WINTHROP — On a day more suited for a lazy stroll on the beach, Ben Allen and Sophia Thayer took on the hills, twists and turns of Winthrop’s 3.1-mile cross country course with more than just a little caution.

Allen threw a little less caution to what little wind was blowing to relieve the runners and pulled away early in the six-team boys’ race, while Thayer showed an impressive kick in the final 200 yards to overtake Hall-Dale’s Emma Wilson to win the three-team girl’s race on a 90-degree Wednesday afternoon.

Boothbay swept the team competition on a day that saw several runners pull out early and one pass out on the course due to the heat.

“It’s hard. That’s the only way to sum it up. It’s just so hot. It’s tough to move,” Allen said. “But you know, I got through it. Once you get out there, you just try not to let it bother you.”

“First mile, I didn’t want to overhaul early because you know the heat can just ruin you if you let it,” he said. “I tried to run pretty conservative for the first third of my race.”

Allen, a senior, picked up his pace in the shade of the woods, a little more than a mile into the race. He had a comfortable lead when he emerged from the trees and took the final lap on the baseball field, finishing in 18:46, 42 seconds ahead of Boothbay’s Benn Scully.

“Our course is slower than death anyways, and then to add the heat to it, it’s just a rough day out there,” Winthrop coach Ed Van Tassel said.

Scully led a pack that included Joey Paolio and Robert Campbell to finish 2-3-4 for the Seahawks. Kyle Alamo and Matt Burnham placed eighth and 10th, respectively, to give the Seahawks five of the top 10 and 27 points, well ahead of Monmouth (43) and Winthrop (66). Hall-Dale, Richmond and Wiscasset rounded out the team scores.

Monmouth’s Ben Bailey, Dylan Thombs and Luke Thombs finished 5-7, while Marques Houston (11th) and Stewart Buzzell (14th) managed top-15 times for the Mustangs.

“The boys packed well but Boothbay packed better,” Monmouth coach Tom Menendez said. “Our fours were close and our fives were close, but they got those extra points up in the front.”

Thayer, the defending Class C West champion, battled Wilson throughout the race despite taking a wrong turn early. She recovered quickly, pushed through some challenging obstacles on the course, then put the pedal to the metal as Wilson and her reached the stretch.

“That’s probably the worst (conditions) ever. It was so hot,” Thayer said. “The hill was awful. I almost dropped out, I’ve got to say. I was thinking about it. But I feel like I do that every race.”

“There were a lot of twists and turns in the first and last mile,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really know where to go. I made sure I was with someone and we were all asking each other questions the whole time. I was dying, so I figured (Thayer would make a move). I couldn’t keep up with her.”

Morgan Crocker, Hannah Morley and Kate Friant back up Thayer with third, fourth and 10th-place times to lead the Seahawks to 31 points, outpacing Monmouth (46) and Winthrop (49). Becki Bryant of Monmouth (24:54) finished fifth, followed by Winthrop’s Molly Kieltyka, Kaitlin Souza and Jada Choate in sixth, seventh and ninth, respectively.