First Year Starter
With 56 seconds left on a fading fourth-quarter clock and pinned at his 20-yard line, his lead, reputation and season had all but ticked away.
But Sickles junior quarterback Nate Mills, in his first season as a starter, was not about to let his team go gently into the night.
Not against Alonso, a Northwest County rival only seven miles away.
Not with the quartet of receivers the Gryphons lined up that night.
Not in a million years.
So Mills went 4-for-4 in the final possession and sent his team into euphoria with a surgical 60-yard touchdown strike to DeAndre Mathis to cap a thrilling 20-14 win. The victory propelled Sickles to seven wins and a Bowl game appearance at Orlando’s Oak Ridge the following week.
But more importantly, it struck a chord that a team known for its dominant triple option running attack, now had a quarterback and passing attack worth an ounce of recognition.
The emergence of the Gryphons aerial attack was probably something head coach Brian Turner had not anticipated, given his past successes with the triple option. And even when Mills transferred to Sickles from Alonso in the Spring of his sophomore year – he was zoned for Sickles but attended Alonso where his father is a teacher and head boys track coach – no one could have anticipated the offense being turned over to an unproven commodity.
But when Sickles incumbent quarterback Lee Myers went down with a season-ending knee injury just prior to the start of the season, the Gryphons had to turn things over to Mills – and the receiving corps of Mathis, Bilal Salat, Ray Mc Cloud, Zach Hudson and Taylor Young.
It worked out, well.
Through 10 regular season and one post season game, he passed for 1,400 yards, threw 16 TDs and ran for three more.
Along the way, the Mills developed and proved to doubters that he belonged behind center on a high school team. There were poignant moments.
At Steinbrenner, his first regular season start, he managed his team and passed for a modest 50 yards. Result? Sickles 10-0 win.
Against Wharton, he went 7-for-14 for 187 yards and three TDs. Result? Sickles 38-21 win.
At King, he was 6-of-11 for 103 yards and 2TDs. Result? Sickles 49-23 win.
Against Brandon, Mills was 8-for-10 for 133 yards, threw a touchdown and ran one in. Result? Sickles 35-28 win.
The first 4-0 start in school history.
Awarded the team’s offensive MVP, Mills has not rested. He has bulked up to 200 pounds and stunned his teammates in the weight room in January with a 285 pound bench press. He has racked 17 reps at 185, can squat close to 400 pounds and is well known for his conditioning having once run a mile in 5:31.
At 6-0, Mills knows he does not fit the prototype expected for a Division 1 quarterback but insists that all he wants is a chance to prove he can compete with the favored and deliver when given the opportunity.