Dynamic duo of Jacobi Hardy, Semaj Parker leading Long Beach Wilson offense

LONG BEACH >> The question for the Wilson Bruins football program before this season started was how to replace dynamic playmaker Josh Wise. Through two games and two convincing victories, they have their answer: Jacobi Hardy and Semaj Parker. The Bruins’ dynamic duo has combined for 628 of the 945 all-purpose yards gained by Wilson (2-0) this season, and has scored five of the eight touchdowns.

“They’re impact players and special kids,” Wilson head coach Mark Ziegenhagen said of Hardy and Parker. Ziegenhagen took over at Wilson last year and turned the program around, going from 3-7 to 9-2 and wiing a Moore League title for the first time since 1991. The Bruins are currently ranked No. 5 in CIF Southern Section Division 6.

“I don’t think either of them considered replacing (Wise),” Ziegenhagen added. “But they’ve recognized and taken advantage of this opportunity to make their own noise and leave their own legacy here.”

Both born and raised in Long Beach, Parker, a 6-foot, 195-pound wide receiver/defensive back, and Hardy, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound ruing back, are driven to excel this season because they’ve been working for it for so long.

The lineage

Parker is from a big family full of Long Beach athletes. His cousin Samie Parker, who played football at Long Beach Poly High, at The University of Oregon and for five different NFL franchises.

“I’ve been playing sports my whole life,” Parker said. “But football is my favorite.”

As a youngster, Parker helped his youth football team reach the top of their division after they lost every game his first season with the team. With highly developed quickness and football IQ, Parker said the only positions he didn’t play were offensive and defensive line.

“Ruing back, quarterback, defensive back, they had me play everywhere,” Parker said. “It made me a better player (to play different positions).”

Parker and his family chose to send the talented athlete to St. Anthony High, but after one season on the junior varsity team, Parker decided to transfer to Wilson during his sophomore year.

“(St. Anthony) is a good school, but it wasn’t my atmosphere and I wanted to leave,” Parker said. “At Wilson, I like to be surrounded by more people.”

Unfortunately, the move also shifted Parker’s focus and he lost sight of his academic goals. Last summer, he attended extra classes to keep his grades high enough to stay eligible for competition. It turned out to be the wrong class.

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“It was a bummer,” Parker said. “I wasn’t mad because I had no one to blame but myself.”

Parker continued to work out with the team, and attended all of the games last season.

“I was just waiting,” Parker said. “It was really hard (to be on the sidelines during the game) but it made me want (to play) more.”

“He was here every day,” Ziegenhagen said. “He’s a leader by example in the weight room and on the field.”

After rededicating himself in the classroom, especially in his favorite class British Literature, Parker got eligible for Wilson’s CIF-SS PAC-5 playoff loss to Loyola last fall. But his true return as a team leader was this month. Parker caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns last week at Fountain Valley. His second score came on an impressive catch and run that included five broken tackles.

“I tell both of these guys I expect them to make highlight films every week,” Ziegenhagen said of his dynamic duo. “So far they’ve done that.”

Wilson hosts St. Anthony Friday, but Parker says he’s approaching it like any other game.

The Lighting

Wise held the ruing back duties at Wilson for three seasons, and that meant Hardy had to wait his turn.

Also part of a very big and athletic family from Long Beach, Hardy played all different sports growing up, but he’s always considered himself a football player first. He played six seasons with the Snoop Football League, and used track season to get faster for football.

“(Hardy’s) burst is incredible,” Ziegenhagen said. “There’s a reason he’s on the 4x400 relay for track.”

In June, Hardy and his three Wilson teammates won the school’s first ever boys’ 4x400 relay CIF State championship with a time of 3:13.46. Last week, he showed that speed with three long touchdown runs. The second was an 85-yard kickoff return, and the last one was a 69-yard touchdown run. Hardy was untouched on both plays.

“He’s matured so much physically,” Ziegenhagen said of Hardy. “He’s hitting the holes without stutter stepping, and he’s starting to understand that once he gets into the open field, he’s gone.”

“I’m trying to be a one-cut ruing back,” said Hardy, who has gained 386 yards on 46 carries with six touchdowns. “I’ve always been quick. Now I’ve got the confidence to stay aggressive and succeed.”

Hardy showed that confidence before his performance at Fountain Valley when he correctly predicted to Wilson athletic director Jeff Evans that he’d have three scores in the game.

“I just woke up feeling great,” Hardy said. “I believe in myself, and this team. I know we can succeed again this year.”