Mills makes more history as Ridley tops Interboro on Turkey Day

GLENOLDEN — Tahir “Tubby” Mills might need a new nickname after Ridley’s 34-22 victory over Interboro on Thanksgiving.

The senior running back can be called simply, the greatest.

Mills ran for 112 yards Thursday and finished the season with 2,521 yards, the most in Delco history, surpassing Isaiah Bruce of Upper Darby’s output of 2,450 yards in 2015.

The humble Mills might also start going by the name Hollywood. A half hour after the Green Raiders’ victory, he was still on the field, signing autographs for the throng of young fans he gained during his historic 2021 season for a resurgent Ridley program. Mills put his John Hancock on jerseys and footballs for young boys who treated him like a local hero.

Had he been practicing his signature?

“I learned it a couple weeks ago,” he said. “I put ‘T-Mills #4.’”

Ridley (12-2) didn’t win a Central League championship and fell a game short of playing for a District 1 Class 6A title, but the team left a big impression on its football community. In 10 years or so, those same kids asking for autographs could be the next great generation of Green Raiders.

“It’s definitely a great feeling,” said senior quarterback John Heller, who completed 21 of 29 passes for 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He joined an exclusive class of Delco quarterbacks with 2,000-plus yards in a season, ending the year with 2,197 yards and 26 TDs.

“Just having the little kids around, they come up to you and stuff, is something cool,” Heller continued. “And I think it just gives them the Ridley spirit. Hopefully it will make them want to play football more and know what it takes to be a Ridley football player.”

Mills tied the county’s rushing record with 41 yards on Ridley’s first series. The 11-play drive chewed nearly six minutes of clock and ended when Mills rumbled three yards across the goal line. A six-yard gain on Ridley’s next drive gave him the record.

“All I worried about was getting the win,” Mills said.

Interboro showed plenty of fire in the first half. Junior running back Abu Kamara went for 116 yards on 18 carries, including a 41-yard run to the house in the first quarter. Kamara’s added the two-point conversion run to give the Bucs (3-9) an 8-7 lead.

“That’s what Bucs football is all about. Play hard, play tough,” Kamara said. “We’re always low on numbers, but it never matters to us. We’ll always play with a lot of heart and whatever the outcome is, it’s just what it is. But we fought today.”

Kamara and Mills posed together for pictures after the game. The two are old friends who played youth ball together.

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