Harvard firefighter Greg Harrod (center) holds up the winning trophy as his teammates celebrate with him. (Courtesy photo)

For the second time in its muster-competition history, Harvard’s Fire Department came home with the overall win at the 84th annual Wachusett Muster League competition in Sterling last weekend. Firefighters from eight towns competed in the competition, which features firefighter events that test skills and endurance.

But the Harvard team not only won the overall event, it also brought home wins in every category. Harvard Fire Chief Bob Mignard said, “It’s possible this is the first time it was ever done.” He noted that a couple of judges had told him they could not remember a fire department sweeping all the events.

Beating out teams from Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Holden, Princeton, Sterling, and West Boylston, Harvard placed first in the broken hose and pump races, and the female family members of the Harvard firefighters won the women’s event for the second year in a row.

Even the “old timers” of the Harvard department were unbeatable, coming in first in the old timers event, for firefighters with at least 20 years of service.

The Harvard team also placed third in the tower race and the bed races, and earned the sportsmanship award for having members participate on teams from other towns that needed an extra hand.

On a day that started with a moment of silence for the late Ken Harrod, a 45-year member of the department who died in May, Harvard firefighters turned in a performance that firefighter Bill Barton said was “a wonderful way” to honor Harrod, a consistent participant at the muster throughout his lifetime.

Mignard said the team had only two practices before the meet. “They didn’t go in with high hopes,” he said, “but went in with every intention of doing the best they could for Ken.”

Note: Firefighter Bill Barton contributed to this article.