Mentor lost its crown as the biggest high school in Northeast Ohio, based on enrollment figures released this week by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. With the consolidation of Southview and Admiral King, Lorain High is the most-populated school in Greater Cleveland.

Here’s a look at the biggest schools in the region. The OHSAA’s figures are based on students in grades 9, 10 and 11 in October 2010. These are not part of the proposed “athletic count.”

Lorain: 2,018
Mentor: 2,009
Brunswick: 1,857
Strongsville: 1,833
Elyria: 1,731
Medina: 1,731
Euclid: 1,571
John Marshall: 1,519
Cleveland Heights: 1,461
Shaker Heights: 1,357
Solon: 1,334

Of note, St. Ignatius’ number is 1,121. Lorain is the only other NE Ohio school with more than 1,000 boys (1,002). Also, Glenville has 506 boys. The cutoff for Division I in football is 494, meaning the Tarblooders were 13 boys away from being in Division II.

Statewide, Lorain and Mentor rank sixth and seventh. Here’s a look at the most-populated schools in Ohio:

Mason: 2,396
Fairfield: 2,366
Lakota West: 2,132
Centerville: 2,112
Lakota East: 2,069
Lorain: 2,018
Mentor: 2,009
Cincinnati Oak Hills: 1,969
Hamilton: 1,963

Among boys enrollments, Cincinnati St. Xavier (1,164) is third and St. Ignatius (1,121) is fourth.

- Howard Primer