PEARL &045; Check for phone booths, dark suits and Coke bottle glasses, because Kedrieck Gibbons just might be Superman.

At the very least, the 6-0, 168-pound Natchez High hurdler is a freak of nature, able to set state records with spikes missing from his shoes.

Gibbons, pulled hamstring and all, completed the hat trick Saturday, winning MHSAA Class 5A state titles in the long jump and the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.

However, his and his fellow Bulldog efforts aside, it wasn’t enough to eclipse Brandon, which won yet another Class 5A title with 125 points to Natchez’s 67.

Natchez has now caught the bouquet for two consecutive years to Brandon.

&uot;I thank God because without the Lord today, I wouldn’t have made it because my hammy is killing me,&uot; said Gibbons, who came into Saturday with the nation’s second fastest time in the 110 and third fastest in the 300. &uot;It took all my heart and pride to do what I did today.&uot;

Although, it didn’t take all of his spikes in the 110. Despite, missing a total of four spikes from his track cleats, Gibbons posted a new 5A and state 110 record, running a 14.02, 3/100 of a second faster than Tupelo’s Deandre Eiland’s 14.05 in 1999.

Gibbons, a University of South Carolina commitment, believes with the proper utensils he could have run a 13.5 or 13.6.

&uot;They must’ve fell out during warm-ups,&uot; Gibbons said of his cleats. &uot;I was just running hard today. I was all geeked up about this meet.&uot;

He also won both the 300 and long jump rather easily in 37.80 seconds and 23-00 feet, respectively.

In Larry Wesley’s four years as Natchez’s head coach, he has had three runners &045; Gibbons, Tanieka Hill and Janice Davis &045; set state or Class 5A records.

&uot;(Gibbons) and I had a little rivalry going,&uot; Wesley said of his prodigy. &uot;I told him if you can (join) me in the record book, then I’ll think you’re good. ‘You wanna talk to me go get a state record.’ He did that today.&uot;

Wesley-Gibbons wasn’t the only rivalry that ensued on the Pearl High School track Saturday.

Natchez and Brandon, one year removed from being district foes, had a juicy and controversial ending to the 800-meter relay.

Gibbons, the third leg with Travis Washington, Anthony Greene and Jerald Shelvy, opened up a huge gap for the Bulldogs before handing off to Shelvy, the anchor.

However, Shelvy battled cramping in the final 30 meters, and it was obvious he was giving way to Brandon anchor Ken Love.

&uot;I didn’t feel (Love) until the last little stretch,&uot; Shelvy said. &uot;My legs started pulling a little bit. The guy from Brandon (Love) finished second in the 100, but that wasn’t bothering me. I could’ve gotten him.&uot;

With approximately 20 meters left and Shelvy leading by a slim margin, Love raised his right hand that included the baton above his head and finished for Brandon in 1:29.63, ahead of Shelvy and Natchez’s 1:29.87.

The taunting gesture brought Wesley from behind the fence, which guarded the track, and to the scorer’s tent to discuss the scenario with officials.

&uot;Brandon was in our district last year. There’s always a good rivalry with them,&uot; Wesley said. &uot;Something like that will start it back up. We teach our kids in Natchez a lot better than to do stuff like that.&uot;

After about 45 minutes and a French judge later, MHSAA officials disqualified Brandon and awarded the Bulldogs the gold.