Queensbury topples Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake

BURNT HILLS — Tonight the top two teams in Class A squared off at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. Queensbury dominated the ball with their ground attack, posting forty-two points in a 42-21 win.

Queensbury received the opening kickoff and made good use of the time they had. Spearheaded by their senior running back Liam O’Mara they marched the ball down the field in twelve minutes and six seconds. The drive was capped off when O’Mara bounded through the tackles for a four yard touchdown.

After an interception on their first drive thanks in part to the lockdown defense of O’Mara and Brendan Scott, Burnt Hills was desperate to put up points in the second quarter. Luckily, Vincent Daviero was able to bob and weave through the Queensbury defense for a touchdown in the final two minutes.

After a run of over fifty yards for O’Mara and some fortunate personal fouls on Burnt Hills, Queensbury found themselves inside the Burnt Hills five with a minute and a half to go. O’Mara pounded through the line and came away with a four yard score, making it 14-8 Queensbury at the half.

Burnt Hills received the opening kickoff, but after a high snap, they found themselves punting from their own fifteen yard line. Queensbury got a quick start off the snap and blocked punt, giving them the ball at the Burnt Hill five. Naturally they tossed it to O’Mara who dove across the pylon for six more.

The Burnt Hills offense finally came alive when Darien LaPietro found Rece Gobel on a post route. Gobel broke through two defenders to take his house call. Then they forced a crucial fumble on their own forty to get the ball back. LaPietro found Gobel again, this time on a go route from the slot. This brought Burnt Hills within one point with fourteen minutes to go.

It was all O’Mara from there on out. Liam O’Mara ran for three more touchdowns to close out the game, making six rushing touchdowns on the game.

O’Mara said “I just go into every play wanting another one. I don’t really pay attention to how many I have, I just try to help the team win.”

So Queensbury will finish the regular season with a perfect 7-0 record. By defeating Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake last night they all but secure the number one seed in sectionals. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake will finish just behind them at 6-1, making a rematch late in sectionals a real possibility.

Liam O’Mara appeared excited about a rematch in sectionals but said, “We’ve got to know that this doesn’t mean too much when it comes to the playoffs. They are going to come, they’re still a very good team with very good coaches that will make the adjustments, and our coaches are going to do the same.”