I knew they had an unbelievable record coming into the game. We had to do something … get into their heads and play physical. That's exactly what we did. – Park City head coach Jesse Blais
PARK CITY — The Park City Miners earned a big upset Friday, snapping the Wasatch Wasps' 30-game win streak with a narrow 1-0 victory.
Garrett Bullough cleared the line of defense with a perfectly placed long ball, and Keenan McCall was there to finish with a beautiful header in the 25th minute. The early advantage swung the momentum in the Miners favor, and the Wasps were unable to overcome the deficit.
"It felt so good," McCall said of the goal. "We had control of the game after that."
Not only did the goal earn the upset, it broke a dry spell for McCall. Though he leads the Miners with seven goals this season, the senior has gone scoreless in the last five contests.
"That's the life of a forward," Park City head coach Jesse Blais said after commending McCall for his recent efforts. "They go through ups and they go through downs. Today, was definitely an up."
The Wasps were technically the first to find the net, when Cesar Vargas scored a free kick in the eighth minute, placing it just over the goalkeeper's hands. A foul was called on teammate Benjamin Powell, however, and the goal was disallowed.
In the 33rd minute, Wasatch suffered another setback. Hunter Ketterer — the golden-goal scoring hero from the Wasps' victory over Park City earlier this season — slid for a 50-50 ball and received a red card for sliding into his opponent with his studs up.
The disputed call put the Wasps down a player, forcing them to adjust in the second half. They moved to a 3-5-1, working to control the back and midfield as they fought for chances at the net.
"We had numbers up in the middle and we manufactured really good scoring opportunities," Wasatch coach Dawain Wheatley said.
The Wasps had chances from the corner and earned two free kicks in the latter part of the second half. Although close, they were unable to get on the scoreboard thanks in large part to Park City freshman Dominic Croce.
"You have got to give him credit," Blais said. "He probably touched the ball 20 times, and every time it was stuck to his hands. He gave us the shutout."
The keeper's flawless performance was key — especially as things intensified down the line. "When you're playing the No. 1 team, it's a big deal," he said. "Then to have the rivalry on top of it, it's just a huge game for both of us. You have to step up and set nerves aside."
The depth of the rivalry was certainly evident in the physical battle.
"I knew they had an unbelievable record coming into the game," Blais said. "We had to do something … get into their heads and play physical. That's exactly what we did."
Bullough, Sam Scudder, Ramesses Florian, Austin Williamson, and Joey Goodwin orchestrated the Park City defense and limited the Wasps' chances.
The Miners are set to take on Union next Wednesday, while Wasatch takes on Judge Memorial.
email: jwilde@desnews.com