Leonzio 1909

Associazione Sportiva Dilettantisica S.S. Leonzio 1909, also commonly known as Leonzio, is an Italian football club located in Lentini.

They participate in the 2022–23 Eccellenza, the fifth level of the Italian football league system.

History

Origins (1909–1980s)

The club was founded in 1909 as Sport Club Leonzio by some students attending the Technical and Commercial Institute of Augusta. Among them, Giuseppe Messina, Angelino Nobile and Francesco Siracusano were from Lentini. They chose black and white as the club's colours. In 1914, the marchioness Riso organised a four-team competition that saw the participation of US Catanese, Megara Augusta, Leonzio, and Carlentini. The award consisted of a diploma and a gold medal. Leonzio reached the final, in which they had to face Carlentini in an away match in the nearby town in what was the first derby of Leonzio's history. However, the first match was suspended because a brawl erupted. The organizers decided to replay the game in the neutral venue of Agnone Bagni. Leonzio eventually won the competition, managing to attract the first interest of Lentinesi towards football.

After having participated in regional and juvenile tournaments for decades, Leonzio was admitted to the 1945–46 Serie C. At the end of the season, economic troubles, which have characterized the club throughout its history, prevented Leonzio from renewing the registration to the league. After 10 additional years spent in minor regional championships, the club was admitted through a repechage to 1956–57 Promozione Sicilia, the higher tier of regional tournaments in Sicily. The permanence in this league lasted for three seasons, as Leonzio was relegated to Prima Categoria during the 1959–60 season.