The Miners football team was looking to get into the win column when taking on defending 4A state champions the Ridgeline Riverhawks on Friday night. Park City had fallen in overtime to Sky View the week before.  But the Miners failed to get over the hump once again, falling 31-9 to the Rive rhawks.  It was Park City’s second-straight game on the road.  The Miners played Ridgeline tighter than the two times they lost to them last season, when they fell by a combined score of 88-6. Park City’s defense and special teams units led to an early first quarter safety, the only score of the period, and helped the Miners remain within a score of the Riverhawks until just under six minutes to go in the game. Park City quarterback Josh Hofer connected with wideout Brogan Price for a 60 yard touchdown in the third quarter, the Miners’ only touchdown on Friday.  “(There were) for sure a lot of positives,” said Park City Head Coach Dennis Cunningham. “I was really proud of the effort and grit that we showed. … They’re No. 1 for a reason, but we hung in there with them, fought and never quit.” Cunningham believes the Miners are continuing to grow week after week. He’s pleased they’re maintaining positive attitudes despite the losses and some injuries stacking up as the season wears along.  “We came out of there with a couple injuries,” Cunningham said. “Not as bad as week one. … And the kids are in (the training room) putting in the work. And it’s not just in the training room, but it’s when you get home. It’s eating, drinking and sleeping.” Park City will take on Morgan at 7 p.m. this Friday at South Summit High School. Construction delays on Dozier Field have delayed the Miners’ true home opener until at least Sept. 11, when they will take on Salem Hills. Cunningham believes the defense and Hofer-to-Price connection will continue to play key roles in Park City’s success moving forward.  “This is year four or five in this defense,” Cunningham said. “So we have developed some institutional knowledge. … We’re not big, but we ask our guys to do things that are difficult.” Speaking about Hofer and Price, Cunningham continued, “Josh is a great player and Brogan is a great player. I love both those kids. They’re committed, want to work hard and do the right thing, so they’ve had that connection. What I was most pleased about with Josh was his control at the line of scrimmage. He was making the right call or checks at the line of scrimmage and passed the ball to other guys.” The Miners are focused on continuing to improve and get healthy this week. Cunningham knows Park City can expect a well-coached, tough opponent this Friday, and in a packed, neutral atmosphere.  “They’ll probably have 2,000 fans in the stands on Friday night,” Cunningham said. “It’s going to be crazy. … We just encourage our fans to come out, stop at the diner and grab a burger, and watch the football game. There’s a couple of places over there with good burgers and milkshakes.” If all goes well, perhaps the Miners will be driving back to Park City this Friday with some celebratory burgers and milkshakes of their own.  For further information about the Miners football team, including their full schedule, see their MaxPreps page: maxpreps.com/ut/park-city/park-city-miners/football. The post Miners football falls on Friday to defending state champions appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less