HEBER As members of the Park City High School boys’ soccer team sat mystified after their 1-0 loss to rival Wasatch, head coach Caro Caro made his rounds, individually shaking the hands of every one of his players.
The Miners had just lost a hard-fought, physical and emotional match against the Wasps and Caro reiterated to his players what they need to do to be the best.
“That’s a tough loss and, as a coach, sometimes you question yourself,” Caro told The Park Record. “(But) I truly believe my team has a lot of talent. This is the first time I’ve seen Wasatch this year. I think we have what it takes to beat them. But we’re disappointed.”
Park City went down early when a free kick by Wasatch midfielder Oscar Aguilar was misplayed by Miners’ goalie John Platt. The ball squirted out and Wasps’ defender Collin Hopkins was able to put the ball in the net.
“He told me he just lost the ball,” Caro said of his keeper. “Everybody makes mistakes, and being a goalkeeper is the hardest thing. You make one mistake, and it’s a goal.”
Caro said he was disappointed in his team’s offense, stating the flow was not there as it typically is, and he became frustrated when the midfield couldn’t consistently hook up with the forwards.
In Park City’s unique formation, fullbacks are able to push forward from the backline and get involved with counterattacks, but for that to happen, the forwards often need to play as decoys something the Miners had a difficult time with Wednesday against Wasatch.
“My players forgot their game, the touch, the possession,” Caro said. “They’d have flashes of it, you know, from time to time.”
Caro reiterated the fact that Park City should have been able to find its way onto the score sheet and it had multiple opportunities to do so, perhaps none more opportune than senior forward Brian Park’s rifled shot past the Wasps’ goalkeeper in the 20th minute, which ricocheted off the top-right post.
The Miners would get a couple more chances in desperation time, as two Park City headers were barely pushed over the goal by the Wasatch goalkeeper in stoppage time.
“I think we had plenty of opportunities to score goals, but unfortunately, it was not a good day for us,” Caro said.
Park City’s head coach lauded his team’s defensive performance, holding a high-powered and versatile Wasatch offense in check for the last 75 minutes of the match.
“My defense played wonderful,” he said. “Wasatch was a threat maybe once or twice. And that goal was a mistake; it was an unfortunate mistake.
“I am proud of my defenders. They played their butts off today.”
Caro said the team is dealing with some key injuries and that his bench was unfortunately very thin against the Wasps. Sophomore midfielder Alejandro Viera pulled a muscle in his leg and it wasn’t healing the way Caro and team had hoped.
Now, the Miners (5-3-1) prepare to wrap up their 11 straight matches away from Dozier Field with the last regular-season home match of the season scheduled for Monday against Rowland Hall. Park City’s home opener will be Friday, April 8, against American Leadership Academy.
As Caro made his rounds after the loss to Wasatch, his players told him what they needed to do going forward, that they cannot veer away from what had them on a 21-2 scoring streak in six previous matches.
“Oh my gosh,” he said. “They already told me that we need to run more.”
Caro said he will be working on getting his team focused for the bigger matches in the remainder of the season, of which he knows will count come playoff time.
“If we’re thinking serious about the 3A championship, we have to work on playing when it counts the most,” he said.
As for the rivalry rematch against the now 7-1 Wasps, Caro said he is already chomping at the bit for the return leg on April 20 in Park City.
“I can’t wait,” he said. “Right now, I’m telling you, I can’t wait. I am so eager to play them.”