For the briefest of moments, the boys’ portion of the Central Region track and field meet acquired an unexpected commodity: uncertainty.

Then Douglas Freeman’s deep, resourceful Rebels responded like the champions they are.

Late victories by Michael Quash in the 300-meter hurdles (37.89) and Ulrick Smith in the 200-meter dash (22.03) enabled the heavily-favored Rebels to pull away to a comfortable triumph over Lee-Davis and Cosby last night at Sports Backers Stadium. The region championship was Freeman’s first in 10 years.

“We talked about [the long drought] just the other day,“ said Rebels coach Sherry Edwards. “I said, ‘Believe me: Things like this are special. They don’t come along every day. Being a part of something like this—a team that wins a region championship—is something you’ll never forget.“

Quash and Smith certainly won’t. Both contributed a pair of individual victories to Freeman’s triumph. Quash won the 110 hurdles (14:22) and Smith the 400 (48.88). And both responded magnificently after a botched baton exchange derailed the Rebels’ 400-meter relay team and beckoned Lee-Davis and Cosby back into the meet.

Said Smith: “Whenever I see a friend or teammate down or disappointed because they haven’t done what they wanted to do, it makes me try harder. It makes me want to do something—anything—to pick them up.“

Mission accomplished. In addition to the damage done in the 400 and 200, Smith ran the anchor leg for Freeman’s victorious 1,600-meter relay team. The Rebels’ success in that event, the last of the evening, affixed a neon exclamation point to their accomplishment.

Quash, whose day’s work included a second-place finish in the 200, the meet’s pivotal event, said he cast caution to the wind yesterday.

“Sometimes I’ll try to conserve” energy and stamina during the course of a multievent day, he said. “But not today. Today, I was going to go all out in every race.“

Edwards marveled at the ability of her two seniors to deliver big efforts when nothing less will suffice.

“That’s the kind of kids they are,“ she said. “They always seem to rise to the occasion. And obviously, they did it again today.“

Accomplishments such as last night’s, Edwards said, occur only “when everyone does his part. And tonight, everyone did.“

No argument there. Freeman’s middleand long-distance runners stepped forward as dusk began to descend. The Rebels collected fourthand sixth-place finishes in the 800 and fourthand fifth-place finishes in the 1,600.

Other highlights on a sparkling spring afternoon were delivered by Midlothian senior Jason Witt and Deep Run senior Feild Craddock. Witt won the 1,600 in 4:12.23, a Central Region championship record, and the 800 in 1:57.09.

Craddock won the high jump with a career-best leap of 6-5.

Said Craddock: “I came in thinking [a victory] was possible, but I figured I’d probably have to get lucky and some other people would have to jump something less than their best. This really feels nice. No one can say 6-5 is lucky.“

Contact Vic Dorr Jr. at (804) 649-6442 or .

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