Our History

From the Beginning

 In the 1960's, the state of Ohio issued Government mandated school consolidations which would, in turn, change the landscape of high school athletics around the area.  The Government directed schools with a student population of under 500 students to consolidate with neighboring districts. In 1962, a survey team recommended that Nelsonville, Chauncey, Glouster, Trimble and York districts consolidate to make one large district. However, this plan was ultimately rejected when it was determined that none of the existing school buildings could properly accommodate the number of students that would be combined. 

In the spring of 1963 another plan was created to consolidate Nelsonville, Glouster, Trimble, York and Ames-Bern into one district, but once again, was rejected due to concerns over travel distances for students that would live on the far edges of the proposed district. As the State pushed for consolidation, a “temporary solution” was brought forth in the fall of 1963. This temporary solution has since become permanent. In November 1966 voters in the Nelsonville and York school districts voted to approve the consolidation of the two schools and Nelsonville-York was created, along with the already pre-consolidated students from Murray City and Carbonhill schools. In the fall of 1967, Nelsonville-York High School opened our doors for the first time. 

Why Buckeyes?

Like most people, you probably think of the Brown, White, and Orange NY Buckeyes and think......Why Buckeyes? Why Brown???? That's a great question. While some people still remember the reasoning behind it all, I'm here to tell you the REAL story. A decision that would change the history of the Nelsonville and Buchtel communities forever. A story of community pride, tough decision making, and a little controversy. Here, is the REAL story as to how WE became the Nelsonville-York BUCKEYES! 

It all started with a brand new school board and two student body Presidents. The President from York, Libby Wagner (Watkins), and the President from Nelsonville, Courtnie Haning. The schoolboard decided that the student body of the two schools should decide on the new school colors and mascot. The Presidents from each respective district met and came up with the idea to put out a ballot where students could help assist in the creation of the new school colors. The ballot asked all students to come up with color combinations that they liked, the only restriction being that the combinations could NOT be any of the same combinations as any other school in the South East Ohio Athletic League (SEOAL). 

Three color combinations, and mascots, were selected as finalists for the choosing of the new school. Those three were the Patriots, the colors of which being red, white and blue. The Rebels, those colors being blue and gray. And finally the Eagles, of which the color scheme was green and white. The three options were then put back out into the student body for a vote. The option that won was the Rebels (blue/grey). I know what you're thinking. "Wait, Buckeyes isn't even an option? Then.....How?" The next part of our story is where the little bit of controversy comes into play. 

There were some in the community (not student body) who weren't exactly thrilled with the selection of the new colors and mascot. Some prefered the Patriots over the Rebels, and that started problems for the newly formed school board. Problems that involved another vote, and a meeting with each student body. That meeting is still remembered and talked about to this day, as the students were so fed up with the decision to not go with what the students  had chosen that the entire class stood up, and walked out in protest. They believed that the school board didn't follow through with the process and decision that was decided upon. The turmoil this caused in the community, with the board members, and with the student body got so bad that houses were even vandalized due to the decision. 

The school board President, Dick Hubbard, then called an emergency meeting with both student body Presidents and stated that they had to pick a new color scheme and mascot now and they were sticking to it. This time, it couldn't be any of the three choices that were previously offered. Haning and Wagner discussed the obstacle of not using any of the colors that were mentioned and both decided that the only color scheme left was brown and white. The Mascot decision was then narrowed down, as there weren't many Brown and White opportunities for mascots. The one that stuck out the most, however, were brown and white Buckeyes.  The decision to have orange as an accent color was also discussed, and eventually adopted into the school colors.

And from that day on, we became known as the Brown, white (and orange) Nelsonville-York Buckeyes!