- April 18, 2024
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In his first and only season on the Mainland High football team, starting quarterback Damarcus “DC” Creecy led his team to an 11-4 season including four playoff wins and a run at the state championship.
The Bucs walked away as Class 3S state runners-up after a tight 32-30 loss to the Lake Wales Highlanders who went 15-0 and won the state championship.
“That was rough,” Creecy's dad, Marteen Creecy, said. “It was probably the best game that weekend. It was a great game. There were Division I athletes on both sides of the field. It was awesome to see. I thought we were going to pull it out. DC got into a rhythm and I thought that they (Lake Wales) would be in trouble, but we came up short.”
Creecy, who signed to play for Army on Feb. 1, became the single-season record holder in yardage at Mainland. According to the Florida High School Athletic Association statistics, he was ranked second in the state with 3,420 total passing yardage and had 32 touchdowns after the state championship game. He wrapped up the season completing 232-of-334 passes with 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and also rushed for 513 yards with 2 touchdowns.
The state's media and coaches took notice and selected him as the Florida Dairy Farmers Association Class 3S Football Player of the Year.
“He deserved it,” Mainland coach Travis Roland said. “I don’t think there is anybody that’s better in the state. The only person that could have pushed him is (Mainland's) Ajai (Harrell) for that award. I think they both earned it. DC deserved it. You look at big time offenses and a lot of time the quarterback is the reason and he was. I’m very thankful for him. His success means continued success for our program.”
Creecy’s athletic ability has led him to play a multitude of sports throughout his life including his first stint this season playing baseball with Mainland. His aptitude for sports comes naturally with both parents, mom Shakira Browne and dad Marteen, being athletes at Eagle's Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia.
I’m like, I guess I’ll play quarterback since I’ve never played it,” he said. “I like the control you have over the game. Everybody turns to you as the source. I feel like my knowledge could be best used at quarterback instead of receiver where I just know what I’m doing and can’t help anybody else. — DAMARCUS "DC" CREECY, Mainland quarterback
At 5 years old, Creecy could run and cut as if he had been playing football all his life.
“I saw him running and cutting, running and cutting,” Marteen said. “He seemed to know things other kids didn’t know. I thought, what in the world is going on.”
Marteen signed him up to play in the Texas Youth Football Association when he and DC's mother were stationed in Texas. He took DC to meet his team and he noticed the coaches did not seem very organized so he offered his assistance. Eventually, he took over the coaching position and has been coaching ever since. He currently coaches Pop Warner football in Port Orange.
Creecy started his high school football career at Spruce Creek. At that point, he had been playing in various positions and when the coaches asked if anyone would like to play quarterback, he decided he wanted to try the position.
“I’m like, I guess I’ll play quarterback since I’ve never played it,” he said. “I like the control you have over the game. Everybody turns to you as the source. I feel like my knowledge could be best used at quarterback instead of receiver where I just know what I’m doing and can’t help anybody else.”
He began starting for the Hawks varsity team when quarterback Logan Garcia injured his collar bone. After throwing a pick-six and being harassed by coaches and teammates alike, he settled into the position and took Creek to their first playoff win since 2008. He threw close to 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns in four games.
After many discussions with his family and his father’s research into the football culture at Cocoa and Mainland, Creecy made the move to Mainland during the winter break in 2021.
“I saw a kid with a lot of confidence with a live arm,” Mainland athletic director Terrence Anthony said. “I told him this, I was hoping that our previous guy (Ezaiah Shine) won the job because he had been at Mainland and I wanted that young man to fight for it. But DC went out and did everything he could and won that job and made it his.”
Snap Wood became Mainland's offensive coordinator. Wood was the offensive coordinator for four years at New Smyrna Beach and then at DeLand for three years before moving to Mainland two years ago. He has coached professional players — New Smyrna Beach's Raheem Mostert with the Miami Dolphins and Darrynton Evans with the Chicago Bears, Cole Holcomb with the Washington Commanders and D’Cota Dixon who was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He saw something special in Creecy.
“Number one—he’s smart,” he said. “He has great instincts. He can really throw the football from all different body positions. He’s tall so he can see and he’s fast. He’s really got everything.”
Creecy signed with the U.S. Military Academy over offers from Delaware and Valdosta State. Even though his skills as a quarterback are outstanding, West Point sought him out due to his academic ability. He is taking AP Government, AP Calculus and English 4 and has a 3.88 GPA.
Browne recently retired after serving 15 years in the Army. She believes that since her son was raised in a military family, he would be familiar with the environment at West Point. He wants to major in kinesiology or physical therapy.
“He can go anywhere he wants to go without a scholarship because the military will pay for it,” she said. “I think it’s something about the procedure of getting offers so I just let him do his thing and I cheer him on. I told him I’m going to have your back no matter where you choose to go. Wherever you choose to call home for school, I’m with you.”
