PEARL – Mississippi High School Activities Association director Dr. Ennis Proctor was bound and determined to try and finish Saturday’s Mississippi High School Activities Association Track and Field meet.

But Mother Nature had other plans.

After suspending the Class 5A, 1A and 2A meets on two occassions because of lightning, Proctor finally caved into the elements just minutes after a call had gone out to start the 5A girls’ 1,600-meter run.

At that point, athletes, coaches and fans had to scurry some 400 yards back to their buses and cars. Some creative souls, picked up their team tent and just walked en masse to the their respective buses.

One Vicksburg coach was not amused.

&#8220I can’t believe they let this go on like they did,” VHS coach Jackie Williamson said during the first weather delay.

Only 10 of 17 events were completed.

&#8220We tried our best to get it completed. But it (the heavy rain) is just not going to let up,” Proctor said during a driving downpour. &#8220We’ll start it back Monday afternoon at 2.”

The extra rest could benefit the Vicksburg Missy Gators, who own a tenous 2-point lead over Brandon (51-49) after 10 completed events. Tupelo is third with 36 points.

Cloudy skies greeted the athletes during the field portion of the meet. The Missy Gators picked up 28 points, including 22 alone from junior Rachel Jenkins.

Jenkins won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 7 inches. She then finished fifth in the high jump and got second in the triple jump.

When the track phase began, a light but persistent rain began falling. The Missy Gators suffered the first of two bad breaks when North State 5A champ Stephanie Wright placed fifth in the 100 hurdles.

Then two-time defending 100-meter dash champ Courtney Prentiss finished fifth allowing Brandon to pull even just before the 4-by-200 relay. More lightning flashed and the meet was stopped at 2.

Following an hour delay, the meet resumed with the Missy Gators on the track for the 200 relay. Jenkins ran a solid second leg, turning it over to Wright and Prentiss, who shrugged off their earlier disappointment to win the relay ahead of Brandon in 1:43.23.

The 10-8 result, put VHS ahead 51-49.

The Vicksburg boys finished second in its 4 x 200 relay to Wingfield. Then the rain returned.

The 1A and 2A girls completed their 1,600 runs in a steady rain. Then, another lightning warning. The meet was stopped at 3:40.

Proctor had hoped to start back at 4 with the 5A girls but the rain only increased.

&#8220I think we’re in pretty good shape because we’ve got a lot left on the track,” Jenkins said. &#8220Winning the long jump was great. I did it on my last jump, 18-7.”

The Vicksburg boys got a gold medal from Delmon Robinson in the high jump. He cleared 6-6 and won on fewer scratches.

&#8220Can this make me Who’s Hot?” Robinson asked.

The Hinds AHS War Dawgs had 84 points and were well on their way to the 2A Boys crown.

&#8220We won the discus and the high jump and we’ve got a lot of depth on the track left,” said Hinds coach Michael Fields. &#8220We’ve got two guys in every event on in.”

St. Al’s Holly Fagan and Bray Jones had to wait three hours in the rain only to be told to come back Monday.

Fagan is entered in the 1A girls 800 run while Jones is in the 300 hurdles.

Raner wins 400 at MPSA meet at MC.

Samantha Raner, an eighth grader at Campus Prep, won the Academy-A 400 meter dash Saturday at Mississippi College in Clinton. Raner won by more than a second over second-place finisher Bethany Felcher of Wilkinson Christian.

Raner won in 1:02.92. Felcher came in at 1:03.96.

Porters Chapel finished sixth in the boys 1A standings with 35 points. Chris Mixon was second in the 100 (11.33) and 200 (23.34) dashes to Glenbrook’s Chris Wentz who won both races.

Kenny Simms was fourth in the 400 meters and the Eagles were fourth in both the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.