- February 5, 2025
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Nick Mills (1) loses his finger hold on the ball as Buccaneer Zyquan Neal (22) attempts an interception. Photo by Michele Meyers
Senior Phillip Moore holds up his district champions shirt after Mainland beat Belleview 57-0. It is the Bucs 31 consecutive playoff appearance. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland captains (left to right): Phillip Moore, Myron Shafer, Christian Hudson and Dray Wood. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland and Belleview captains shake hands before their district game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland and Belleview captains wait for the coin toss before the district game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland gets ready to run through their Homecoming sign before the game against Belleview at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland football team, band and cheerleaders kick off the Homecoming game against Belleview at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland football team, band and cheerleaders kick off the Homecoming game against Belleview at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland band gets the crowd going before the Homecoming game against Belleview at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Lady Bucs perform at the Homecoming festivites during the game against Belleview held at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Defensive back Dennis "Pnut" King smiles following his fumble recovery and touchdown after Mainland's kickoff in the game against Belleview. Photo by Michele Meyers
Touchdown for Mainland wide receiver Phillip Moore as Princeton Jones attempts to stop him at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Phillip Moore and Amarion Lane (left) celebrate with George Armstrong (11) and Jameil Patrick (17) during the district game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland linebacker Myron Shafer (right) takes down Belleview's Keondre Fillmore (3) in the district game at Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Wide receiver Eddie Lake Jr. (right) scores a touchdown for Mainland as Ely Niemiec (14) comes in for the tackle. Photo by Michele Meyers
Wide receiver Eddie Lake Jr. (right) runs in for a touchdown for Mainland against Belleview at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Buccaneer Jeffrey Harris Jr. (20) comes in low for the tackle as Princeton Jones (5) scrambles to gain some yardage for the Rattlers. Photo by Michele Meyers
Belleview's Princeton Jones (5) flies after Mainland defensive back Jeffrey Harris Jr. (20) knocks him off his cleats in the district game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Nick Mills (1) gets a light touch on the ball as Buccaneer Jeffrey Harris Jr. (20) runs in to halt his progress. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland quarterback Sebastian Johnson (left) passes on the run as Belleview's Derek Snyder (12) misses the sack. Photo by Michele Meyers
It is a free-for-all in the end zone as Mainland tight end Elvin Simmons (25) tries to beat Belleview's Maurice Beard to the ball. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland tight end Elvin Simmons (25) beats Belleview's Maurice Beard (right) to the ball and a touchdown in the district game at the Datyona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kwasie Kwaku (8) leads the celebration after Elvin Simmons fought for the touchdown in the end zone. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Kajuan Curry makes the catch as Belleview's Keondre Fillmore is called for a facemask penalty. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Kajuan Curry (right) breaks free of Javari Sams (left) for a Buccaneer touchdown. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Kajuan Curry (center) runs to the sideline after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Cole Walker (right) during the Homecoming game against Belleview. Phillip Moore (left) Photo by Michele Meyers
Christian Hudson
Mainland stole the show and won the District 5A-4 championship with a 57-0 blowout against Belleview in the Buccaneers’ Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 25.
With the district title, the Bucs officially booked their 31st consecutive trip to the playoffs.
The Bucs (4-5) have now beaten both of their District 4-5A opponents and have won four straight games after starting the season at 0-5. They close the regular season on Nov. 1 in their annual rivalry game with Seabreeze.
As a flurry of flags and a plethora of coaches swarmed the field throughout the game with Belleview, the Bucs’ defense pinned back the Rattlers, while Mainland quarterback Sebastian Johnson tossed five touchdown passes. Johnson passed for 113 yards to give him 1,343 yards passing for the season. Cole Walker came in for Johnson in the second quarter and threw a a touchdown pass to Kajuan Curry Jr..
“Hard work and dedication finally brought these kids together — I knew they would,” Mainland head coach Jerrime Bell said of his players. “You graduate 32 seniors, it’s a brand new football team and it’s going to take them a while to gel. I’m proud of their fight. I’m proud of the way they came together.”
Senior Noah Lehmann drove the opening kickoff deep into Rattler territory. Belleview fumbled the the return and Mainland’s Dennis “Pnut” King ran in for the touchdown. Johnson followed with two 18-yard touchdown passes in quick succession to wide receivers Phillip Moore and Eddie Lake.
... We are going to take it game-by-game. We are going to be road warriors (in the playoffs) because we put ourselves in a bad situation, but no matter where we show up, we’re going to play Mainland Bucs football. Our defense travels wherever we go and our offense is finally finding itself and clicking on all cylinders.
— JERRIME BELL, Mainland football coach
Edward Williams had three carries at the end of the first quarter that landed the Bucs on the Rattlers' 2-yard line. Williams limped to the sideline, ending his game with 129 rushing yards on just eight carries. The running back leads the team with 908 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns.
Moore laughed throughout the game. He said because it is his last year playing with Mainland, he is going to enjoy every moment of it. He is third on the team in receiving with 243 yards.
“I was doing a whole lot of everything,” he said. “I play both sides of the ball. This really was a statement game to show everybody that ... we’re still here. We are ready for any competition. You can bring anybody you want to. We’re ready for anything. We’re ready for anybody.”
Moore has been playing football since he was 5 years old. He played strong safety when Mainland won the state championship last year. This season, he said first-year Bucs Coach Bell pushes all of his players to be great.
“Phillip is going to always find the joy in everything he does,” Bell said. “That’s who Phillip is. He’s one of our leaders and he’s part of the reason why these kids are always so loose and nothing bothers them.”
Elvin Simmons jump-started the second quarter with a touchdown catch after grabbing a ball in the end zone that had bounced off of Belleview’s Keondre Fillmore. Jordan Payne followed with an interception. Jameil Patrick, Khalil Wilmore and Kwasie Kwaku Jr. each scored a touchdown with Demetrick Prince adding safety.
“These kids, you can see the joy in them when they play a game,” Bell said. “You can’t do anything but admire and enjoy these kids. That joy will carry them through the playoffs. We are going to take it game-by-game. We are going to be road warriors, because we put ourselves in a bad situation, but no matter where we show up, we’re going to play Mainland Bucs football. Our defense travels wherever we go and our offense is finally finding itself and clicking on all cylinders.”
