Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake field hockey caps perfect season with third state championship

LAGRANGEVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The numbers surrounding Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake field hockey are staggering. The Spartans entered Sunday's Class B state championship game at Arlington High School unbeaten at 20-0, and hadn't allowed a goal since Oct. 2, outscoring their opponents 45-0 in the nine games since then.

You could make an argument that Burnt Hills is the best field hockey team in all of New York State. One thing's for certain, though. The Spartans are the best team in all of Class B, and they proved that Sunday with a 3-0 win over Section I's Lakeland in the Class B final to capture the 2024 NYSPHSAA championship - the program's second state title in the last four seasons.

Lakeland came into the game red-hot, having recorded wins of 9-0 and 3-0 in the opening two rounds of the tournament. But the Hornets had no answer for Burnt Hills, which recorded a goal in each of the first three quarters.

Sophomore Grace Kogut got the scoring started for the Spartans. Kogut, on a penalty corner midway through the opening quarter, inserted the ball to Lillian Morse. Morse passed the ball inside the circle to Lily Mastrella, whose shot from high slot area was denied by the Lakeland goalkeeper. But Kogut was there to put away the rebound, and give her team the first-quarter advantage.

Burnt Hills' second goal came in transition, as Katie Lansley weaved through a swarm of Bees and dumped a pass off to Mastrella, who would not have her shot denied this time. The junior standout found the back of the net to grow the Spartans' advantage to two with 7:44 remaining in quarter No. 2.

Mastrella went back to work in the third quarter, and converted on a reverse shot to put the game out of reach, as the gap widened to three goals with just 2:09 to play in the third quarter.

The Spartans held Lakeland scoreless in the final stanza to complete a 10th straight shutout, capping a brilliant, 21-0 season.

Burnt Hills finishes the year with a remarkable 120-4 goal differential.