Wilson football trying to build on recent success

The Wilson High football program is in the midst of a renaissance under third-year coach Mark Ziegenhagen, but the Bruins only have four retuing starters from the 2016 team that reached a CIF-SS divisional semifinal for the first time since 1991.

“We’re young and raw with a lot of first-year starters, but I was saying the same thing last year,” Ziegenhagen said. “That’s because we have kids who buy into the system. No one knew about Jacobi Hardy.”

Hardy was the 2016 Moore League Offensive Player of the Year in his first year as starting running back after gaining 2,165 yards with 30 touchdowns. Senior running back Ian Issa has waited his tu, and says he’s ready to fill Hardy’s shoes.

“Sometimes this feels unreal because I’ve been waiting a long time,” said Issa, who averaged nine yards on 41 carries with five touchdowns last season.

First-year starting quarterback Dylan Herrera is one of three quarterbacks who could take snaps for Wilson. The senior led the junior varsity team to an 8-2 record last season. Senior receiver Dejour Smith needs to match his output from last season to set the school record for receptions. He had 38 catches for 539 yards last year, and a duplicate performance will set the Wilson record for career receptions.

Senior linebacker Antonio Narez (5-foot-7, 175 pounds) leads an undersized defense that will line up in multiple formations to keep the front seven off of blocks. Smith will play both ways again and lead the secondary.

Wilson had its second consecutive scrimmage against reigning CIF State champion St. John Bosco on Thursday before its season opener at home against Mayfair. Ziegenhagen said he wants to continue to play Bosco in order to show his team an example of excellence.

“I also wanted to show them that the CIF State champs put their pads on just like we do,” Ziegenhagen said.

The home game against Mayfair, and Huntington Beach on Sept. 15, will both be played on campus. However, when construction starts on the new football stadium at Wilson, the Bruins will play their remaining home games against Cabrillo, Poly, Lakewood and Millikan at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Because that will create two consecutive games against the Jackrabbits at Vets, the rivals will play the following two years at Wilson’s new field turf facility.

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