Creegan Finds New Sideline to Roam at Woodlands

HARTSDALE, N.Y. –  Football team managers are usually anonymous members of the high school coaching staff, moving along the sideline from task to task and never mentioned in the game program. But Woodlands team manager Brian Creegan has become a bit of a legend in Westchester high school football over a three decade career.

“I guess I never expected to be doing this for so long, but I wanted to,” said Creegan as he patrolled the sideline in Saturday’s 66-0 victory over Palisades Prep. “I started out at my high school, Roosevelt, back in 1976 and after high school and I have been doing it ever since.”

Creegan, a lifelong Yonkers resident, was with coach Tony DeMatteo at Roosevelt High School for  26 years where he was a member of the staff that took the Indians to the 1996 Class A state title. When DeMatteo moved on to Somers High School a decade ago, Creegan hooked on with Lou DiRienzo’s staff at New Rochelle High School where he again was part of a Class AA state championship team in 2003.

“I loved all the time at Roosevelt with Coach DeMatteo,” Creegan said. “I think the most talented team was the 2003 New Rochelle team with Ray Rice and Courtney Greene, who both went to the NFL. I still keep in touch with a lot of the players, including Ray. He is a great person.”

Creegan moved back to his alma mater Roosevelt several years ago with coach Mike Meade, who is in his first year at Woodlands where he has led the Falcons to a 6-1 record and playoff berth, the team’s first in a decade. Creegan arrived with Meade.

 “Coach Meade has done a great job with the team,” Creegan said. “And I would have to say that of all the schools I’ve been with, these kids are the most courteous and respectful. High school kids can be tough to handle at times. This group stands out. They greet us as they would a coach and listen to what we tell them. I’m happy they are having a great year.”

And for Creegan, who has been a winner everywhere he has managed teams, winning dozens of league championships, 12 Section 1 title winners and two state champions, the Woodlands sideline is like home.

“I like helping kids grow and learn,” Creegan said. “And I try to do whatever my coaches want me to do to help out.”

And Creegan has brought a history of winning too.

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