The Battlefield golf team followed up on its regular season Cedar Run District golf title by capturing the post-season crown Thursday in Loudoun County at the 1757 Golf Course.

Coming within five strokes of a school record, Battlefield's score of 299 bested second-place Broad Run (320), securing the Cedar Run District championship. Both teams qualify for the Northwest Regional championship, set for October 4 at The Westlake Golf and Country Club in Hardy.

Freedom (South Riding) just missed the cut in Dulles with a score of 328 while Patriot came in fourth place at 347. Osbourn (413) finished fifth.

Thomas Fricke and PJ Leonard led Battlefield scoring with both tallying scores of 73 through 18 holes. All six Battlefield golfers shot below an 80 on the day though, with Khushboo Thiagaraj (76), Nick Kwon (77), Doc Schulte (77) and Buzz Ganow (78) all placing within two strokes of each other.

When asked about the performances of Fricke and Leonard, Battlefield coach Thomas Metts said that their strong games did not really surprise him because of their work ethic.

"The first thing PJ does is go to the range to work on what wasn't working (during) the match," said Metts about Leonard's post-game ritual.

Fricke, meanwhile, will play another nine holes after even an 18-hole game so he can "work on the things that did not work" earlier.

"The only thing that stops them from playing golf is darkness," said Metts.

Both Leonard and Fricke had game-defining moments that built momentum for them. Leonard drained an eagle on the back nine that "really brought up his spirits because at the time he was about 5-over," explained Metts.

Meanwhile, Fricke on the first shot of the first hole shanked his drive so that it traveled only about 20 yards. Noticeably upset at first, he calmed himself down and focused on the next swing.

"An average player, they're meant to be done. He still parred that hole," said Metts. "And that set the tone for him the rest of the 18 holes."

Battlefield's victory came despite the fact that their top golfer, Karishma Thiagaraj sat out due to paperwork related to school that still had to be processed at the time Metts needed to submit his six-player roster for districts. The coach said he expects her to be back in action at regions.

Overall, Chad McCann of Stonewall Jackson took first place among all golfers at districts with a 71.

He and five other golfers qualified to compete at regions without their full teams. With McCann coming in first place, Freedom's Billy Ferrell (74), Duncan Walter (80) and Phil McQuitty (85) and Patriot's Terry Smith (80) and Jake Nord (85) all earned berths to regions.

Three other Pioneers competed at districts. That list includes Kirk Dinga (90), Mike Hanson (92) and Garrett Larson (103).

As for Battlefield's prospects at regions, both Thiagaraj sisters, Leonard, Fricke and Schulte are likely to start with Kwon and Ganow battling for the final spot in the line up, according to Metts.

He said his team has a "really, really good chance" of capturing both the regional and state title as long as his players are prepared to play 36 rounds over two days at each course.

"They have all shown that mental strength and that physical strength," said Metts.