BALLSTON SPA — The old saying “defense travels” was true Friday night, even if it only had to go seven miles.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake improved to 4-0 in the Grasso Division and 6-1 overall with a 14-0 shutout of Ballston Spa (2-2, 6-2). It was a game that secured the Spartans’ spot in the upcoming Class A playoffs and knocked the Scotties out of contention for them.
Elsewhere Friday night, Niskayuna earned its Class A postseason spot with a 31-7 win against South Glens Falls. Like the Spartans, the Silver Warriors are undefeated in Grasso Division play – and their matchup next Friday in Burnt Hills will determine the division’s regular-season champion.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake held the Scotties – who have several notable playmakers – to 56 yards rushing and 80 passing. Ballston Spa never threatened to score until late, reaching the Spartans’ 12-yard line, but two incomplete passes and a sack ended the drive.
“Defensively, I thought we were outstanding,” Spartans coach Matt Shell said. “When you can hold a team like that with their playmakers to zero points, that’s a great accomplishment.”
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake scored on its first drive. The big plays were a 54-yard run around the right end by quarterback Miles Yannuzzi and a 23-yard screen pass around the left end from Yannuzzi to running back Luke Zoller, who finished the drive with a 1-yard run.
“Just some breakdowns we made,” Ballston Spa coach Greg O’Connor said of the big gains. “Guys in the wrong spot, but you can’t do that against a good club, you pay a price.”
Both defenses played well for the rest of the first half, with the Spartans holding their 7-0 lead.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s longest drive of the second half started with 2 minutes left in the third and ended with 9:48 left in the fourth, as it mixed 10 runs with one pass to cover 62 yards, ending in Yannuzzi’s 1-yard run.
Yannuzzi led the Spartans in rushing with 13 carries for 75 yards, and also was a perfect 7 for 7 passing for 86 yards. Zoller had 23 rushes for 72 yards and the touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Spartans’ defense made things tough for Ballston Spa. Quarterback Nico Savini rushed the ball 22 times, but only had five yards to show for it due to several sacks. Running back Darrien Insogna had seven carries for 41 yards. Passing, Savini was 6 for 16 with an interception.
“If you’re fundamentally sound, you’re going to eliminate the big plays, and we were able to do that tonight,” Shell said. “All the things you want to do as a defensive plan: got to the quarterback, caused turnovers; can’t ask for more than that out of these guys.”
“We had our chances, made a couple mistakes here and there, and that’s the difference in the ball game,” O’Connor said. “We had a couple [good] drives, but you’ve got to get it in the end zone. You’ve got to finish. We didn’t finish tonight.”
There were long faces on the Scotties’ sideline due to the fact the players knew it knocked them out of the playoffs, but O’Connor said they’ll recover.
“We’ll take the approach you’ve got another week to play such a great game for young men,” O’Connor said. “Most football players retire at age 17. We’ve got another chance to play another quality opponent next week. We’ll rally, we’ll come out and we’ll compete.”
Meanwhile, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake will have to get ready for Niskayuna’s Dahvion Wimberly, who scored three touchdowns in the Silver Warriors’ win Friday. He caught touchdown passes of 28 and 25 yards from Ethan Gilson. He also scored on an 11-yard run.
BH-BL 7 0 0 7 — 14
Ballston Spa 0 0 0 0 — 0
BH-BL — Zoller 1 run (Yannuzzi kick)
BH-BL — Yannuzzi 1 run (Yannuzzi kick)
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