Purcell senior Jayden Polk finished third at the Class 4A State cross country meet.

The race was held at Carl Albert and Polk finished with a time of 16:13.5.

Polk said he wanted to get out to a fast start.

“I wanted to get out fast and run with the State champion from last year and stick with him,” he said.

He did that and the top three runners finished in a grouping well ahead of the rest of the field.

Polk is now a four-time All-Stater in cross country.

Polk was recovering from illness when he ran in the Regional cross country meet in Waurika and was not happy with his time.

“I was sick and it set me back a little,” Polk said. “I went into State ready because I wanted to beat the people who beat me in Regionals.”

Isaac Anderson of Oklahoma Christian School won the State race with a time of 15:51.4.

Ethan Jones of Cache High School was second with a time of 15:54.0.

“I’m going for it in track next,” Polk said.