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Dragons Take Field United By Tragedy

Michael Spooneybarger/Tribune photo

Darrell Young, cousin of C.J. Mills, leads the Jefferson football team onto the field in memory of 19-year-old C.J. Mills, who was gunned down in his front yard last May.

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 25, 2007

Video: Dragons Honor Mills

TAMPA - Jefferson High School football coach Mike Fenton gathered his team in the locker room just before the start of Friday night's Kickoff Classic game, holding a No. 8 jersey and a bright blue Dragons' helmet in his hands.

The last time that jersey saw game action was Nov. 17 when Jefferson lost to Armwood, 22-21, in the playoffs. It was Cedric "C. J." Mills' final game.

Mills, a popular player and talented linebacker, was shot and killed in his driveway on April 25, only a few days before Jefferson began its spring practices.

"I don't have to go over what we've been through these past four months," Fenton said. "We've come back strictly to honor C.J.

"With this jersey and this helmet, he will be with us this entire season."

With that, the team ran out of the locker room and gathered under their end zone. Then senior running back/defensive back Darrell Young, Mills' cousin, led the team onto the field carrying a No. 8 flag.

Young planted the flag at midfield where the team huddled up.

Fenton had approached Young before the game to inform him of his pregame duties.
"Tears started falling down his face," Fenton said.

The flag, jersey and helmet found a permanent spot on Jefferson's sideline just before kickoff. Those items will have a presence on the sideline for every game this season.

Mills' jersey still bears the battle scars of his last football game. Grass and field paint stains dot the jersey, the result of his hard-hitting style of play in Jefferson's loss to Armwood.

The night before the shooting, Mills gathered with some teammates for pizza and to watch film of that game. That one-point loss was going to be motivation this year.

Now Mills' memory is the driving force for the team.

"This has brought us closer together," Jefferson quarterback Zack Grossi said. "We've been through a lot of adversity, but when we're on the football field, it's time to relax and just have fun.

"This is where we can let it all hang out and don't have to worry about anything."

For Mills' mother, Lakesha Baxter, there are constant reminders and very few places to escape the pain. Tears welled in her eyes when she spotted her son's jersey on the field.

"This is what I've been doing for years," Baxter said. "I've always looked forward to Friday night and watching him play.

"I knew they were going to do something special for C.J., and it is."

Friday night's special moment nearly didn't happen. Weather threatened to cancel the Dragons' game against Titusville Astronaut High. But the skies cleared up just in time and were complemented with a rainbow over the school.

Mills' family, including his father and grandmother, sat together in the Jefferson stands for the festivities. Many wore T-shirts with Mills' photo on it. Some had T-shirts on asking for any information in connection with his death.

Tampa police continue to investigate Mills' slaying. Since his death, police have been looking for Mills' cell phone, described as a white LG Chocolate brand, and a round religious medallion about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Detectives have been trying "anything and everything they can think of" in pursuing leads over the past few months, police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said Friday.

"It's been a very frustrating case because we believe there are people in the community who know more than they've shared with us," McElroy said.

Baxter hopes somebody comes forward with information. In the meantime, she'll attend some of Jefferson's football games, but she's not sure how many.

"It's kind of hard because he's not out there," she said. "It's hard to look out there and not see him playing."

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin contributed to this report. Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860 or ksmith@tampatrib.com.

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