Leah Starkey and Paige Sheppard gave thousands of onlookers a heart-stopping finish at the 2025 N.J. Cross-Country Meet of Champions.

In a showdown everyone was waiting for, Starkey claimed her first N.J. MOC state title in 17:15, with Sheppard right behind at 17:17—marking the third and fourth fastest girls times ever recorded at Holmdel Park.

Sheppard, the reigning state champion from Union Catholic, managed to create a bit of separation from Starkey as they both came out of the woods. But when Sheppard moved to the opposite side of the course in an attempt to widen her gap, Starkey responded with one final kick, outlasting Sheppard to win the race.

You can find the video of the race below.

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