Furnish contributes to Jefferson success

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mason Furnish doesn't have the best statistics or garner the most attention from the average prep football fan.

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson senior makes an impact that extends beyond the postgame box score. Furnish has been a key asset to the J-Hawks' success, showing up with his helmet and lunch pail each game and practice.

'He is one of the most consistent kids we have,” Jefferson Coach Brian Webb said. 'When Mason Furnish is on the field and in the game, you know what you're going to get. You're going to get an effort all the time.”

Furnish has carved a niche with Jefferson, serving as a leader with his effort on and off the field. He has helped the J-Hawks move into contention for their first postseason appearance since 2008. Jefferson (4-4, 2-2) closes the regular season Friday night at Class 4A sixth-ranked Linn-Mar (7-1, 4-0), which has already secure the District 5 title.

An unselfish attitude allows the wide receiver to be more content with throwing a key block or setting up big plays for teammates than by personal big gains or touchdowns. The most notable was a vital block that sprung Manny Olutunde for a 63-yard TD that eventually forced overtime and led to a victory against Cedar Rapids Kennedy, snapping a six-year drought against Metro foes.

'Those are things people don't normally see,” Webb said. 'When it comes to crunchtime every single game, I want Mason Furnish on the field … bottom line.”

The J-Hawks share a strong camaraderie that has grown in the rebound season. Furnish said the close-knit group motivates him to try to make each one of his teammates better daily.

'Being a part of this team is very special to me,” Furnish said. 'When we came in as freshmen, everybody was looking at us to be just the regular old J-Hawks, but as we started to work we saw we had potential and we grew really close. It's kind of like a big group of brothers.”

Furnish has added to Jefferson's offensive statistics. He is third on the team with 204 receiving yards, averaging more than 22 yards per catch. Furnish has 23 rushing yards. He has rushing and receiving touchdown this season. Furnish has five tackles.

Webb said he would like to clone Furnish and keep him around after this season.

'If we had a whole team of Mason Furnishes we'd be top notch,” Webb said. 'He's that high-caliber of a player and even better as a person.”

Furnish is a role model in the classroom as well. He has been on the honor roll every term in high school. Furnish is a member of National Honor Society and various leadership councils. He manages his responsibilities and is a good example for others to follow.

'You know he is going to do what is right off the field (and) academically,” Webb said. 'He knows how to go above and beyond what is required of a normal high school kid. He's one of our top kids and one I look up to because he is so dedicated to what we do.”

Academics are important to Furnish, who might study engineering in college. He said sports won't last forever, even though he has been approached to run hurdles for a college track program. Classroom work has helped with learning football assignments and schemes.

'It allows us to learn more quickly on the field,” Furnish said. 'It allows us to pick up new concepts. It also shows we have the determination to get things done.

'We come to practice and work hard we go home we're tired and striving to get our homework done. It provides good habits the rest of life.”

He was quick to credit his parents for an appreciation to do his best in any activity. Craig and Beth Furnish advised him to perform as well as possible to avoid regrets in life.

'In everything I do, I try to give 100-percent effort,” Furnish said. 'I try to duplicate that effort every day out here.”

As he shed his shoulder pads and teammates placed equipment from the practice field into storage for the season, he acknowledged he could be suiting up for the final time. Coaches and players have emphasized the last three weeks have been 'must-win” games. Furnish said the team plans to leave it all on the field, hoping it results in a first-round playoff game next Wednesday.

'It's another opportunity to face top-10 competition,” Furnish said. 'It's the first time in a long time a Jefferson team went into the last game of the season with a chance to control its own destiny to get into the playoffs, so I think that's a really special thing. We are going to give our all, like it's our last game.”

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