Paton-Churdan freshman Trevon Keely will represent the Rockets on Friday in the Class 1A boys’ high jump at 2:05 p.m. inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines at the 2024 Coed State Track & Field Championships. Keely is the first from his school in decades to qualify in the high jump, and the first boy to qualify for State in several year from P-C. Prior to this season, Danielle Hoyle, who won the 1A girls’ discus throw in 2021, was the last Paton-Churdan State qualifier, girl or boy.

Keely cleared 6′ 4″ at a State Qualifying Meet in Earlham and that’s the second highest clearance among the 24 qualifiers from last Thursday. Only ACGC’s Lance Bunde at 6′ 5″ went higher. The State experience is one Keely is looking forward to, and he told Raccoon Valley Radio he’s never been inside Drake Stadium.