By Zach Martin / zach@chronlinecom

When the starting gun went off on the first day of the state track and field championships in May, Cecil Gumaelius, a rising freshman at Oakville High School, wore a red jersey in the Class 1B 3,200-meter race.

It didn’t say “Oakville,” but three letters: ONR.

The merger of North River and Oakville in the spring was the unofficial starting point for an official partnership between the two school districts.

According to athletic director Christina Mootz, Oakville and North River will fully consolidate all high school and middle school sports over the next four years as part of the new classification agreements.

The WIAA has listed the Combine as Oakville-North River, or ONR for short, but will keep the Acorns nickname. They will remain in the Coastal Division 1B.

“Names have power and we feel it is important to represent both schools to fully honor our student-athletes and communities,” Mootz said in an email to The Chronicle. “The proximity has caused our communities to be socially intertwined and now we have a stronger bond.”

Mootz said the two schools were members of the original 1B Coastal League and will now join forces for the next few seasons.

ONR already heads into 2024-25 with a state champion, as Lewis Koser won the Class 1B discus title with a throw of 136 feet, 7 inches.

“Although our North River membership numbers are currently small, we hope to continue to honor and grow the association,” Mootz said. “Providing more opportunities for all students.”