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MILLVILLE — Top-seeded Ridgeline continued its dominant postseason march Friday night, defeating No. 8 Park City, 49-3, in the 4A state quarterfinals to earn a fifth consecutive trip to the semifinals.
The Riverhawks, which beat the Miners 39–3 in August, scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and never trailed in what doubled as the final home game for one of the program's most experienced senior classes.
Ridgeline (12-0) opened the game with a 13-play, 78-yard drive that featured a steady mix of runs by running back Noah Fiefia and short completions from quarterback Nate Dahle. Fiefia picked up several first downs before Dahle finished the drive with an 8-yard keeper up the middle, putting the Riverhawks ahead 7-0 just over four minutes into the game.
On Park City's first offensive play, Riverhawk junior defensive lineman Krew Jones sacked quarterback Josh Hofer for a 5-yard loss. Two plays later, senior defensive back Cooper Clark jumped a short out route and returned the interception 28 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 13-0 after a missed extra point against the Miners (7-5).
Ridgeline's defense immediately forced another three-and-out, setting up another short field. The offense capitalized again with Dahle connecting several times with senior receiver Graham Livingston to move the ball downfield. Fiefia finished the drive with a 5-yard TD run and then added a two-point conversion to make it 21-0 late in the first quarter.
Clark struck again midway through the second quarter, reading a nearly identical route and returning another interception for his second pick-six of the game. The defensive touchdown stretched Ridgeline's lead to 28-0 and effectively put the game out of reach before halftime.
Dahle added another score later in the quarter, breaking outside for a 51-yard TD run that made it 35-0 at the break.
The Riverhawks' offense continued to move efficiently in the second half. Fiefia opened the third quarter with several strong runs before junior running back Hudson Parry broke free for a 27-yard TD to extend the margin to 42-0.
Park City's lone scoring drive came early in the fourth quarter when kicker Tanner Pidwell converted a 32-yard field goal. Ridgeline responded on its next possession as Dahle found senior receiver Hunter Knighton for an 8-yard TD pass, capping the scoring at 49-3.
Clark said the win was meaningful not only for its dominance, but because it marked his last time playing at home with a senior group that has been together for years.
"I've played with all these guys growing up, so it means a lot getting the win my last time here," Clark said. "We've lost before and know how that feels. We don't want to feel that again. Everyone's locked in this year."
Clark said both interceptions came from recognizing the same play call and trusting his instincts.
"The first time I knew the down and distance and jumped it," he said. "The next time, they ran the same thing again, and I knew it was coming."
Ridgeline head coach Travis Cox credited Clark's effort and the defense's execution as setting the tone early.
"We started with a long offensive drive to open, and then Cooper's play just blew it open," Cox said. "That first pick-six was an incredible play. That's just who he is — a special player who's played a lot of football for us. That play really summed up the kind of competitor he's been for this program."
Cox said the motivation for this season stems from last year's semifinal loss.
"The motivation is that our goal isn't to just get to the semis," Cox said. "It's to win the whole thing. That loss last year really stuck with these guys, and that's where our focus comes from."
He added that the team's senior leadership and consistent preparation have been key factors in their run.
"These seniors have been starters for years," Cox said. "Some of them have over 50 career starts. They know what's expected, and they've created a standard that the younger guys are learning from every day."
