Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake attacker Logan Tomlinson makes a move in front of Guilderland defender Jeremy Beggs on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Guilderland, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Jim Franco/Times Union
Logan Merritt of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake celebrates his goal against Bethlehem in Burnt Hills, NY on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Stephen Weaver
Max Johnson of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake loses control of the ball after making contact with Nicholas Giacone of Bethlehem in Burnt Hills, NY on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Stephen Weaver
Logan Tomlinson of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake fires a shot against Bethlehem goalie Hayden Ossias in Burnt Hills, NY on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Stephen Weaver
BURNT HILLS — Talon Immel looked over his left shoulder, then did the same over his right toward his Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake boys’ lacrosse teammates during Monday’s practice.
“These guys are my best friends. They are family to me,” said Immel, a sophomore attack. “Everyone has each other’s back.”
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The bond the team has built is easy to detect. The Spartans collectively believe they also have the required skill and experience necessary to make a prolonged playoff push this season.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake will enter the 2026 sectional tournament having claimed four titles in the last five events held, including last spring’s memorable rally in the fourth quarter when the Spartans overtook Averill Park to secure a 12-11 victory in the Class C championship game as a No. 4 seed. Travis Rorick tallied the game-winning goal with 35.4 seconds left in that area final.
“Last year, we knew we had the skill — but it was eye-opening to reach that goal,” said Immel, whose 2025 team advanced to the state semifinals. “Hopefully, we make it that Final Four game again and the outcome is different this time.”
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“With the group of kids we have now, we can definitely go further than we did last year,” Burnt Hills-Ballston-Lake senior face-off specialist Rohan Kuhn said. “We have a lot of weapons.”
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“I am pleased with this team and how we are performing as one unit,” junior attack Logan Tomlinson said. “We are taking things day-by-day, game-by-game and we’re working at it. We’ve got big shoes to fill and we’re trying to get better every day.”
Tuesday afternoon, Burnt Hills-Ballstown Lake brings a No. 5 state ranking and an 11-3 overall record into a home contest against New Hartford (11-3), which is rated No. 17 in Class C.
A year ago, BH-BL had a losing record. This year, the Spartans have outscored their opposition 192-117 and their only losses have come against a pair of state-ranked Class A squads in Baldwinsville and Guilderland, along with a 10-9 setback against Bethlehem — an honorable mention selection in Class B.
The Spartans own wins against Ithaca (13-10, ranked No. 18 in Class A), Shaker (9-8), Shenendehowa (13-7) and Ballston Spa (9-7).
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“I do feel we have demonstrated we have the ability to win those type of games and play with everybody, especially against Shen and Shaker,” BH-BL coach Ian Schwan-Tetreault said. “We feel like we are part of the top tier.”
There are 16 BH-BL players this season competing in their third varsity season. Tomlinson is one of them and is the team’s leading scorer with 48 goals and 26 assists.
He said this is the most complete team he has been on.
“It is nice having a whole team that, when we go into games, thinks we are going to win. … We all share the ball and our offense can produce,” Tomlinson said. “We’re scoring 15 goals a game, which is good.”
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After losing the Bethlehem game, the Spartans responded with the victory over Ballston Spa.
“Wednesday’s practice after we lost to Bethlehem was probably one of our best practices of the year,” Schwan-Tetreault said. “We did not shoot well, but, otherwise, played pretty well; we just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. Their work ethic has been so much fun to be around. … It is so much fun not to be working on attitude and body language, but on X’s and O’s.”
“This has been my most fun year of lacrosse on the varsity,” Tomlinson said. “It is not even that we are winning games; going to practice each day with guys wanting to get better every day has been fun and enjoyable to be around.”
Rorick, a sophomore midfielder who played seven varsity games in 2025, has tallied 32 goals and eight assists. The defense has been buoyed by senior goalie Ethan Skinner, who decided not to play in 2025, but came back this season and has produced 121 saves.
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“Everyone is so bought in, especially Skinner,” said Immel, who ranks second on the team with 54 points on 36 goals and 18 assists. “He is getting everyone juiced up before the games. It is very helpful.”
“Ethan has been great in goal for us,” Schwan-Tetreault said. “He was splitting time (with James Eichfeld), but, because of injury, he has become the starter. He’s really had some great games for us. It has been impressive what he has done in the cage for us.”
Skinner made 17 saves against both Guilderland and Shaker.
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Schwan-Tetreault believes the added three weeks of playoff games last year has proven beneficial to the 2026 team’s development. The Spartans should be the No. 1 seed for this season’s sectional tournament.
“I think we can play anyone and hang with them, to be honest,” Tomlinson said. “Our team is going to show up to play and expects to win.”