Evan Nusbaum’s contribution for Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in last year’s state Class A semifinal game came on special teams. The junior played a much more significant role Friday night, swinging the tide the Spartans’ way with two key plays, and then adding a knockout punch at Dietz Stadium.

Sophomore Abby Maiello’s overtime goal lifted Mechanicville into the state championship game for the first time since 2001 with a 2-1 victory over Livonia of Section V at Homer High School.

Saratoga Springs will have its hands full with New Rochelle tonight in the Class AA semifinals in Kingston.

Evan Nusbaum scored a pair of touchdowns, booted three extra points and also came up with a big interception to lead Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake to a 21-3 halftime lead over Cornwall Friday night in a Class A regional football game at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

Maybe it was a little fine tuning, but the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls have used a new defensive scheme to get back to the state Class A semifinals.

There’s no getting away from the success of the program for the Shenendehowa boys’ soccer team. The dates of past sectional, regional, state and even national championship teams are on display on a signboard erected at the north end of their home field in the offseason, a reminder at every practice and home game.

The objective is six wins, yet the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls’ volleyball team will be content with a little less.

Up two goals midway into the first half of his team’s state Class AA quarterfinal Saturday with Baldwinsville, Shenendehowa coach Mike Campisi was not comfortable. His players, particularly Michael Jenkins and goalkeeper John Mabee, made it a little easier at the end as the Plainsmen recovered after squandering their lead to beat the Bees on penalty kicks and advance to their first state semifinal since 2005.

Junior Otis Ubriaco finished first and senior Scott Maughan was third as Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake successfully defended its Class A boys’ title Saturday in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association cross country championships at SUNY-Plattsburgh.

Monica Wolf recorded her first career hat trick in the opening half, Jessica Lyden added a goal and the Spartans played shutout ball until the late stages in a 4-1 Class A victory over Massena on the rain-drenched artificial turf at Stillwater High School.

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls’ volleyball team advanced to the state semifinals for the eighth year in a row with a three-game Class A sweep of Nottingham Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

Burnt Hills got burned by Franklin Academy on the opening kickoff, but the Spartans did some great things with the ball, and their starting defense threw a shutout for the rest of the half in a 54-13 victory over the Huskies of Malone at Shenendehowa’s Steuerwald Stadium.

The Sabres reeled off 27 unanswered points, and Vince Gallo ensured the Sabres a trip to Dietz Stadium when he scored with a minute remaining in the game, capping Schalmont’s 34-20 win Friday night in the state Class B quarterfinal round at Plattsburgh High School.

With the temperature falling and the tension mounting in sudden death overtime, Marissa Skaczkowski delivered a goal that set off a celebratory pileup and put Mechanicville into the state Class B girls’ soccer semifinals.

They don’t take it for granted, but the players on the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls’ soccer team expect to play well into November each year.