It took the Miners football team until the final minute of Friday night’s game to defeat Timpanogos, but junior tailback Brian Roberts scored a touchdown on a four-yard touchdown run and his team left with a 48-33 victory.
The game was Park City’s first home game, and on this picturesque late summer evening, they filled the stands at Dozier Field. Even the Dozier lawn was packed with fans.
With this win, the Miners are now 2-0 in their young season. They will play at least eight more games in the regular season and three more at home.
Park City was able to defeat Timpanogos thanks in large part to its two offensive stars, junior tailback Eli Warner and senior signal-caller Bash Bodily. The duo scored all five of the Miners’ extra points, three rushing points from Warner and one passing and one rushing point from Bodily.
Park City’s typically stifling defense was exposed at times by the Timpanogos’ deep passes and big plays, allowing three passing touchdowns and one running touchdown. Head coach Josh Montzingo attributed their poor night largely to bad luck.
Montzingo was thrilled with the win, which he said was an example of grit for his team and the fruits of a hard-fought summer. He encouraged them to rest up this weekend as they face a long trip to St. George next week to face Dixie in the Southern Utah heat.
The Miners players were able to celebrate the victory alongside their classmates who stormed the field. American and Park City flags were waved in the air as the final seconds of the game ticked down.
“Super hard-fought game,” Montzingo said. “You have to give them (the Miners’ defense and team) a lot of credit. That’s a really, really good team over there.”
Montzingo plans to continue playing physical in Park City the rest of the season, and a big part of that is staying strong after that initial punch to the jaw.
Montzingo is looking forward to another tough atmosphere at St. George next week, knowing the team can get much better week by week and that they have not yet reached their full potential.
Bodily, whose job it is to throw the ball, was impressed with his guys’ physical running game. He thought the defense showed its strength when it mattered most on Friday.
Bodily thanked the Miners’ new conditioning and strength coach, Matt Herhal, as well as their speed coach Dave Yocum for creating such a physically well-prepared and strong team.
“Our last touchdown was scored by our second fullback,” said Bodily. “It was just a great game.”
Both Bodily and Warner were reminded tonight that if they play their best, they can beat any team in the state.
Warner thanked the guys on offense for helping him shine in his first home game of his junior year. The star player concluded the final team meeting of the evening, as requested by Montzingo.
Warner believes he can take a big step forward this year as the leader of the senior team.
When asked if Park City could advance past the semifinals and win the program’s first state title this year, Warner said, “Yes, absolutely.”
Next Friday’s game at Dixie starts at 7 p.m.
