By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

While training at John Carroll University in July, Aurora boys soccer head coach Louis Kastelic listened as his players worked through a goal-setting session with the Blue Streaks’ coaching staff.

The discussion was healthy and included players stepping forward to vocalize goals of winning the league championship and a district title.

When it was Kastelic’s turn to share his thoughts, he had a question for his team: Why not a state championship?

“In some respects, I can understand why they didn’t talk about it right away because they were probably trying to keep their goals realistic. They all recognize how hard it is to win a state championship,” Kastelic said.

But the first-year Greenmen coach thought he was being realistic when he challenged them to think about being the best team in Ohio.

“I told them that I know I have not been here long, but I have been around the sport long enough to know that we had the talent,” Kastelic said. “I told them that on paper, you have what it takes to win one. So even though it was a big goal, I asked them, ‘Do you think it should be’?”

The identity for Aurora’s 2025 season had been established.

“That day, we set a goal to win a state championship,” Kastelic said. “Obviously, we didn’t know everything at that moment on how we would get there, but we knew the talent was there. It put our season into motion, and we crossed off accomplishments along the way.”

And there were a lot of them.

Suburban League championship: Check.

District championship: Check.

Regional championship: Check.

Twenty-two game streak without a loss (19-2-3 overall record): Check.

The first team to ever advance to the state championship: Check.

On Nov. 9, four months after the goal-setting conversation at John Carroll, Aurora’s chance for one final check mark fell just short in a 3-0 loss to Bishop Watterson in the Division III state final in Columbus at the Historic Crew Stadium.

Even as 2026 nears, it is a game that Kastelic can’t stop thinking about.

“It is on my mind every day,” he said. “I keep trying to think about what I could have done differently to help put the team in a better position to win that game. Time has helped me feel better about it, about accepting it and moving forward. The last few weeks have allowed for reflection, and I keep coming back to how proud I am of the team and what we were able to do.”

Aurora’s roster featured a talented senior class of 14 and was highlighted by team captains Griffin McMaster (center back) and Bryce Peckinpaugh (goalkeeper with 0.92 goals-against average).

“Griffin and Bryce are two natural leaders,” Kastelic said. “I noticed when I stepped into the program that players gravitated to them to listen to what they had to say. They were everything I needed them to be and kept things together with the players. They were great communicators.”

There were other team leaders, too, like Jordan West, Owen Peckinpaugh (10 goals, 6 assists), Cam Gentille (19 goals, 12 assists), Kam Warnke (21 goals, 10 assists), Barry Wagner, Clark Furney and Camden Roy, among others.

“Jordan’s output was unmatched and our guys felt that. We would go as he would go,” Kastelic said of his electrifying offensive threat who scored 22 goals and had 29 assists and was named Ohio’s Player of the Year in Division III.

“Owen made huge plays for us. He had the walkoff goal in overtime in the state semifinal against CVCA, PK winner in the regional semifinal against Canfield. Owen is a player who is built for the moment. Cam Gentille and Kam Warnke are two players that were absolutely pivotal to our success on offense. I am excited to have Cam back next year and wish I could have Kam again. Barry and Camden were two guys that helped solidify things and our team fed off of them for sure,” said Kastelic, who was named Ohio’s Division III Coach of the Year.

Then, there is Furney, who twice returned from a broken collarbone and was the emotional centerpiece for the Greenmen along the way. He never misses a practice, and he never missed an opportunity to stay connected with the team at all levels.

“I can’t say enough good things about Clark. He is a great player, but more than that, he is a great human being,” Kastelic said. “Everyone knows Clark is special. If you are having a bad day, you talk to Clark, and he is going to help change things for you. He is such a talented player, too, and it broke our hearts to see him battle through his injuries this season, but by the end of the season, he had his moments, too.”

Furney scored the second goal of a 3-0 win over Holland Springfield in the regional final, following up a deflected shot by the Blue Devils’ goalkeeper.

It is inside memories like those that have allowed Kastelic to cherish the season and not get trapped in the disappointment of the final loss.

“I don’t take losses very well, and I wish that was something I was better at, but since that game, I have been able to talk about things a lot with people. We had our end-of-season banquet a few weeks ago and that gave some closure and was a great celebration and final goodbye to our seniors and their families. This group truly did make a mark and left a legacy that will last forever.

“You can’t have a conversation about Aurora soccer, at any point in the future, forever, without bringing this team up.”

In fact, Kasetlic’s family living room is a daily reminder of the team.

“My kids play soccer in the living room and they are pretending to be our players. They pretend to be Bryce and Owen Peckinpaugh, Kam Warnke and everyone else. It is a really special thing.”

To match a really special season produced by a really special team.