, District, & State 1 1926–1937; 1965–1993 (discontinued)
Spring Baseball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 4 1928 Canal Park, Akron
Spring
Track and Field
District, Regional, & State 3 1908 Welcome Stadium, Dayton
Spring Tennis Sectional, District, & State 2** 1922 College of Wooster, Wooster
Spring Lacrosse State 2 2017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
Spring Volleyball State 2 2023 Wittenberg University, Springfield

Girls

Season Sport Tournament Structure # of Divisions 1st Tournament style="background: #e3e3e3;" 23-2024 State Tournament Location
Fall
Cross Country
District, Regional, & State 3 1978 Fortress Obetz, Obetz
Memorial Park, Obetz
Fall
Field Hockey
State Qualifying & State 1 1979 Thomas Worthington High School, Worthington
Fall Golf Sectional, District & State 2 1993 The Ohio State University Golf Club, Gray Course, Columbus
Fall
Soccer
Sectional, District, Regional & State 3 1985 Lower.com Field, Columbus
Fall Tennis Sectional, District, & State 2** 1976 College of Wooster, Wooster
Fall Volleyball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 4 1975 Nutter Center, Wright State University, Dayton
Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 4 1976
Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State 2 2007 HPL Bowling Center, Columbus
Winter Gymnastics Sectional, District, & State 1 1977
Hilliard Bradley High School, Hilliard
Winter Swimming and Diving Sectional, District, & State 2 1977 C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton
Winter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State 1 2023 Value City Arena, Columbus
Spring Softball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 4 1978 Firestone Stadium, Akron
Spring
Track and Field
District, Regional, & State 3 1975 Welcome Stadium, Dayton
Spring Lacrosse State 2 2017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
**(Individual/Doubles only, no Team championships)

Past team state champions

Schools with most team titles

[3]

Rank # of
Titles
School City # of
Boys'
Titles
# of
Girls'
Titles
Year of
First
Title
Year of
Last
Title
1 64
St. Edward
Lakewood 64 X* 1978 2023
2 61
St. Xavier
Cincinnati 61 X* 1957 2021
3 51
Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington 27 24 1937 2022
4 44 St. Ignatius Cleveland 44 X* 1988 2022
5 42 Hawken Gates Mills 7 35 1977 2022
6 40 Minster Minster 8 32 1976 2022
7 39 Walsh Jesuit Cuyahoga Falls 22 17 1982 2016
8t 34
St. Vincent – St. Mary
Akron 23 11 1927 2022
8t 34 Columbus Academy Gahanna 20 14 1977 2023
10 32 Graham St. Paris 32 0 1930 2022
11 31 Thomas Worthington Worthington 12 19 1938 2022
12 30 St. Francis DeSales Columbus 23 7 1971 2022
13 29
Brecksville-Broadview Heights
Broadview Heights 5 24 1981 2022
14 28 Coldwater Coldwater 18 10 1983 2021
15t 27 Canton McKinley Canton 23 4 1937 2010
15t 27 Newark Catholic Newark 17 10 1978 2016
15t 27 Archbishop Alter Kettering 16 11 1978 2022
18t 24 Archbishop Moeller Cincinnati 24 X* 1972 2019
18t 24 East Tech Cleveland 23 1 1920 2002
18t 24 Beaumont School Cleveland Heights X* 24 1986 2012
21t 22 Elder Cincinnati 22 X* 1943 2005
21t 22 Archbishop Hoban Akron 10 12 1980 2021
21t 22 Marion Local Maria Stein 16 6 1975 2022
* X = single-gender school

Schools with most team titles in one sport

[3]

Rank # of
Titles
School City Sport First Last
1 42
St. Xavier
Cincinnati Boys' Swimming 1970 2021
2 35
St. Edward
Lakewood Wrestling 1978 2022
3 32 Hawken Gates Mills Girls' Swimming 1984 2022
4 23 Graham St. Paris Wrestling 1982 2021
5 22
Brecksville-Broadview Heights
Broadview Heights Girls' Gymnastics 1994 2022
6 17
Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington Boys' Golf 1941 2006
6t 17 Glenville Cleveland Boys' Track 1959 2022
8 16 Beaumont School Cleveland Heights Girls' Track 1986 2008
9 15 Minster Minster Girls' Cross Country 1982 2022
10t 13 Canton McKinley Canton Boys' Swimming 1937 1961
10t 13 East Technical Cleveland Boys' Track 1920 1955
10t 13 Minster Minster Girls' Track 1976 2018
10t 13 Marion Local Maria Stein Football 2000 2022
14t 12 Columbus Academy Gahanna Field Hockey 1994 2019
14t 12 Elder Cincinnati Baseball 1943 2005
14t 12 Upper Arlington Upper Arlington Girls' Swimming 2003 2017
14t 12 Columbus Academy Gahanna Boys' Golf 1983 2021
14t 12
St. Ignatius
Cleveland Soccer 2004 2022
19t 11 St. Edward Lakewood Ice Hockey 1985 2008
19t 11 St. Ignatius Cleveland Football 1988 2011
21t 10 Maple Heights Maple Heights Wrestling 1956 1974
21t 10 Magnificat Rocky River Girls' Gymnastics 1990 2003
21t 10 Walsh Jesuit Cuyahoga Falls Girls' Soccer 2000 2016
21t 10 Dunbar Dayton Boys' Track 1948 2017
21t 10 Woodridge Peninsula Boys' Cross Country 2006 2020
21t 10 Mount Notre Dame Cincinnati Girls' Volleyball 1995 2020
21t 10 St. Vincent–St. Mary Akron Boys' Basketball 1984 2022

Schools with most consecutive team titles in one sport

[3]

Season Sport School # of consecutive state titles Years
Fall
Boys' Cross Country
Caldwell 8 1985–1992
Fall
Girls' Cross Country
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
5 2009–2013
Fall
Field Hockey
Gahanna Columbus Academy 3 1999–2001
Fall
Field Hockey
Thomas Worthington 3 2015–2017
Fall Football Cleveland St. Ignatius 5 1991–1995
Fall Boys' Golf Gahanna Columbus Academy 5 2017–2021
Fall Girls' Golf Dublin Jerome 5 2011–2015
Fall
Boys' Soccer
Cleveland St. Ignatius 4 2019–2022
Fall
Girls' Soccer
Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 5 2012–2016
Fall Volleyball Cincinnati St Ursula Academy 6 1993–1998
Winter Boys' Basketball Cincinnati North College Hill 3 2005–2007
Winter Boys' Basketball Columbus Wehrle 3 1988–1990
Winter Girls' Basketball Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown 5 2009–2013
Winter Boys' Bowling
Springfield Kenton Ridge
2 2009–2010
Winter Boys' Bowling Mechanicsburg 2 *2021–2022
Winter Girls' Bowling
Coldwater
2 2012–2013
Winter Girls' Bowling
Gahanna Lincoln
2 *2020–2021
Winter Boys' Gymnastics Cleveland East Tech 5 1933–1937
Winter Girls' Gymnastics
Brecksville-Broadview Heights
19 *2004–2022
Winter Ice Hockey Cleveland St. Ignatius 4 2016–2019
Winter Boys' Swimming and Diving
Cincinnati St. Xavier
13 2009–2021
Winter Girls' Swimming and Diving Gates Mills Hawken 24 *1999–2022
Winter Wrestling-Individual St. Paris Graham 20 *2001–2019, 2021
Winter Wrestling-Dual Team St. Paris Graham 7 2013–2019
Spring Baseball Newark Catholic 3 2002–2004
Spring Baseball Cincinnati Elder 3 1958–1960
Spring Girls' Lacrosse Upper Arlington 3 2017–2019
Spring Softball
North Canton Hoover
4 2011–2014
Spring Softball Springfield 4 1992–1995
Spring
Boys' Track and Field
Cleveland East Tech 6 1939–1944
Spring
Girls' Track and Field
Cleveland Heights Beaumont 7 1986–1992

* active streak

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Fred Dafler. "The History of the OHSAA". Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  2. ^ a b OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site". Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  3. ^ a b c d e OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site". Retrieved 2006-12-31.

External links