CUMBERLAND — It wasn’t the fastest race. That honor went to Lake Region senior Sam Laverdiere, the repeat Class B champion and the only runner to finish under 16 minutes.

But the Class A boys’ race at the state cross country championships Saturday was absolutely the most hotly contested, competitive and unpredictable of all six races at on a dry and fast 3.1-mile course at Twin Brook Recreation Area.

How close? Well, at the mile mark, there were 10 runners within a few seconds of each other. As eventual winner Aran Johnson rounded a corner in third place, he was bumped from behind and needed to put his hand out and use the runner in front of him as a balancing brake. At the end, 13 runners had cracked 17 minutes, and the sixth- through 11th-place finishers were within three seconds.

Multiple runners had a share of the lead, but it was Johnson, the South regional champion, who pulled away to win in 16 minutes, 18.84 seconds. A year ago, Johnson was 25th at the state meet, running fifth on the Portland team.

“I just wanted to run strategic, and just as we got near the Pain Cave, past the 2-mile mark, we started going and I started sitting on Ellis (Wood of Deering), and then I just went,” said Johnson. “It means so much. It means a lot to me, coming so far.”

Lewiston junior Enzo Giampaolo was second in 16:22.49. Giampaolo said he decided during the race that Johnson was the man to beat, even when he wasn’t in front.

“I just tried to follow all the moves and then I just tried to stay behind (Johnson). I just kept my eyes on the back of his jersey,” Giampaolo said.

Scarborough sophomore Atticus Merriam took third, passing one-time leader Tim Collins of Hampden Academy in the final stretch. That pass was critical, as Scarborough beat defending team champion Portland by one point, 69 to 70.

Merriam said he likes to run a conservative first mile, “push the middle of the race and then just hold on.” When he found himself running with the leaders, including teammate Ethan Keller, after a mile, he knew he could significantly improve on his eight-place regional finish.”I passed one kid on the final straightaway, which I think made the difference for the team,” Merriam said.

Keller finished ninth, and Scarborough also scored with Baxter Merriam (15th), Landen Springer (29th) and Nicholas Koziell (31st).

Laverdiere achieved a rarity, cracking 16 minutes at the Twin Brook course with a time of 15:52.79. York’s Aidan Ring was pulled along to second place with the day’s second fastest time overall, 16:15.45.

After winning the South championship, Laverdiere said he wanted to become the fastest Mainer ever on the Twin Brook course, a distinction held by Brunswick’s Will Geoghegan, who ran 15:43 in 2009. The boys’ course record is 15:32, set by Donn Cabral of Glastonbury (Conn.) at the 2007 New England championships.

“Yeah, I wanted the record, but to be under 16 and to join all these great names like Geoghegan, Lisandro (Berry-Gaviria), (Josef) Holt-Andrews, just a bunch of great runners,” Laverdiere said. “To be among them. I’d always dreamed of it, but I never really believed. So it just feels extra special.”

His win was especially sweet considering that Laverdiere broke his collarbone in the summer, requiring surgery and a seven-week period without running.

“Truly, once again, give credit to God for giving me the strength to come back so quickly,” Laverdiere said. “It’s freakish. I thought just the other day how fast I’ve been able to come back. It’s only been like two months.”

Freeport won its fourth straight Class B team title, paced by Alex Gilbert and Conner Smith, who finished third and fourth. Freeport totaled 69 points, with Owen Dawson (11th), Mungu Tussing (29th) and Ian Guzman (38th) also scoring. Caribou and York both had 92 points, but Caribou was the runner-up because it had the faster sixth runner.

The Class C race featured a dominant performance by Orono’s Ben Arsenault, who won in 16:54.46, and the rest of his Red Riots teammates. Orono scored 32 points to easily beat George Stevens (109). Arsenault’s teammates, Owen Beane (third), Camden Brown (sixth), Andrew Barrett (seventh) and Brady Cox (19th), all cracked the top 20.

Waynflete’s Pi Crosby, the South champion, was second overall in 17:05.39.