King/Drew senior Anthony Torrence is one of four captains of the football team. He has helped the Golden Eagles reach the CIF City Section Division I Semifinals.
When it comes to being a leader, Torrence knows the importance of earning the respect and trust of his teammates.
“Just because you’re a senior doesn’t mean that guys respect you, that’s something that has to be earned,” Torrence said. “I learned that and it just helped me with the little respect that I have.”
In a span of 12 games this season, Torrence has made 90 solo stops and 17.0 tackles for loss. He only played on offense for six games as of November 18, racking up 57 rushing yards from eight carries. Torrence noted how he enjoys helping his teammates advance the ball.
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“I mainly block, I mainly like the idea for blocking for somebody that I care about,” Torrence said. “If I don’t do my job, he could get hurt. So having that in the back of my mind.”
A proud moment for Torrence was their 14-6 loss to Garfield in September. He made six solo tackles in the effort. Torrence noted how he enjoyed the competitiveness of his teammates.
“I was really proud of our guys and how we fought,” Torrence said. “How we went out there as a unit, how he was playing together … we just didn’t finish but we looked pretty good out there.”
Torrence works to be a strong student athlete for his parents, who sacrificed to raise him at a young age.
“My parents often tell me that the things that I’m doing right now is exceptional,” he said. “I really do this for them, especially keeping my grades up because if I don’t have my grades, then I don’t have football.”
Torrence used to play basketball for the Golden Eagles but felt that football was a better fit. The footwork skills he learned while competing in basketball helped him in football.
In both sports, Torrence had to work on having confidence in his abilities. He learned to believe in the work he put in during practice and his talents. Seeing his stats helped him build confidence.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t know the mental warfare that sports has on you,” Torrence said. “And just knowing that you’re good enough to go do it out there, you just got to do it.”
Faith and family are key motivators for Torrence; he applies the Word of Jesus Christ to football. Torrence also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and worked with Community Coalition.
His advice for youth is to focus on their journey and stay rooted in the Word of God.
“Don’t worry about the outside noise, what matters is you at the end of the day,” Torrence said. “Just stay in the Word of Faith, it takes you a long way.”
