Park City boys’ lacrosse defeated by Brighton in state championship

Park City Miners at the 2024 state championship game. Photo: Ben Crosby and RJ Smith

HERRIMAN, Utah — Park City High School’s Miners fell to the Brighton Bengals in the 5A state boys lacrosse championship on Friday with a final score of 10-3. Despite a strong start and a season of growth, Park City was unable to overcome Brighton’s formidable defense.

Coach Michael Persky highlighted the challenges his team faced, particularly against Brighton’s standout goalie. “Brighton’s goalie had an exceptional game,” Persky said. “We really were trying to get the best shots that we could, and the boys fought hard to earn those shots, but the goalie had 11 saves.”

Despite the loss, Persky remained positive about his team’s performance and development throughout the season. “We graduated 85% of our points last year, so we knew we were young on offense. By the same token, we only graduated one on defense and were very solid there,” he explained. Persky also noted the impact of injuries, mentioning that captain Tripp Hopkins broke his hand and wrist in the previous Olympus game.

Persky praised the efforts of his players, particularly the senior leaders. “We had a really great group of seniors and leaders on the team. Captains Bracken Birch, Tripp Hopkins, and Garrett Hebert were exceptional role models,” he said. He also highlighted the contributions of AJ Silianoff, their goalie, who had a great season and will be graduating this year.

Senior Liam Van Valkenburgh added, “There is a reason Coach Persky has made it to the amount of championships he has. He’s super invested in what he does and knows what he’s doing.”

“Coach Chao and Coach Persky have really taught me a lot about the game of lacrosse and a lot about how to be a family and work together towards what you want.”

Looking ahead, Persky is optimistic about the future. “Every season is a fresh start. This year, the kids overachieved based on preseason expectations. Reaching the state championship was pretty neat,” he said. “This is one of the more enjoyable teams that I’ve coached based on their cohesion, effort, and attitude.”

Photos below of the 2024 state finals courtesy of Ben Crosby and RJ Smith.