Look out Virginia, here come the boys from Haymarket.

The Battlefield varsity football team earned the chance to become the first group in school history to capture a state championship title for an entire team as the Bobcats defeated Lake Braddock 35-27 Saturday in Burke at the Group AAA Division 6 state semi-finals. That came one year after the Bruins eliminated Battlefield from the state playoffs in double overtime.

"We set this goal," said star senior running back Nagee Jackson as steam rose from his sweat-drenched head in the cold. "And now we're going to take the state championship."

Battlefield's defense led the way for the Bobcats offensively, scoring two touchdowns in the first half to give BHS a 14-13 lead at halftime over the home-team Bruins. Senior Andrew Smith caught an awkward interception in the Lake Braddock end zone during the Bruins' second possession in the first quarter to put the Bobcats up 7-3. Senior linebacker Drew Elias hit Lake Braddock quarterback Michael Nebrich when the 6-foot-1 senior dropped back to pass behind the white plane, knocking the ball loose. Smith dove forward before it hit the ground and smothered the mid-air fumble to grab a quick six points.

Later in the second quarter, with 32 seconds left on the clock and Lake Braddock leading 10-7, Nebrich attempted a pass from the Battlefield 45 yard line to his left while facing pressure from Smith. Without a Bruin receiver near him, Battlefield's kicker-turned-secondary defender Jason Hoepker leapt up and picked off the throw at the 37. He then made a beeline down the Battlefield sideline, stuttering around midfield to look for any purple Lake Braddock jerseys to his left. Still in the clear, he turned the jets back on and ran untouched to paydirt as his sophomore teammate Nick Newman threw a block for him near the 5 yard line.

Hoepker even kicked in his own extra point to put Battlefield back on top 14-10.

"I thought about it," said Hoepker, referring to the idea of scoring a touchdown before kicking an extra point. However, the kicker added that he "never thought" it would actually happen, let alone at a time when he scored his first high school touchdown after just recently becoming a defender.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Swingle could hardly contain his joy when speaking about the Bobcats' defensive performance that included sacks galore and a winning turnover ratio.

"Oh my God," he said. "They were the best (defense) ever."

Back in his main roll, Hoepker gave Lake Braddock a short field to work with on the ensuring kick off following his touchdown after booting a squibber downed at the 40 yard line. Nebrich made quick work of the short field, completing three straight passes for 34 yards in 15 seconds to set up a successful 43-yard field goal by Nick Weiler as time expired.

Battlefield's defense struck again in the third quarter when senior defensive back Bobo Beathard picked up a momentum-crushing fumble at the Lake Braddock 46-yard line following a 36-yard pass completion from Nebrich to senior wide receiver Matt Zanellato. Like Hoepker did in the waning minute of the second quarter, Beathard converted the turnover into points by catching a 46-yard bomb from Swingle down the middle of the field. The touchdown marked the first time either Swingle or fellow Bobcat quarterback Devon Greene attempted a deep pass at all in the game dominated more by Battlefield's traditional running attack.

"I can't even explain it," said an elated Beathard after the game as the black paint under his eyes formed elongated v-shaped streaks pointing to his jaw. "I knew I had to make plays."

Beathard wasn't done there though. On a three-and-out punt return by Lake Braddock from the Bruins own 11 yard line, Beathard broke four tackles as he blazed through the Bruins coverage. He broke four tackles on his way to a 40-yard return, setting up first-and-10 at the LB 12 yard line with 1:19 to go in the third quarter.

Senior Chris Wendle took an inside handoff from Swingle and twisted his way down to the seven yard line to set up a second-and-five for Greene at quarterback. The sophomore completed a pass to Beathard at the one yard line, allowing Swingle to rush behind center on the next play for the score. Hoepker's fourth extra point of the game put Battlefield up 28-13 with 15 seconds left before the fourth quarter.

A 12-yard strike from Nebrich to Zanellato on the Bruins' ensuing possession closed the gap to 28-20 on a drive made possible by a third-and-26 conversion in which Nebrich threaded a needle between two Battlefield defenders for a 45-yard pick up.

However, Jackson answered for the Bobcats on their next possession, ending an 11-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run as he powered his way through a hole on the left side of the offensive line. Senior offensive guard Dave Risoldi threw his arms over his head and jumped as 2:55 remained in regulation right before Hoepker nailed his fifth extra point.

Lake Braddock postponed further Battlefield celebration plans though on a 78-yard drive that ended with Neibrich hooking up with Zanellato on a 24-yard touchdown reception in the front right corner of the end zone. Despite getting a hand on the ball, Battlefield couldn't completely block Lake Braddock's extra-point try as Weiler's kick wobbled through the uprights anyway 107 seconds before the final whistle.

Hoepker said that one of the keys to containing Neibrich was "making sure he wasn't able to scramble around us and hurt us with his feet." Though Battlefield kept him behind the line of scrimmage, Nebrich still managed to get the ball in the air all nine plays of Lake Braddock's final drive.

Smith made sure Battlefield kept the ball out of the future NCAA Division I-A quarterback's hands one more time after the touchdown by pouncing on an onside kick. Two rushes by Jackson then set up a make-or-break third-and-2 at the Lake Braddock 42 yard line. The senior quarterback Greene opted to keep the ball himself and busted through the line for a three-yard gain, essentially ending Lake Braddock's hopes as the Bruins ran out of time outs. Swingle took a couple knees to end the game, leading to an all-out celebration from the Battlefield sideline to spill over into the middle of the field.

Battlefield head coach Mark Cox, who a couple players targeted earlier with a celebratory Gatorade bath, admitted to holding back tears as the game clock expired. Just enough of the clear liquid filled the bottom of his tear duct during his post-game interviews. He wasn't alone either; senior wide receiver Darion Duncan shared similar joy, with a single tear running over his eyeblack on each side as he shook hands with Lake Braddock players.

"I was fortunate to get here as a player," said Cox, referring to his own high school experience.

But as a coach, "it's a dream to get here," he said, particularly for the players.

On paper at least, the win really does look more like fantasy than reality. Nebrich and Zanellato devastated Battlefield statistically, as the two hooked up eight times for 168 yards. In fact, Nebrich completed 26 of 33 passes for 345 yards to six different receivers compared to the combined 116 yards tossed by Swingle (9-for-11, 110 yards) and Greene (2-for-2, 6 yards).

Battlefield even punted twice as much as Lake Braddock, earned twice as many penalties and had seven fewer first downs. Where the Bobcats prevailed was on the ground and defense.

Rushing wise, BHS earned 122 yards to Lake Braddock's 56, with Jackson (19 rushes, 84 yards) leading the way. Nebrich ended up being the home team's leading rusher with 23 attempts for 47 yards.

The Bobcats also never lost a fumble and threw just one interception compared to the four turnovers from Lake Braddock.

Still containing his excitement, the team's leading receiver Beathard (6 receptions, 74 yards) strick a business-oriented tone as he reflected on his team's victory.

"It's the best feeling but it doesn't mean anything if we don't win" the championship, he said.

Battlefield faces undefeated Central Region champion Hermitage (12-0) for the state title this Saturday, Dec. 11 in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium. Game time is set for 4:07 p.m.

"The last two years, it was always a downfall," said senior linebacker Zavier Stringfellow, who earned a fumble recovery and multiple sacks on sacks. "Now it's our time to shine."