A number of Reasons

Chapter 9

In football, probably more than any other sport, players are identified by their numbers. These modern day gladiators have their faces covered and protected like the knights of old making the fans best way to identify them is by their number. 

Center Stage Sports invited all seniors from this year’s team to share their story about their number. Several answered the call. These are their stories.

0

Ayden Mosley

When Mill Valley football fans look at the field this year they’re going to see something they’ve never seen before - the number 0. 

The number 0 is not common in football. In college football it’s only been around since 2020. The NFL allowed the number 0 in 2023. At Mill Valley, it’s never been worn - until now. 

Jaguars defensive back Ayden Mosley will debut the number 0 when he takes the field on Sept. 6 against Olathe East. 

“Coach Applebee said a new number was becoming available and I wanted it,” Mosley said. “I wanted to create a name for myself with a new number and start a tradition.”

1

Blake Jay

When trying to decide what number to wear for his senior year, Blake Jay was torn between number 1 and number 2. 

Blake’s brother Hayden, who quarterbacked Mill Valley to two state championships, wore number 2 throughout his career.

“It’s kind of like our family number,” Blake said. 

But ultimately Blake wanted to forge his own path and own identity and chose number 1.

“I wanted my senior year to be my own,” he said. “If I pick number 2 I’m kind of following in Hayden’s footsteps. I went with number 1 because I wanted to represent myself.”

At Mill Valley the number 1 is somewhat sacred. Lots of great Mill Valley players have worn number 1, the most notable being Christian Jegen who won the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year in 2015 while leading Mill Valley to its first state championship. 

Jegen was an all-state wide receiver and defensive back for the Jaguars. Blake was looking to follow in Jegen’s footsteps in 2025. Last season Blake switched positions from quarterback to defensive back and wide receiver, earning All-Sunflower League honors on defense. 

Blake was looking to build upon last year’s success as a two-way player when a funny thing happened - he ended up back at quarterback.

“I don’t know of any quarterbacks in Mill Valley history that have been number 1 so it’s kind of sweet to be maybe the first and make the number my own,” he said.

When Blake switched from quarterback last year he did it for the good of the team. He has the same mentality in returning to quarterback this year.

“This is what the team needed,” he said. “I’ve played quarterback forever, up until last year. I didn’t lose all my abilities. I can quarterback this team.”

4

Garrett Cox

For four years the number 4 has been the jersey of choice for a few “GCs.” 

Garrett Cronin wore the number in 2022 and 23. Garrett Clark wore it in 2024. Now Garrett Cox will carry on the “GC” legacy in 2025.

“Garrett Cronin and Garrett Clark have both been great mentors to me and treated me like their brother. They both wore number 4 and they both wanted me to wear number 4 for my senior season,” Cox said.

It’s an honor Cox couldn’t refuse. And he’s following in some impressive footsteps. Cronin was an All Sunflower League defensive back in 2023 while Clark was an All Sunflower League linebacker in 2024. 

Cox said Cronin took him under his wing as a sophomore, never looking down on him or treating him any differently because he was an underclassman. When Cronin graduated, Clark took up the role as mentor.

“We had great conversations,” Cox said. “He was always a great leader to me and always pushed me to be better.”

Cox hopes he can make the duo — and the number 4 — proud.

“I’m just trying to mirror what they did,” Cox said. “They were both great leaders and great football players and it’s an honor to wear that number.”

13

Bryce Shorten

Bryce Shoten isn’t superstitious, otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen 13 to be his number. Number 13 playing on Fridays? That’s gotta be some bad karma for those who believe in bad luck. The number 13 is so feared that hotels don’t have a 13th floor.

Heck there’s even a name for the fear of number 13: triskaidekaphobia.

None of that bothers Bryce. He’s embraced the number 13 and hopes the only bad luck it brings is to Jaguar opponents.

“I think that's funny that it’s bad luck,” Bryce said. “I think it's a good number. A lot of pros wear that number: Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr have worn that number in the past. Some top tier receivers in the NFL have worn 13.”

Bryce hopes to be a top tier wide receiver for a Jaguar corp that has a lot of talent but is short on experience. 

“When 13 steps on the field I want people to see a leader who is having fun but also respecting the game and making plays,” Bryce said. 

21 

Landon Stockwell

The number 21 has seemed to stalk Landon Stockwell. 

His father wore number 21 in every sport he played. His mother wore 21 as a volleyball player. His uncle wore 21. His aunt wore 21. His cousins on his father’s side all wear 21. 

“Twenty-one has been a number that's followed me around all my life,” he said. “You could call it maybe supernatural, but I remember when we moved into one of our homes, we moved on to lot 21 on the golf course of hole 21. It's kind of crazy.”

Heck, in grade school he remembers lining up in alphabetical order and always being 21 since the letter S always being towards the end of his class.

“I like to keep the legacy going,” Landon said. “I love 21. It's a great number.” 

The number 21 has been a gold mine for defensive backs like Landon. Dion Sanders wore 21. So did Charles Woodson. Both NFL Hall of Famers. But Landon doesn’t model his game after anyone.

“Wearing a number that someone who was really good is cool but I try to just be myself,” he said.  “I'm Landon Stockwell. I don’t want to be someone else. There’s a lot of people I look up to but I know I’m never going to be them. I want to be my own person.”

Landon is being counted on to be a leader for the Jaguars this season. It’s a role he takes seriously and one he embraces. He’s dreamed of being a Jaguar since he was in grade school playing as a junior Jaguar.

“I’ve always loved the game, loved the sport,” he said. “Its such a fun sport because it takes every single person to be able to accomplish something great.”

As he hits his senior year, Landon can’t help but feel a little nostalgic. 

“I’m really happy with the relationships I’ve built and the memories I’ve made,” he said. “I know that all of this has been leading up to my senior season so I have nothing to hold back.”

25

Reggie Reece

As a young man playing youth football in Missouri, one of Reggie Reece’s football coaches chose number 25 for him because Reggie reminded him of Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles who wore number 25.

Charles was a shifty back with incredible speed who rushed for more than 1,000 yards five times in his career and is the all-time leader in yards per carry, averaging 5.4 yards.

“When I was younger I was more shifty but I grew a lot,” Reggie said. 

That might be the understatement of the year. Reggie grew up into a power house and is packed with solid muscle. Listed at 6’1” and 203 pounds last year, Reggie is more of a power back than a scat back.

“My running style? I like to run with anger and intent,” he said. “When someone tries to tackle me I hope they feel it you know. I want them thinking in the back of their head that they don’t want to tackle me on the next play.”

But just because he’s big, doesn’t mean he’s not fast. In the spring time Reggie is a sprinter and hurdler for the Jaguars track team.

Reggie feels fortunate to have been able to wear number 25 throughout his career. 

“I always felt that it was a number I should stick with,” he said. “I hope to have an impact on this organization. I want kids to say ‘wow, Reggie Reece wore that number.’ I hope that whoever gets this number in the future represents it well.”

45

Elliot Fischer

As a youngster Elliot Fischer adored his grandfather Rodney. In fact, Elliot’s middle name is Rodney, named in honor of his grandfather. 

“He lived in Nebraska, and we'd always go up there, and he would take us fishing. He loved baseball. He loved all sports,” Elliot said. “We just really bonded over that and just being outdoors. He was a big outdoorsman and he also just loved family. That's something I remember about him is just how much he loved family.”

Rodney Fischer’s favorite sports figure was Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson who wore number 45.

“My grandpa worked at American Airlines, and Bob Gibson frequently used that airline so they became really good friends,” Elliot said. “I have a signed picture of Bob Gibson that he signed and it says “Yo, Rod, take care. Bob Gibson.”

Rodney died when Elliot was in the third grade but he never forgot his loving grandfather and his favorite player so throughout his sports career Elliot has worn 45 to honor his grandfather. 

Elliot, who plays tight end for the Jaguars, knows that 45 is usually reserved for fullbacks and not tight ends.

“I don't really care about that,” he said. “I don't really care if people say it doesn't look like a tight end number. It's really sentimental to me and it makes me play better.”

47

Jack Thomas

In 2021 a little known walk-on football player at the University of Kansas found himself on the field for the first time ever in overtime at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, with the Jayhawks trailing by one point. 

Jared Casey from Plainsville, Kansas, caught the game winning two-point conversion leading the Jayhawks to 57-56 victory over the Longhorns and forever embedding himself into KU football lore.

That moment had a huge impact on Jack Thomas, a tight end for the 2025 Mill Valley Jaguars, and big fan of Kansas Jayhawk football. So much so that he chose Casey’s number 47 to be his number for his senior season of Jaguar football. 

Thomas sees a lot of similarities between Casey and himself.

“Jared and I are pretty similar being shorter and bigger at the tight end position but he did it at a much higher level than me,” Jack said. 

Jack hopes that with a comparable work ethic he can play meaningful minutes for the Jaguars this year at tight end.

“He showed that if you put your mind to it you can surpass people’s expectations. But you have to be willing to work everyday with your nose to the grindstone,” Jack said.

Jack is proud to wear number 47 and wants people to know exactly what to expect when they see that number on the field. 

“I want people to know that I never give up, and my goal is to never stop improving,” he said.

71

Zach Darr

Offensive lineman Zach Darr consulted with his grandfather Darrell Darr before picking his number as a freshman. 

“I’ve stuck with it all four years because I like the number and it’s a reminder of how much he means to me,” he said. 

Zach has a special relationship with his grandfather. His grandparents would care for Zach every Thursday as a youngster until he hit grade school. During his grade school years, they would watch Zach during the summer months. Darrell and Zach liked to do projects together and that helped build a strong bond. 

“We did a lot of hands-on stuff like making marble tracks or building a bird house or putting together a 1000 piece puzzle,” Zach said. “We watched tv shows about how things are made or National Geographic.”

Darrell also passed on his love for coin collecting to Zach, a hobby they share with Zach’s father. 

“I like collecting coins and he has been doing that since he was a kid and so has my dad. It runs in the family,” Zach said. “That furthered my bond with him over coin collecting and that’s why he means so much to me.”

As Zach has moved up in seniority over the years he’s stuck with 71 throughout his career.

“First off I liked it just as a number but I picked it mostly for respect and tribute to my grandfather,” he said. “He means a lot to me and I think it’s a cool way to show that respect to him. It’s also a legacy thing. I like the idea of having the number tied to someone who matters a lot in my life.”

72

Nick Philhour, Jr.

The number 72 is a number Nick Philhour coveted since he was a freshman. Unfortunately, upperclassmen kept choosing 72 before he could snatch it up. Well this year was his year. He finally got number 72. The reason for his desire — it’s the year his father was born.
“I just love him so much and I know he loves me. I just want to make him proud in everything I do,” Nick said.

Nick says he owes a lot to his father who taught him to be kind and respectful off the football field but also to go to a different place on the field.

“I need to be mean between the whistles,” he said.

Nick sees football as his family, and as one of the bigger guys on the team and an offensive lineman takes his job as a protector seriously.

“As soon as I strap on that helmet I know I’m going to war,” he said. “I’m all about caring for the ones you love and my quarterback is someone I love. I love my whole team and I’m going to do everything I can to protect them.”

Nick says that he hasn’t always been a team player. He said that the transition to high school football was tough for him as he was no longer the biggest player on the field who could dominate because of his size. 

“It took me a while to accept the fact that I was no longer the biggest or strongest player on the field anymore," he said.

Nick admits to being a selfish player who thought more about himself than the team. When he didn’t start his junior year his attitude got worse. It wasn’t until his mother had a conversation with him in midseason of last year that things took a turn for the better for Nick.

“After that conversation I turned things around,” he said. “I started doing everything for my teammates and learned how to be a leader.”

Coach Joel Applebee praised Nick’s work ethic this summer and expects him to be one of his leaders on the offensive line.

Nick hopes that when people see number 72 on the field they see someone determined and aggressive. But he wants people to know that that aggression stays on the field.

“I’m a different character off the field. I’m a nice guy, you can come talk to me. I’ll talk to anyone,” he said. I just want to leave an impact on people’s lives.

74

Lamarcus Barber

Before he moved to Mill Valley, Lamarcus Barber wore number 53 for Chapman High School. Unfortunately, 53 was taken when he became a Jaguar so had to pick a different number.

“I just picked 74,” he said. “It wasn’t like I had a thing for it. I just thought it looked cool.”

Lamarcus doesn’t know the history of 74. He doesn’t know that NFL Hall of Famers Merlin Olsen, Bob Lilly, Bruce Matthews and Jack Youngblood wore the number. He just knows it’s his and he wants opponents to know and fear number 74.

Last season, Lamarus was an All-State tackle for the Jaguars. He’s committed to play football for Kansas State when his high school career ends. Last year he was a good player. Lamarcus knows he can be better.

“When people see number 74 I want them to know he’s going to dominate on every drive,” he said. “I’m not going to let up in the fourth quarter even if we’re up by 50. I want to dominate every play.”

94

Hayden Heller

Star defensive lineman Hayden Heller would tell you that there’s no significance, no story behind his number.

He would be wrong.

His number says everything about him as a football player, as a leader and as a son. 

“Ninety four is just the number I was given as a sophomore,” he said.

Sophomores are at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to choosing numbers. They're lucky if they get a number they like.

“Honestly, I kept that number so my mom wouldn’t have to buy new stuff with a different number,” Hayden said.

Typical Hayden said his mother Alysia Heller.

“Hayden really is an incredibly thoughtful young man. He often thinks of others' needs before considering his own,” she said. “He is always willing to help both the family and teammates when they need it even when it’s as simple as giving rides or helping with homework.”

Coach Applebee sees the best in Hayden every day whether it’s in the weight room, on the practice field or in the classroom.

“Hayden Heller, one of the best leaders we've had come through our program,” Applebee said.

Although 94 was a number thrust upon him, Hayden has embraced the number and worked hard to make it known and feared. Hayden has been an All-Sunflower League selection the past two years.

“You don’t see a lot of 94s on the field in high school so it’s cool to have a rare number and one that the other team is looking for,” he said. 

And mom loves seeing her number 94 on the field.

“Although number 94 just kind of happened when he got his jersey his sophomore year, I love that he has owned it and made his mark with it,” Alysia said. “When he gets the opportunity to play in college, I hope he can keep wearing number 94. We couldn’t be more proud of him as both a player and a person.”