NATCHEZ &045; Tanieka Hill conceals a heavy heart under a white cotton sleeve.

The tattoo is about the size of three 25-cent pieces, and inside it sits her father’s name &uot;Bennie Hill,&uot; as a blooming rose twines itself up a gleaming sword plunged vertically through the heart’s center.

Along with 15 years of nostalgia, the ink on the Natchez High senior hurdler’s left bicep is a constant reminder of Bennie Hill, who died Nov. 13, 2000, two days before his birthday.

&uot;Every time I got into trouble I ran to him,&uot; said Hill, who will kiss her arm prior to her events at the Class 5A South State track meet in Gulfport today. &uot;He had one other daughter, but I talked to him about everything. He was my sidekick. When he died, something was missing. So I just try and be good at everything I do.&uot;

Mission accomplished.

The two-time reigning state champion in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles has been a vital part of the Lady Bulldogs’ dynasty, which includes three consecutive state crowns.

&uot;This was her way out; a way to keep her mind off that tragedy,&uot; Natchez track coach Larry Wesley said. &uot;I talk to her about missing her father. I tell her, ‘There’s life after death. Cherish what you have now, but never forget the memories of him.’&uot;

Hill, a sprinter as a sophomore behind current Stanford freshman Janice Davis, moved to hurdles two years ago, albeit reluctantly.

&uot;It wasn’t a choice. At first when you’re made to do something, you really don’t want to do it. But eventually I became good at it to where I love it,&uot; Hill said.

With Mississippi track’s grandest high school stage a week away, it’s unlikely Hill won’t qualify for her wheelhouse events. Her 100 time of 15.21 is tops in the state this year and Hill’s time of 44.43 seconds set the new Class 5A mark in the 300 at the state meet last May.

Like many current and former Natchez track standouts, Hill’s reputation at meets precedes herself.

The seemingly invincible aura surrounding her is cause for her opponents’ stomachs to churn.

&uot;I’m the one out in front now. But there’s always someone out there practicing more than you,&uot; said Hill, irrefutably her toughest critic. &uot;I have to keep that in mind because I know people want to beat me. If I get beat, I’ll be hurt because I won’t be working as hard as I’m supposed to.&uot;

Complacency is a flaw she admits falling prey to of late. With a full-blown case of senioritis, Hill suffers from boredom in practice: cutting corners, running one lap instead of two.

While it’s human nature to get bogged down in ruts, it’s inexcusable to Hill, who hates copouts.

&uot;I’m supposed to be a leader. I should always do more and make (the underclassmen) realize that practice has made me this good,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m not running to my potential. I have to push myself because other things are on my mind that shouldn’t be.&uot;

One of those distractions is fretting over where she will flip life’s next page. The odds-on favorite is Mississippi State, but other universities, such as South Alabama, have shown interest.

Another issue concerns pressing to defend the Lady Bulldogs’ current state title streak.

While only Davis and Lexi Washington finished their eligibility last season, many have written off Natchez’s chances at repeating for a fourth time.

&uot;We were the powerhouse, but now everybody has this attitude that we’re not gonna do it again,&uot; Hill said.

Wesley thinks Hill might carry an undue burden into State next week &uot;just to prove a point&uot; and silence the naysayers.

&uot;She has confidence in herself and that’s the most important thing,&uot; the fourth-year head coach said. &uot;I wish she was my child. She’s coachable, real pleasant, always has that smile. There are certain people in this world who you can tell their moods by their body language. That’s her, but she always seems to be joyous.&uot;

It wasn’t always an upbeat countenance Hill showed, though. When Bennie died that fall, she sulked, she questioned, she bawled to grandmother Dee Ella Hill, who helped raise Tanieka since she was 5.

Tanieka Hill said those sorrowful and mournful moments are few and far between since she has learned one of life’s valuable lessons: All the buckets she fills with tears cannot bring Bennie back.

&uot;When he first died I cried a lot,&uot; she said. &uot;The only thing it seemed I knew was track. I wish he could be here to see me.&uot;