Zions Bank Stadium was not too kind to the Miners lacrosse teams this week: The Park City boys squad fell to the same fate as the girls Friday night in their state title game. The Miners lost 10-3 to rival Brighton, falling just short in their attempt for a three-peat.
Park City hung tough for a lot of the game against their top-seeded foes. The Miners played from behind the entire game but entered the halftime break only down 4-2. Brighton, seemingly motivated by their massive fan section and the prospects of exacting a little revenge (Park City had knocked them out of the last three playoffs), came out of the break roaring and opened the gap up to 10-2 before the Miners tacked on one late goal in the fourth.
Park City was devastated, hardly wanting anything to do with their runners-up trophy following the game. Head Coach Michael Persky was reminding players to keep their heads up and that they had everything to be proud of still. Players were grappling with the loss and the fact that it would be their last time suiting up with this group, and, for some of them, altogether. The Miners are set to graduate 10 off this squad.
“Brighton played a great game. Their goalie was outstanding,” said Persky on the loss. “They got some good bounces. They made some good plays. They just beat us in that quarter (third). … Third quarter’s historically been a tough one for us all year.”
Persky thought that, when his team did control the ball, he liked their looks on goal. However, not enough went in. The Brighton goalie made several lunging and block saves to thwart any Park City momentum. Brighton also controlled the ball extremely well on offense and had defenders helping that goalie out, standing in many shooting lanes.
“These seniors are an outstanding group of kids, they’ve worked really hard, they’ve been a part of two championships. Today, it just didn’t go their way,” added Persky. “We hold their heads up, and we move on.”
In the two seasons (since 2021 when lacrosse became an official UHSAA sport) that the Miners haven’t won the title, they’ve been runners-up. Park City finished second in 2021 to Corner Canyon in Division A; Corner Canyon being crowned yesterday’s 6A champions (bigger schools).
Three of the Miners top-five points scorers this season, including their top points scorer Ian Marsland, will be back next season. Park City had lost a lot of talent off their 2023 title team, and they’ll look to reload and be back on the Zions Bank Stadium field this time next year.
Senior captain Bracken Birch was proud of how this year’s team came together throughout the course of the season. He’s got two state titles under his belt at Park City, yet he said his favorite memories with the team will be from this year, when he got to play with his brother Wade.
“I believe in them (next year). I have faith,” said Birch. “This is a good team with a lot of heart. I think we’ll see them here again.”
Fellow senior captain Garrett Hebert said he’s going to miss the family environment most about the program. Family is the exact word the Miners used when breaking their somber last huddle after the loss. He said they’ve been around each other all four years, eating lunch at school and spending time together off the field, and he thinks that translated to their success on it.
“Really just love these guys to death,” said Hebert. “No doubt these guys are going to show out next year. We’re going to be underdogs and we got a fire under us, so for sure a team to watch for.”
Park City’s 2025 campaign will likely begin once more in mid-March next year, with the team gunning for their third title in five years. The 2024 team wraps up the season with a 15-5 record and that runners-up trophy.
