Being labeled the underdog is almost like a revered title in American sports. After all, who doesn't like to see the team no one counts on winning actually pull one off against a heavily favored opponent?

For Battlefield, the "underdog" might have been an understatement.

The Bobcats trailed McLean 2-0 at half time in the state quarterfinals last Monday and still managed to pull out the game in overtime PKs. On Friday, even the governor was rooting against the team from Haymarket as his two sons played for second-ranked Deep Run. Yet, the Bobcats dominated there too, winning 2-0.

Entering Saturday at Westfield HS in Chantilly, Battlefield knew it was headed straight into the offensive buzzsaw known as Cox, the defending Group AAA state champion and holder of a 24-0 record.

Moral victories don't amount for much when championships are on the line and Saturday proved to be no exception as Cox took home the trophy with a 2-1 win.

But did anyone tell the team from Haymarket that they weren't supposed to give the team potentially ranked No. 1 in the country the scare of their lives? That they weren't supposed to come within a foot of forcing overtime after being absolutely dominated in the first half?

"You can't quit!" Battlefield coach Ott Pimsaen barked to his boys during half time as they sprawled out, sweaty and exhausted after running in the baking sun for 40 straight minutes.

While the Cox team huddled quickly under their tent and returned to the field for warm ups, Battlefield midfielder Chris Hernandez looked to his left as he sat down and told his defense that Cox was beating them up on headers. Forward Adam Clements shared a piece of his mind too as did the BHS assistant coaches.

A red hue mixed with paleness swept over goal keeper Jack Eaton's face as he sat in the front center of the huddle, an orange jersey resting on his head while he listened. Cox more than gave the junior keeper a fair workout in the first half, firing 18 shots including six on goal. Chris Albiston scored on one of them from about 23 yards out by attacking the left side of the net; Drew Hartell chipped in the second during a run inside the left side of the box, firing toward the post.

Battlefield barely put any offensive pressure on the Falcons at all in the first half, attempting three shots against keeper Mark Nankervis, one of which was actually playable. In fact, even crossing midfield with any sort of momentum before Cox regained possession turned out to be nearly impossible for the Bobcats against a brick wall of a defense.

Though he told his players, "It's obvious they're better than you" with a scoff in his voice, Pimsaen asked them: when faced with adversity, what do you do?

"You guys got to keep pressing," he said. "We've come back down from two goals before!"

The players rose to their feet, extended their drenched arms and brought themselves together for one more huddle.

"Come on!" yelled one voice. "Let's go!"

"Come on! 'Team' one three!" yelled another. "One, two, three, Team!"

The boys broke and the second-half starters returned to the playing field. With the opening chords to Metallica's Enter Sandman blaring over the speakers, they huddled again and broke, ready to give Cox the scare of their season.

Just over 13 minutes into the final half, Eaton launched a punt deep into Falcons territory. It bounced over the head of Clements and one teammate before bouncing off the Cox defense. Clements regained control of the ball and penetrated the back wall, attacking from Nankervis's right side.

"At that time, we were at a point of desperation," said Eaton.

Clements weaved through two defenders, drew Nankervis out from the net and blasted a shot into the top right corner to finally put Battlefield on the board.

"With the punt and the rebound, I was trying to put one in the back of the net to get the momentum to change," said Clements after the game. "I was surprised I even got that."

"He's a fantastic player," said Eaton of his now-graduated senior teammate. "Any time we score, you have them on their heels."

No fewer than four times did Battlefield have the chance to tie the game in the remaining minutes of the second half. The team appeared to be a completely new club compared to the first half, winning time of possession, field territory and attacks, outshooting Cox 6-4.

"We realized if we were going to go down, we were going to go down with a fight," said graduated senior forward Jeff Asamoah.

One chance to even the score came from a corner kick with 21:03 left on the clock. Though it sailed into the center of play, Cox's Wesley Claffee cleared it and a BHS turnover killed the Bobcats' momentum.

When Tommy Whiteside of Cox tripped in the 63rd minute, Battlefield midfielder Nii Abbey gained control of the loose ball and passed Asamoah, who fired from about 30 yards out, sailing the ball out of bounds through the football uprights above the goal. Another distance shot from Asamoah met the same fate with 6:40 remaining.

Battlefield's last best chance came on a cross pass inside the goal box to Cody Cox inside the 5 minute mark. In a quick move, the midfielder attempted to square up his shot but missed the right iron by a foot.

The boys soccer game marked the first time since 2008 that Battlefield sent any team to the Group AAA state championship at Westfield. Like this year, the girls soccer team came up one goal short and the softball team was one hit away from tying their own match.

Battlefield has collected individual state titles in wrestling, golf and swimming, but never as a team.

Three state final appearances and multiple region and district championships do mean one thing is certain, however.

"The next team that comes up, they'll know we're serious," said Asamoah.

According to Cox's Albiston, teams already recognize that about Battlefield.

"Battlefield was easily the best team we played so far," he said.

Albiston broke the game open for Cox when he "just ripped it" as hard as he could, he said.

Cox used cross-patterns relentless on offense, especially in the first half, and won the air-war too with effective headers.

It's how the team has become the top-ranked squad in Virginia and, according to Albiston, the state title should cement Cox as the No. 1 team in the country. And Cox losing few seniors to graduation, any team that wants to take the trophy in 2011 will likely have to go through Cox again.

"Look at us doing it again next year," he said.