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BURNT HILLS – A successful running game is still a staple for the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake football team, but this season's Spartans are more than a one-dimensional offense.
If needed, BH-BL junior quarterback Tristan West can zip the ball down the field. His emergence in his first season as a varsity starter has brought the program back to the top of Section 2 Class A football this fall.
The Spartans (9-0) earned the top seed for the four-team Class A playoffs and will begin their quest for a sectional title Friday at home against No. 4 seed Mohonasen (5-4). BH-BL won the regular season meeting between the two teams, 42-7.
While BH-BL's offense remains run-first, West's ability to throw the ball downfield with accuracy has made this season's squad much more difficult for opposing teams to defend.
"Tristan has a very good arm and is a really good athlete," BH-BL coach Kevin DeBonis said. "He has played varsity baseball for a couple of years and varsity basketball last year, so he's got the mental part down. His composure and the way he carries himself is huge. Obviously, he can sling it too, which helps. The intangibles are just as important for us."
"I think we have a pretty good team this year. The offensive line has been really good and we've got some good running backs," West said.
Though West didn't take too much credit for what the Spartans have accomplished thus far, his impact on the offense is undeniable. Burnt Hills enters Friday's contest having outscored its opposition 333-109. It's a major turnaround from 2025, when the team finished 4-6 overall and scored just 215 points.
West has connected on 45 of 73 passes for 987 yards and seven touchdowns. His only interception so far came on the opening drive of a 22-15 victory over Columbia in Week 7. The junior finished that game 5-of-7 through the air for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
"You are going to throw an interception at some point," DeBonis said. "He threw it on his first pass and then bounced back. That crystallized who he is as a person. … He makes us much more difficult to defend. We were talking among ourselves in the first few weeks. It is a great problem to have. Now, we've got a guy that can really throw the ball. You have to get used to that and how you are going to use it. Vin (Calderone, the team's offensive coordinator) has done a great job with him."
Throwing the ball eight times per game isn't exactly slinging it around, but an average of nearly 22 yards per completion is hard to ignore.
"We've given the defense something else to look for and that has helped the running game," West said.
"The versatility he brings has been tremendous," BH-BL junior running back Talon Immel said. "We have been a run-heavy team the last couple of years. The fact that we can throw the ball makes our run game better. What he has done has been massive."
West, who began playing quarterback in the fourth grade, felt this season's squad could be special. Many of the same players went 9-0 at the JV level in 2024. The junior is thrilled to be undefeated entering sectional play. He, and the rest of his teammates, want much more now.
"At this point, records don't mean anything," West said. "Getting the No. 1 seed doesn't mean all that much. We've got to keep winning."
DeBonis knows he has a quarterback who is confident, yet is relatively low-key. He marveled at the junior's composure in difficult circumstances in wins against Troy, Ballston Spa and Columbia.
"He wants to do things the right way and he wants to learn. He's really smart too," DeBonis said. "He has great anticipation, knowing when to get rid of the ball. His decision-making has been excellent."
West prides himself in staying calm in the face of adversity.
"I like the leadership role and knowing what I am doing on the field," he said. "Really, I like being a main part of the offense. I enjoy it."
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This article originally published at West has Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake football pointed in the right direction.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/west-burnt-hills-ballston-lake-200000138.html
