One loss was more than enough for Fernando Castro and the Russellville boys soccer team.
An April 1 loss to Siloam Springs felt like a cruel April Fool's joke, ending what was a 10-0 start to the season.
Russellville would go undefeated over the next two months, with a 3-3 tie against Van Buren being the lone blemish.
Castro led the way for the Cyclones with 39 goals and 10 assists, and was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Castro was joined in the All-Arkansas Preps honors by goalkeeper Noe Jimenez, a second-team selection, and sophomores KyJuan Martinez and Arius Garcia, both selections for the all-underclassmen team.
The Cyclones had four shutouts in the Class 5A state tournament, amassing a 15-0 goal differential on their way to the state title. In the final, they defeated Van Buren and 2021 All-Arkansas Preps player of the year Pedro Rodriguez.
It was a few weeks later while working on a floor for his father Israel's home remodeling business that Castro first heard he had earned the player of the year award. A state of shock overtook him as he was told.
Castro has been helping his father remodel homes since shortly after moving to Arkansas in the sixth grade. He said it has given him plenty of life lessons, and also a few things to hold over his friends and teammates -- like knowing how to work the different equipment around the work site.
"Some of my friends would come ask to work with us and then when they go there wouldn't know how to do a single thing," Castro said.
Castro spent the spring of 2020 preparing for his big shot. He was set to be a starter for the Cyclones, having gotten just a taste of what playing on varsity felt like the season before. He spent most of his freshman season watching from the bench as the varsity squad, including 2019-20 Gatorade state player of the year Dylan Rice, won the state championship.
But when covid-19 hit, Castro had to put his dream of starting for the Cyclones on hold.
In the first season back, Castro said he viewed it as a rebuilding year. Instead, Russellville exceeded those expectations and made it to the state title game against Van Buren. They lost the game 2-1, but Castro said it gave he and his teammates the confidence they could win a title of their own.
"When we lost that game, everyone changed," Castro said. "We told each other we would be back in the same situation. We were going to be back and win it."
Leading the way to Russellville's state championship this season was Coach Jared Fuller, Castro said.
"He's a really big key. He's taught me a bunch since my freshman year," Castro said. "If he wasn't a part of our team, then we wouldn't have a successful time over the past two years."