From a rebuild to Lake Erie League tri-champs, Lorain Coach Damion Creel was at the forefront to restart the Titans’ football program and develop young student-athletes.
After three seasons, Lorain Athletic Director Bryan Koury announced Creel’s resignation on Jan. 8.
“Damion Creel recently resigned his position as head football coach at Lorain High School to pursue another opportunity that is closer to home,” he said in a released statement. “We greatly appreciate all that Coach Creel has done for the Lorain High student-athletes and community. He will definitely be missed, and we wish him the best of luck moving forward.”
Creel confirmed that he will become Euclid’s next coach, as it gave him an opportunity to coach back home.
“It was probably the toughest career decision that I ever had to make in my life,” he said. “Lorain has a special place in my heart. Lorain people are awesome. … Our administration and the people in Lorain are second-to-none. You have kids, which I built the strongest relationships with. That was what made (the decision) the toughest. We turned the program around and we are heading in the right direction.”
Creel met with the players on Jan. 8 to inform them on the situation, but many knew from leaks on Facebook.
“I was upfront and honest with (the players),” he said. “I let them know the reasons why I was taking the position in Euclid and it was bittersweet. I am excited about my opportunity at Euclid, but I am also sad that I am leaving the kids that I love.
With Creel at the helm, Lorain went 7-3 (4-1 in LEL) in his final season, and won the LEL tri-championship with Maple Heights and Bedford.
He coached a number of All-Ohioans, such as John Salaman, Camryn Sledge, Evan Hricovic, Jairo Williams, Ocir Kimble and Shane Ramey-Rowland. Many of them were a driving force for the Titans’ dominant rushing attack, which totaled 2,932 yards in 2023.
Lorain football: Titans rush for glory in Division I All-Ohio awards
Creel was named the Lake Erie League Coach of the Year. The Titans earned a ninth seed in the Division I, Region 1 tournament.
Lorain football: Damion Creel named Lake Erie League Coach of the Year
Creel was hired in February 2021 from his previous position at Beachwood.
The Titans canceled their 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Creel restarted the program to go 1-10 in 2021 and 3-8 in 2022.
"I enjoyed the entire thing. I enjoyed the process," Creel said. "For you to enjoy the ending part of it, you have to enjoy everything about it. I enjoyed the long conversations I had with myself coming home at night, or in the morning time. I enjoyed getting to know the kids and the adults at Lorain. ... Lorain has a perspective out there that it's a bad place with bad people and the kids are horrible, but it's the total opposite. Lorain is a great place, with great people and the kids are awesome. I am grateful and blessed to be apart of this community."
He plans to take on a new challenge at Euclid, as the Panthers won one game in the past two seasons and are 2-29 since 2021).
Creel has yet to meet the players, but said he will do so on Jan. 9.
