The Miners football squad opened up their season with a bang Friday, traveling to Heber City and taking down rival Wasatch 17-0.
Park City hasn’t lost to Wasatch since 2021, and they didn’t take any chances Friday. They jumped out to an early lead due to a first quarter rushing touchdown from star halfback Eli Warner. They’d tack on a Tanner Pidwell 32-yard field goal in the second quarter and Warner would catch a 26-yard touchdown pass from fellow star Bash Bodily to put the game on ice in its final minutes.
The Miners standout defense held Wasatch in check the entire game. That balanced offense and stingy defense are Park City staples; head coach Josh Montzingo had predicted they’d pick back up where they left off last season.
“Always great to beat your rival,” Montzingo said. “Especially when it’s the first game of the year, when we’re still learning.”
Montzingo thinks his team left some points on the board Friday. He was pleased however with the effort and growth from his younger players especially.
Warner and Bodily were significant contributors in 2023, while Pidwell and sophomore back Ethan Cunningham were stepping into new roles. Montzingo said Cunningham did a lot of gritty, critical running Friday for about 80 yards.
Montzingo wants to keep getting new guys experience as the season wears on to provide the team more depth.
He was also happy with how his boys handled the rowdy, rivalry atmosphere. The Miners only have four regular season home games this season. Week three, they make the nearly five-hour road trip down to St. George to take on Dixie.
“That’s what they wanted,” added Montzingo. “Our kids don’t care if it’s directed at them or for them, as long as there’s energy and there’s cheering and enthusiasm going on the stands, they’re excited about it. They feed off that, and they kind of like to be the villain sometimes. I think that gives them a little extra juice.”
Montzingo thought the group was much less nervous and more ready to go than in previous season openers. He credited the strength and conditioning staff and the summer work they did for the absence of cramping and other injuries.
Montzingo is ready for Timpanogos to come to Dozier Field this week, where his team always receives top-notch home support. That game will kickoff this Friday at 7 p.m. He knows the strong foe will come ready to exact some revenge; Park City defeated Timpanogos twice, including the playoff quarterfinals, last season.
The Miners hope that playing at home provides them with an altitude-related home advantage as well.
Montzingo said Timpanogos is a very talented, well-coached team.
“New Year, different personnel,” said Montzingo. “Different things here and there will be featured based on what they do for defense, what they do for offense, but mostly it’s our offense; it’s our defense. We do what we do.”
Montzingo hopes to see the Dozier stands packed again and with screaming fans. He said there aren’t many home, high school environments like what they have, something his son Tyler (a 2024 graduate) and other former players have told him.
“There’s nothing like playing a Friday night on Dozier,” Montzingo said.