GLENS FALLS - When Grace Kogut and Katie Lansley were eighth graders on the 2022 Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake field hockey team, their first varsity season ended in devastation.
That 2022 season ended the Spartans' run of nine consecutive Section 2 Class B championships.
In the years since, Kogut and Lansley have been key contributors for the program, as it's begun a brand new stretch of dominance.
On Sunday afternoon, Burnt Hills defeated South Glens Falls 6-1 to secure its fourth straight Class B championship.
"A little bit, but I'm very confident in our team," Kogut, now a senior, said on whether she ever gets flashbacks from the championship game loss in 2022, which came against South Glens Falls. "Today we were ok, but there's definitely some bad memories there.
"At least for me, I feel like after that loss, we wanted to push to get better. It was heartbreaking and I know we never wanted to feel like that again."
In addition to Burnt Hills' four straight Section 2 titles, the Spartans are two-time defending Class B state champions and are set to return to the state tournament looking to defend their crown.
"We're really proud of the team to get it up to four. Even though we had so many before and we lost (in 2022), it's really good to see us build it back up," Lansley said. "I think it's the team culture, and we're a family. We carry that on to the field. Every year, the team is so close on and off the field, and I feel like that really carries us."
Burnt Hills' Katie Lansley navigates through the South Glens Falls defense during the Section 2 Class B championship game on Sunday at Glens Falls High School. (Kyle Adams/For the Times Union)Key moment
Riley Rodecker got Burnt Hills on the board midway through the first quarter, and the Spartans kept the momentum the rest of the way.
The top-seeded Spartans, who received a bye into the title game, scored two goals in the first quarter and two in the second, to take a 4-0 lead into the half against the second-seeded Bulldogs. They added another goal in the third and fourth quarters for a 6-1 victory.
"We always tell them, ‘Next game,'" said Burnt Hills coach Kelly Vrooman. "I know we have this game (under control), but we have to look ahead to the next game, to stick to the details and (uphold) the standard we have here."
Star of the gameA mix of Burnt Hills' senior leaders and youngsters made an impact on the scoreboard on Sunday. While Kogut had two goals and an assist and Lansley had two assists, freshman forward Carah DiCaprio had the standout performance with three goals and an assist.
Maeve McCarty punched in the lone goal for South Glens Falls in the third quarter, as she navigated her way down the field for an unassisted score.
Numbers to know27: Saves for South Glens Falls goalie Sarah Christoffersen.
16: Days since Burnt Hills last played a game prior to Sunday, as it received a bye to the Class B title game.
13: Section 2 titles for Burnt Hills since 2012, with the only exceptions being 2020 when there was no tournament and 2022 in a loss to South Glens Falls.
What's nextBurnt Hills: The Spartans (14-2-1 overall) will play the Section 3 champion in the regional championship on Sunday at Glens Falls High School at 3 p.m.
South Glens Falls: Ends its season with an overall record of 14-4.
SubscribeThere’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake beats South Glens Falls for its 4th straight Section 2 Class B field hockey title.