Dogwood Track Classic (Charlottesville, VA)
Making the long journey down to his future home, AJ Ernst of Marblehead went down to Charlottesville,VA and toed the line with some of the nations finest runners over 800m. It was definitely a race that did not disappoint, as we saw the Top 3 finishers go US#1 1:48.58, US#2 1:48.64, and US#3 1:48.67. Despite being slightly over that trio, AJ Ernst still turned in a sensational performance and closed extremely well over the last 150m to run US#10 / MA#1 time of 1:50.95. Not only was that an incredible PR for Ernst, but we believe it moves him up to #9 All-Time on the MA Outdoor list.
Given the number of weeks still left in the high school season, we could see Ernst make a very good run at Darren Dinneen's state record time of 1:49.00 set in 1996.
We caught up with Andrew Ernst today and got his take on this weekends big race:
"Before the race I was hoping to hang on for dear life in the first 600m, and then hoping to slingshot and maybe pick off the leaders. After I was ecstatic with a big PR. My goal going into this race was to run under 1:52, but now I feel like the state record is within reach. The Dogwood Classic was really a great experience. I don't know if there'll be too many more 800s like this year."-AJ Ernst post 1:50.95 at the Dogwood Classic in Virginia
Boys 800m [Outdoors] All-Time -- Massachusetts
1:49.0 Darren Dinneen, Phillips Academy, Andover 1996
1:49.55 Jon Mann, Wayland 1983
1:49.68 Garrett O'Toole, Middlesex School, Concord 2014
1:50.2 Paul Neves, Brockton 1980
1:50.46 Said Ahmed, Boston English, Jamaica Plain 2001
1:50.5+ Billy Martin, Catholic Memorial, West Roxbury 1975 [1:51.1y]
1:50.79 Victor Gras', Belmont 2004
1:50.9+ Bill Spierdowis, Foxboro 1998
1:50.95 Andrew Ernst, Marblehead 2016
1:51.40 P.J. Garmon , Billerica 2015
1:51.54 Joe Luongo, St John's Prep 2015
1:51.58 Abdirizak Mohammed, Boston English, Jamaica Plain 1998
1:51.8# Omar Simmons, Boston Technical 1988
1:51.9+ Keith "Big Bird" Francis, New Bedford 1972 [1:52.5y]
1:51.92 Russell Dinkins, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Monson 2008
1:51.96# Lance Campbell, Rindge & Latin, Cambridge 1997
1:51.99 Josh Lampron, Mansfield 2012
1:52.00# Fin Kelley, Groton-Dunstable, Groton 1997
1:52.25 Kevin Murphy, BC High, Dorchester 1993
1:52.3+ Mike Mahoney, Randolph 1974 [1:52.9y]
1:52.31 Andrew Rolim, Somerville 2013
1:52.32+ Jonathan Riley, Brookline 1997
1:52.33 John Bauer, Concord-Carlisle, Concord 2002
1:52.66 Nick Wade, Attleboro 2009
Joel Hubbard, Marshfield 2012
Editor/Publisher
New England Track
Athletics Press & Public Relations
978-821-9800 -cell
978-374-2626 - h/o
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