Interboro Hoists D1 4A Title Alongside Abu Kamara’s Record Breaking Game

Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs

Dylan Johnson | November 12, 2022

Glenolden PA – The forecast put this game on rocks as all week teams sat waiting to hear what would come of their game. All held out to be good as the game went on to happen as expected. South Ave rose to the occasion once again, packing seats with their Christmas-themed student section. To the Interboro Buccaneers, that was a home-field advantage. Coming hot off a win against Bishop Shanahan, they looked to win the school’s second-ever D1 Title. Visiting was Pope John Paul II (PJP), showed an impressive season many never saw coming. They found in the playoffs after only brandishing one loss throughout the whole season. It was time a title came home in their hands, but it just was not their night. In the end, with the help of Abu Kamara’s record game, Interboro glided past Pope John Paul II 38-14.

As always, the coin toss is a staple of American football. In last night’s clash it favored Interboro. They elected to defer, and it was PJP’s ball to start the game.

PJP would strike quickly. A seven-play scoring drive would end with a Boyd Skarbek 2-yard touchdown run. The PAT would stand successful, and PJP would go up 7-0 with 8:31 left in the first. Skarbek took six direct snaps from the center on the seven-play scoring drive. It was now Abu Kamara’s turn to introduce himself to PJP, as they never formally met on a football field. Kamara would go-on-to counter Skarbek’s six attempts in one drive with one of his own. Touching the ball on nine out of ten plays, Kamara would put himself closer to a Delco record of his own, most single-season rushing yards. The drive would end with a score, but by way of a field goal off the foot of Luke Dunleavey. It would close PJP’s lead to 7-3 and close out the first.

Every snap touched the hands of Abu Kamara, and he ended up in the endzone after a 7-yard run. PAT good.

Interboro – 10
PJP – 7

10:31 left in the half@PaFootballNews #delcofootball pic.twitter.com/WDgHM8Recu

— Dylan Johnson (@theonlydylanj) November 12, 2022

As the second began, it resumed the “Abu Kamara drive” as no one, but himself would touch the ball. Six plays all put into the hand of Kamara would be all it took to score six and put his team up 10-7, after Dunleavey stayed perfect with his kicks. An unsuccessful series by PJP would put Interboro back in the driver’s seat. This drive is where records came to be shattered. Abu Kamara, on what would have been a 76-yard touchdown run that was called back by flags, would break a record.

Kamara now holds the Deleware County single-season rushing record with 2,660 yards. I asked him what it meant to him and he gave the usual humble response, “It’s just adding on to a great career that I’ve had here with great teammates. It all comes back to January when we were grinding in the weight room.” When the spotlights beam off him he looks nowhere but at his teammates.

To follow up a moment in history now down 17-7, PJP would drive it down to inside Interboro’s five. The drive would wind the clock down substantially. A sneak by QB Luke Terlesky would find the endzone for a touchdown. A historic first half ends with a close one, 17-14 Interboro.

Field conditions were not supplemental to allow any marching bands to take the field so we sat, kick backed, and listened to the student section sing Christmas music. A second half soon got underway and Interboro had possession of the rock. Interboro would punt on a three and out. For Abu Kamara, that would not sit well with him as he would stop PJP’s drive short by picking off Terlesky. Interboro would only need three plays to capitalize as Kamara would walk in again, finding the six he wanted. It would make it a 24-14 Interboro lead. As the wind gently past by South Ave, it was abnormally warm for a November playoff game. Abu Kamara would get right back on defense following his int and TD. This time he would stay consistent as he would pick off another pass from PJP. It was again time for the offense to take the field. Another unfortunate three-and-out for Interboro would give the ball back to PJP. Kamara though, once again made sure he made his efforts known as another ball fell into his hands for another pick, this time no one would bring him down. He would jog it out to the end zone for a pick-six. It would put a PJP comeback on the back burner as the pot simmered down. Down 31-14, PJP was not kissing a title goodbye yet. It was crunch time, game on the line, season on the line. To no luck, the slept-on Sophmore of Interboro, Anthony Barr, would pick off PJP on a fourth down attempt. It put in place a lengthy drive by Interboro, where once again Abu Kamara was at the helm. Kamara would tack on another score, putting the Buccaneers up 38-14. It would be the final score alteration of the night. It would mark a game where Inteboro did not attempt a single pass or even call a designed pass play.

Victory formation by Interboro would let Delco know “that is all she wrote.” Fans would begin to try to rush the field, but it did not work out. A sole firework would enter earth’s atmosphere and represent the definition of Interboro, “one.” Along the way, Abu Kamara also broke the Deleware County single-season touchdown record yesterday evening. They improve to a season record of 10-2 with the winner of Batram vs. Bonner coming next week on the road ahead of them. Pope John Paul fought their way through a season many expect to be short, and a Head Coach Scott Reed would be grateful to see his first year travel this far. Dennis Lux, who is the counterpart to Reed on Interboro, would respond to a question I asked. I asked him, “How does it feel to capture this title?”

“I really feel great for these kids, it is not about me, it is not about a single individual… we have work to do tommorow morning to prepare for next game…this team is run by student leaders, by the seniors, not by me, I just coach when it sees fit, but this team is led by the students.” It takes a true and humble human to not take credit for something his name had a say in. When someone achieves something at Interboro, there is always fingers pointing to others that helped them get there.

Lux told his team in the huddle, “We’re District 1 [4A] Champs, but I am not satisfied.” His team and himself both have a full tank left as they push on.

Abu Kamara Stats: 268 rushing yards, 5 total TDs, 3 int