One Terrible Loss
SPARTANS PLAYERS often make references to their football family. At around 10:30 on the night of Aug. 12, a member of that family was shot and killed while alone in his car. Terrance Kelly, 18, who graduated in May, was waiting to pick up a family acquaintance in Richmond, Calif., where his grandmother lived. As of Monday police had one suspect in custody and were seeking others, but they had yet to determine a motive for the killing. "He was a quiet kid who was never in any trouble," says De La Salle principal Christopher Brady.
Richmond is considered one of the more dangerous areas in the East Bay, with 18 homicides reported so far in 2004. Kelly commuted about 30 minutes each way from his grandmother's home to attend De La Salle, where he flourished. After a senior year in which he rushed for 1,014 yards at running back and had 122 tackles at linebacker, he signed with Oregon along with three of his Spartans teammates. He was due to join the Ducks last Saturday.
Instead, De La Salle players, coaches and parents gathered last Friday in the school's chapel to talk about Kelly's death and share memories of their teammate. A school memorial is planned for Aug. 23. "People ask what it's like to never lose," says athletic director Terry Eidson, "but we have losses all the time that have nothing to do with games." --K.K.
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KARL MONDON/CONTRA COSTA TIMES
FALLEN
Kelly, an '03 MVP, had signed with Oregon.