Niagara Frontier League
Encyclopedia
The Niagara Frontier League (NFL) is high school athletic league in Western New York
. It was formed in the spring of 1937 at a meeting in Mike Cutt's Clay Pipe Inn in Tonawanda, New York
. Representatives from Lackawanna
, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Niagara Falls
, Trott, Kenmore
and Lockport
merged the former RPI basketball and St. Lawrence football leagues to found the NFL.
In the early years of the NFL, schedules were balanced by granting associate memberships for either football or basketball to Batavia
, Dunkirk, Jamestown
, and Olean
. The league stabilized its membership in 1939 with the addition of La Salle
and the expansion to other sports.
In 1959, Kenmore East entered competition and in 1961, the late Harry Blakeslee brought Lewiston-Porter into the fold from the Niagara Orleans League.
1965 saw the withdrawal of charter member Lackawanna to the E.C.I.C. Niagara Wheatfield entered the league at that time, coming from the Niagara Orleans League. The NFL initiated an extensive sports program for the girls in the member schools in 1973 and it has flourished since.
Grand Island left the E.C.I.C. and moved to the NFL in 1979 and the league welcomed the Nichols School
in 1983.
Each member school felt the loss of charter member Trott Vocational due to the school closing in 1988. The Engineers, with more than 50 years of competition in the NFL had been a source of pride for the school, the city of Niagara Falls, the league and their alumni.
In 1995, charter member Tonawanda High School
left for the E.C.I.C. The opening of the new Niagara Falls High School in the fall of 2000 spelled the end of LaSalle High School
. LaSalle High School, who entered the Niagara Frontier League in 1939, was consolidated into the new high school.
The Nichols School withdrew from the league at the close of the 2002 school year.
The NFL welcomed the Charter School for Applied Technologies in 2004. The Charter School for Applied Technologies left the Niagara Frontier League at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season.
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
. It was formed in the spring of 1937 at a meeting in Mike Cutt's Clay Pipe Inn in Tonawanda, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Representatives from Lackawanna
Lackawanna, New York
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, New York, U.S., located just south of the city of Buffalo in the western part of New York state. The population was 18,141 at the 2010 census. The name derives from the Lackawanna Steel Company...
, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, Trott, Kenmore
Kenmore, New York
Village of Kenmore is a village in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The population was 16,426 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area....
and Lockport
Lockport
- Places :In Canada:* Lockport, Manitoba* Lockeport, Nova ScotiaIn the United States of America:* Lockport, Illinois* Lockport, Indiana* Lockport, Kentucky in Henry County, Kentucky* Lockport, Louisiana* Lockport , New York...
merged the former RPI basketball and St. Lawrence football leagues to found the NFL.
In the early years of the NFL, schedules were balanced by granting associate memberships for either football or basketball to Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
, Dunkirk, Jamestown
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
, and Olean
Olean
Olean can refer to:* Olestra, an artificial fat substitute* Olean, New York, the largest city named Olean**Olean , New York, a surrounding municipality* Olean, Missouri...
. The league stabilized its membership in 1939 with the addition of La Salle
La Salle High School (Niagara Falls, New York)
La Salle Senior High School was a high school in Niagara Falls, New York, run by the Niagara Falls City School District. It was closed in 2000 and subsequently merged with the "old" Niagara Falls High School to create the "new" Niagara Falls High School, in a cost-cutting measure. It is not to be...
and the expansion to other sports.
In 1959, Kenmore East entered competition and in 1961, the late Harry Blakeslee brought Lewiston-Porter into the fold from the Niagara Orleans League.
1965 saw the withdrawal of charter member Lackawanna to the E.C.I.C. Niagara Wheatfield entered the league at that time, coming from the Niagara Orleans League. The NFL initiated an extensive sports program for the girls in the member schools in 1973 and it has flourished since.
Grand Island left the E.C.I.C. and moved to the NFL in 1979 and the league welcomed the Nichols School
Nichols School
Nichols School is a private, non-denominational, co-educational college-preparatory day school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. The average enrollment is 570 students with an average Upper School grade/class size of 98 students...
in 1983.
Each member school felt the loss of charter member Trott Vocational due to the school closing in 1988. The Engineers, with more than 50 years of competition in the NFL had been a source of pride for the school, the city of Niagara Falls, the league and their alumni.
In 1995, charter member Tonawanda High School
Tonawanda High School
Tonawanda High School is a public high school located in the City of Tonawanda, New York. It is part of the Tonawanda City School District. The school's football field was at one time the home of the Tonawanda Kardex, a professional football team, who achieved fame by playing in just one game as a...
left for the E.C.I.C. The opening of the new Niagara Falls High School in the fall of 2000 spelled the end of LaSalle High School
La Salle High School (Niagara Falls, New York)
La Salle Senior High School was a high school in Niagara Falls, New York, run by the Niagara Falls City School District. It was closed in 2000 and subsequently merged with the "old" Niagara Falls High School to create the "new" Niagara Falls High School, in a cost-cutting measure. It is not to be...
. LaSalle High School, who entered the Niagara Frontier League in 1939, was consolidated into the new high school.
The Nichols School withdrew from the league at the close of the 2002 school year.
The NFL welcomed the Charter School for Applied Technologies in 2004. The Charter School for Applied Technologies left the Niagara Frontier League at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season.
Current members
- Grand Island Senior High SchoolGrand Island Senior High School (New York)Grand Island Senior High School is a public high school located at 1100 Ransom Road in Grand Island, New York. The school follows the New York State Regents Board curriculum. Advanced Placement classes are offered in 16 subjects including Biology, Calculus, Physics C: Mechanics and ...
- Kenmore East High SchoolKenmore East High SchoolKenmore East High School is a high school in the Town of Tonawanda, New York. Its name refers to the Village of Kenmore, which it serves. The school's mascot is a bulldog. The school was founded in 1959 and is the sister school to Kenmore West Senior High School...
- Kenmore West High School
- Lewiston-Porter High School
- Lockport Senior High School
- Niagara Falls High SchoolNiagara Falls High SchoolNiagara Falls High School is a high school located at 4455 Porter Road in Niagara Falls New York. Niagara Falls High School was established in 2000, with the merging of the "old" Niagara Falls High School and La Salle High School, both located in Niagara Falls...
- Niagara Wheatfield Senior High School
- North Tonawanda
Past members
- Charter School for Applied Technologies
- Lackawanna High School
- La Salle High School (Niagara Falls, New York)La Salle High School (Niagara Falls, New York)La Salle Senior High School was a high school in Niagara Falls, New York, run by the Niagara Falls City School District. It was closed in 2000 and subsequently merged with the "old" Niagara Falls High School to create the "new" Niagara Falls High School, in a cost-cutting measure. It is not to be...
- Nichols High SchoolNichols High SchoolNichols High School is a historic high school located at Nichols in Tioga County, New York. It is a Tudor Revival style, three story, rectangular brick structure with limestone trim built in 1911-1912. The hipped roof is topped with a belfry that retains the original school bell...
- Tonawanda High SchoolTonawanda High SchoolTonawanda High School is a public high school located in the City of Tonawanda, New York. It is part of the Tonawanda City School District. The school's football field was at one time the home of the Tonawanda Kardex, a professional football team, who achieved fame by playing in just one game as a...
- Trott Vocational School