Dontus Hardy always knew he had the size for football, but the wishes of his parents kept him away from the sport when he was younger as baseball became his passion.
When Hardy started high school at Eisenhower and got his parents’ blessing to try football for the first time, something clicked right away.
“I played baseball since I was 5,” Hardy said. “But growing up, I was always a bigger kid. I was always interested in football, but my mom didn’t really want me to get involved in it until I was older, so high school was my chance.
“Baseball was my dream. That was the big picture for me. Then it all changed just like that.”
Hardy became a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Cardinals, helping them reach the playoffs three straight seasons for only the second time in program history.
He also found a future in football, signing with St. Xavier.
“When Dontus first came into Eisenhower, he told me, ‘Coach, I’m a baseball player,’” Eisenhower coach Sheamus Murphy said. “I told him, ‘I think you’re a football player.’
“He came a long way and became one of our greatest leaders, and I’m really happy for him to be going to St. Xavier.”
Hardy is one of six Eisenhower seniors who signed to play football in college. Murphy believes it’s one of the biggest signing classes in program history.
Christian Casillas (DuPage), Ashton Gray (Roosevelt), Devion Parker (Wisconsin-Stout), Colby Sheffield (Benedictine) and Turvis Triplett (Wisconsin-Stout) joined Hardy for Eisenhower’s signing day ceremony on March 9.
“We had three guys sign last year and now we have six,” Hardy said. “We need 12 next year. Our class stuck together. COVID was tough for us. We played some tough opponents, had some tough losses, but we always stayed tough.
“I feel like this class of 2023 did a great job leading by example, getting to three playoffs straight, and I feel like it would have been four if it wasn’t for that COVID season.”
Having never played football before high school, Hardy was challenged his freshman year. But he caught on quickly and realized he had found his true passion.
“It was a big jump,” Hardy said. “Everything was brand new. I want to give a big shoutout to my coaches at Eisenhower. They showed me the ropes, took it slow and taught me the right way.
“I fell in love with the sport that first year as a freshman. As a sophomore, I started at left tackle. I became captain, stayed in my spot on the offensive line and kept working hard from there.”
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Hardy, who is 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, always had the size, but he had to get used to life in the trenches and develop his toughness.
“The contact was the biggest challenge at first,” he said. “It was new to me, especially being on the offensive line where it’s hands-on every play. I loved it, though. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Offensive line is my life now.
“There’s no better feeling than when it’s you and another man one-on-one and you can win. Someone has to win, and if you can come out on top, that’s a great feeling.”
Hardy, who is excited to continue his career at St. Xavier, is proud to have accomplished a big goal of earning a college scholarship.
“My parents have worked hard ever since I was a small child,” he said. “I love my parents more than anything in the world.
“It was my goal to make sure I did my job in the classroom and on the field so I could make college the least expensive as possible and I could keep playing the sport I love and get a great education.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
