The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake football team started strong and didn’t let up.
One week after getting past Glens Falls 29-7, the Spartans (4-0 division, 6-0 overall) scored 21 points in the first quarter and rolled to a 55-6 Homecoming victory over South Glens Falls last Saturday in a Class A Northwest Division game.
Tyler Paluba got BH-BL on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter when he returned a South High punt 34 yards for a touchdown. Shortly thereafter, the Spartans forced a Bulldogs’ turnover, which quickly led to tailback William Fisher’s 7-yard scoring run to put BH-BL ahead 14-0.
The Spartans started their next drive at their own 20-yard line, but it hardly mattered as quarterback Phillip Neumann connected with wide receiver Tom Duszak on an 80-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-0.
Sophomore tailback Jack Guba got in on the act in the second quarter, as he scored on runs of 14 amd two yards to increase BH-BL’s lead to 34-0 at halftime. Duszak then opened the third quarter by intercepting South High quarterback Jordan Greene and returning it 20 yards for his second touchdown of the game.
Neumann tacked on a 54-yard touchdown pass to Fisher in the third quarter, and Anthony Lauria added a 24-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter for the Spartans, who have won all of their games by at least three touchdowns.
BH-BL can wrap up the Northwest Division title and a perfect regular season record Friday when it hosts Queensbury.
Shen, Saratoga clash for division title
In Class AA, the Empire Division playoff picture will either be clearer or muddier after Friday night.
Saratoga Springs (4-0, 5-1) can claim sole possession of first place with a home win against Shenen-dehowa. But if the Plainsmen (3-1, 5-1) beat the Blue Streaks and Ballston Spa (3-1, 5-1) knocks off Guilderland, there could be a three-way tie for the division title, which would require using Section II’s quarter point system to determine a champion.
Saratoga put itself in position to win the Empire Division after defeating Ballston Spa 17-14 last Friday. The Blue Streaks scored all of their points in the second quarter and fended off the Scotties in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.
Fullback Ford Plowman gave Saratoga a 7-0 lead after catching a 5-yard pass from quarterback Luke Fauler in the end zone early in the second quarter. Ballston Spa tied the game on Alex Nicol’s 66-yard touchdown run, but Nick Daley kicked a 21-yard field goal and Tony DeLoatch added a 5-yard touchdown run to put the Blue Streaks ahead 17-7 at halftime.
Quarterback Mark Seager in his first game since injuring himself in Ballston Spa’s 34-18 victory over Shen three weeks earlier capped a fourth-quarter series with a 1-yard touchdown run to get the Scotties close. But Saratoga’s defense held firm in the closing minutes to secure the victory.
Down the Northway in Clifton Park, Shen downed Christian Brothers Academy 34-0 to give head coach Brent Steuerwald his 300th career victory.
Tailback Bronson Greene had a career night against CBA (0-4, 0-6). The senior gained 304 yards and scored four of the Plainsmen’s five touchdowns in their third consecutive rout.
Greene opened the game with a 60-yard touchdown run and added a 41-yard scoring scamper later in the first quarter to give Shen a 13-0 lead. Greene also had touchdown runs of four and two yards as part of his 304-yard night.
Quarterback Andrew Kalish contributed a 4-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter, and Mike Daly added three interceptions for the Plainsmen, who have outscored their opponents 134-34 over the last three games.
Saints seek playoff berth
The Saratoga Central Catholic football team can wrap up a berth in the Class D playoffs Friday when it hosts Greenwich. The Saints (2-4) sit in seventh place in the standings, one game ahead of eighth-place Salem.
Saratoga Catholic is looking to bounce back following a 32-0 loss at Lake George last Friday. The Warriors (5-1) got big plays from Caleb Meroski (75-yard touchdown reception) and Matt McGowan (95-yard interception return) to pull away. “
