The Miners girls lacrosse team rebounded in a major way last Friday, after what was a disappointing litmus test last Wednesday against Olympus.
Park City dropped that Olympus game for their first in-state loss this season, losing 13-8 at home. Last Friday against West High, they went off for a 27-0 win.
The Miners are now 11-2 overall with two regular season games to go. They’ll take on Brighton and Alta Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. Both games will be in the friendly confines of Dozier Field.
After those games, there are the playoffs, where Park City should now be the two seed. The 5A bracket will be revealed Saturday at 10 a.m. The team is going for their third title in four years of school-sanctioned lacrosse, having won in 2021 and 2023.
The Miners won their 2023 title by defeating Olympus in the finals and lost their 2022 one in the finals to that same program.
Park City head coach Mikki Clayton believes the loss last Wednesday could carry with it positives as her team prepares for the most important stretch of the season. It appeared so last Friday, when they got major contributions from senior Sophie Neff, senior Macy Hoeksema and junior Rogan Crawford. Those three players had six, four and four points, respectively, against West High.
“Olympus is always a tough, competitive game. Their team is talented and always ready to battle,” said Clayton. “Our girls were equally ready and pumped for this matchup. It’s been a game we’ve been waiting for all season long. I think collectively our girls played well, but this game showed us areas we need to work on, like the draw.”
Only junior Maddie McHenry had above a 50% draw rate in that game against Olympus. Losing all the draws immediately put the Miners on the defensive and unable to attack their opponents.
“Our team is so skilled top-to-bottom that, with some adjustments and fixes, I think we will be well prepared for the playoffs,” added Clayton. “It is also great for our girls to get put in situations they aren’t used to, forcing them to overcome, adjust and play in them.”
Clayton believes trusting in each other, fighting for possession and remaining patient throughout games will keep Park City successful moving forward.
Clayton noted captain Chuck Iacobelli, defenseman Grace Puleo and defenseman Lily Yatkeman for their hard work in that difficult loss last Wednesday.
“The game was closer than the score showed, and if it hadn’t been for our defense, the score could have been really lopsided,” Clayton said.
“Our team loves to play fast, which has its advantages, but there are times we need to learn to play slower and more controlled. It’s the little tweaks in our game that are going to serve us well in the playoffs.”
In the remainder of the regular season and in the playoffs, the Miners won’t be getting ahead of themselves. They do want another go around at their rival Olympus, but they won’t overlook the three games it may take to earn it.
“We’re looking forward to another matchup,” said Clayton. “But from here on out, we’re focusing on one game at a time.”