Planes flew over Warren Central High School’s Viking Stadium Friday night — but this time it was planned.

The fly-over — before the start of the River City Classic, a high-rivalry game between the Vicksburg Gators and Warren Central Vikings — came two days after the drop of thousands of “Gator Bait” leaflets at the stadium from a low-flying plane.

“We organized this one,” said Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford from the sidelines Friday night. “It was announced before the game, before the playing of the National Anthem.”

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said his phone lit up with calls from concerned parents and residents during and immediately after the fly-over. Deputies directing traffic and herding the crowd at the Mississippi 27 campus were also asked about it.

“We knew nothing of this while it occurred,” Pace said. “We immediately contacted (WC principal) Rodney Smith, who informed us that it was something a school official had arranged.”

The fly-over appeared to fire up the crowd.

“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if someone would’ve told me right before,” said spectator Kevin Cooksey, whose son Cam plays for Vicksburg. “It was great.”

The air show featured four World War II trainer planes from the Mississippi Wings of the Commemorative Air Force and was organized by VWSD Athletics Director Lum Wright with the assistance of local builder and pilot Dan Fordice, said Swinford.

Fordice arranged a similar display just prior to the St. Aloysius-Bogue Chitto game at Farrell Stadium-Balzi Field on Grove Street.

“We were just a little off there, though, with it being so dark,” he said. “We missed the stadium by about half a mile.”

Fordice said a formation training clinic is being held this weekend at the Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport, and he provided both fly-overs free to give the pilots some extra practice.

The planes flew over the stadium five feet away from each other, at up to 130 mph.

When asked how low they flew, Fordice said, “We did not get below 1,000 feet” — the minimum altitude required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

FAA officials are continuing to investigate Wednesday’s prank, in which a private plane is believed to have flown as low as 100 or 200 feet while dropping the leaflets. Violations of FAA regulations can result in a pilot having his license suspended or revoked and, in some cases, a civil penalty.

“We have had fly-overs before,” Swinford said. “We never notify law enforcement. But in the aftermath of what happened Wednesday, I can see how people would get a little nervous.”

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Sports editor Steve Wilson contributed to this report.