By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
Ask Ohio high school sports fans about the Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) and they are likely to comment on the alignment's football prowess. Although fitting, it is only partially right.
The MAC is much more than a football conference, it is an all-around juggernaut, racking up titles in almost every sport imaginable.
Formed in 1972 with Ansonia, Bradford, Coldwater, Minster, New Bremen, Parkway, Marion Local, and St. Henry, the conference has undergone some change, but one thing remains constant - championships.
Ansonia and Bradford left after the 1977-78 season as Ft. Recovery, Mendon, and New Knoxville took their spots. Four years later Delphos St. Johns joined, and in 1999 it was decided that football powerhouse Versailles would be invited to join in 2001.
Currently the conference is made up of the six charter members, Versailles, Delphos, New Knoxville and Anna for football only. Mendon schools were consolidated with Parkway.
The collection of state hardware is stunning with the MAC gathering titles on a yearly basis.
The conference has won 76 state titles, but if you count those titles won by schools before joining the MAC the total climbs to 87. Marion Local won the MAC's first state title in 1974-75 and since then at least one school has either won or been a state runner-up every year. The only year without a state title was the 1980-81 year, when the Minster girls finished second in track and field.
Minster leads all MAC schools with 20 titles, most coming in girls cross country and track. St. Henry is a close second with 19, Coldwater has 10, and Delphos St. Johns and Versailles have 11 and nine, respectively, but a number of those came when they were members of another conference.
The most impressive season was the 2003-04 season. That year the MAC brought home a combined 11 state championships and runner-ups. Versailles won in football and girls cross country, Minster in girls basketball and track. Finally, St. Henry beat Versailles in the championship game taking the title in Division III boys basketball.
The essence of success for this conference is simple; hard work, quality coaches, good athletes, and competition. Student-athletes at these schools start playing together in grade school, competing together and learning about the tradition of their respective schools.
The youth programs are aimed at developing players, not winning games, which is something that waits for high school. By the time they arrive at the varsity level, the fire to be champions has been well lit.
"These kids have been playing together since grade school and winning tournaments," said Minster baseball coach Mike Wiss, who is at the controls of the state's top-ranked team.
There is not a school in the MAC where the drive to compete and win is lacking, making competition within the conference fierce. Often winning the MAC is more difficult than winning the state title.
This type of claim is backed by the tournament runs of St. Henry in 2004 and Marion Local in 2003. Both were seeded near the bottom of their respective regions for the OHSAA football playoffs, but both ended up in the championship game.
In girls basketball the MAC lost only three tournament games to non-league opponents; Versailles in the semifinals and Delphos St. Johns in the final to Cleveland Central Catholic in Division III and New Knoxville in the Division IV finals.
Currently, both the Versailles and Ft. Recovery baseball teams are still alive in the tournament despite being under .500 during the regular season. Versailles coach Ted Blakeley stated it best.
"We are a battled-tested team playing some of the best teams in the state," Versailles coach Ted Blakeley said when asked about his regular season schedule.
The beat for the MAC has kept right on going with a handful of baseball and softball teams still playing and a number of track individuals looking for state titles.
