Courtney Prentiss isn’t cocky when she answers the question, not even arrogant. Her simple, one word answer comes from confidence and knowledge.

Knowledge that no one has beaten her. Knowledge that no one is close. Knowledge that only she can beat herself.

So is there anyone out there who can step up to challenge one of the fastest girls in Mississippi?

&#8220No,” Prentiss says flatly.

For three years, Prentiss has been almost untouchable in the 100 and 200 meters. She’s only lost twice in four years – once each in both races. Those two losses came at last year’s Class 5A state meet when she finished fifth in the 100 on a rain-soaked track, then second in the 200 two days later.

The losses stripped her of her status as two-time defending state champion in both events and motivated her this year. Heading into Saturday’s Class 5A state meet in Pearl, Prentiss is once again the favorite to win a gold medal. No one in Class 5A is within a half-second of her fastest time.

&#8220The girl that did win was pretty fast,” Prentiss said of Starkville’s Santana Lowery, last year’s champion in the 100 and 200. &#8220That wasn’t the point. The point was, I didn’t place at all. My goal was to come back and get my medals back and do better than I have done in the past.”

Prentiss burst onto the scene as a freshman, winning the 2004 state title in the 100 with a time of 12.30 seconds and finished about five meters ahead of her closest rival. She completed the sprint sweep in the 200, then repeated the feat the next year.

In between, even during regular-season meets, she never lost a race.

&#8220I was like everybody else – in awe,” Vicksburg coach Deborah Brown said. &#8220She has helped Coach Brown be known. She really put Vicksburg back on the map in the four years she’s been here.”

Prentiss continued her dominance through her junior year, until the two bad races at the state meet. All that did was tick her off. She’s come out blazing again this spring, clocking an unofficial time of 11.89 seconds in the 100 at the regional meet two weeks ago, and 24.24 seconds in the 200.

Those times are about a half-second faster than Madison Central’s Candace Polk, Prentiss’ closest competitor. The margin is the blink of an eye in everyday life, but translates to 20 or 30 feet on the track.

&#8220Candace could challenge her, but once Courtney gets out of the block in the straightaway it’s over. (Polk) needs more training,” Brown said, adding that she believes Prentiss could give another superfast senior a run for her money. &#8220If she had a chance to run against Bianca Knight, it’d be a race.”

Prentiss won’t get that chance. Knight, the Ridgeland senior who set the overall state record in the 100 meters with an 11.40 last year, runs in Class 4A. Vicksburg, at least until next year, is in Class 5A. And, for at least another year, the Missy Gators will probably miss out on a team track championship.

The Missy Gators have finished second in each of the last three years, but only qualified for seven events this time. Brown figures the best they can with so few available points is third or fourth. That won’t be bad, given the circumstances, she said, and will give them something to build on.

&#8220There’s a little less pressure. I don’t have to worry about the baton being dropped,” laughed Brown, whose team’s struggles in the relay events at the state meet have been its downfall. &#8220This is a young group. The majority of the team is sophomores. I’ve only got two seniors.”

Like the Missy Gators, Vicksburg’s boys team is also focusing on individual events. The Gators have qualified for seven events, none of them relays. Their best chances for gold medals are Michael Cooper in the 400 meters and Carlos Williams in the shot put.

Williams won the North State title, while Cooper is near the top of the competition.

&#8220Michael Cooper has the second-fastest time in the state in the 400 by seven-tenths of a second,” Vicksburg boys coach Toriano Wells said. &#8220It all depends on how he comes that day. He knows what he needs to do.”