North Baltimore to leave BVC for NWCC

The Blanchard Valley Conference will be losing another school as the realignment of leagues and conferences continues across Northwest Ohio.In a statement released by the Northwest Central Conference on Tuesday, the NWCC announced that North Baltimore would be joining the league beginning with the 2023-24 school year. North Baltimore had earlier announced it would no longer be playing BVC teams in football, beginning in 2022.According to the statement from the NWCC on Tuesday, "North Baltimore voted to leave the Blanchard Valley Conference on October 26th and was formally granted release from the BVC after the 2022-2023 school year on November 2nd."North Baltimore becomes the second BVC school to join the NWCC beginning in 2023. Earlier, Cory-Rawson voted to leave the BVC for the NWCC during the 2020-2021 school year. Also, Hardin Northern, a member of the BVC from 1965 through 2013, switched to the NWCC in 2014.The addition of North Baltimore and Cory-Rawson will boost NWCC's membership to 11 schools spread across seven counties: Allen (Lima Perry, Lima Temple Christian), Auglaize (Waynsefield-Goshen), Hancock (Cory-Rawson), Hardin (Hardin Northern, Upper Scioto Valley, Ridgemont), Marion (Elgin, Ridgedale), Crawford (Crestline) and Wood (North Baltimore). Lima Temple Christian does have football.Leipsic left the BVC for the Northwest Conference in 2020. The BVC will be expanding a bit, though, with Elmwood joining the league with the start of the 2023-24 school year. ALL-WBL GIRLS SOCCER Myka Aldrich and Makenna Siefker, the leading scorers on Ottawa-Glandorf's district championship girls soccer team, have earned first-team honors in all-league voting by Western Buckeye League coaches.Siefker scored 22 goals, added eight assists and led O-G with 51 total points. Aldrich, with 21 goals and seven assists, had 49 points for the Titans, 18-1-0 overall, ranked No. 8 in the state poll, and a qualifier for the Division III regional tournament.Lily Haselman (14 goals, 12 assists) and Clara Beach (13 goals, 7 assists) were second-team all-league picks for O-G. Emilee Horstman and Ella Okuley were third-team all-WBL, and Abby Warnecke received honorable mention all-league recognition. ALL-WBL BOYS SOCCER Ottawa-Glandorf's Jeramy Hermiller was a first-team pick and Nate Maag and Austin Birkimeier were second-team selections on the 2021 all-Western Buckeye League boys soccer teams.Carson Fuka and Dylan Birkimeier landed spots on the all-WBL third team, and Alex Macke received honorable mention all-league recognition for the Titans, who posted a 13-4-1 record during the 2021 season. NWCC all-leagueDOLA — Hardin Northern's Nevin Robson and Kobee Hookers earned all-league honors on both sides of the ball in the 2021 all-Northwest Central Conference football selections.Robson, who was also Hardin Northern's quarterback, earned first-team all-NWCC honors as a defensive back after recording 43 tackles. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior intercepted four passes, broke up 12 others, and was the second-team all-NWCC place kicker as well.Hooker, a 5-10, 220-pound senior, was a first-team pick on the offensive line and second-teamer on the defensive front. As an offensive guard, Hooker allowed just one sack all season and had 24 pancake blocks.Hardin Northern's Colby Curtis, who caught 26 passes for 627 yards and three touchdowns, was a first-team all-NWCC reviver and Carter Curtis was a second-team pick at running back.\Connor Curtis, Cooper Thomas and Bo Bame received honorable mention all-league recognition for the Polar Bears, who went 6-5 during the 2021 season. WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULEBOYS SOCCERDIVISION III REGIONALBluffton vs. Ottawa Hills, at Tiffin 6 p.m.