Kennedy senior earns unique double honors
Trending
WARREN -- He's a man of all seasons.
So, look for Warren John F. Kennedy three-sport standout Cam Hollobaugh to have a super spring with the baseball team.
The senior just wrapped up his second-consecutive "best of" Trumbull County honor.
Hollobaugh was selected the Trumbull County Player of the Year in boys basketball Monday after earning the same honor in football.
Yet, Hollobaugh thinks his best sport is baseball.
"It's crazy," he said. "I work hard at everything I do and this (award) means everything to me. It proves that all of the hard work and persistence I put into things paid off. I think baseball is the one I put most time into because you can't hit a moving object coming at you at 85-to-90 miles per hour without keeping your swing right and not getting rusty. I've also been playing it the longest.
"I'd say playing in three sports is time consuming and strenuous, but it's what I love to do. I started hitting balls with my dad when I was maybe 3 or 4 years old and started playing right after that. I didn't start playing football until third grade because my parents were a little cautious at first and didn't want me to be playing so young. But I didn't really start playing basketball until fourth grade."
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. Also among the finalists were Joey Kline of Newton Falls and Jake Portolese of McDonald.
On the court this winter, Hollobaugh averaged 24.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4 assists and 3.5 steals per game while shooting 62 percent from the field.
The Eagles finished 12-4 after losing to Richmond Heights 67-50 in a Division IV regional championship. Richmond then lost to eventual state champion Botkins 44-40 in a state semifinal. As a quarterback and linebacker, Hollobaugh helped lead the Eagles to a Division VII state runner-up finish.
"Cam is a competitor at everything he does, from his athletics to his academics and everything in between," coach Mark Komlanc said. "He's got as 3.8 GPA. It wouldn't matter if it was checkers, he's going to figure out a way to compete and eventually win."
Funny then, that when Hollobaugh was called to the Kennedy office Monday for the presentation of the award, he thought he was in trouble for something.
"I'm going to the office and thinking, 'what did I do; did I do something wrong'," Hollobaugh said. "It was kind of surprising. I'm very grateful for the award."
Komlanc often hears others praise Hollobaugh.
"We played in a tournament his junior year and I had some coaches from Marietta approach me and ask if Cam was getting any looks in basketball because they were interested. I had to tell them baseball first, then football. He wasn't looking to play basketball in college. They said that's a shame.
"You know, (high school) coaches game plan against Cam because they see stats and hear he's good. Then after the game, they shake his hand and come over to me and say, 'man, (Cam's) way better than we thought he was.'"
Hollobaugh recently announced that he will play baseball and football at Walsh.
With a unique combination of a thick body and outstanding foot and hand quickness, Hollobaugh often willed his way to success on the court.
"Here's a kid 6-1 and he averaged 10.1 rebounds," Komlanc said. "He sees the ball go up and instinctively knows where it will bounce to off the rim and he beats people to the ball. He's also tough to move or root out. But what helped us get to the next level this year was his passing ability. He became a very good passer this year."
Hollobaugh finished with 1,167 career points and 677 rebounds.
"It's a shame that we had a shortened season because of COVID," Komlanc said. "He would've been the first one (at Kennedy) to go over 1,000 points and 700 rebounds. But he is such a role model for the younger guys on the team and for all the young kids in our system and around the county. He was a must-see product and we didn't play a game on our home floor this year (due to renovation).
"All I can say is, if he's better at baseball than he is our football and basketball, people need to go see him play. I remember when (1988 Girard graduate) Nick Cochran was the great dual-sport athlete (football and basketball) and people flocked just to watch him play. I'd say that Cam, like Nick, earns the respect of all of his opponents."
Cochran is the only other athlete to earn Player of the Year honors in both football (1987) and basketball (1988).
"I had a lot of fun playing basketball, making friends and representing my school and I don't regret any of that," Hollobaugh said. "But I'm pretty sure I played my last basketball game for a team."