ROCKFORD — Running on the inside, Dynasty McGee started pushing. She had the lead down the homestretch of the 400-meter dash on Saturday afternoon when, all of a sudden, one of the best runners in the state started to fade.

It cost her a state title, although it took an all-class/division state-meet record time to beat her.

Southfield junior Latipha Cross came from behind on the Ypsilanti senior, passing her in the final strides at the Division 1 state finals in Rockford, running past McGee and Huron junior Maya Long, the top seed in the event, to win the title in 54.29 seconds.

“I’m not even upset about that,” said McGee, who ran 54.84. “If you beat me with a state record, kudos to you. Good job, girl. Two thumbs up.”

McGee heard the crowd stir, which usually tells her something is about to happen. But she couldn’t see Cross gaining on her until she passed her at the finish line.

McGee joked later that she wishes she was equipped with rearview mirrors.

“I was thinking I was going to hold on to it, hold on to it and I began to tighten up. That’s another thing,” McGee said. “My dad told me to keep my face relaxed, shoulders relaxed. I didn’t, and she got me.”

More on MLive.com: Complete Results | Statewide Coverage

Cross' time broke a state-meet record set by Lincoln’s Erin Humphrey, who ran 54.33 seconds in 2006. It was also the first of two races where McGee ended up caught in the final strides.

In the 200 meters, McGee started in the middle and looked like she was going to win the final race of her Michigan high school career — the Penn State signee has nationals in two weeks — but ended up caught by Cass Tech junior Kyra Jefferson. Long finished fifth in that event in 25.27.

“She snuck up on me fast,” McGee said. “I gave it my all because this is my last state high school meet. I’m proud of myself. Wanted to leave the track with no regrets.”

Huron doesn’t have any, either.

The River Rats finished tied for second with Detroit Cass Tech with 50 points, four points behind state champion Grosse Pointe South. It's Huron's best state finish in the history of the program.

Huron ended up with one state title. The 3,200-meter relay team of Chineyre Onimo, Kennedy Beazley, Annie-Norah Beveridge and Anna Masini won in 9:09.23. Saline finished seventh in the race at 9:27.21.

“We kind of knew that would be the way we started,” Huron coach Keri Kirk said. “…We were definitely in the hunt and in the mix and I couldn’t be any prouder of these girls than we are now.”

At the same time McGee and Long were trying to win state titles, Dexter high jumper Nyki Caldwell finished her career with her second high jump state title.

Caldwell, who is signed to jump at Wake Forest next year, was concerned about Saturday's heat. Describing herself as someone who jumps better in cold and rainy weather, she wasn’t sure if she could reach her goal of beating the state-meet record.

She did hit her goal of winning another state championship with a jump of 5-feet, 8-inches in her last successful jump of the day.

“It was just more of a personal goal I knew I wanted to make,” Caldwell said. “That was a personal record, to be a two-time state champ.”

She then tried to break the state-meet record of 5-9 set by Pioneer’s Ariel Roberts in 2008, but couldn’t hit any of the jumps. The heat had finally gotten to her.

“They were three really good attempts,” Caldwell said. “But it’s hot out here, so it took all of my energy.”

Pioneer junior Sophia Kunselman finished third in the 100-meter hurdles (14.61) and second in the 300-meter hurdles (44.10). Junior Katherine Hoevet finished eighth in the 1,600 meters (4:58.90).

Huron junior Cindy Ofili finished sixth in the 100 meters (12.24). Beveridge finished fifth in the 1,600 meters (4:55.60) and 3,200 meters (10:59.85). Beazley finished fourth in the 800 meters (2:13.89).

In the 100 hurdles, Lincoln freshman Savannah Roberson finished eighth at 17.40.

Saline senior Emily Everett finished fifth in the discus at 122-feet, 2-inches.

Dexter had a pair of top eight finishers in the pole vault. Junior Micaela Conter finished third (11-3) and junior Claire Tewksbury finished seventh (10-9).

The 800-meter relay had a heavy Washtenaw County flavor with Huron finishing third (1:40.72), Lincoln sixth (1:43.23) and Pioneer seventh (1:43.59). In the 400 meter relay, Lincoln finished third (48.59) and Ypsilanti sixth (48.88). Huron finished second in the 1,600-meter relay (3:50.93) and Pioneer finished fifth (3:55.30).

Michael Rothstein covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by email at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.