Maybe Vicksburg and Warren Central need to make an offering to the weather gods.

Did the soccer teams offend them in some way? It certainly seems so.

Before Christmas, Vicksburg and Warren Central tried to renew their rivalry. The rain intervened. The game was rescheduled.

Rain clouds appeared on the horizon again.

“It definitely seemed like somebody didn’t want that game to take place,” WC girls coach Trey Banks said. “It kind of puts us in a squeeze when we’re playing games in the rainy season, which in Mississippi is November through February.”

All of the adjustments to the schedule have moved back non-division games for both schools or resulted in them being canceled. While wiggle room is installed in schedules put together before the season, the multiple delays have stretched this to the breaking point.

The Vicksburg-Warren Central game was pushed back until after the Christmas break on Jan. 5. The silver lining was that the break was a boon for the Warren Central boys, who had some injuries that a nice break helped heal. The Vikings earned a 2-0 victory and are tied for first place in Division 3-6A.

Tuesday, the second meeting of the season was on the schedule and the forecast was soggier than a well-used dish rag.

This time, it’s the Vicksburg girls who are the recipients of an unexpected bonus. Vicksburg coach Kori Babb is grateful for the delay. Speaking of delays, the Missy Gators play another weather-delayed game against Greenville-Weston at home tonight.

“Somebody is looking out for us because not all my players are healthy,” Babb said about the silver lining behind the dark rain clouds.

The rematch was moved up to Tuesday night at 5:30. A previously scheduled Vicksburg game at home against Brandon was moved to Jan. 19 to compensate.

A win would lock up a playoff berth for Vicksburg, which has the goal differential advantage on Warren Central after taking a 2-1 victory in the first meeting.

As for Warren Central, the delay puts them in a tough spot. The Lady Vikes take on Clinton Friday, Vicksburg on Tuesday and Clinton again the following Friday. Taking two from Clinton or beating Vicksburg by two goals would lock up a playoff berth for WC.

“Our objective is to win both games,” Banks said. “We’re not going to try to worry about the scenarios, but do what we know best. I just want to keep our girls healthy and in form for these games.”

So delay or not, the stakes couldn’t be higher for both teams.

The reasoning behind postponing the games is solid. Rain-soaked muddy fields are vulnerable, as cleats tear up the browned turf in its most fragile state, inflicting permanent damage. The mud slows the games to a crawl and raises the specter of injuries caused by the slippery footing.

But as long as the Mississippi High School Activities Association continues to put soccer season outdoors in the harshest and rainiest of seasons, this spate of postponements will continue.

At least until the weather gods are appeased.

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Steve Wilson is sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. You can follow him on Twitter at vpsportseditor. He can be reached at 601-636-4545, ext. 142 or at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.