Park City Miners Football's 2025 Team. Photo: TownLift//Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Miners ran into a high-powered Ridgeline Riverhawks squad on Friday night, falling in a lopsided 39-3 decision on Dozier Field. A highly anticipated matchup against the 4A powerhouse turned into a difficult night for the Miners, who struggled to match Ridgeline’s size, speed, and talent on both sides of the ball. Despite a strong start that saw them compete in the first quarter, the Miners ultimately could not overcome the Riverhawks’ offensive firepower, and the game spiraled away from them early in the second quarter.

The turning point of the game came late in the first half when Miners starting quarterback Josh Hofer was forced to leave the game with a neck injury following a safety. The injury led to an extended break before an early halftime was taken, with the Miners already trailing 25-0. Hofer was transported off the field by ambulance, and Park City was forced to play with their third-string quarterback for the rest of the night, derailing any chance of a comeback. Ridgeline’s talent, including top 4A prospect Krew Jones and BYU commit Graham Livingston, proved too much to handle.

While the Miners’ offense stalled for much of the game, their defense showed some flashes of toughness early on. Unfortunately, Ridgeline’s relentless attack wore them down as the game progressed, and the Riverhawks added more scores in the second half. The lone bright spot for the Miners came late in the game when Tanner Pidwell connected on a field goal, spoiling the Ridgeline shutout. The loss drops Park City’s season record to 1-1 as they now must regroup following the physical and mental toll of the defeat.

With the tough loss behind them, the Miners will now turn their attention to a road game against the Morgan Trojans this Friday. Park City will need to address their depth and find offensive consistency to get back on track, especially if Hofer’s injury keeps him sidelined. The game against Morgan will be a key opportunity for the team to bounce back and show their resilience, putting the dominating loss to Ridgeline firmly in the rearview mirror.