LEETONIA — The drive from Leetonia to the Northwestern Ohio village of Vanlue is a long one – nearly three hours, to be exact.

So when the Leetonia high school football team set off for Vanlue last Thursday for the first game of the season, the Bears and their head coach, Matt Altomare, were hopeful that the 320-mile round-trip would not be in vain.

And for the first time in more than three years, their hopes were realized.

The Bears, who had lost 30 games in a row – three full seasons’ worth – crushed the Wildcats 47-0. The result, while welcomed, was so lopsided, though, that Leetonia triggered a running clock in the second half, which meant that the Bears, who often found themselves on the wrong end of the running clock, would have to go at least another week to play a traditional, f

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