SANFORD — Liz Helmreich received a pass at the top of the offensive circle and drilled a shot into the back of the net with 36 seconds left in the second overtime to send Sanford to a 3-2 victory over Massabesic in a season-opening SMAA field hockey game on Thursday night at Goodall Park.

The Mustangs had led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a goal from Abby Staples, but Sanford tied to it up early after the break as Marissa Nance finished off a pass from Morgan Champagne.

The Spartans then took a 2-1 lead with 4:57 to play as Alli Plante scored off a pass from Helmreich, but Massabesic’s Logan Champlin equalized with 49 seconds left in regulation.

After a scoreless eight-minute first overtime, the game looked like heading for a tie before Helmreich intervened with a late winner.

Sarah Goldthwaite made eight saves in net for the Spartans, while Kelly Wescott made seven stops for the Mustangs.

Thornton Academy 4, Deering 2

SACO — Libby Pomerleau and Ashley Houp both scored two goals and Allie Romprey had two assists as Thornton Academy downed Deering 4-2 in a season-opening SMAA field hockey game on Thursday night at Hill Stadium.

Houp scored twice on assists from Pomerleau and Romprey in the opening half as the Golden Trojans took a 2-1 lead into the break.

The Rams’ Izzy Hilton tied the game at 2-2 with an early-second half goal, but Pomerleau gave the Trojans the lead for good with 13:11 to play off an assist from Romprey, with Pomerleau adding an insurance goal soon after off a feed from Grace Pickering to seal the win.

Biddeford 14, McAuley 0

BIDDEFORD — Charlotte White scored five goals as Biddeford romped to a 14-0 victory over McAuley in a season-opening SMAA field hockey game at Doran Field.

Mallory Mourmouras added four goals and two assists for the Tigers,w ho also got a goal and four assists from Taylor Turgeon.

CROSS COUNTRY

SACO — Maquila DiMastrantonio finished a 1.6-mile course in a time of 9:43 to finish ninth overall and lead the Massabesic girls to an overall team victory in the season-opening SMAA Relays at Thornton Academy on Saturday.

Massabesic’s top five runners finished with a combined time of 49:51, just five seconds quicker than Scarborough, to take the win. Emily Wasina was the Mustangs’ second-quickest finisher in a time of 9:50, the 12th-quickest overall, with Gabrielle Johnson finishing in a tie for 14th overall in 9:55. Olivia Ducharme (10:05) and Roshelle Morrison (10:18) rounded out Massabesic’s victorious team.

Anna Slager was winner of the girls race in a time of 9:10. Thornton Academy junior Katie LeBlanc was the fifth-quickest runner on the day with a time of 9:37, with her Golden Trojans teammate Abby Runnells tying with Massabesic’s Johnson for 14th overall at 9:55.

Lani Melton was Biddeford’s quickest runner with a finish of 10:07 and Sanford’s Sarah Wright was the top Spartan in a time of 10:31.

Scarborough won the boys team race in an overall time of 58:14 as all seven of its top runners finished with a time of 8:48 or better, led by Jacob Terry’s overall best of 7:41.

Massabesic was second with a combined time of 60:58. The Mustangs’ Michael Aboud was the third-quickest finisher with a time of 7:53, while Andrew Mongiat was sixth in a time of 8:01 and Remington Gaetjens tying for 11th in 8:15.

Gaetjens’ time was the same as Thornton Academy’s Cam Mondor, while Connor Boufford was a second behind in a time of 8:16 to finish in 13th. Drew Cyr was Sanford’s fastest runner, finishing in 8:40.

WELLS — Gabby Fogg finished seventh to highlight a third-place finish for Kennebunk in the girls race at a Western Maine Conference cross country meet on Thursday at Laudholm Farms. Cape Elizabeth won the girls race with a score of 22, led by a one-two finish from Rohoen Fiutak and Sam Feenstra.

York was second with 40 points, followed by Kennebunk (40), Well (108) and Traip Academy (144).

Hayley Wuerthner finished 12th for the Rams, with Renee Nichols 18th. Kate Macolini was Wells top finisher in 17th, with Estelle Reardone 19th and Isabelle Sossei 20th.

York was dominant in the boys race, placing five runners in the top seven to win with a score of 24 points.

Led by race winner Kyle Kennedy, Cape Elizabeth finished second with 49 points, with Wells in third with 70 and Kennebunk fourth with 93.

Wesley Moody and Mitch Stapleton were the top finishers for the Warriors at 11th and 12th, respectively, while Mark Lightbody was the Rams’ top finisher in 13th.