Lillstrung

Our Beachwood, part of The News-Herald coverage area since 2013, is renowned for its girls track and field, wrestling and more. The Bison do have a relatively similar namesake in Kentucky in the form of Beechwood.

Beechwood, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, is known for its football program, which has played for a state championship 21 times and won 14 since 1991 in Class 1A. Another interesting facet for our corner of Ohio: One of Beechwood’s primary rivals fall after fall in competing for a state title on the gridiron is Mayfield — not our Wildcats, of course, but one located on the southwestern tip of Kentucky.

They met this past fall, in fact, for the Class 2A crown, with Beechwood edging out a 14-13 decision.

Brush

Our Brush in Lyndhurst was named after Charles F. Brush, inventor of the arc lamp.

There is another Brush in Colorado located about 90 minutes northeast of Denver. That Brush has won 18 state championships in Colorado, five in football and four in boys basketball.

The Arcs are a fun nickname, but the Brush in Colorado arguably has them beat: The latter are the Beetdiggers. It seems the area is plentiful in sugar beets.

Chardon

Although, as any of us familiar with its quality and toughness are well

aware, there is only one Chardon. Hilltopper, and Mountain Boys around World War II before it, is difficult to top as a mascot.

But there is one fairly similar namesake.

In Nebraska, there is a Chadron. Its football program appeared in a state championship game in 1998 in Class B, losing to state power Lincoln Pius X. Its girls track and field squad captured a Class B state team title in 1984. Its boys and girls basketball teams have combined to appear in seven state finals, with the boys making their first tournament appearance in 1915. Chadron is the Cardinals.

There have been probably been instances in which, on a national site such as MaxPreps, people have searched for one or the other and, thanks to a small typo, emerged confused.

Fairport

Our Fairport has been a staple on the shore of Lake Erie and for our small-school ranks for more than a century now. Its namesake comes from the southeast outskirts of Rochester in New York.

The New York version of Fairport made a pair of Class AA state football final appearances in 1997 and 1998, winning it all in 1997, and its soccer sides have combined for five state runners-up since 2008.

Funny enough, this Fairport’s mascot? The Red Raiders. Speaking of the Red Raiders with whom this Fairport neighbors …

Harvey

An old Red Raider like me would be remiss without noting there is also a Harvey in North Dakota and in New York.

Our Harvey is named after Thomas W. Harvey, a well-regarded educational leader in Painesville in the 19th century.

Due to low enrollment, several states including North Dakota allow two or three high schools to compete together in sports as coops. Harvey, in the north-central portion of the state, coops with Wells County and are known as the Hornets. The Harvey School in Katonah, N.Y., has netted four titles since 1995 across boys basketball, lacrosse and cross country in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council tournament. They are known as the Cavaliers.

Kirtland

Our Hornets obviously have a football team known as one of the most successful small-school programs in the United States, along with a decorated lineage in other sports.

Kirtland has one similar namesake: Kirtland Central in New Mexico, in the northwestern corner of the state near Colorado and Arizona and not far from the Four Corners border shared with Utah.

Known as the Broncos, Kirtland Central is known for basketball. The boys program has won four state championships, including a threepeat in Class 4A between 200103. The girls program has appeared in four straight Class 4A state finals in the last five years, including a 2022 crown.

Mentor

Albeit alphabetical and a slight stretch, we’ll close with this one.

Mentor, one of the largest schools in Ohio, has a small counterpart with which it shares its name

and a connection.

There is an unincorporated township in Kansas called Mentor. Unfortunately, the township has seen better days, with its post office closing in 1995 and a railroad station being long abandoned. But if you drive into Mentor off Interstate 135, there is an old store with a grain elevator marked “Mentor” in the familiar red that can be viewed on Google Earth.

Its population is a tad smaller than our Mentor: 101. And its residents attend Southeast of Saline High School.

According to “Exploring Kansas Highways: Trip Trivia” by Michael Heim, the Mentor in Kansas got its name from its settlers who came from Mentor, Ohio.

Again, this was a silly exercise. But when we talk about so much serious business, a pivot every now and then is welcome.