Harlow Ladd’s goals for his senior season were simple: Set a personal record and stay healthy.

Ladd’s goals may not have been lofty, but his season was a smashing success. The Messalonskee senior won the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A and Eastern Maine Class A titles. He also finished second in the Class A state championship meet, which will go down as the most exciting race in the history of high school cross country.

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HARLOW LADD Staff photo by David Leaming

Ladd also checked in ninth at the New England championships.

For his successful season, Ladd is the Kennebec Journal Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Ladd, who also won the award as a junior, concentrated on staying healthy after a struggling in the state championship meet as a junior. Ladd fell and was injured during that race and finished a disappointing eighth. He entered the meet as one of the favorites after winning the KVAC A and Eastern A titles.

To assure he’d be healthy coming into the season, Ladd stayed off the roads and ran only trails during the summer. He didn’t run as much as he wanted, averaging about 40 miles a week, but entered the season in good shape.

“I was running less and I wasn’t running as fast,” Ladd said of his summer training. “I was being more careful, staying off the roads and running only trails to avoid injuries.”

Ladd started quick, winning the preseason Scot Laliberte Invitational at Cony High School for second straight season. He finished the 2.4 mile course in 13 minutes, 25.1 seconds.

He peaked at the championship meets, winning the KVAC A title in a time of 17:28.3 and the Eastern A championship in 16:41.34.

“Harlow became a better runner by trusting in his abilities and believing in himself,” Messalonskee coach Sara Rushton wrote in an email. “He was levelheaded, worked hard through the meets and kept his focus on the championships.”

At the state championships, Ladd was again disappointed, but for a much different reason. As a junior, Ladd got hurt and had trouble finishing the race. As a senior, Ladd ran an impressive race. He and Scarborough’s Nick Morris jumped ahead of the field early and battled for the lead throughout the race. Ladd made a push late to take the lead, only to be caught at the tape by Morris, who was eventually declared the winner by .02 seconds, 16:46.81 to 16:46.83.

Ladd said after that race he would regret the finish for the rest of his life because he slowed a bit at the end. A month later, he insists he has moved on.

“I don’t think about it that much any more,” Ladd said. “If you dwell on the past in a negative manner, it won’t do you any good. I’m more focused on the future.”

Despite the incredible finish at the Class A meet, Ladd doesn’t think many people will remember his role in the race.

“My dad was talking about that and he asked if I remember when Michael Phelps won one of his goal medals by .01 seconds. He then asked if I remembered who finished second,” Ladd said. “I don’t think I’ll be remembered as much as Nick Morris, and he deserves that.”

Rushton was impressed with how well Ladd handled the result.

“Ladd handled finishing second at the state championship meet like a true mature athlete,” Rushton said.

Ladd proved he’d moved on at the New England championships, finishing ninth in a time of 16:01 at Ponagansett High School in North Scituate, R.I. on Nov. 19.

Ladd will run the mile and the two-mile in indoor track and move on to the 1,600-meters and 3,200 in the outdoor season. He plans to run in college but has not decided where yet.

Scott Martin — 621-5618

smartin@centralmaine.com