His work was done.

  Now, in the gathering twilight at Sports Backers Stadium yesterday, all Quintin Fulgham could do was enjoy his four victories in the Central Region track and field championship, work through his fatigue and wait.

  The 6-0, 165-pound Thomas Dale senior won the 100, 200, long jump, and triple jump and anchored the sixth-place 400 relay team, and it would be just a matter of time before he and his teammates learned if they’d hold on for the overall title.

  “He’s whupped,” said Knights sprint coach Kevin Coffey as his protégé walked on wobbly legs to the water cooler following his final race, the 200, where his victory by .02 gave Dale a one-point lead over Atlee with two events to go.

  “He put in 100 percent. No more. No less. He’s reaped the rewards.”

  Alas, Fulgham’s 40 individual points weren’t enough.

  The Raiders claimed the top spot with 79 points, 20 ahead of the runner-up Knights, thanks to a strong finish in which Andrew Catanese, Wes Steenburgh and Andy Hesse went 3-5-8 in the 3,200 and their 1,600 relay team (Michael Atkinson, Shaowei Tu, Matt Combs and Marques Atkinson) placed second.

  “What makes me proud is that we scored in a lot of areas,” said Jim Triemplar, Atlee’s veteran coach. “That makes it a team achievement.”

  The Raiders won only two events, the 3,200 relay on Day 1 and the 300 hurdles (Marques Atkinson).

  “I was in the outside lane, so I had to go out hard,” said Atkinson, who also anchored the 3,200 and 1,600 relays. “I didn’t want the guys on the inside to get to the break before I did.

  “Then, in the last, like, 20 meters, I was clipping hurdles, and my steps were off, but I got through the race.

  “Honestly, this was for team points. I like winning individual events, but I’m more worried about helping the team.”

  Fulgham was voted the meet’s outstanding field event performer.

  “I dug deep and prayed,” he said moments after his final race. “It’s 10 team points.

  “It feels pretty good that I helped my team out.”

  James River’s Ted Richardson, the region and Group AAA cross country champion, outran strong fields to win the 1,600 and 3,200 and was selected the meet’s outstanding runner.

  “I was trying to go out hard and run even splits,” said Richardson after his 1,600 victory in which he ran his 400s in 63, 68, 64 and 65.

  “This was big for me because everybody looks at me as a 2-miler.

  “I’m happy with the win, and I’m content with the time [4:19.58].”
 
Weldon Bradshaw is a special correspondent for the Richmond Times Dispatch.