SYRACUSE — After Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake came within three yards of tying the score, Sweet Home marched 97 yards for a pivotal score and went on to defeat the Spartans, 35-28, today in the state Class A championship football game at the Carrier Dome.

It was the only loss in 13 starts this season for Burnt Hills; Sweet Home, the Section VI champion from Amherst, finished 13-0.

The quicker Sweet Home lineup enjoyed leads of 14-0, 21-7 and 28-7 in the first half as D.J. Nettles broke loose on a 91-yard scoring run and caught a 39-yard touchdown pass. Sweet Home also connected on a 76-yard pass play.

But Burnt Hills, which trailed by 28-14 at halftime, got back another touchdown in the third quarter on Eric Vaillaume's 42-yard run, then marched to the Sweet Home six, where Paul Layton appeared to kick a field goal on fourth down. But an encroachment penalty on Sweet Home before the snap nullified the kick, and the Spartans decided to go for the tying touchdown from the three.

Layton was swarmed as he dropped back, and his desperation pass went incomplete.

Sweet Home then went 97 yards to take a 35-21 lead on Deshanaro Morris' four-yard run, before Vaillaume scored again for BH-BL on a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Keaton Flint has both touchdowns in the first half for the Spartans, on a 23-yard pass from Layton and on a 14-yard run.

The was Burnt Hills' first trip to the state finals, and a very large contingent of Spartan fans made the trip to Syracuse.