5A girls lacrosse: Park City uses big 2nd-half run to win 3rd title in 5 years

HERRIMAN — Park City has built up arguably the top program in girls lacrosse since the Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned the sport five years ago.

But one thing hasn't sat right with the Miners all year: the 9-6 loss to rival Olympus a year ago in the 5A state title game.

Consider those Miners avenged Thursday afternoon.

Natalia Szwajkun had three goals and an assist, and Rogan Crawford and Sophia Mondschein each scored three goals as Park City pulled away for its third championship in five years, 16-6 over the Titans at Zions Bank Stadium.

And while players like Crawford, who had 25 goals and four assists in her senior campaign, undoubtedly deserved their share of the defensive game plan, it was the freshmen and sophomore class led by Crawford and Mondschein who stepped up during an 8-0 run through the third quarter that turned an 8-5 edge into a 15-5 advantage.

"I'm always a bit of a quiet player on attack; I don't really scream or run around when I get a goal or an assist," said Mondschein, who found the back of the net 37 times in her sophomore campaign. "In the locker room, there was talk that they don't know Sophia is a threat — look for her.

"It was awesome to be able to shine on a stage like this."

The Miners were a powerhouse on the stat sheet, averaging 17.7 goals per game to just 9.6 goals-against en route to a 20-1 record, including an unbeaten campaign against in-state competition.

Park City hasn't lost since a 19-9 setback to California's Foothill back on March 29, a run of 14 consecutive games that led right back to the same place it's finished for four years in a row: a championship tilt against Olympus.

"I think not winning this game last year has been on their mind all season long," said Park City coach Mikki Clayton, who is 87-9 in five seasons leading the Miners. "It was just the gritty tenacity of wanting to win it. They weren't going to let anyone stop them."

Szwajkun had a goal and an assist early, and Olivia Dalton dished out three assists as the Miners led by as much as 4-1 en route to a 5-3 advantage by the first quarter break.

Lizzie Anne scored twice in the first quarter, including a free-position goal with 40 seconds left to pull the Titans (17-5) within two, 5-3. Anne finished off a hat trick (plus an assist) with her third goal for the Titans on a man-up advantage with 2:26 left in the half.

But Megan Magee scored her team-high 55th goal of the season as the Miners were returning to full strength and Mondschein pushed Park City's lead to 10-5 at halftime with her second goal of the second quarter.

Crawford scored two goals during a 4-0 run to open the third for Park City, and Mondschein pushed another past the pipe during a 7-0 run to stretch the Miners' lead to 15-5 after three quarters.

"Our offense was clicking, our midfield was playing great, our defense rallied and our goalie played phenomenal," Clayton said. "It was really a true team win, top to bottom."

Defensively, Park City held Olympus without a goal at full strength from the 10:27 mark of the second quarter until Masami Goodick scored with 2:47 remaining for the final margin.

"We have full trust in our defense to get us the ball back," Mondschein said. "It's such a special group, and I'm so sad that we have a few seniors graduating. I'm so lucky to be able to win it all with them."

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