By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
When the 2026 high school football season kicks off next August, the Great Lakes Conference (GLC) will be making its own debut with Edon, Hilltop, Montpelier and North Central all joining the newly formed football-only conference.
All four schools are currently members of the Toledo Area Athletic Conference, which will be disbanding following the conclusion of the current football season.
Joining the Great Lakes Conference will be four teams from Michigan, Erie Mason, Sand Creek, Summerfield and Whiteford.
The biggest part of creating GLC is the fact that Ottawa Hills, who is a current member of the TAAC, is leaving to join the Sandusky Bay Conference next year.
This past week, school boards for Edon, Hilltop and Montpelier have already agreed to join the conference.
Edon and Hilltop have been football-only members of the TAAC since 2005. Montpelier has been in the TAAC since 2015 while North Central joined the conference this fall.
When Edon and Hilltop both joined the TAAC back in 2005 after several seasons competing in the South Central Athletic Association comprised mostly schools from Michigan, the Toledo area conference also had Northwood, Ottawa Hills, Danbury, Toledo Christian and Cardinal Stritch in the fold.
However, the TAAC has seen numerous changes in terms of conference membership since then.
Danbury and Cardinal Stritch both opted to compete in the Northern 8 Conference for eight-man football a few years ago. Toledo Christian was a part of the Northern 8 Conference for several years before returning to 11-man football playing an independent schedule this year.
Northwood then joined the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division this year, and Ottawa Hills will also be following them into the SBC River Division.
Whiteford, Summerfield and Erie Mason are currently football-only members of the TAAC, and the addition of Sand Creek will make it a fourth Michigan school in the conference.
Sand Creek, which is located just south of Adrian in Lenawee County, is currently a member of the Big 8 Conference.
This season, the Aggies have struggled with a 0-7 overall record, including a pair of 2-0 forfeit losses to Springport, Mich, and to Cassapolis, Michigan.
Once the GLC creates new bylaws and policies for the conference, the Ohio High School Athletic Association will formally approve of it.
The only costs involved in the new conference would be for football officials’ assigners, one each from both Ohio and Michigan along with all-league trophies and medals.