Center Grove wingback Trevor Hohlt spent 391 days working his way back to the events of this evening.
The senior plans to relish every second.
In 2015, Hohlt sustained a severe injury to his right knee executing a routine cutback move in a lopsided sectional defeat of Jeffersonville.
He had surgery Nov. 17, just 11 days before Center Grove’s 28-16 conquest of Penn in the Class 6A championship game.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryPredictably, those few hours were the best and worst of times for Hohlt as he cheered his buddies on from the Center Grove sideline while in a wheelchair.
Hohlt set out on his mission to get back to the state finals.
And now he has.
Proof of Hohlt’s dedication and resolve can be found this season as Center Grove (12-1) attempts to defend its state title tonight against Carmel.
He’s bounced back to be the Trojans’ second-leading ground gainer, a trusted slot receiver out of the backfield and among the team’s most punishing blockers.
“It’s been an awesome season just being able to play out there with my brothers. I would say that by Week 5 is when I felt like I was 100 percent,” Hohlt said, referring to the Trojans’ 51-14 romp over North Central.
“It was definitely more mental at first. Once I got past that I was OK and was more confident in myself to start making those cuts.”
As valued as Hohlt is to Center Grove’s wing-T offense with the football in his possession, his desire to block opposing linebackers has been as important.
Earlier in his career, Hohlt helped clear running lanes for everyone from his older brother, Jackson, to Max Norris to Calvin Daggett. This season he’s played a role in gains made by Russ Yeast, Titus McCoy and Triston Clark.
“If you had an end zone view of our games and watched how many times No. 29 went in the B gap and lit up the Mike linebacker, you would be impressed,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said. “Trevor’s a good perimeter blocker, and he’s a good receiver, too.
“Just an all-around great offensive player. He’s a kid who could play safety or cornerback as well.”
A healthy Hohlt also will benefit Moore’s track and field program.
Hohlt, who progressed from using a wheelchair to crutches last winter, wasn’t cleared to begin running until early March. His track specialties are the 300-meter low hurdles and 1,600 relay, and he wound up missing all of last season.
At his lowest points last November — physically and emotionally — Hohlt weighed only 156 pounds. His appetite had abandoned him as a side effect of the pain medication he was prescribed.
He now carries 185 pounds on his 6-foot frame.
In Center Grove’s 21-16 season-opening loss to Warren Central, Hohlt tweaked his left knee during the third quarter.
“I just sprained my MCL. It was the other leg,” Hohlt said. “I wasn’t quite sure what the injury was when it happened, but once I got up and started walking on it I knew I would be OK.”
Hohlt has waited a long time to savor the bus ride to Lucas Oil Stadium, pregame warmups with teammates — most of whom he’s played against or with since elementary school — and feel his blood slowly boil as Moore delivers his pregame pep talk.
His first carry. Throwing the initial bone-jarring block.
All on the biggest stage. All of it understandably special.
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Career yardage totals for Center Grove senior running back Trevor Hohlt:
Year;Rush;Rec;TD
Sophomore;277;0;3
Junior;351;78;3
Senior;623;193;8
Total;1,251;271;14
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Class 6A state football championship
Center Grove (12-1) vs. Carmel (9-4)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis
Tickets: $15 for today’s games (preschool children free). All seats are general admission.
Single-day tickets may still be purchased at the Center Grove High School athletics office between 8 a.m. and noon today. Center Grove will receive $1 for every ticket purchased at the school. Tickets are also available at the Lucas Oil Stadium ticket office.
After the game: Win or lose, Center Grove will hold a postgame celebration for the team Friday night in the school’s main gymnasium.
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