COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – At the start of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix, you could have made your pick as to who might be the hero of Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s run to a historic first league title.

Chances are, with only two goals and 12 starts in the regular season, Juan Tejada may not have been high on your list.

But there was never a time that the Switchbacks’ doubted what the Panamanian international could bring to the table.

When it came time to deliver, he did so, and then some.

“I mean, it’s a moment I will never forget,” said Tejada. “James Chambers, our coach, always believed in me. He called me in before the [conference] final against Las Vegas and said, ‘You know you’ve been amazing for the team. I know you've been wanting to do more, but just go on there and express yourself. Show people how good you are.’

“And just to score against Las Vegas, and now just score again in this final in front of everybody from Colorado Springs, is amazing. I’ll never forget this moment.”

In scoring the opening goal of the 2024 USL Championship Final, Tejada lit the touchpaper on a spectacular all-around performance by the Switchbacks that resulted in their 3-0 victory against Rhode Island FC before a sellout crowd of 8,023 fans at Weidner Field on Saturday.

In bagging his second game-winning goal of the postseason after last week’s Western Conference Final win against Las Vegas Lights FC, he took home Final MVP honors, relishing the moments spent in the confetti postgame with his family on the field.

“When I came off the bench, I just remember all the emotions throughout the season,” he said. “We had a lot of ups and downs. Me personally, this is a year where [my family] had a baby, and it’s been a crazy adaptation. I've not been performing the way I wanted on the pitch throughout the season, but to give back to the players, the staff that trusted in me every single time in the season, it’s amazing.”

Tejada took home MVP honors, but this was a triumph for the Switchbacks’ entire lineup. From the opening minutes they took control of the game and rarely let Rhode Island gain the upper hand for any length of time. Even when the hosts were forced into two first-half substitutions due to injuries suffered by Delentz Pierre and Yosuke Hanya, each of whom were outstanding before their exits, their replacements Duke Lacroix and Quenzi Huerman picked right up where they left off.

“Honestly, I thought that performance for a final was absolutely wonderful. I really did,” said Switchbacks Head Coach James Chambers. “The boys were ready to go. It wasn’t a nervous energy and a nervous tension around the building or in the locker room before the game. And they came out and they showed that with their performance.”

“People are always upset when you get left out of a team for the first 11 for the Final, you know, but we had a couple injuries, guys come in and look at what they did,” added Switchbacks captain Matt Mahoney. “Quenzi was excellent, you know, Juan hadn't started a lot of the games at the start of the year then comes in at the end of the season, he was our best player, most important player, so super-proud of those guys. It’s just a mentality that we’re trying to build here, a team first mentality and we showed that.”

It’s a mentality Tejada embodies. His goal aside, the energy and willingness to press and win possession was evident against Rhode Island. He tied for the most possessions won alongside now four-time Championship title-winner Speedy Williams, and was constantly harrying RIFC players before being substituted with 13 minutes to go.

It’s been a trademark of his play since he landed in the Championship, where his breakout rookie season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies gave way to leaner seasons in terms of scoring for Tampa Bay and with Indy Eleven before his arrival in Colorado Springs last summer.

As unfamiliar with the Switchbacks as he might have been at the time, Tejada has fit in perfectly in his new surroundings.

And now, he’s etched his name in club folklore forever.

“Just coming here, the stadium is first-class, the owners, the staff, everybody here just has a winning mentality,” said Tejada. “I wasn't here, but they lost the Western Conference Final in 2022, so to come back here again and bring them the trophy at home, it's just special.”