Normally, a team of Battlefield's caliber should be much more upset about losing a district game to Osbourn after traditionally beating the Eagles during the regular season year in and year out.

After all, the last time such a thing happened, the Bobcats' seniors weren't even in high school yet. An entire generation of Battlefield players donned pads on the gridiron and moved on to whatever would follow since the team actually lost multiple times in 2006.

Battlefield lost once during the next three seasons: opening day 2007. After that, the streak began, three Cedar Run District championships followed and a long-coveted trip to states ensued in 2009.

Yet for the second time this season, Battlefield accepted its mortality Friday night in Manassas as the Bobcats fell 24-21 and did so this time in stride. Osbourn came back from a 14-9 halftime deficit to hold Battlefield scoreless in the third quarter due to Robert Carter and Lucky Whitehead knocking home touchdowns. Whitehead even pulled double scoring duty by powering his way to a successful 2-point conversion 2:01 into the third quarter.

According to Battlefield head coach Mark Cox, the fact that the Bobcats held undefeated Osbourn to 24 points is actually an accomplishment. No other team this season played Osbourn to within a single score, let alone a field goal. Only one other team held Osbourn to under 30 points this year too.

Referring to city squad as an "unbelievably talented team," Cox said if his boys would have topped Hylton Sept. 24 if they performed as well then as they did Oct. 15.

"If you can run the ball successfully," said Cox, "you're going to be able to be in games with teams that have more talent than you. And that's what we did."

Nagee Jackson (27 carries, 138 yards) led the running brigade with while three of his teammates accumulated another 88 yards on the ground. The senior pounded in two touchdowns during the first half, including one with less than half a minute to go before halftime.

Battlefield's problems were two fold. Quarterback Devon Greene could not complete a pass all night though Cox only gave him the green light four times as he opted to hit Osbourn in a more smash-mouth way. In fact, Greene himself ran in the Bobcats' only touchdown on a quarterback keeper after an Osbourn penalty on a field goal attempt put the ball just in front of the goal line roughly four minutes into the fourth quarter. The touchdown put Battlefield within a field goal after kicker Jason Hoepker nailed his third extra point attempt on the night.

Second, Osbourn's Dominique Terrell bested Jackson on the ground by 69 yards on only one extra carry while his 133 yards in the air gave the home team something Battlefield lacked offensively: versatility.

"It would help if we could work on that passing game so we won't be so one-dimensional," said Cox.

Defensively, the Bobcats bested Osbourn in the turnover ratio 1-0 with Isiah Wright picking off Terrell during the second quarter. Even though Battlefield barely attempted any passes, the Bobcats' lack of fumbles or other unforced errors is one positive.

This week, when Battlefield tangles with district-rival Heritage, the Bobcats can expect to face a fire-at-will spread offense that will likely challenge the BHS secondary. Cox has already accepted that Osbourn will likely win the Cedar Run district as he did not anticipate the Eagles dropping either of their two remaining matches. If that holds, then Battlefield needs to win out against Heritage (1-6 overall, 0-1 district), Stonewall Jackson (2-6, 1-1) and Loudoun Valley (5-2, 1-1) in order to make its fourth-consecutive trip to regions.

"They shifted their focus to that," Cox said of his players. He added that though disappointed by the Eagles, "they still have a lot of confidence in what they can accomplish and they have confidence that they can reach that goal after playing the way they did against Osbourn."