Biddeford field hockey outlasts Sanford/Kennebunk in season opener
Biddeford’s field‑hockey squad survived a furious late‑night comeback to claim a 5‑4 victory over the Sanford/Kennebunk Spartans, with junior Mia Mariello scoring four goals—including the match‑winning shot in the second overtime period. The win, played on Friday night in Sanford, was a hard‑fought clash between two of Class A South’s most‑looked‑for teams.
The Tigers opened the scoring early. With 11:28 remaining in the first quarter, Mariello slipped past a defender and netted a reverse goal. A second reversal from her followed with 4:57 left of the half, giving Biddeford a 2‑0 advantage. Mid‑fieldman Cordelia Kane capped the first half with a penalty stroke at 7:39, and Mariello added a third reversal with 3:23 left, pushing the score to 4‑1 by the break.
Sanford/Kennebunk, however, were not finished. The Spartans fought back in the third period, with Ella Tederous scoring after a rebound from a defensive save and Hailey Payeur adding a hard‑shot goal. Their final rally came in the fourth, when Tederous again found the back of the cage, forcing a tie and pushing the game into overtime on the last play of regulation.
“Getting them back on track and remembering jobs and responsibilities and the big picture of what we want to do,” coach Martha Kane said of the Spartans’ late surge. “It was a good chance for them to reset and refocus.”
Biddeford’s coach Caitlin Tremberth praised the team’s resilience, especially the work of forward Addison Barrs, who “is everywhere” and helped the Tigers transition from defense to offense. “Her entire game has gone up tremendously,” Tremberth said of Mariello, who had already scored twice in the season opener against Cheverus.
The first overtime was dominated by the Spartans, who controlled possession throughout. In the second, however, Mariello was in the right place at the right time. After the Spartans converged to break her first shot, she circled back and found a gap in the defense, firing a shot into the cage just 4:43 left in the period.
“It’s definitely excitement. I’m literally shaking, the adrenaline is so high,” Mariello said after the game. “That last goal went in, and I just looked at my team and was like, ‘We just did it! We finally won!’”
The junior’s performance also brought her to 100 career points, a milestone she celebrated amid the cheers of a packed home crowd. “Their defense is so good… they were already on me, so I tried to turn around,” she explained. “That second time, I was like, ‘It’s now or never. Just got to rip it, and see if it goes in.’”
For the Spartans, the final play was a testament to their perseverance. After Paige Sevigny had a shot that prompted the overtime, Tederous capitalized on a rebound to seal the tie. Yet Biddeford’s double‑overtime heroics proved too much, with the Tigers pulling away at the very last moment.
Biddeford forward Cordelia Kane, who had helped tie the game last year, was also quoted as saying, “We were hoping for no more overtime this year, but we’re pretty conditioned for it. We were just ready to go.”
The game, part of the Class A South schedule, left both teams satisfied with their performance, but Biddeford’s four‑goal barrage and the dramatic win cemented their status as a powerhouse in the region.
As the season progresses, fans can expect more high‑stakes showdowns, with the Tigers and Spartans likely to be among the teams to watch. The win also highlighted the depth of Biddeford’s roster, especially the versatile play of Mariello and Barrs, who will be key players to monitor in the weeks ahead.
