GULF SHORES, Ala. – One future member of the LSU track and field program certainly made his last state championship one to remember as Aaron Ernest of Homewood High School captured three Alabama Class 6A state titles this weekend in the event hosted by the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
Ernest wrapped up his prep career with a sweep of Class 6A 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash titles and a win in the long jump in the state meet held at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores.
The highlight of the weekend for Ernest was his record-setting performance in Saturday’s final of the 100 meters as he not only set a new wind-legal personal record in the win, but also established a new AHSAA state record for all classes in the event with a winning time of 10.33 seconds.
He finished nearly a half second ahead of Edgreg Chandler of Tuscaloosa’s Hillcrest High School (10.77) in the final while taking home his first career Class 6A 100-meter championship. Ernest’s winning time of 10.33 is the second-fastest wind-legal time in the country season, trailing only the 10.28 by junior Marvin Bracy of Boone High School in Orlando, Fla. It also shatters his previous wind-legal PR of 10.41 that was set in an MVP performance at the Spain Park Classic on April 9.
Ernest is actually the nation’s No. 1-ranked performer in the 100-meter dash this season in races under all conditions as he owns a top wind-aided time of 10.17 from the Mobile Challenge of Champions.
The emerging sprint star added the Class 6A 200-meter state title to his resume on Saturday after crossing the finish line in a windy 20.99, this time finishing more than half a second ahead of Chandler (21.51). He advanced to the 200-meter final after running a wind-legal time of 20.91 in Friday’s preliminary round.
Ernest has proven to be the nation’s leading dual sprinter with his performance in 2011, as he has now run wind-legal times under 21 seconds in the 200-meter dash on four occasions this spring.
By setting a wind-legal PR of 20.86 at the Mobile Challenge of Champions on April 2, Ernest ranks as the No. 2 prep performer in the country in the event. He followed by running matching times of 20.93 at the Spain Park Classic on April 9 and Volunteer Outdoor Track Classic on April 23 before running a 20.91 in the state prelims during Friday’s competition in Orange Beach.
Ernest also captured the Alabama Class 6A crown in the long jump with a 2011 seasonal best of 23 feet, 5 ¾ inches. With three event titles on the weekend, Ernest scored 30 of Homewood’s 44 points for the team standings as the Patriots finished in a tie for fifth place at the AHSAA Class 6A State Championships.