DES MOINES - Josh Evans succeeded in breaking the state record in the 3200 meter run at the Drake Relays Thursday, but somebody else was a little faster.

Albert Meier of Boone became the first high school runner in state history to break 9 minutes in the 3200 meter run when he crossed the finish line in 8:58.46.

Evans, who gave Meier a good battle, had to settle for second place in 9:01.55. They both eclipsed the old state record of 9:04.33 set by Jon Thomas of Des Moines Roosevelt and both broke the old Drake Relays mark of 9:05.58 set by Kevin Lewis of Ottumwa in 2005.

"I wanted to run a great race and that's exactly what I got," said Evans,a senior at Linn-Mar. "I can't ask for anything more than that. I ran what I wanted to run, so I'm very happy."

Evans was hoping to break 9 minutes as well, but he got jostled at the start of the race and had to wipe water off his face during the eight-lap event. It was not raining during the race, but the track was wet from rains earlier in the day.

He survived the jostling, but was a little distracted by the water.

"I think the biggest thing, people kept kicking up water," he said. "You're running along and people are kicking up water in your face. That was a little unusual. That was something I had to deal with."

Evans predicted several weeks ago that somebody was going to break 9 minutes this year, considering all the top distance runners in the state.

He gave it his best shot, but faded a little at the end.

"Coming down the finish I knew it was going to be close to getting under 9," he said. "I couldn't come up with anything more. I was just wiped.

"I felt really relaxed up until the last 200. Not that it's easy, but I felt well within myself. Maybe if I pushed a little more, but I probably would have still died off at the end."

Evans chopped 10 seconds off his personal best in the 3200, set last year when he finished second at Drake. He plans to run the anchor legs on thedistance medley and 4x800 relay this weekend, as well as the open 1600.

Famiek Cook of Kennedy placed third in the long jump Thursday at 22 feet, 4.25 inches. Curtis McCrary of Linn-Mar finished fourth at 22-0.5. Derek Jacobus of Kennedy was seventh (21-2.25) and Nick Stark of Xavier was eighth (21-2).