Windham’s Tayla Pelletier, center, leads the pack on her way to victory in the 55-meter hurdles at the Class A indoor track and field championships. To the left is Scarborough’s Isabella Harmon and to the right is Portland’s Anneliese Collin. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

Her biggest performances always seemed to come when she needed them most.

Windham senior Tayla Pelletier was not having her best day in the triple jump — her marquee event — and was on verge of not winning a Class A title. Portland’s Alisandra Lindos had already jumped 36 feet, 7 inches and Pelletier’s best jump was 36-3 with only one attempt remaining.

Pelletier, though, delivered, with a jump of 36-8 1/2 to claim her second state title in the event in three years as well as her second title of the day (she also won the 55-meter hurdles). After a remarkable season, Pelletier is the 2024-25 Varsity Maine Girls Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

“That’s just what she does — she rises to the occasion,” said Windham coach Jeff Riddle. “She gets these extraordinary opportunities to fly, and this bird just stays in it and does the most amazing things in the sport of track and field.”

Pelletier was primed to have a big senior season. As a junior last year, she won both the state and New England titles in the triple jump in the spring. She was also the top returning indoor and outdoor runner in the sprint hurdles.

She didn’t disappoint, winning the state triple jump title with her aforementioned jump and claiming the 55 hurdles championship with a time of 8.46 seconds. She also won SMAA titles with the same 35-8 distance in the triple jump, an 8.59 run in the hurdles and a 17-3 1/2 mark in the long jump.

After her Maine high school season was complete, Pelletier went to the New England championships, where she competed in the 55 hurdles and long jump. She ran an 8.58 in the hurdles to finish seventh and placed third in the long jump with a 19-1, one of two notable jumps on the day.

“My first jump really shocked me, and I just knew there was more,” said Pelletier, who had an 18-10 on her opening attempt. “I went in there with the mindset of PR-ing and pushing myself to be my best. I definitely wanted a good outcome with how hard I’ve worked.”

Not competing in the triple jump at indoor New Englands might have seemed a peculiar choice given Pelletier’s past success in that event. Yet the long jump was something she had been on working with Riddle all winter — and after she placed third with a 17-3 at states, he knew a much bigger jump was on the way.

“After her state jumps, we got a chance to spend two days over break in a long jump pit, and I told her there was no question she was going to get at least an 18-2,” Riddle said. “A 19-1 high school jumper with one season of training in it and no pit to learn it — the kind of pursuit and athleticism and mindset that takes is just incredible.”

Given her outstanding speed and jumping prowess, Riddle called Pelletier a “Swiss Army Knife” of track and field. She holds season bests among Maine girls in five events: 55-meter hurdles (8.46), 60-meter hurdles (9.27), long jump (19-1), triple jump (36-9 1/4) and pentathlon (2,947 points).

The pentathlon, offered at a Jan. 4 meet at the University of Southern Maine, combined the 55 hurdles, 800, long jump, triple jump and shot put. Winning that event decisively in a field that also included Scarborough’s Isabella Harmon and Greely’s Victoria Zandan was a true testament to Pelletier’s abilities.

“I really enjoyed that,” Pelletier said. “I like having a change in events every now and then and try something new. The pentathlon is fun because, when you’re doing five different events, it’s a thing where maybe you’re kind of good at one, really good at one and mediocre at another. That helps you get better all around.”

Pelletier’s versatility bodes well for her plans to continue with track and field in college after she graduates from Windham in June. She has yet to decide on a school but said she has narrowed the list down to a few choices.

“I think being a (multi-event athlete) is her bread and butter,” Riddle said. “Any college that’s smart enough to grab her is going help her get on that college schedule and let her take this to whatever level she chooses.”