McCallie’s Zack McAteer participates in the pole vault event during the Optimist Track and Field meet Friday, April 13, 2018 at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tenn. Cleveland’s Keegan Jones might be on his way to play football for Navy, but there is good reason the Midshipmen athletic department is hoping he will be a two-sport star.
Jones burned up the track at the annual Optimist Championship held at Girls Preparatory School, winning both the 100-meter dash in 10.78 seconds and the 200 in 21.97. He set a personal record in the latter and was just 0.2 second slower than the fastest time in the state of Tennessee this season in both events.
“They’re trying really hard to get me to run track, but I’m not so sure about that,” Jones said. “Today’s 200 meters was the fastest I’ve ever run. I’m usually around a 22.5.”
Jones just missed out on sweeping all three of his events when he came in second by an inch and a half to McCallie’s Hakim McMorris in the long jump earlier in the day. Jones jumped 23 feet, 4 inches a month ago, putting him at the top of the state’s rankings.
“I had one that was over 23 feet today, but I fell backwards so they had to mark it where my hands were,” Jones said.