Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake secured the Section 2 Class A football championship on Friday with a dramatic 23-21 victory over Troy at Colonie High School.
The Spartans, who finished the season with an 11-0 record, relied on a late-game surge from senior Login Tomlinson to overcome a one-point deficit in the final seconds, according to Yahoo Sports.
Tomlinson forced a fumble from Troy quarterback Kyair Carr at the 23-yard line with 17 seconds remaining.
Following the turnover, Tomlinson successfully kicked a 32-yard field goal to clinch the win for the Spartans, reported the Times Union.
The senior expressed his excitement about the outcome after the game.
“I have been dreaming about this since I was a little kid and first starting kicking,” Tomlinson said.
This victory marks the program’s 11th sectional title in two decades and the first championship under coach Kevin DeBonis.
Troy, which finished the season with an 8-3 record, had previously taken a 21-20 lead after a touchdown pass from Nymiear Jenkins to Ben Mergil with 3:32 left to play.
Despite the loss, Mergil reflected on the experience of competing in the high-stakes matchup.
“It is hard, but, at the end of the day, it is football,” Mergil noted, as cited by the Times Union.
Spartans quarterback Tristan West praised his teammate for the decisive kick.
“I believed in him every moment when he went out there to kick,” West stated.
The game featured significant momentum shifts, including an early 14-0 lead for the Flying Horses.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is now set to host a state quarterfinal game against Section 9 champion Cornwall next Friday at Colonie High School.
The contest will serve as the next challenge for the undefeated Spartans as they continue their postseason run.