FOSTORIA - By a 5-0 vote last night, the Fostoria board of education accepted an invitation to join the newly-formed Northern Buckeye Conference, which will begin competition in the 2011-12 school year.

Fostoria athletic director Aaron Weidner said the next step would be sending a letter of acceptance to the NBC, and another letter to officially withdraw from the Northern Ohio League at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

"We've enjoyed our time in the NOL," Weidner said, "and we're looking forward to a great opportunity in the Nothern Buckeye Conference."

The other six NBC schools are Eastwood, Genoa, Lake, Otsego and Woodmore, which will exit the Suburban Lakes League after 2010-11, and Rossford, which will leave the Northern Lakes League at the same time.

The NBC membership has stated that its intention is to ultimately become an eight-team conference.

Elmwood, also a current member of the SLL, sent a letter of interest to the NBC in July, and last week was formally invited to join the new conference. But administrators at Elmwood are also exploring a possible move to the Midland Athletic League along with another current SLL member, Gibsonburg. Officials from the 12-team MAL met last week to discuss the possible additions of Elmwood and Gibsonburg, but have yet to decide on that matter.

- Steve Junga

First Published August 18, 2009, 8:58 a.m.