Griffin Allaire of Wells wins the Beach to Beacon high school mile on Friday at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth. Allaire won in 4 minutes, 35.0 seconds. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald)

CAPE ELIZABETH — Griffin Allaire’s strategy in the Beach to Beacon high school mile had worked well enough the two previous years to land him on the podium.

The Wells High senior-to-be wasn’t about to change plans Friday in his last crack at the fourth annual event that quickly has become a staple of the summer, held at Fort Williams Park on the eve of Maine’s largest road race.

The cross-country style course takes two laps near the finish line that more than 6,500 runners, including some of the fastest in the world, will cross Saturday at the 22nd annual Beach to Beacon. Allaire knew it well after finishing third in 2017 and second last year. At the top of the hill on the second pass, he broke away from a tightly bunched lead pack that included Tyler Patterson of Brunswick, Jack Bassett of Cape Elizabeth and Will Shaughnessy of Brunswick.

“I used the same strategy that I used the first two years. Third time’s a charm. It worked,” said Allaire. “I just think I’m overall stronger than I was the first two years.”

Allaire won in 4 minutes, 35.0 seconds, the second-fastest time in the race’s history behind the 2018 winner, Lisandro Berry-Gavira, who holds the course record of 4:33.7. Patterson finished second in 4:37.6 with Bassett in third (4:40.9).

“It’s unbelievable. It’s really an honor to run this race and to win it this year, because I know the kids that have come before me and won it and really run well,” Allaire said.