By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
TOLEDO – Erie Mason and perennial small school state power Whiteford have both agreed to join the Toledo Area Athletic Conference (TAAC) has football members for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 seasons. The schools might be considered for full-time membership in the future.
The TAAC has just five schools playing 11-man football this season (Edon, Ottawa Hills, Hilltop, Northwood, and Montpelier), but Northwood is leaving to join the Sandusky Bay Conference after the 2024-2025 school year, leaving the league with just four schools for football. North Central is set to join the conference in 2025 as a football only member.
The Michigan schools were members of the Tri-County Conference who just played their final varsity football game, bringing an end to 11-man football in the 52-year-old league.
Another Tri-County school, Summerfield, may also be considered for membership but they haven’t formally responded to the TAAC invitation.
TAAC officials had reached out to the three schools a few years ago about joining the conference, but nothing materialized.
Whiteford and Erie Mason had worked out a partnership with the Lenawee County Athletic Association for both schools to play a non-league schedule against all or most of the schools from that league in 2025 and possibly 2026. The move to the TAAC though ends that plan.
TAAC officials commented they have “feelers” out to other schools and are open to adding more schools beyond Erie Mason, Whiteford, and Summerfield.
