On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, Franklin Heights High School (FHHS) was granted an early release from the Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) by league vote -  paving the way for the Golden Falcons to join the Central Buckeye League (CBL) starting in the 2024-2025 season in all sports with the exception of football (starting fall of 2026). 

Earlier this spring, FHHS was initially extended an offer by the CBL to join the conference as an expansion school upon conditional release from OCC commitments. FHHS had previously been a member school of the OCC since 1981.

With the move, FHHS, currently the smallest school in the OCC, finds itself in a more advantageous position to pursue competitive balance commensurate with similar school’s enrollments as it starts a new chapter in the CBL. The District’s three other high schools will remain in the OCC (Central Crossing High School, Grove City High School, and Westland High School). 

The South-Western City School District and the Franklin Heights High School administration would like to thank the OCC for their years of collaboration as the school is released from its league membership in support of our students now and in the years to come. 

About the new conference home of the Golden Falcons for 2025 and 2026

The Central Buckeye League (CBL) is made up of member schools Bexley, Bishop Ready, Buckeye Valley, Columbus Academy, the Columbus School for Girls, Grandview Heights, Whitehall, and Worthington Christian.

As a league, while CBL is a relatively new formation (2022), the conference structure has roots back to previous iterations of the former Central Buckeye League which was in operation from 1929-1966 and 1976-1991 where Bexley, Columbus Academy, Grandview Heights, and Whitehall were members.