TREMONT — Matt Hougan of Bar Harbor had come close twice before, but heading into Saturday’s Tremont Trot, his best finish in any road race this summer was third place. Each time he trailed Judson Cake, whom Hougan calls a coach.

The complete results from Saturday’s Tremont Trot and 1-Mile Fun Run are as follows: Tremont Trot 1. Matt Hougan 21:27 2. Andrew Goupee 21:46 3. Forrest Tobie 22:26 4. Cassie Hintz 22:32 5. Judson Cake 24:09 6. Timothy Turner 24:19 7. Christine Ganz 25:03 8. Jonathan Goupee 25:01 9. Lyssa Sher 27.14 10. Kate McGuire 27:34 11. Alan Heblack 28:09 12. Jim Mitchell 28:26 13. Scott Farley 29:19 14. Mark Shachner 15. Garreth Howell 30:09 16. Tom Kirby 30:57 17. Nicky Mitchell 31:28 18. Michael Bonsey 31:50 19. Mark Andrews 32:25 20. Ginger King 32:48 21. Jen Shanholtzer 32:51 22. Erik Andrews 37:00 23. Louis Ingrisano 33:36 24. Judy Holmes 35:24 25. Andrew Passorotti 35:33 26. Robin Emery 36:35 27. Lori Fineman 36:46 28. John Hewlett 37:14 29. Mary Hartt 37:37 30. David Radcliffe 38:06 31. Mary Vekasi 39:13 32. Frank Schwartz 43:39 33. Jean Beaulieu 44:11 34. Sean Beaulieu 44:37 1-Mile Fun Run 1. Jonathan Phelps 6:15 2. Sarah Phelps 7:05 3. Ryan Hodgdon 9:57 4. Elliot King 13:40

But Cake’s instruction and Hougan’s legs finally came together on Saturday when the 29-year-old Hougan battled through life-sucking heat and a talented field to take the championship with a time of 21 minutes, 27 seconds in his first-ever Tremont Trot.

“It was a beautiful race,” Hougan said of the four-mile course from Seawall picnic area through Bass Harbor to the Tremont Consolidated School. “It was hot, so I started out a little slow.”

The ninth annual Trot punctuated what has already been a successful summer for Hougan. He placed third in the Mount Desert Island YMCA Spring 10K on June 10 and at the Walter Hunt Memorial on July 4 in Brewer. Each time, Hougan trailed Cake, his friend and mentor. With Cake hanging back to support a fellow runner on Saturday, however, Hougan seized the opportunity. He finished 19 seconds ahead of Andrew Goupee of Ellsworth, who placed second with a time of 21:46.

“About two years ago I moved next door to Judson Cake,” Hougan said. “He started knocking on my door in the morning and dragging me out to run. He’s given me all my tips and sort of taught me how to run. It’s paying off.”

Hougan, who had never before run the course, went out deliberately, completing the first mile in about 5:30 and the second in roughly 5:20. He settled into a quicker pace, clicking off the third and fourth miles in 5:10 and 5:00, to complete a negative split.

“I went out slow,” he said. “That was the plan, because it was a little hot. I definitely picked it up from there.”

Cake, who expects to compete in next-month’s Beach-to-Beacon 10K before resuming training at Zap Fitness in North Carolina later this summer, placed fifth with a time of 24:09.

Cassie Hintz of Stillwater picked up her third-straight Trot win in the women’s division. The University of Wisconsin-bound runner obliterated the women’s field with a time 22:32. This was her top time in any Trot and placed her ahead of Mount Desert’s Christine Ganz (25:03), the second-place finisher, by more than 2:30.

“I ran a little faster,” Hintz said. “It was unexpected. I’m happy about that.”

Hintz, who set a new course record in June’s Tour Du Lac 10-miler, was pleased just to finish Saturday’s Trot pain-free after suffering a fall in a cool-down jog following a race last week.

“I’ve been hurting for the last couple of days and today I didn’t feel anything,” she said.

While other runner labored in the heat – temperatures hovered in the low 80s at the 8:30 a.m. start – Hintz welcomed the early-morning blaze.

“I like the heat,” she said. “I’m glad the race wasn’t a few hours later, though.”

Jonathan Phelps (6:15) and Sarah Phelps (7:05) took first place in the boys and girls division in the 1-Mile Fun Run, which was held immediately after the Trot.

This year’s Trot, a fundraiser for Harbor House Community Service Center, was sponsored by The Moody Mermaid.