Seven NBC teams to disband, form league minus Louisville

By Joe Scalzo

Canton Repository

The Northeastern Buckeye Conference is coming to an end, but Louisville is the only team with a shaky league future.

The league’s seven other schools plan to form a new league in two years — fulfilling the NBC’s bylaws — and it will not include Louisville, according to a news release on Thursday. The other seven schools are Alliance, Canton South, Carrollton, Minerva, Salem and West Branch.

Louisville’s athletic success, particularly in football, was the driving force behind the decision, which has been rumored for weeks.

“It is an issue over consideration of competitive balance and competitive equity at all levels in grades seven through 12,” said Joe Knoll, Marlington’s superintendent and NBC spokesman, in a statement.

Louisville, which left the Federal League for the NBC in 1990, has won three straight conference championships in football. The Leopards have won their last 21 NBC games and six of the seven wins this season featured a running clock, meaning Louisville led by at least 30 points.

“It’s sad that the NBC is falling apart,” Louisville superintendent Michele Shaffer said. “I would have loved for it to stay together. It’s a good fit for our kids and we love the hometown rivalries we have within the county.”