Battlefield's reputation for turning out winning programs during the last few years is well-established.

The softball program's landed a spot at states the last three years in a row. The girls soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and golf teams are state veterans too as are the baseball, football and boys soccer teams.

Individuals from swimming, cross country, track and wrestling have all ended up at the crown jewel of the Virginia high school sporting world too.

Yet the cheerleading team, in an almost under-the-radar-like fashion is right up there with the softball team as the school's most prolific.

This past Saturday, the Bobcats made their third trip to the VCU Siegel Center in Richmond for the state championship in the last four years, clinching their spot there after finishing fourth at regions. The results turned out to be a bit unkind to Battlefield as the team finished 15th out of 16 teams with 2008 winner Cosby winning the meet.

"There were a lot of great, talented teams out there," said Battlefield coach Emily Torrero.

She mentioned that Battlefield received no deductions from faults or penalties and performed its routine as designed.

During the season, the Bobcats worked in more advanced skill sets to their introductory routine, adding more tumbling and a stunt called the "scorpion." That involves the person at the top of a pyramid, called the flyer, to stand on one leg and pull the other leg back backward. When done correctly, the bottom of the shoe is behind or above the flyer's head.

Battlefield's flyer arsenal includes five starters and one alternate: seniors Jasmine Zellers, Nicole Maples and Heather Duffy, sophomore Kelli Herr and freshmen Shelby Frasard and Tori Brower. One of their more complicated moves the girls worked into their set is the "giddy-up", which requires coordination among the five flyers while they all perform a synchronized leg-based stunt in the air.

A more unique part of Battlefield's show is the Texas Twister. It involves one individual spinning completely around that person's partner without touching the ground. Torrero said she was unaware of any other team Battlefield faced that also featured the stunt.

Coming out of the Northwest region title meet, "We just wanted to make sure we were cleaning things up," Torrero said, adding that the girls focused on their timing and their "overall execution" during the run-up to states.

"They went out there and gave everything they had," she said. "On a personal level for our team, it was a good day."

According to Torrero, Cosby's skill level was the "same" as Battlefield's, but the flow of the Titans' routine, their loudness and presentation all played big factors in their win.

"Their routine is very clean as far as their timing goes, their jumps go," she said. "I think our girls really wanted it too... (But) sometimes that little it more of enthusiasm really comes out."

All of that came weeks after Battlefield won the Cedar Run District title. Torrero mentioned that for team members returning next year, building up stamina by running and hitting the weight room is the key to improvement.

"Our girls start talking about going to states in August when cheerleading starts," she said. "They know they're a good team, they know they have the skills and it pays off in the end, making it to states."