Old-school competitor
Kennedy’s Hollobaugh wins award as county’s best
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WARREN -- Cameron Hollobaugh is a throwback, old-school athlete.
"I love whatever season it is because I love competing," Hollobaugh said. "I guess you could say that's old-school, but that's just who I am."
The senior at John F. Kennedy High School is a three-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball and baseball.
On Wednesday, Hollobaugh was named the Trumbull County Player of the Year in football after leading the Eagles to a state runner-up finish in Division VII. That came a day after being named the state's Defensive Player of the Year in Division VII.
The county award was presented by the Trumbull County Coaches Association and was determined by a vote of a panel of media members who cover Trumbull County football.
The award usually is presented at the annual Andy Pike football awards dinner sponsored by the TCCA, but that was not held this year due to the pandemic. Hollobaugh was presented the award at Kennedy High School on Wednesday.
"All of the awards are special because it rewards the hard work and effort that I put in and the work and effort my teammates and coaches put in," he said. "I wouldn't be getting these awards if the team didn't do well or my coaches and teammates didn't push me daily to be the best I can be.
"Being named the top player in the area, regardless of the Division, is truly pretty exciting. It means a lot, because you're competing against all the athletes in the bigger schools, too. In that way, it's just as big to me as being selected the top defensive player in the state in Division VII."
The Eagles finished 9-3 this season, with the losses being 27-21 to Division V Garfield, 32-22 to Division III Howland and 31-0 to New Bremen in the Division VII state championship game.
Hollobaugh played running back, quarterback and receiver on offense and was a linebacker on defense.
He rushed for 1,541 yards and 31 touchdowns on 243 carries and caught seven passes for 154 yards and a touchdown. He was 47-for-87 passing for 638 yards with three more scores and three interceptions.
"This is such a well-deserved award because Cam had such a phenomenal season," coach Dom Prologo said. "I know it's a season award, but if it were a career award, I think he'd deserve that as well. He's been a consistent player for four years and basically has been 'the guy' for three years.
"He had a good freshman year, especially defensively, and midway through his sophomore year we knew we had to get him the ball more. But he was that special guy who answered the bell after big expectations this year. He's how we got to the championship game. Of course, the offensive and defensive lines did a great job in front of him, but every defense knew he was getting the ball offensively and had trouble stopping him."
Hollobaugh, a hard-nosed runner and nasty linebacker, became the eighth player from Kennedy to win the award, following John Landolfi (1981), Jim Coates (1983), Vince Davis (1986), Tim Ryan (1990), Tom Paolucci (1992), J.J. Townsend (2006) and Jared Province (2007).
"That's a pretty impressive group," Hollobaugh said. "I've talked with Coates and Ryan and I've heard about Province."
Hollobaugh has heard officially from Youngstown State, Akron, Villanova and Furman, as well as many smaller colleges but remains unsure as to a plan of attack in college.
A third baseman and pitcher on the baseball team, he was robbed of his season last spring due to COVID-19.
"You're supposed to get looks and offers as a junior for baseball, because they can't wait until the end of the school year as a senior," he said. "At first, I thought I wanted to play baseball in college. The smaller schools want to give me a chance to play football and baseball, but there's no scholarship money. So I don't know what direction I want to go just yet."
Hollobaugh also doesn't fit easily into one position in football.
"I don't think the football programs that are looking at me have a great feel for how I would fit in," he said. "I think they'd list me as an athlete, get me to camp and see where I could help. Some have talked about me playing fullback and others are thinking either inside or outside linebacker."
At least the standout athlete has his options.