Forward. Always moving forward.
Loreynzo Sanchez doesn’t stop. He doesn’t go down easy. Through seven games this season, the Polk County senior running back has carried the ball 204 times for 1,357 yards and 11 touchdowns, his feet constantly churning, always driving forward.
It’s fitting for a player who has spent an entire year moving past disappointment, moving through adversity, moving his program in a new direction.
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“Depressing. It was tough, and my mentality wasn’t good,” Sanchez said of last season’s 1-8 campaign. “I’m not going to lie, it made me in a way want to quit. But my mom told me, she doesn’t raise quitters.
“She said, if you walk off now, you’re not playing forever. I took that to the heart, talked to my mom about it. She’s really the whole reason why I’m still out here.”
So Sanchez stayed. And this summer, he pushed forward.
“Beat more than 300 yards, because I only had 370-something (371) last year,” Sanchez said of his goals entering the season. “I tell you what, that shocked reality into me. I was so disappointed. Over the summer, I put in some work. I’ve got some buddies in South Carolina that helped me, so I’ve just been putting in the work.”
The results speak for themselves. Sanchez has rushed for more than 200 yards three times this season, including a career-high 293 yards against Blue Ridge.
“When I was out there I felt like I had a lot, but 300, that shocked me,” Sanchez said of that effort. “It made me feel proud of myself.”
He’s also added 18 receptions for 188 yards and a touchdown, plus a kickoff return for a score in the season-opening win over Chase. His 1,357 rushing yards ranks among the top 10 in North Carolina per MaxPreps.
At 5-foot-6 and 160 pounds, Sanchez plays much bigger than his frame suggests. He models himself after another legendary undersized back who also never stopped moving forward.
“For me, being how tiny I am, I’ve used that to an advantage,” Sanchez said. “I’m quick, I’m elusive, I’ve got a little bit of vision. But not being big, I don’t let that get to me. It’s more of heart over size, that’s what I go by.
“Look at Barry Sanders. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s out there juking and all that. I don’t have to be big to run over someone. It’s just how I use my body and use it to my advantage.”
Polk County head coach Dustin Fry sees opposing defenses constantly calling out Sanchez’s number, trying to account for where the Wolverines’ star is on every play.
“He’s one of those guys that you try to game plan around,” Fry said. “Recently, and maybe I shouldn’t say this, we’ve been trying to use him as a decoy a little bit to try to pull things to him and go the other way. It’s one of those things where you hear the other side ‘Hey, 4 is here! Hey, where’s 4? Hey there, watch for 4.’ It’s just calling out where he is.”
But Sanchez’s impact extends beyond the stat sheet. Named a captain this season, he’s helped transform the culture in the Wolverines’ locker room.
“We needed to change the whole environment,” Sanchez said. “We couldn’t let last year make us have a setback this year. That was the setback, but now it’s washing out all the way and just a new atmosphere.”
Fry sees it daily.
“He shows up pretty much every day with a good energy, good attitude, very resilient,” Fry said. “If things are going bad, he’s trying to pick guys up. He’s definitely going to be a hole that has to be filled, and it probably won’t be able to be filled by one person next year just with what he brings to our team as a person, his positivity, attitude, everything.”
That foundation matters, even if Sanchez and his fellow seniors won’t be around to see it fully take root.
“We’re laying a foundation here where the seniors may not get to enjoy the success, but the young guys seeing him in that leadership role and seeing how he goes about himself day to day, how he does things to get ready for games, how he practices, that’s going to pay dividends for us,” Fry said. “These seniors may not have gotten to enjoy the wins that we’re going to have later down the line, but they’re definitely setting the foundation for it.”
The motivation driving Sanchez forward comes from home.
“My mother (Maggie Longoria Sanchez). She is my everything,” Sanchez said. “It’s just me and my mom that live together, so she’s for sure my motivation. She pushes me every day the best that she can. She’s done a lot for me, so I feel like I need to repay her.”
With two home games remaining in the regular season and then a likely postseason appearance, Sanchez isn’t slowing down.
“This is my last year of high school and playing high school football, so my mindset is to just go all in,” Sanchez said. “I’ve got some family coming from Texas that I’ve not seen in forever, so I’ve got that on my shoulders too. I’m just going all out for them. My whole family and my teammates. That’s my brotherhood right here, and I love every single one of them. Just go all out to the best of my ability and give 110 percent.”
And beyond high school, Sanchez doesn’t plan to ease up, either.
“College is a different level, and I’ve heard college will humble you, for sure,” he said. “My mindset right now is after this, just put in as much work as possible for football and be the best that I can be. I’m planning to play football still after high school.”
Forward. Always moving forward.
