NATCHEZ — It wasn’t her ultimate goal, but a state championship was a nice souvenir for ACCS high jumper Nikki Worthey.

Worthey secured the gold at the MAIS Class AA overall track meet last Friday, clearing a hurdle of 5 feet to finish in first place. But Worthey said there’s 6 inches of separation between her state championship and what she’s still shooting for.

“I’m trying to reach the 5-foot-6 height so I can beat the high school girls’ record,” Worthey said. “I’m competing against myself.”

In fact, 5 feet wasn’t even the highest Worthey has ever cleared. At the Centreville Academy track meet earlier this season, she jumped over the bar when it was at 5 feet, 4 inches.

“Honestly, I thought I was still doing 5-foot-2,” Worthey said. “My coach tells me it’s a mental thing, so she didn’t tell me it was at 5-foot-2. When I cleared it, I was surprised.”

But Worthey admitted that it was a nice feeling getting the No. 1 stop at the Overall track meet, even if it wasn’t 5-foot-6.

“There’s a confidence in knowing that you’ve cleared higher than the level you’re on,” Worthey said. “When you don’t get that high, you’re kind of disappointed in yourself.”

Worthey said she started running track in eighth grade. Now a junior, Worthey also competes in the relays, as well as the 200- and 100-meter dashes.

“Running helps build my legs up big time,” Worthey said. “It gets my conditioning to where, after I’ve jumped five to 10 times, I still have more in me. I’m not tired or out of shape.”

Worthey also plays basketball, and she said the conditioning workouts for basketball help get her in shape for track as well.

“We lift weights for basketball, and that helps a lot,” she said.

ACCS head coach Melanie Hall said she knew Worthey would be a high jumper when Worthey was in middle school.

Hall said she told Worthey to jump up and grab a piece of paper that was stuck on the balcony inside the school’s gym. Worthey did so without any problems, Hall said.

“I said, ‘Come here, Nikki, let me show you what you did,’” Hall said. “I showed her the distance from point A to point B on the floor, and she said, ‘Wow.’”

So it was no surprise to Hall when Worthey secured the state championship in the for the girls high jump, she said. And Hall said she thinks the best is still yet to come for Worthey.

“I don’t think she realizes how talented she is,” Hall said. “I think she’s going to take (the state title) again.”

Worthey said she was already clearing 5 feet when she was in eighth grade, and the quest to clear 5-foot-6 begins this summer.

“I’m going all out,” Worthey said. “I’m going to start practicing this summer.”