NATCHEZ &045; If Superman could leap tall buildings in single bound, then the trio of hurdlers from Natchez High School must have their own phone booths and pairs of eyeglasses hidden somewhere.

Like a family tree senior Tanieka Hill, junior Kendrick Gibbons and sophomore Karlecio Richardson own the four best times in the state in the 110-meter and 300-meter high hurdles on both the boys and girls side this year.

Gibbons is the Bruce Wayne of the group and maintains his aristocratic rise among the nation’s elite in his field. He and his meet-fighting cronies return to the state meet in Jackson this weekend, where the Natchez girls won the whole enchilada a season ago.

&uot;We want to win state again. We know we all have our own job to do separately out there,&uot; said Hill, owner of the top time in the girls 110 at 14.50 and 300 at 45.30. &uot;It’s something we must do both individually and as a team.&uot;

Individually, Gibbons returns to the same track where last season he watched an amazing personal year fall by the wayside when he &045; not-so-superherolike &045; pulled his hamstring in the 4×200-meter relay.

After aggravating the hammy at the district championships, then worsening it the following week at South State, he finally felt it yank while running in the final of the relay, Gibbons said.

Despite the nightmarish end, Gibbons has no qualms about returning to the scene of the accident this Saturday.

&uot;I don’t think about it too much. I don’t let it bother me,&uot; said Gibbons, whose time of 13.56 is gaudy. &uot;My injury is finally gone, and I’ve been working hard to get my full strength back. I feel healed now.&uot;

Both of head coach Larry Wesley’s teams will send seven competitors to Jackson and with eight first-place finishers each, the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs have the chance to pull of the hard-to-come-by championship sweep.

Led by wonder woman Janice Davis, who makes her final appearance in a Natchez uniform before she heads off to Stanford next fall, the Lady Bulldogs have a practical shot at repeating from last year’s run.

&uot;I know (Davis) is going to miss this because this is where she started,&uot; Wesley said. &uot;The ticket she has now &045; where did it all begin &045; the Natchez-Adams School District.&uot;

Wesley expects his girls to face their toughest challenge from Columbus, whose girls placed second to the Lady Bulldogs in 2002 and boys captured state.

Unwittingly, the boys have created an arch enemy in recent weeks with Brandon High School, who has edged the Bulldogs at the district, regional and South State championships sequentially.

&uot;It’s going to be a good challenge for us,&uot; Wesley said. &uot;(Brandon) puts two competitors each in the shotput, discus and pole vault &045; events we don’t have athletes in. So we need some help from Columbus and Madison Central.&uot;

Wesley held a rather informal practice Tuesday, where this week he’s having to fight the major distraction of prom.

Richardson was a little late to the baby blue asphalt after getting measured for his tuxedo.

It’s no wonder Richardson has become a big man on campus. Last year at this time he was participating in only the high jump and relay events.

Wesley noticed Richardson’s soaring potential toward the end of last season and penciled him into the hurdles with the Natchez Track club summer team and it rolled so well into this season that Richardson won last week’s 300-meter high hurdles in 38.36 and finished two spots behind the South State champion Gibbons in the 110 hurdles.

&uot;In the 110 I might be a little nervous because this is my first year to run,&uot; Richardson said of any jitters popping up in Jackson. &uot;In the 300 I’m anxious to win the race, but I won’t be nervous to compete.&uot;

Gibbons cannot remember the last time he felt butterflies getting ready in the blocks.

&uot;It doesn’t too much bother me, not competition wise at least,&uot; said Gibbons, who will run this June at the Adidas Outdoor Championships in Raleigh, N.C. &uot;That’s not to say I’m better than everybody else, but I don’t think anyone can hang with me up there.&uot;