Browns name Buckeye's Mark Pinzone 2015 High School Coach of the Year

The Cleveland Browns named Buckeye High School football Head Coach Mark Pinzone the 2015 High School Coach of the Year, the team announced during Sundays 24-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at FirstEnergy Stadium. Throughout the season, nearly 1 million votes were submitted by Northeast Ohio youth and high school football supporters through the Browns 2015 High School Game of the Week, presented by PNC Bank.

Pinzone, who was recognized during halftime of yesterday's game, guided the Bucks to their first undefeated regular season in 10 years and an outright Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division championship. It marked the school's third division championship in as many years en route to the team's third OHSAA State Playoff appearance.

According to Buckeye High School Athletic Director Glen Reisner, Pinzone has helped grow participation in the school's football program from 49 kids to nearly 80 since his arrival in 2013.

"He has built the program up," said Resiner. "The kids have completely bought in. He is a great asset to Buckeye."

The Browns will make an additional $4,000 donation to Pinzone's high school football program, while all finalists initially received $2,000 contributions from the franchise to benefit their teams. All 10 finalists participated in Sunday's in-game recognition for their commitment to developing the sport in Northeast Ohio.

The Browns High School Coach of the Year award is based on a coach's overall body of work during the regular season after being featured in the Cleveland Browns High School Game of the Week, presented by PNC Bank.

Cleveland completed its sixth consecutive year of the High School Game of the Week again this fall, when PNC returned as the presenting partner. Since the program's inceptions, approximately six million votes have been submitted for weekly matchups posted on ClevelandBrowns.com, with fans deciding which game the Browns should cover. Panel members for game selections included Andrew Gribble, Browns senior staff writer; Dave DeNatale, play-by-play voice for ESPN Cleveland's High School Hysteria game of the week; Jason Gibbs, host of ESPN Cleveland's High School Hysteria Rewind Show and Browns High School Show; and Matt Fontana, studio host of ESPN Cleveland's High School Hysteria.

With youth football providing year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents, the Cleveland Browns continue to evolve as a development leader for the game of football. Through camps, clinics and other football-based initiatives, the Browns strive to provide quality programs to ensure the youth of today are involved with the sport for generations to come.

For more information, visit www.ClevelandBrowns.com/community or follow @BrownsYouthFB for all items related to youth and high school football.

All teams are also encouraged to show how they are supporting their local communities by joining the Cleveland Browns First and Ten program, an initiative focused on growing volunteerism, and sharing their efforts through #give10.

Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's unique community program, established to inspire fans to volunteer in and help their communities throughout the world by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community.

2015 Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Year finalists:

*Denotes 2015 High School Coach of the Year