Before the season started the Cheyenne Mountain boys’ lacrosse team thought it had a good recipe for success in Class 4A.

Top talent? Check.

Brotherhood? Check.

Next-man-up mentality? Check.

A passionate coach worthy of the Gazette Preps Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year honor? Check.

Cheyenne Mountain’s Mike Paige said the 2018 4A state championship was a culmination of four years of hard work, highlighted by a senior class that instilled a brotherhood among the Indians.

But Paige’s passion – on both ends of the spectrum – was a key ingredient toward bringing a state championship home.

“I’m a pretty passionate person and I’m pretty emotional with my players, the highs and the lows,” Paige said. “They know when I’m not pleased and they know when I’m ecstatic. I have a lot of expectations and I really appreciate our guys, and who they are becoming. When you see someone overcome the doubts like we did this year, seeing that joy is great.”

While Cheyenne Mountain had expectations to be one of the top four 4A programs in the state, the Indians continued to hit roadblocks throughout the season as injuries struck key players.

“We knew this would be a solid group and hoped that this group could get over the hurdle (to a state championship), but then with the injuries, we were missing some key players at the end, and I think that’s what really marked our season,” Paige said. “These players overcame a lot. At one point we had seven guys out with a multitude of knee injuries and concussions and bad situations we just didn’t anticipate.”

But despite seeing some of their top players, such as August Johnson, Jack Egan, Liam Hybl and others go down throughout the year with injuries, Paige said his team rallied and stepped up to fill the holes successfully.

“It’s all a part of the unity and the backbone of who we are as a team,” Paige said. “The resiliency and the next man up mentality applied.”

Paige said that brotherhood began when Johnson, the Indians’ top scorer before being sidelined for much of the year due to a concussion, was a freshman, and the team continued to add pieces to the puzzle for the next three years.

“The bond these guys share is really sincere,” Paige said. “They’re a family. Lacrosse is the medium we use to help mold these men and get what we want to accomplish. When you compare, the weight of a state championship is secondary to the joy of being a part of a team like this.”

Before the season started the Cheyenne Mountain boys’ lacrosse team thought it had a good recipe for success in Class 4A.

Top talent? Check.

Brotherhood? Check.

Next-man-up mentality? Check.

A passionate coach worthy of the Gazette Preps Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year honor? Check.

Cheyenne Mountain’s Mike Paige said the 2018 4A state championship was a culmination of four years of hard work, highlighted by a senior class that instilled a brotherhood among the Indians.

But Paige’s passion – on both ends of the spectrum – was a key ingredient toward bringing a state championship home.

“I’m a pretty passionate person and I’m pretty emotional with my players, the highs and the lows,” Paige said. “They know when I’m not pleased and they know when I’m ecstatic. I have a lot of expectations and I really appreciate our guys, and who they are becoming. When you see someone overcome the doubts like we did this year, seeing that joy is great.”

While Cheyenne Mountain had expectations to be one of the top four 4A programs in the state, the Indians continued to hit roadblocks throughout the season as injuries struck key players.

“We knew this would be a solid group and hoped that this group could get over the hurdle (to a state championship), but then with the injuries, we were missing some key players at the end, and I think that’s what really marked our season,” Paige said. “These players overcame a lot. At one point we had seven guys out with a multitude of knee injuries and concussions and bad situations we just didn’t anticipate.”

But despite seeing some of their top players, such as August Johnson, Jack Egan, Liam Hybl and others go down throughout the year with injuries, Paige said his team rallied and stepped up to fill the holes successfully.

“It’s all a part of the unity and the backbone of who we are as a team,” Paige said. “The resiliency and the next man up mentality applied.”

Paige said that brotherhood began when Johnson, the Indians’ top scorer before being sidelined for much of the year due to a concussion, was a freshman, and the team continued to add pieces to the puzzle for the next three years.

“The bond these guys share is really sincere,” Paige said. “They’re a family. Lacrosse is the medium we use to help mold these men and get what we want to accomplish. When you compare, the weight of a state championship is secondary to the joy of being a part of a team like this.”