All-County Boys Lacrosse: Success has followed Ponte Vedra's Mike Power everywhere

Ponte Vedra's Mike Power doesn't spend a lot of time worrying about the credit.

His four-year, 66-13 record?

"It's just been great," said Power, the St. Augustine Record St. Johns County Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year. "I've been lucky to play with some really great players and coaches. I never really thought about it that way."

And what about Ponte Vedra? The program that started out with nothing just finished its third season a game short of everything, losing to St. Andrews in the state semifinals.

Even that, Power isn't ready to gloat about.

"The best part is we're leaving behind a legacy here," Power said. "It will really encourage people to keep playing and growing the game."

Power is humble, and sometimes, it's hard to understand his reasoning.

When he came to Ponte Vedra from Nease after his freshman season in 2008, all he wanted to do was play with a core of friends that were one year behind him.

Nease made the final four in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, the Panthers were left in rebuilding mode after the majority of the team graduated and the split with Ponte Vedra took full effect.

There's no denying that one of those key losses was Power.

Whether or not he wants to boast, the numbers don't lie.

Ponte Vedra's record in his final two seasons was 37-2. Nease, on the other hand, was 18-15.

"We did pretty well when he wasn't with us," Ponte Vedra coach Tom West said. "But there's no question he definitely made a difference. Having him here is part of the reason why we were able to take that next step. He made everyone else around him a little more confident."

How much of that changing of the guard has to do with Power is hard to measure, although it's also impossible to ignore.

Power has always seemed a step ahead of everybody.

When he initially chose to play lacrosse at an early age, he was making a unique decision.

Lacrosse is a sport that sounds better in the snow. From Maryland up to New York, it's on par with football on the high school level.

That's why it's fitting that Power, a 6-foot-1 midfielder from Buffalo, would be willing to give it a shot.

He moved to the Sunshine State when he was 3 and was at first, not surprisingly, drawn to hockey. Seeing as hockey isn't really easy to play in a place without ice, he started to take a look at lacrosse. Power was already playing football and for those that don't know, lacrosse is pretty much a mix of the two.

"For some reason, I've always been drawn to lacrosse," he said. "Once I started playing, I was pretty hooked."

He started getting serious in fifth grade. Power joined a club run by Ray Carnicelli and Dan McCoulis with about 20 other players.

He began to get better through middle school, and by the time Power reached high school, he was a veteran compared to most of his peers. Ponte Vedra was a perfect example of this. For many of the players, the first time they picked up a stick was in a Sharks uniform.

"That was pretty much the reason, just my experience," Power said of why he stood out. "It's been nice trying to help other people out. They pick the game up quickly. Right now, the only thing Florida is lacking is the depth of players who start early."

As Power's career has developed, his story has become more common.

Once again, this is something the Sharks can attest to.

They have three losses in two years. Think about that. How does a program that had to teach a good majority of its players the rules, grow that fast in that short of a time?

Power has his fingerprints all over that as well.

"He's leadership ability has always stood out," West said. "He leads. It's just who he is. When you need a goal, he's going to do all the work. No matter what you need from Mike Power, he's going to do it."

Ponte Vedra's three losses came to Bolles, this year's state champion, Lake Highland Prep, and 18-time champ, St. Andrews. Power scored 31 goals and had 26 assists as a senior.

Needless to say, he's leaving the program in good shape.

And no trip to the top, no matter how quick it was, will be forgotten anytime soon.

When the Sharks' run ended in Winter Garden against St. Andrews, the conversation was somber and revealing.

One by one, the coaches tried to relay a message that isn't easy to convey. It was mainly words about the journey and how enjoyable this run had been. But in the end, it was also about the future.

While Power is headed to the University of Pennsylvania, it's worth a second to realize what he took with him.

The Sharks are sending 12 players to play in college next season, many of whom were part of that original group which Power chose to join and mentor.

"There are definitely a lot of kids in Ponte Vedra who want to be like Mike Power," West said. "He's a big reason for why they all practice and try to get involved. They saw what he did and they want to see how far they can go."

And, in the end, perhaps not knowing is the best part.