Ansu Sanoe of Lakeridge (Oregon): As recruitment heats up, sophomore sensation vows to be a great teammate first

“I know if I come out here and do the best as a teammate, then all the recruitment ... is just going to come together”

When Lakeridge coach Spencer Phillips arrived on campus in the spring of 2021 after his time as a quarterbacks coach in the NFL, he said he was leery of starting a true freshman in a 6A varsity program. 

He took a chance on a lanky 6-foot-5 receiver during that six-game COVID-shortened season, and his bet paid off.

Joey Olsen blossomed into a top recruit who’s pledged to sign with USC, and that opened the door for other ninth-graders to enter the program and have an immediate impact. 

Center Chris Azari and linebacker Ethan Biondine joined Olsen on the Pacers that spring. Last year, another trio of freshmen made their debuts — linebacker Yahkyll Noil, safety Marcus Post and running back Ansu Sanoe.

Post made the all-Three Rivers League honorable mention list, but it’s Sanoe who’s grabbing the headlines following a freshman campaign in which he rushed for 284 yards and made the all-TRL second team.

Over the summer, Sanoe made the rounds on the recruiting circuit, wowing college coaches at every stop. Offers began rolling in, not just from the usual suspects in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State) but also national powers such as Georgia, Tennessee, Miami and Texas A&M.

The chiseled 6-2, 215-pounder is No. 99 nationally in 247Sports’ class of 2026 rankings and No. 16 among running backs.

Rivals.com has him at No. 82 in its Rivals250 sophomore rankings, and On3 ranks him No. 66 in his class.

“Growing up, I knew that by putting in the hard work, all this would come,” Sanoe said after the Pacers’ 27-7 victory over TRL rival Oregon City on Friday. “So, I’m happy that these things are coming to light. It’s just motivation to keep on going harder.”

Sanoe is the first generation of his family born in the United States. His mother, Agnes, is from Liberia, exiting the country during the second of its civil wars that lasted from 1999 to 2003. She arrived in America as a 22-year-old as one of the last names called at the camp where she’d fled.

His family background helps explain the maturity he shows on the field at such a young age.

“You know, for being a 15-year-old and coming out here, there’s times where we don’t give him the ball, and he knows his time is coming,” said senior quarterback Gabe Motschenbacher. “That’s the biggest thing that stands out about him to me. It’s that he’s never been one to be like, ‘Where’s the ball? Give me the ball!’ But then, when it’s time to take over a game, he asks for it.

“He’s very smart situationally, so, you know, he’s very mature in the sense that he knows when his time is.” 

It has helped that when Sanoe has a question about the recruiting process, he can turn to Olsen, who went through the recruiting wars before announcing last September that he would sign with the Trojans.

“It’s always good to have another older brother as a high prospect,” Sanoe said. “You know, to ask him any questions about recruitment, get advice about how to take it at such a young age, has been great.”

When Sanoe entered high school, Phillips moved him to running back, a position he’d never played. Phillips characterized Sanoe’s freshman season as “a lot of ups and downs,” but this season, Sanoe has become one of the main weapons in a Pacers attack that has them 6-1 entering Friday’s matchup with two-time defending league champion West Linn.

He ran for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Pioneers, boosting his season numbers to 667 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s behind only Lake Oswego sophomore LaMarcus Bell in rushing yards in the TRL.

“This year, he’s finding a way,” Phillips said. “And our O-line is doing a tremendous job.”

Sanoe is quick to credit his teammates as well, adding that for him, being a good teammate is his top priority.

“Being a good leader on the field and just letting everything take care of itself,” Sanoe said. “I know if I come out here and do the best as a teammate, then all the recruitment, all the outside noise, is just going to come together.”

-- René Ferrán | rferran.scorebooklive@gmail.com | @SBLiveOR

Photos by Dan Brood