Cameron Juhasz was a snot-nosed freshman when he pitched in his first game for the Northwood Rangers.

“I was a reliever, against Lake, and I was real nervous,” Juhasz said. “It was my first game playing and I just went out there saying, 'I'm a freshman so if nothing's going my way, it's OK. I still have four years to build on this.' Fortunately, things did go my way. I had two strikeouts and I think I only gave up one hit.”

Juhasz, a 6-foot, 170-pound left-hander, is now a senior at Northwood and one of the best pitchers in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference. He is 2-0 this season with a 1.31 ERA for Coach Dave Russell's Rangers (7-1, 2-0 TAAC).

Juhasz, who also plays first base, is a four-year starter at Northwood and a self-admitted baseball junkie. Baseball is the only school sport he plays.

“Cameron is a very, very hard worker,” Russell said. “He's a team leader and he's the first one out on the diamond and the last one off. He just breathes baseball.”

“I love the game of baseball and I will do whatever it takes to get better,” Juhasz said. “If that means being the first one there and the last one out, I'll do it.”

Russell said Juhasz's impact with the team goes beyond his pitching and hitting stats. The coach said Juhasz is a “good role model” for the other players.

“He's an overall great kid and a good student,” Russell said. “We have a lot of young kids in the program this year and he takes them under his wing and shows them the ropes. He's probably one of the best kids I've ever coached as far as work ethic and attitude, and he takes adversity in stride. He's been working with the younger pitchers this year. He's been basically another pitching coach for us, and you don't get that kind of kid too often in your program.”

Juhasz went 6-3 with a 3.44 ERA last year while earning first-team All-TAAC honors. He pitched 59 innings and gave up 40 hits with 73 strikeouts for the Rangers, who won the school's first TAAC baseball championship.

Northwood reached the sectional finals before losing to conference rival and eventual Division IV state semifinalist Ottawa Hills. The Rangers beat the Green Bears during the regular season.

“That (TAAC title) was one of the most important things in my sporting career, if not the most important,” Juhasz said. “We beat the team that took fourth in the state. We feel we have that opportunity this season, to go to state. We want to have a good run and have a run at the state tournament.

“Coach Russell has been my coach since I started Little League, and he has significantly turned the Northwood baseball program in the right direction. I have the highest respect for him. Our goal is to win as many games as possible, to be closer as a team and have fun.”

Juhasz has made three appearances on the mound this season, against Waite, Danbury and Emmanuel Christian. He's allowed just four hits in 17 innings, and he set a school record with 18 strikeouts in a one-hit complete game at Emmanuel Christian. The previous school record for strikeouts in a game was 16, set in 1969.

“On the bus ride there, I was pumped up,” Juhasz said. “I was getting ready for our first league game and I went in with that bulldog mentality. I felt right in the bullpen before the game started and all my pitches were working. Location was key and I was hitting all my spots. I struck out like the first 15 in a row, so (the record) was in the back of my mind. I still had to focus on the game, so I didn't want that to bother me too much.”

Juhasz, whose fastball has been clocked at 85 mph, throws several pitches and can deliver most of them overhand or sidearm. His repertoire includes a two- and four-seam fastball, changeup and curve.

“I've been doing sidearm for two years now with the help of our pitching coach, Rob Rohrs,” Juhasz said. “I can't thank him enough. He's definitely built up my confidence. He made me get that bulldog mentality and he's worked on my pitches and helped me out with location. We talk baseball all the time; he's almost like my baseball father.”

Juhasz said several small colleges are giving him a look, and he plans to take his time making a decision on where to pitch next year. He intends to major in secondary education.

“I'm going to enjoy my season and not let it affect my decision,” he said. “All of the schools I'm looking at are great schools and I want to make the right decision for next year and the next four years.”

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