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One common question for the winners of cross country races, where runners often disappear completely from sight over a three-mile course, is "Where did you take over the lead?"

No one at the finish line of the Class 2A boys' race Wednesday needed to ask.

In a thrilling conclusion to the state championship run, North Summit senior Jonathan Rothschild entered the track at Highland High about 10 yards back of Waterford senior Max Warner.

Building up a head of steam around the turn to head home, Rothschild eventually caught Warner just shy of the finish line and won the race by leaning across first.

Rothschild's winning time of 16 minutes, 9.4 seconds was two-tenths of a second quicker than Warner's 16:09.6.

"I wasn't sure for a second. But once I started kicking, I felt like I could reel him in," Rothschild said. "I would've rather just stayed ahead, but you know. I thought he might [hold me off], but I thought I'd give it a shot."

After finishing fourth in last year's boys' state race, Rothschild was considered one of the favorites.

Warner was top 10 in 2013 as well, taking ninth, but wasn't one of the runners Rothschild was keeping his eye on — at least initially.

"I didn't know anything about him. He kind of came out of nowhere," Rothschild said.

The Waterford runner was neither offended about not being known or downtrodden over losing the lead in the end.

"Nobody really does [know me], other than Rowland Hall because they're in our region," Warner said. "I knew he was coming up close, that he was gaining. In the last stretch, I usually pass a couple of people because I've got a fast sprint. I've never really faced someone with a kick that good."

Junior Peyton Stott from Millard finished third at 16:26, while South Summit's Matt Jacobs crossed in fourth at 16:31.

Millard, which also had top-10 individual finishers in Conner Cox (5th overall) and Josue Alvarado (9th), took the team title over Rowland Hall, while Parowan, North Summit and Manti rounded out the top five.

The girls' Class 2A race also wasn't decided until runners entered the Highland track from the Sugar House Park course.

Millard junior Anna Camp entered the final portion with North Summit freshman Sadie Sargent right on her heels — and with North Sevier 9th grader Ashlin Goble only a few yards back of the two.

In this case, however, the leader held on.

Camp, in fact, gradually extended her advantage in the home stretch to win the state title for a second straight year.

"Actually, it was almost the exact same thing. Last year, I had two girls with me the whole time, too," said Camp, who finished in 19:09. "They're both way-good runners and fun to run against."

Sargent crossed the line at 19:10.1, while Goble was four seconds back from the North Summit runner.

"I tried to [overtake Camp], but she's a good sprinter," Sargent said. "I felt pretty good about my time — that's my fastest."

North Summit, buoyed by Sargent's finish, grabbed the team state championship trophy easily as Abbi Zwalen and Maggie Zwalen also finished fourth and seventh in the individual standings. Enterprise was the 2A girls' team runner-up while San Juan was third overall.