The Star is counting down the top high school football players in Southern Arizona. Up today: Sabino two-way star Derek Sanchez.
Name: Derek Sanchez
Rundown: Sanchez is a 5-foot-11-inch, 170-pound senior at Sabino.
Who he is: The boisterous Sanchez is one of the loudest players on Sabino’s roster, but he’s got the talent, grit and work ethic to back it up.
Just ask former Sabino quarterback AJ Skaggs.
“He’s a great person to have on the team,” Skaggs said last season. “He always gets the guys moving around, hyped up. … His talk matches his game. He’s loud but he does it in such a positive way.”
Skaggs also coined Sanchez, Sabino’s two-way star at defensive back and wide receiver, a "dawg" on the field.
"As soon as I see the other team on the field, I’m mad," he said then. "I’m ready to go off.”
Sanchez and Sabino spoiled Chandler Arizona College Prep’s first-ever varsity football game on Friday night, beating the Knights 28-6 on the road. Sanchez caught two passes for 20 yards and a touchdown on offense while adding three tackles on defense.
Before the 2020 season was shut down after two games, Sanchez was one of Sabino's top players. He caught four passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns. He caught a 50-yard touchdown pass in the final minute to help the Sabercats beat rival Sahuaro 27-23 last November.
“It was amazing,” Sanchez said. “One of the best feelings I’ve had.”
Now a senior and one of the top two-way players in Southern Arizona, Sanchez is “just starting to scratch the surface in terms of what he can do,” coach Ryan McBrayer says.
“Last season brought a lot of confidence to him, and show that he’s that special player. … Tucson saw what he could do. It made him realize what he can do.”
Sabino's Derek Sanchez leaves the Empire special teams unit in his wake, returning a short kickoff for a touchdown in the third quarter of their game last season.
Proof he’s good: Sanchez is entering his third season as a starter in Sabino’s defensive secondary.
“He started every game as a sophomore at cornerback for us and he didn’t have an interception, and that’s kind of the big measuring stick for DBs,” McBrayer said. “As a DB, you want to be able to make picks, get your hands on the ball and have stats — he didn’t get one.”
In the second and final game of the 2020 season, Sanchez ended his drought. He intercepted two passes in Sabino’s 61-7 win over Empire. One of Sanchez’s interceptions was returned for a touchdown. He also hauled in a touchdown catch and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
He said it: “Derek is a big-time guy not only on the field, but he’s that energy guy that the guys naturally flock to. He brings excitement to our team with his play, and he makes plays all over the field. When he’s locked in and focused, there’s not many better athletes in Southern Arizona.” — McBrayer
