Submitted photo New Eagles coach Damon Buente poses during the team's picture day last summer. He served as the teams running backs and linebackers coach last season.

WARREN — Following a lengthy and exhaustive search, the Warren John F. Kennedy High football program ultimately turned to its own sidelines to find its new leader.

On Wednesday, JFK school officials introduced Damon Buente as the Eagles’ new varsity head football coach. Buente replaces Dom Prologo, who abruptly stepped down in early February following a successful three-year stint.

Prologo departed after leading Kennedy to three consecutive regional championships, two state runner-up finishes, and a 14-3 playoff record.

This past fall, Kennedy went 13-2, falling to New Bremen in the Division VII state title game.

Buente was part of the Eagles’ latest success. In 2022, he served as a running backs/linebackers coach under Prologo.

“I am thrilled that Damon will take the reins of the Kennedy football program,” said school president Joseph Kenneally. “A number of talented coaches applied for this position and, ultimately, we believe Coach Buente is the person to guide our program into the future.”

“I appreciate the fact that he has an established relationship with our players and program continuity for our team was critical in our decision process.”

Buente is a graduate of Canfield High School, where he was a standout player on the 2005 Cardinals team which advanced to the Division II state title game. At Canfield, he played under Mike Pavlansky and Prologo, who at the time was an assistant with the Cardinals.

After graduating from Miami University, Buente began teaching at Western Reserve Local Schools in 2014 – a position he still holds today.

Buente began his coaching career at his alma mater, where he was a running backs coach. He also served as an assistant at Western Reserve under Andy Hake and Jason Lude.

“In terms of coaches I worked for, I feel like I fell out of the sky and ended up with the 1920s New York Yankees,” Buente said. “I guarantee you, every assistant coach in Northeast Ohio would give anything to have the opportunity to work under Mike, Dom, Andy, and Jason.

“I filled endless notebooks with every bit of information I could gather from these guys. Everything from pregame routines to game day messages to what players wear and how they conduct themselves in school. Early on I think I even took notes on how coach Pav tied his shoes. I learned from the best.”

Buente noted that he joined the JFK staff last fall primarily “because I wanted to work with Coach Prologo just once before he retired.” He said he immediately grew attached to the school and the football program.

“From a school standpoint, it’s just a special environment. It’s family,” Buente said. “From a football perspective, the physicality and the toughness are nostalgic. We live in an era where football is a finesse game. The Kennedy kids brought me back to the grittiness and toughness of football.”

Buente inherits a program rich in success. Kennedy has won 10 regional titles and has appeared in five state title games, winning state championships in 1991 and 2016. The new mentor welcomes the challenge and the pressures that go along with the expectations of maintaining success.

“Coach Pavlansky and Coach Prologo always told me that no amount of outside pressure will be greater than the pressure you place upon yourself,” Buente said. “I fully embrace the challenge and the opportunity to maintain the Kennedy tradition.”

Meanwhile, Pavlansky says he is excited – and not the least bit surprised – to see Buente get the opportunity to guide his own program.

“When Damon was a player, he strived to get better every day, he was a student of the game,” Pavlansky said. “As a coach, same thing. He was organized. He researched drills. He was prepared every day. He was born to be a coach and teacher.

“When Coach Prologo left, there was some uncertainty within that program. But Damon will bring energy and commitment. He’ll send things in the right direction.”

Though not ready to reveal names, Buente said he is close to having a staff in place, noting that “If the season started March 16, we’d be ready.”

He was specific in noting that he wants to retain the services of Strength and Conditioning coach Frank Tempesta.

“Frank is Kennedy, he is one of the most important aspects of this program,” Buente said.

Buente becomes the ninth head coach in Kennedy history. The school fielded its first football team in 1964.