Clark Furney prepares to hit a shot from just out side the box.

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

By the time the fall soccer season finally ended, Clark Furney’s story was filled with every emotion you can imagine.

From both extremes and everything in between.

There were as many tears of sadness as there were of joy.

The final coming during a standing ovation at the team’s end-of-year banquet to cement a legacy that will forever have a hold on the Aurora High School boys soccer program.

Furney inspired his team, his coaches and all who supported the Greenmen through a journey that weaved its way through a promising start, to a lost season, then to a celebratory final act.

Admittedly, the season did not materialize to the individual level of his hopes, but with Furney it was never going to be about that anyway.

Furney’s energy is always with the team first.

And Aurora’s magical run to the state championship game became a season so reach in memories that Furney would never trade it for anything else.

Unfortunately for Furney, everything had to start with pain first.

STOPPED BEFORE REALLY STARTING

The Greenmen and head coach Louis Kastelic set their team identity during a July camp at John Carroll University.

During a goal-setting session, Kastetlic listened as his players worked through a discussion with the Blue Streaks’ coaching staff.

The conversation was healthy and included players stepping forward to vocalize a series of objectives for the 2025 season that included winning the league championship and a district title.

When it was Kastelic’s turn to speak, he opened his thoughts by asking a question: Why had nobody talked about winning 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.

The first-year head coach, though, truly thought he was being rational in his belief that his team could be 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’?”

In that moment, the identity for Aurora’s season was established and the quest for greatness had begun.

The team carried it as a motivating ingredient through all of its summer training sessions, scrimmages and eventually to an all-day preseason tournament in Canfield.

At that tourney, in the middle game of three 40-minute matchups, Aurora was in a physical and chippy contest with Boardman.

Furney, expected to be a senior leader and statistical standout, had scored a goal and assisted another.

“We were not really playing the way we were capable of. The game was scrappy and sloppy,” Kastelic said. “Clark got shoved from behind, and he was not prepared for it.”

The collision sent Furney to the ground hard, and he landed on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I didn’t see the hit coming, but when it happened, and I landed, I knew right away that things were bad. Really bad,” Furney said. “I reached up and felt my shoulder, and I knew it was broken. It was clearly out of place. I got up, walked off the field and shook the coach’s hand because I knew I wouldn’t be able to after the game, got to our bench and just collapsed.”

Furney’s self-diagnosis was accurate.

His collarbone was broken.

“It was so demoralizing for our team,” Kastelic said. “Clark was a big part of our team and a big part of what we were going to do on the field for the season. It was a tough day, and I don’t look back on the tournament with fond memories because of that.”

A NEW WAY TO SOCCER

Furney was now staring at a three-week recovery process at least.

It was going to take patience.

Try convincing that to a senior. One who loves the game as passionately as Furney that he has to watch from the sideline as his final season passes him by.

Understandably, he was disappointed and emotional, but he also made a decision to refuse to feel sorry for himself.

He owed it to his team to be there for them.

Healthy or injured.

So Furney went to every team event and every practice. While there, he was not a statue. He was active, vocal and energetic as he bounced between the JV and varsity groups as they trained.

Aurora boys soccer senior Clark Furney hugs his sister Hazel, a third-grader, during one of the team’s games.

He remained an uplifting voice and a positive personality.

“He didn’t just hang with the varsity, either, he oftentimes gravitated toward the JV guys during,” Kastelic said. “He showed up every day ready to help the team in some way and everyone knew that and they could feel it. We all knew, if you are having a bad day, just go talk to Clark. He is going to make you feel better.”

It was another layer of Furney’s maturity and confidence, which he confessed has been part of his growth away from the nerves and anxiety that he used to manage.

“Mentally, I have been through quite a journey,” Furney said. “When I was younger, I would get so nervous before a game that I would get to the point that I would throw up. My dad really helped me get through that and learn how to handle it. It was a long process, but he stayed with me and he is definitely someone I really look up to mentality wise. Both my parents have been amazing, and I am grateful for them. The positivity that I have about my life is something that we talk about as a family. You can control how you react to things. If you wake up in a bad mood, recognize it and don’t portray that. Nothing comes from being negative.

“So when I was going through my recovery, I stayed positive. I needed to be positive and be there for my team. Some of my best friends are on the team.

“I knew the potential they had and sticking around the team meant everything to me,” Furney added. “I got to stay connected to the game in other ways. I love soccer, I love the game, I love my team. Everything about it.”

THE (UNFORTUNATELY SHORT) RETURN

After being in a sling for three weeks and following all of the doctor’s orders, Furney was approved to return to the team at the midpoint of the season.

Naturally, Furney was excited, but he was not alone.

The Greenmen welcomed back their respected teammate and they were excited for his chance to restart the season.

Sadly, the pause button was only moments away.

In his first game back on the field, within the first couple minutes of action, Furney was tackled again.

He landed on his shoulder again.

And a gasp went through air again.

“From our vantage point on the sideline, it didn’t look as bad of a fall as he did when he broke his collarbone for the first time, but we all felt that feeling of, ‘Oh, no, could this happen again’,” Kastelic said.

Furney knew the answer.

Immediately.

“As soon as it happened, I knew. The way I landed on it. I knew it was broke,” Furney said. “I sat there for a second, and I wanted to say that I was fine and that I could keep going, but deep down, I knew.”

Two days later, a trip to the emergency room for X-rays confirmed the news that already lived in the bottom of Furney’s heart.

“As soon as the doctor walked in with the results, I could see it on her face,” Furney said.

Kastelic was at a loss for words, and admittedly was a bit frustrated.

“Here you have the nicest kid in the world. The best teammate with the best attitude and this happens to him a second time? Not fair and not right. I thought his season was lost and my heart broke for him.”

A SURPRISING RETURN

Even after the heartbreak of a second broken collarbone, Furney never ruled out a return to the team.

His belief came back to the identity that the team established back in July when they were at John Carroll.

The goal had become to win a state championship.

With that meant a long postseason, which added time to Furney’s recovery window.

In the normal type of season that the majority of high school teams experience, Furney would run out of time to make a return to the field because of a brief tournament run.

Aurora’s fall was far from normal, however.

Clark Furney approaches his teammates following the conclusion of a tournament game.

The Greenmen were Suburban League champions, district champions, regional champions, ran off 22 straight games without a loss, posted an incredible 19-2-3 record and was the first time in the history of Portage County to advance to the soccer state championship.

As it was all unfolding, Furney was there step by step.

Watching, supporting, cheering, smiling and even occasionally coaching.

Then, one night during an October practice, Furney approached Kastelic to tell him that there was still an outside chance that he could return to the team before the season was over.

“I was like, ‘Are you sure’?” Kastelic said. “Trust me, I was excited, so I was asking more in shock than in doubt. I was also a little concerned, because I knew that he could be coming back with some risk, but the reality about it was that he was willing to take that on with the support of his family and doctors.

“I told him that we would work him into our training and see where it goes,” Kastelic added.

Where it went was more like the script of a movie.

Aurora’s regional semifinal victory over Canfield came in a thrilling 5-4 penalty kick shootout. It also introduced some adversity.

Division III Player of the Year Jordan West (22 goals, 29 assists) was hit with a red card, which meant he faced suspension for the team’s regional championship versus Holland Springfield.

In the postseason, each next game is the biggest game of the season and the thought of entering a regional final without arguably the team’s top player and most decorated offensive player is not something any team would volunteer for.

Fortunately for Kastelic, he knew that he had a bit of an ace in his back pocket.

He turned to Furney and elevated him into a starting role, but he didn’t announce it too the team until they got to the stadium on the day of the regional final (Nov. 2).

“Oh, man, I was excited and honored,” Furney said. “Jordan is such an amazing player and a great teammate. His shoes are big shoes to fill and for Coach Lou to trust me to fill that spot was just an awesome feeling. For me, though, I wanted it. I think you have to want it. You have to believe in yourself. I knew I had come such a long way from not knowing if I was going to be back on the field to chomping at the bit to get back out there. I knew I could do it, but to have Coach Lou’s trust gave me an extra boost of confidence.”

In a tightly contested start, Aurora jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Cam Gentille, who got behind the defense, then calmly placed a well struck ball into the lower right corner of the net.

The narrow lead carried into halftime, with the Greenmen desperately seeking the always desired insurance goal.

Who better than Furney for the spotlight moment?

On a ball beautifully slotted by Gentille, Furney’s first shot from about 10 yards out was nicely kick-saved by the Springfield goalkeeper’s right foot, but not with enough force to clear it from danger and Furney followed a free bouncing ball toward the left of the goal, planted his right foot and finished with his left to just clear the goal line before a Springfield defender tried to deflect it away.

Aurora senior Clark Furney has his shot deflected by the Holland Springfield goalkeeper just before following it up for a goal in the Greenmen’s Division III regional final victory.

Aurora 2, Springfield 0.

“That was a feeling I won’t forget, ever,” Furney said. “I had told my parents that no matter what happened in the tournament, my mentality was that I can’t be disappointed with anything, because I am playing. What I am doing was not supposed to happen.”

From the sideline, watching Furney score such a decisive goal in such a historic moment, Kastelic said he couldn’t help but view it from the eyes of a father.

“It was a deep sentimental moment,” Kastelic said. “You could not write a better storybook ending. You look back on things and everything does happen for a reason. To be in that game without Jordan West and trying to figure out our strategy, game plan and lineup without our top assist and goal-scorer, we knew it would have to be all hands on deck, but it opened up a bigger opportunity for Clark and for it to turn out the way it did is just special.”

Aurora’s postseason run continued on, advancing to the Division III state final, falling one game short of the crown in a 3-0 loss to Bishop Watterson.

THE CLARK FURNEY AWARD

“Special” is an adjective used frequently in describing Furney as a person, Furney’s season, as well as the incredible overall year for the entire Aurora team.

It was used again when Kastelic introduced a new award at the team banquet.

“After the season, while we were exploring ways to honor the team and the season we had, I knew that this school and this program had to remember Clark somehow,” Kastelic said. “He was too special not to. He is such a unique individual and the type of person you want all of your players to be like. Not just as a soccer player, but as a person. I want my own kids to be like him.

“To go through everything that he went through this year and to handle it with the maturity that he did is not common. He was the best teammate ever.”

So at the banquet, Kastelic began to announce the team awards.

Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, amongst others, leading up to the Best Teammate Award, which Kastelic proudly presented to Furney.

As he went up to receive the award, his teammates all rose to their feet for a standing ovation.

After the long applause, only then did Kastelic unveil that the award was not actually called the “Best Teammate Award,” but rather the “Clark Furney Award,” which will be presented each year as a way to forever celebrate Furney and his 2025 season.

“My family sometimes says that I am a robot, because I don’t always show my emotions, but I definitely felt them that night,” Furney said.

So did everyone else.

The final chapter of a story few would ever want to have scripted for them.

But then again, few are like Furney.

Just ask one of his teammates.