Logan Tomlinson, a senior who spent three years grinding as a linebacker, guard, and kicker, just ripped off a 52-yard touchdown run, his *first* career score, to seal a 22-15 victory for Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake on Saturday. That monster play didn’t just win the game, it clinched a playoff berth for the No. 13-ranked Spartans, keeping their perfect 7-0 record intact. What an absolute wild finish, man.
The Most Unexpected Play-Action Bomb You’ll Ever See
Talk about stepping up in the clutch, huh? The game was knotted up late in the fourth quarter, and BH-BL needed a spark. Tomlinson, who rocks the No. 44 this season after previously wearing No. 51, doesn’t even start on offense. He’s been the kind of player who just does the dirty work, a four-year varsity guy playing defense and special teams. But when Columbia went all-in on their run-blitzing tactics, the Spartans hit ’em with a play-action fake. Junior quarterback Tristan West found Tomlinson open in the flat, and the 5-foot-10, 220-pound bulldozer did the rest. He just rambled 52 yards straight to the end zone.
You gotta hear this quote from Tomlinson himself: “I have never scored. That was the first one. I was pumped.” You can feel that energy, right? Coach Kevin DeBonis was right there with him, saying, “We were grinding them. We wanted to keep doing it, but with a kid like Tristan back there, we trusted him…We had to give that play a shot. I couldn’t really see it…We kind of went, ‘Here you go, LT. Here is your chance.’ He made it there somehow.” This was only Tomlinson’s second reception of the entire season. And get this, the dude is a Siena University lacrosse commit. Talk about versatility!
BH-BL’s Comeback Was Just Relentless
This wasn’t some easy win, though. The Spartans had to dig deep. They were down 12-7 at halftime, a deficit they haven’t seen much this season. Columbia came out swinging, with Desmond White punching in a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Tyler Connolly hitting Trey Pettograsso for an 82-yard touchdown pass. Tomlinson acknowledged it, too: “We knew they were going to give us all they’ve got.”
Junior running back Talon Immel said it best: “It is the first time we’ve been down like that, especially at halftime. I am proud of the way our guys came back…Our counterpunch was hard.” And Immel led that counterpunch, racking up 107 yards on 17 carries. He even put BH-BL ahead 15-12 in the third quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run. Columbia actually tied it back up with a 25-yard field goal from sophomore Carter LaGrave, capping off a monstrous 20-play drive. But that just set the stage for Tomlinson’s heroics. Columbia, meanwhile, is hurting, now on their third consecutive loss after forfeiting to Troy in Week 5 and getting run over by Ballston Spa 43-13 last week. They needed this, and BH-BL slammed the door.
7-0, A Playoff Berth, and a Whole New Vibe
Tomlinson’s unbelievable play kept the Spartans undefeated on Homecoming Weekend and Seniors Day. What a way to celebrate. This team is now 7-0 overall and 6-0 in Class A, firmly ranked No. 13 in the state. And clinching that playoff berth this early? That’s huge.
It’s an insane turnaround from last year’s 4-6 record. Coach DeBonis sounds incredibly proud, saying, “Last year, we had so many kids thrown into situations that they weren’t ready for. We had so many injuries. They battled and were so close in many of the games we lost. This year, we get in matchups like this and…” The quote cuts off there, but you get the picture. They’re built different this season. With a perfect record and a playoff spot locked up, the Spartans are rolling. They’re playing with fire, and right now, nobody seems to be able to stop them. What a season for these guys, seriously.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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