Obren Manjencich is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Perry by AZPreps365

The tumor was the size of a golf ball and discovered behind his right shoulder blade.

Zach de Hondol was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 3.

Now a senior at Perry, de Hondol is turning the tables on a disease that accounts for nearly seven to 10 percent of all childhood cancers, according to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

De Hondol is a shortstop and pitcher for Perry, something he takes pride in.

“I feel like that adds some value to me,” said de Hondol. “I love playing and doing what I can to help.”

De Hondol was born with a birth defect.

“When he was born his esophagus was not attached,” said his mother, Cindy. “They went in when he was 1 and reattached that.”

The surgery was the beginning of a long road for the family.

His parents took him to the doctor after what they thought was another battle with bronchitis or pneumonia, but it turned out to be much more.

“When they did that chest x-ray looking for pneumonia is when they found the tumor,” said Cindy.

But de Hondol beat the odds and is now mowing down opponents.

When pitching last season, de Hondol was a workhorse, he led his team in innings pitched, nine more than the next closest, and batters faced, 31 more than the next closest.

“I just stayed concentrated,” said de Hondol. “Do my job; get as many batters out as I can; go as deep into games as I could.”

De Hondol stands out with his delivery on the mound, bringing his hands up high before leaning back and throwing with superb accuracy.

His fellow pitchers affectionately refer to him as “laser show.”

De Hondol also handles the bat well and knows what type of hitter he is.

“I live gap to gap. Every time I come up to bat, I know I wanna put a ball somewhere hard in the gap,” said de Hondol.

As unique as his delivery is, he also has features in his stance that stand out.

Aware of his pitching prowess, de Hondol wears a shin guard to protect his plant leg. He holds his hands high, similar to his delivery. As he does this, he waves his bat at a steady pace to time an opposing pitcher.

He attributes at least a part of his decision to commit to the University of Hawaii-Hilo, a NCAA Division II school, to one of his pitching coaches.

Mike Fetters, the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen coach, has played an instrumental role in helping de Hondol, guiding him through the steps necessary to get colleges to notice him.

de Hondol has known Fetters since he was 6.

The UHH program is on the rise, increasing its win total for the past two seasons and winning its most games in a season since the 1989 season.

Reflecting on his life and all that he’s been through, de Hondol believes in one motto.

“Be as strong as you can because you never know when you have to be your strongest,” said de Hondol.

De Hondol isn’t the only member of the Perry baseball program to be affected by neuroblastoma. Junior varsity head coach Wil Schommer, who is a former player at Perry, also beat neuroblastoma.

Schommer also played college baseball, something he is unaware that any other neuroblastoma survivor had done until himself. De Hondol will be the second survivor next year.

“it is pretty dang cool,” said Schommer.