It may be a toss-up as to which line of footsteps are the most imposing for Colby Cameron to follow:

Is it Newbury Park High's quarterback tradition? Or the Cameron family bloodlines?

The Panthers, of course, have rolled out a succession of quarterbacks that includes Wayne Cook, Keith Smith, Chris Czernek and Jordan LaSecla. But the Camerons have established their own choice pedigree, featuring standout women's basketball player Brynn Cameron and football/basketball star Jordan Cameron, both now at USC.

"They are tremendous players who did great things when they were here," Colby says of his older siblings. "I would love, like them, to earn a scholarship and have the chance to play at the next level. I've learned a lot from them, particularly as to the kind of hard work it takes to be successful."

Safe to say that Colby is doing both lines of succession proud.

Since stepping into the starting slot with the Panthers last season, racking up experience and numbers under fire, Cameron has matured into one of the top quarterbacks in the region, if not the entire CIF-Southern Section.

Newbury Park coach George Hurley believes his senior quarterback is a player to build a championship team around.

"I really think he's ready to take that next step," said Hurley, set for his 18th year with the program. "The difference is all the hard work he has put in. He's stronger. He's more vocal. He's become a leader on this team."

Cameron, too, is thinking championship. A strong senior class has designs for the program's first Marmonte crown since 1999.

"That's the goal," he said. "A lot of us have grown up together playing football. We know what this program has done in the past. We want to get back to that position this year."

A year ago, with Newbury Park finishing at 4-6 and settling for a three-way tie for fourth place in the Marmonte League, Cameron threw for a Marmonte League-best 2,398 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The talent was apparent. So was the grit.

As the triggerman in Newbury Park's vaunted pass offense and the top target for opposing defenses, Cameron was under more pressure than a cheap box spring.

The hits he could take. The transition from the sophomore squad to the varsity, well, that was a challenge.

"Everything was so much faster," he said. "My first (varsity) game was like, Whoa. This is a different game up here.'

"I was taking some good hits, but that was OK. I feel like I can hang in there. But it was hard to miss on throws I know I can make. I knew I just had to learn from my mistakes and get better."

Cameron's first varsity season included 14 interceptions and a 50.8 completion percentage (195 of 384). As he enters his senior season, Cameron is geared for a dramatic upgrade.

He's added muscle and strength with a diligent offseason weight training program, bulking up to 185 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame.

"I can feel the difference, especially on the deep throws," he said. "It allows our offense to open up a little more, and it's definitely given me more confidence."

Guess what? With added experience and extra work on reading defenses, the game has indeed slowed down for the senior quarterback. There's now plenty of time to pick apart a defense.

"I can't wait for the season to start," he said. "I feel so much more comfortable now than I did last year. The experience really helps. We had some tough games last year, like against Moorpark. But we were able to put games like that behind us and go on a little winning streak. We can carry that over into this season."

As a senior, Cameron figures to be a vocal leader this fall. Already he has something to brag about.

Newbury Park's offensive line, which took its lumps early last season, has evolved into an stellar group. Among the prime accomplishments of the summer was winning the hogs tournament at Rio Mesa.

For Cameron, the equation is simple. The bigger and stronger his offensive line becomes, the happier he is.

"I'm really happy about that," he said with a grin. "Really, they've all banded together and worked hard in the weight room. We'll see the results on the field this season."

Ditto, it would seem, for Cameron.