Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Lowellville junior Vinny Ballone scans the field during a walkthrough Monday evening at Paul Menichini Field. With 2,472 passing yards and 34 touchdowns last Fall, Ballone owns several school single-season records.

LOWELLVILLE — It’s always a family affair with the Lowellville Rockets football team.

Take junior quarterback Vinny Ballone for example.

Growing up, Ballone followed and heeded the advice of older brother Bobby Ballone, a right tackle at Mooney when the Cardinals raised the state banner back in 2011.

“Being in that atmosphere, wanting to be out there and everything like that,” Vinny Ballone said about his dreams of playing varsity football. “He (Bobby) has always been my coach ever since I was younger, and he just taught me how to do things right, be able to be on that field with me and just help me with everything.”

Fast forward to 2021 and Ballone now has a team on his shoulders, and a younger cousin, Michael Ballone, learning the ropes behind him.

“Michael has come a long way, really good this year, better than last year, he’s just coming along,” Ballone said. “Even if I have to go out for a play, he’ll be in there and ready, and doing pretty good.”

It’s those types of leadership qualities, along with a body frame of 6-foot-4, 175 pounds and having a cannon for an arm, that put Ballone on the radar in the Mahoning Valley.

Ballone set several single-season school records during a wacky 2020 season last year as he threw for 2,472 yards and 34 touchdowns, while also completing 55-percent of his passes and rushing for 368 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

When it boils down to it, a dual-threat quarterback changes the dynamic of an entire game.

“We don’t have to get it out so quick,” Ballone said. “We have the time in the backfield with our line being upfront to be able to block, and even if they throw a blitz, I can get out and hit a player open.”

His offensive abilities are just one thing that make Ballone stand out as a football player. His prowess as a safety provides support to the backend of the Rockets defense and his athleticism is something that coach Andrew Mamula wants to utilize.

“I think this year you’ll see a lot more of that running,” Mamulsa said. “He did a little bit toward the end of last year, but even in our scrimmages this year, we gave the green light. We took the yellow jersey off and said ‘Run, get hit, get used to it,’ because we expect to see a lot of it.

“With Vinny, it creates a mismatch because, you have to match up with our receivers, but then you have to keep somebody in who’s athletic enough to either spy him or contain him, and eventually you run out of guys.”

Ballone doesn’t just patrol the gridiron, he’s a staple on the hardwood and the track, making him constantly have some sort of sport on his plate.

“Just being active, and staying off the couch and off the video games and stuff like that,” Ballone commented with a laugh. “I always like to be in a sport and being around people and everything like that.

“I do like a weightlifting thing where I push, pull and legs, every three days, then a rest day, and then I push, pull, legs again, it helps a lot.”

There’s certain natural advantages of being a diverse athlete, with many physical moments translating well from one season to another.

“A lot of it is leverage, hips, footwork, I mean all of that carries over, and it’s valid in any sport,” Mamula said. “So, typically, if you’re a good basketball player down there, you’re going to be a good football player, a good track kid, so it’s one of those things where you have an advantage if you have your kids doing that. Some teams, kids only play football. I think they’re missing out a little bit on the whole picture of becoming an all-around athlete.”

Since taking over the starting quarterback role midway through his freshman campaign, Ballone has improved, especially with the deep ball, averaging 7.47 yards a pass. His longest pass was 78 yards last season.

“Being able to throw that deep ball, getting stronger, and even my run option too, I’m able to get out of the pocket, make stuff happen,” Ballone said “It’s real important being able to get out of that pocket, being able to scramble all over and get a receiver open and be able to throw it down field.”

With a grin on his face, back on his home turf, and now eyeing career marks within the Rockets record book, Ballone is excited for what lies ahead this season knowing he has the potential to leave a massive impact on his hometown program.

“It’s amazing actually,” Ballone said. “Being able as a junior to come out here and break records in the school, it’s just something that I really want to accomplish.

“It’s real exciting to be out there for the first game of the year, hopefully we’ll put on a show.”