Staff photo / Preston Byers Boardman’s Tomas Andujar stands on the sideline during the Penn-Ohio Football Classic on June 20 in Beaver Falls, Pa.

BEAVER FALLS — Tomas Andujar’s senior football season at Boardman was one that very easily could have been defined by injuries. Instead, it became one of perseverance.

Andujar had been dealing with a shoulder injury for more than a month when the slot receiver suffered a concussion against Cardinal Mooney in late September. The game halted for more than 30 minutes as medical personnel attended to Andujar, who was placed on a stretcher and transported to a hospital in an ambulance.

“It was scary,” Boardman head football coach DJ Dota said. “He was alert but not alert. He couldn’t answer a lot of questions. … For our kids, I think there’s a lot of love for him, a lot of tears.”

Unlike many in similar circumstances, Andujar said he completely remembers the injury. And fortunately, it wasn’t a career-ender or even a season-ender.

Just a few weeks after being taken off of the field on a stretcher, Andujar returned to finish his senior year on his terms.

“The recovery process was probably one of the best times I’ve had because it’s really motivating,” Andujar said. “I wasn’t supposed to play for the rest of the season. [But] I came back. We might not have had the best two last games, but as long as I got to be out there with my guys one more time…”

Andujar credits Todd Burkey, Boardman’s supervisor of athletic training, strength and conditioning, for helping him through his recovery.

“Coming back toward the end of that season, I didn’t know if he would,” Dota said. It was a pretty scary situation there that night. So for him to come back, that shows a lot of courage, a lot about his character as a man.”

Andujar finished his senior season at Boardman in October, and last month, Andujar had the opportunity to put the pads on one final time as part of the Ohio all-star team in the Penn-Ohio Football Classic.

“Being out here, it’s fun,” Andujar said after the game, which Ohio won 28-10. Andujar caught a short pass from West Branch’s Beau Alazaus for a first-quarter touchdown to give Ohio an early lead.

“It’s my last game. I will remember this — Ohio vs. Penn, and we get it done. So I’m always gonna remember this. … It means a lot to get out here one more time.”

Andujar will not be pursuing football at the next level and instead will be focusing his efforts on earning his real estate license.

“My dad, he’s a contractor,” Andujar said of his decision to go into real estate. “So they kind of go hand in hand.”

Additionally, Andujar will be joining Dota’s coaching staff at Boardman this fall.

“I’m really happy to have somebody like him with his character,” Dota said. “And his enthusiasm, being young, it’d be a great influence for a lot of our guys there in Boardman. … He couldn’t be a better influence. Great human being.”

Andujar said that returning to Boardman to coach is a way to remain in football without the risk of injuries.

“If I can’t play, why not stay around the sport?” Andujar said.

Boardman is set to start its 2024 football season on Aug. 23 vs. Kenston.

Have an interesting story? Contact Preston Byers by email at pbyers@tribtoday.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @PresByers.