Peyton leaps into Pirates’ history:

Peyton Keller just wanted a medal.

She got that all right — a gold one — and a school record and school history.

The Port Washington High School junior won the high jump at the Division 1 state track and field meet on Saturday, becoming the first girl in school history to win an individual state title in the sport.

“I was honestly just going and hoping I’d be on the podium. But first was not anything I was expecting at all,” Keller said.

Keller came in tied with one other competitor for the highest jump in the state, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches.

The heights started low, knocking out some of the 27 competitors who couldn’t clear them each time. Each only got one jump.

Three girls reached 5-6 — none had cleared that level before and Keller set a school record by doing so, Port coach Joe Adamak said.

Keller had her medal; she knew she was in the top three.

A that point, “I might as well just go all out,” she thought.

The trio missed at 5-7, and it was down to Keller and Lainey Chancellor of Waunakee, who reached that point with the same number of jumps. Janesville Craig’s Chloe Hedman had more misses and automatically got third place.

To determine the champion, the bar was set back to 5-7. Keller and Chancellor both missed. Then came 5-6. They missed again.

At 5-5, Chancellor went first and didn’t make it. Keller had a jump to win the state title.

She launched her 6-foot, 2-inch frame over the bar and cleared it

“It was surreal. I couldn’t even explain it. It was such an amazing feeling,” she said.

Keller instantly ran to her parents, grandparents and teammates to give them a hug.

“They were all there to watch me jump. It was so awesome,” she said.

The event took around three hours and 17 jumps. Keller usually leaps fewer than 10 times at a meet.

“It was quite tense. It took several hours to complete the event,” Adamak said.

“She wasn’t nervous. She was just having fun competing. I’m sure the coaches and parents were very nervous. I think it was harder on the people watching. The competitors were having a good time. They all know each other.”

Keller stuck to her jump prep and adjusted as needed.

“I have a routine down for stretching before I jump. And I don’t like to watch the other girls jump. I like to focus on myself,” she said.

“I stretch every time before I jump and I do a light workout after each jump. I do A skips and B skips (running drills). I’ll just keep active after all my jumps.”

She also has a Liquid I.V. water.

“That’s what keeps me hydrated and awake during the entire time,” Keller said.

“I actually ran out of my water right away so I had to keep refilling it (with plain water).”

Adamak said Keller’s ability to focus is key.

“She concentrates very well. She likes to compete, and she’s business when she competes. She’s out there for a reason. She works very hard. She studies her events,” he said.

Qualifying for state last season prepared Keller for the meet’s logistics and competiton.

“I knew what I was going into and I knew there were a lot of other good jumpers and I knew how the rules work. It was a lot different than meets I usually jump,” she said.

Soon after this year’s event was completed came the medal ceremony.

“I thought I was dreaming. It was crazy. I didn’t even think my name would be announced. It was awesome,” Keller said.

Keller’s celebration included dining at Texas Roadhouse.

“I ate, like, five trays of the rolls. They’re amazing,” she said.

Keller works hard at jumping but doesn’t practice often. She doesn’t have a bar and mat at home.

“I literally can only train high jump when I’m at practice,” she said.

Adamak doesn’t have her jump much there, either.

“We save those for the meets. I think that keeps you healthy and helps your endurance,” he said. “Jumping takes a toll on your whole system, that whole gravity thing.”

Keller also qualified in the triple jump. She got seventh with a leap of 36-2.25, just three inches from a medal.

“I guess she’s pretty good at that too,” Adamak said.

“It was not one of my best days. I think I was very nervous. I didn’t want to scrap any of my jumps,” Keller said, adding her best jump this season would have landed her on the podium.

Earlier this season, Keller also helped the 400 relay to a school record and the 800 relay to one second within a school record this season.

Keller and Adamak said participating in multiple events makes for a better athlete.

“Running definitely helps. Sprinting and endurance helps you a lot,” Keller said.

Keller said she got into jumping several years ago.

“I started in middle school and I wasn’t too good at it. Freshman year I peaked and realized this is what I want to do,” she said.

“I knew I didn’t want to run. I might as well try jumping.”

This summer, Keller plans to attend some track and field camps, lift weights and run. She does circle runs and leans her body toward the inside to imitate how she wants to take off.

Keller writes left-handed but throws, bats, kicks, shoots a basketball and spikes a basketball with her right hand or foot.

Coming into next season, Keller has a different goal: Defend her state title.

Keller was one of two Pirate girls who returned to state. Grace Baumann, the school record holder in the pole vault, again qualified. She didn’t clear the opening height.

“She made some great efforts at it,” Adamak said.