Not a bad way to start the year.

The Battlefield gymnastics team made a strong season debut Monday night in Manassas, winning its first meet of the year with a score of 138.13. The Bobcats won every event of the night, earning 35 points on the vault, 30.63 points on the uneven bars, 35.4 points on the balance beam and 37.1 points on the floor.

Junior Alex Fairbanks and sophomore Briana Artz led the charge for Battlefield as the team's two all-around competitors at Stonewall Jackson High School. The two ended up only a tenth of one point apart, with Fairbanks coming into second place overall (35.5) and Artz checking in third (35.4) behind event winner Kelly McKay (37.45) of Brentsville District.

McKay, one of three Tigers competing, earned first place on both the vault (9.5) and bars (9.4) while posting high marks also for the beam (9.2) and floor (9.35). She finished second on beam behind Artz (9.3) and fourth on floor behind Artz (9.65), Fairbanks (9.55) and Loudoun County's Jessica Drews (9.5).

Loudoun County tied Loudoun Valley for second place overall with team scores of 122.15. Stonewall, Osbourn, Heritage also competed.

Fairbanks mentioned after the meet that the team roster is depleted of seniors this year, which is a big difference from the 2009-10 season when seniors carried much the load. That team ended up placing second at states, 1.3 points behind first-place Kellam.

Now, "we're starting off fresh," said Fairbanks.

Artz explained that this year, a lot of talent is coming from the floor and beam events, categories Battlefield has traditionally favored. Sophomore June Mumo, whose bars score of 8.6 put her in second place behind McKay on Monday, said that tumbling and the team executing "clean" routines is paying off with higher scores.

"This year, we're definitely doing more conditioning," said Fairbanks, highlighting ab workouts in particular. "It's going to be hardcore stuff but it's going to work out in the long run."

Once again, the program is under the leadership of head coach Chevonne White, whose led the team to become a district, regional and state powerhouse, especially since Osbourn Park switched over to the Cardinal District in 2009.

Mumo and Fairbanks described her leadership style as relaxed and "down to earth" while she makes sure the gymnasts get their "stuff" correct. Her on-the-mat leaders this year are captains Amanda Grimm and Eloisa Silva. They join Fairbanks as the team's only juniors on a 14-member squad dominated by freshmen and sophomores.

Expectations in Haymarket are high again this year, according to the girls, as they hope to return to states. If the score sheet is any guide, then Samantha Brosnahan is likely to be one of the up-and-comers that will be an integral part in determining that fate. She joined Fairbanks and Artz as the only Bobcat to eclipse the 9.0 mark in any event as she scored a 9.2 on the floor Monday, while also earning an 8.7 on vault, good enough for fourth place in that event.

"She's built," said Fairbanks of her younger teammate. "She's just a gymnast."

Alexis Williamson's 8.7 on beam also earned her a a fourth-place finish. She coupled that with an 8.5 showing on vault, just 0.1 points behind Artz and 0.2 behind Brosnahan.

Fairbanks explained that the the freshman's confidence particularly shows well when she flips her handsprings on vault.

"She's not really afraid," said Fairbanks.