CONWAY — For professional soccer player Camden Clark, the 2023 season was one he’ll never forget. Largely because it almost never happened.
Clark, the son of Nancy and Rob Clark of Intervale, was stellar in goal for Boden City FC and helped the Swedish-based soccer club go undefeated, win the league, get promoted to Division III and win the prestigious Lilla Coop Cup in 2022. Clark along with six other Americans on the club were eager to return last March and make a run at a second straight promotion.
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