PARK CITY — Class 3A: Beware.
Third-ranked Park City might be finally awakening from its early-season slumber.
Branded as the most talented boys soccer team Park City had ever produced before the season began, the Miners struggled to produce the goods on the field during the first month of play.
That all changed in less than 27 minutes Monday afternoon. Playing its first-ever game on its brand-new field, which utilizes an artificial playing surface, Park City simply ripped apart a pretty-good Morgan side. They scored four times in the opening 27 minutes and cruised to a 7-0 win.
"If they play like that," said Morgan coach Josh Burton, "I don't think anybody in the state could beat that team. I'm talking 3A, 4A, or 5A . . . They were so much better than us in every area of the field."
One of Park City's main problems this season has been trying to incorporate senior transfer Roberto Link into the squad. The Brazilian midfielder, easily one of the most talented players in high school soccer, features a dazzling array of skill and vision on the ball. Problem was, his decision-making often let him down and his teammates had no idea when to expect his passes.
Like the rest of his team, Link was significantly improved on Monday. Link starred against the Trojans, scoring two fantastic goals and assisting on a pair of others. He also won a penalty kick.
"When he gets in the right places," said teammate Reid Baker, "he can beat a million guys."
Reid, a returning first-team All-Stater from last year, also scored twice. The senior admitted after the game that he hadn't performed up to expectations during the early season. After losing to Judge two weeks ago, Park City held a team meeting. They've played twice since then, and it appears their focus is back.
"Today is the game where we started to play," said coach Mike Guetschow, "and I fully expect us to carry on the rest of the year ... Everybody's pretty focused to make the last four weeks something pretty special."
Ryan Williams, who returned from injury, and Stephan Hart each scored once.
Park City's field is part of a brand-new complex that will also feature a competition soccer stadium and a softball field.
Unlike most high schools fields, which can be quite narrow, Park City's new field is 70-yards wide.
What did the players think of the surface?
"It's perfectly suited for us," said Baker.