Kenston and Mayfield will be leaving the Western Reserve Conference to join the Suburban League starting with the 2026-27 season. Related Articles High School Sports | Schools pulling back on social media striking, but not surprising | Opinion High School Sports | 2024 News-Herald boys cross country all-stars High School Sports | High school football: Finalists named for Tony Fisher and Bob Ritley awards High School Sports | High school football: Perry-Glenville matchup highlights four area regional title games High School Sports | 2024 Ohio high school football regional finals pairings, sites The move is pending approval by Kenston and Mayfield’s boards of education, which could be a formality since both schools applied to join the new league. Kenston and Mayfield will be joined by Medina in the new-look Suburban League. The story was first reported on Nov. 19 by the Akron Beacon Journal. Medina will be coming to the Suburban League from the Greater Cleveland Conference. The Surburban League sought expansion after three schools — Kent Roosevelt, Cuyahoga Falls and Tallmadge — announced their intention to join the Metro Athletic Conference following the 2025-26 season. Suburban League commissioner Keith Walker confirmed the invitations of Kenston, Mayfield and Medina to the league. In an Akron Beacon Journal article, he said, “I think the schools coming in can strengthen that American Conference with the other schools leaving. It will help the competitive balance across the board, especially with football. As far as the National Conference, Medina has been on our radar for a while. Their proximity to Wadsworth and the western sides of the conference was a plus.” Per the Beacon Journal report, Mayfield and Kenston would slot into the Suburban League’s American Conference along with Akron Copley, Richfield Revere, Barberton and Aurora, while the National Conference would have Solon, Medina, Medina Highland, Stow, Hudson, North Royalton and Wadsworth. Brecksville, Twinsburg and Nordonia will have their positions confirmed on where their strengths lie in each sport, the Beacon Journal report said. The pending exodus of Kenston and Mayfield leaves the Western Reserve Conference in an unenviable, if not unsustainable, position of having four schools — Riverside, North, South and Chardon. The league formerly had eight members before Brush departed in 2020 to pursue an independent schedule and Madison departed in 2022 to join the Chagrin Valley Conference. North and South have been linked to rumors to join the Chagrin Valley Conference, while Riverside has been part of rumors to join the Greater Cleveland Conference, though nothing has materialized on either front. This story will be updated.