NATCHEZ &045; OK, here, from the lips of the man himself, is the correct way to spell the first name of Natchez High’s standout hurdler: K-E-D-D-R-I-E-C-K.

Not Kendrick or Kedrick or Kit-Kat or whatever else you’ve read in newspapers. Even Gatorade, who recognized Gibbons &045; his last name &045; and recent Natchez High graduate Janice Davis as 2003’s top amateur track and field athletes for the state of Mississippi, left out the second ‘E.’

Despite the faux pas, Gibbons, who captured the 5A State championship in the 110-meter hurdles and the triple jump in May, is all smiles after a calf injury has sidelined him for the summer.

&uot;It’s really lifted my spirits up during this summer,&uot; said Gibbons, who will begin his senior year next month. &uot;One of my goals was to make it to the Junior Olympics, but I got hurt and the doctors told me I couldn’t run. So this helps.&uot;

For Davis, the Gatorade acknowledgement is old hat. Davis, the four-time state champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash, also won the award after her sophomore and junior seasons.

The 4.4 GPA student is a ball of energy, as she prepares to leave the roost and head out west where she will attend Stanford University.

&uot;I’m like a kid in a candy store. My mother sees the fire in my eyes,&uot; said Davis, who has spent most of the summer casually reading W.E.B. DuBois. &uot;I’m excited to be competing against teams like USC, LSU and Texas instead of Murrah and Gulfport.&uot;

The Gatorade High School Player of the Year program recognizes one winner in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and then awards one National Player of the Year in football, volleyball, baseball, softball and boys and girls’ basketball, soccer, and track and field.

Gatorade’s Male Athlete of the Year was LeBron James, the Akron, Ohio, high school basketball player who was the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft last month.

&uot;The people of Natchez should be proud of two individuals like Janice and Keddrieck,&uot; Natchez High Athletic Director Robert Cade said. &uot;It should show people that when students come to Natchez High they’re going to get a quality experience.&uot;

A baseball player at heart, Gibbons flew under everyone’s radar until he began making noise in the 110-meter hurdles as a sophomore.

Soon, similar to Davis, Gibbons was off to national competitions lining his fingertips alongside some of the country’s best juniors.

&uot;I knew people were going to be shocked because they never heard of me before,&uot; Gibbons said. &uot;Then, when I started going off to nationals, no one thought I’d do anything because I’m from Mississippi. Other states have professional trainers who spend time with them working on specific things. Here, we have just one coach, and he can’t all help us at once.&uot;

Out west, with specialized coaches wherever she will look, Davis does not have to worry about a shortage of coaches.

After delivering a sub-Davis performance due to nagging hamstring injuries in both of her legs, which have bothered her since February, Davis was told by Stanford head coach Vin Lananna to rest for the summer.

&uot;I didn’t want to miss my senior year, plus the doctors said I could run on it as long as I was careful,&uot; she said. &uot;But I need a break now to prepare for a long, grueling season. My coach wants me ready for the programs I’ll start in August. Hopefully, that will make the transition to the Olympic trials easier next summer.&uot;

Davis is quick to not get ahead of herself by setting goals some may think were unattainable, but she is confident she’ll be ready to run with the NCAA’s best soon enough.

As a freshman, Davis will have to start the cycle over of being the new kid on the block and endure the mind games every rookie must persevere through.

&uot;With females I haven’t really experienced that too much,&uot; she said. &uot;There could be 20,000 people in the stands and I wouldn’t know it because of my focus. Now it doesn’t matter what your classification is. It’s just strength and speed, and come with it.&uot;

For Gibbons, he returns to a team that has been decimated by losses of key runners due to graduation. Gibbons compared to starting over from scratch.

One thing is for sure. They next time Gibbons takes his mark, everyone to the left and right of him will know how to spell his name.

&uot;They’re going to have to give it their best because I’m going for the state and national records next year,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m coming back stronger than I was this year.&uot;