Familiar face leads the way at Leetonia

LEETONIA , Ohio (WKBN) – The Leetonia High School football team has a new coach for the 2024 season in Matt Altomare , who was previously at the helm from 2006-2014.

“I live here, I was born here, raised here, graduated here,” said Coach Altomare. “Know all the kids, had them all in school. Probably had some of their parents in school, too. So, you know, familiarity is there.”

The Bears have had four new head football coaches in four years. Senior linebacker Cameron Roller said Altomare’s familiarity helps.

“He’s been here my whole life, so I’ve seen him every day,” said Roller. “This is fun, seeing him through the halls, talking to him whenever.”

Altomare takes over a program that has not won a game since the first week of the 2022 season.

The school has a tradition after winning every home game to ring a bell above the stadium. Seniors are confident they will get to hear the ringing again this season.

“Oh, my God, it would mean everything to me,” said Senior quarterback Carson Brock. “I mean, I haven’t heard it in over two years. It would mean everything to me.

“My last time hearing the ringing, that was my freshman year,” said Roller.

Seniors Carson Brock and Cam Roller are leading the team for the 2024 season. Brock is a three-year starter at quarterback with 1,418 yards and completing 52% of his passes (121-232).

Roller anchors the Bears defense and recorded 110 tackles last season.

Coach Altomare spent the past four seasons as the head coach at Lisbon. He posted a record of 18-24 with back-to-back playoff appearances.

Altomare started his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant for Leetonia and his father who was the head coach for 30 years.

“Showing them that we care, that’s kind of what I’ve always held my hat on,” said Altomare. “Whether it’s at Lisbon, whether it was at Salem, at Leetonia before, I always tell the kids I love them.”

Over the last five seasons, the Bears have a record of (15-31). Leetonia seniors said they believe this season is their chance to turn a program around before they graduate.

“I always think it’s different for all of us because everybody else has experienced winning, but we never really have in our high school careers,” said Brock. “It’s definitely different for us. I think it helps us for this year.”

Leetonia’s first game of the 2024 season is at home against Fairport Harding, Aug. 23.

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