He Went From P.E.-Class Legend to Football Hero

Tony Sanchez was a Physical Education-class legend long before he starred for La Habra High’s football team.

He could shoot a basketball straighter, spike a volleyball harder and throw a softball farther than anybody in his fifth-period P.E. class.

“Everything he tried he was good at,” said Frank Mazzotta Jr., in his third year coaching football and teaching P.E. at the school. “He’s the kind of kid that if we went out to the pool, he would walk right over to the diving board and nail a 2 1/2 somersault.”

Mazzotta was also impressed with Sanchez’s soft hands and quick feet during weekly games of flag football. He also witnessed his raw strength in the weight room and felt his unfailing disdain for losing.

“He was the only kid in P.E. who could give me a good game in tennis,” Mazzotta said. “He could hit, he could serve, he could do everything.”

After watching Sanchez excel in P.E. for nearly two years, Mazzotta encouraged him to come out for spring football his sophomore year.

Sanchez was easy to convince, but at 5 feet 11 and only 165 pounds, he had to prove to his teammates he could handle the physical nature of the sport. He had never played tackle football before.

“In the spring, we kind of wondered how he would play once we got the pads on,” said his teammate, safety Kevin Burrison, one of seven returning starters on defense. “It didn’t take him long to show he belonged out there. He has been a really big addition this year.”

In the first game of the season, Sanchez intercepted a pass against Cerritos Valley Christian, the only team to defeat the Highlanders this season. He also started at wide receiver and returned kicks against the Crusaders . . . and against every opponent since.

“He was fantastic,” Mazzotta said. “He earned the kids’ full respect by playing well.”

The next week, Sanchez had an 87-yard kickoff return to set up an early touchdown against El Dorado. In the third game, he scored on a 30-yard reception to help La Habra defeat Whittier California by one point.

And that was just the beginning.

In a 41-14 victory over Foothill in Week 5, Sanchez recovered two fumbles, caught a touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 96 yards for another score. He then caught two touchdowns the next week in a league-opening victory over Buena Park.

His biggest play of the season came early last month, when La Habra met Fullerton with the Freeway League title on the line. With a minute to play, Sanchez batted away a two-point conversion pass that clinched a 21-20 victory.

“I never thought it would be this fun,” Sanchez said. “Ever.”

He has continued to supply big plays during the Highlanders’ run through the Southern Section Division IX playoffs.

He returned another kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in a first-round victory over LaVerne Bonita, then scored on offense and defense in a 40-14 semifinal victory over Covina. His 28-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter came one play after Covina fumbled a kickoff return, and his 42-yard interception return shut down Covina’s opening drive of the second half.

“He’s just so athletic,” defensive lineman Eddie Aldalco said. “He has become just an awesome player for us.”

Sanchez played Little League while growing up in La Habra but didn’t have any interest in football when he began high school.

“All my friends were telling me that it took too much time,” he said.

When he began practicing with the football team, many of his teammates thought he had just moved into the area.

“They thought I came from another school,” Sanchez said. “They said, ‘Why didn’t you play your freshman year? Why didn’t you play your sophomore year?’ ”

Sanchez also had to prove to his mother that he wouldn’t be coming home in a body cast.

“At first, when I explained what happened in P.E., she was worried,” he said. “But after coming to a few games she realized that I played very well and have a great future.”

Mazzotta expects Sanchez to get his biggest test in the championship game Friday against second-seeded West Covina South Hills.

The Huskies’ quarterback, Chris Eadie, completed 25 of 38 passes for 302 yards in their 31-20 semifinal victory over Brea Olinda.