Scarborough High has been on an athletic roll with many of its sports team vying for a state championship.
But the school also has its share of scholars. Kristen Murray, for example, is a multisport athlete, but also just received her acceptance notice to Georgetown University. The prestigious Washington, D.C., school is just one of her options.
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Murray will not likely play sports, unless she can fit a club team into her schedule. Her nursing or health-care related major will take up too much time.
For now, Murray is competing, trying to get the Red Storm girls’ hockey team to a third consecutive appearance in the state title game. She’s played in the shadows of upperclassmen before her, as well as hot-shot new players, but Murray captains this team with smarts, strength and experience.
“She knows how to motivate her teammates and is able to pump them up,” said Red Storm Coach Caitlin Cashman.
Murray is used to the big games. It goes back to her freshman year when she was called up from the junior varsity lacrosse team for the varsity playoffs. The Red Storm won the Class A state championship.
She discontinued lacrosse after her sophomore year, focusing on her passions, field hockey and ice hockey.
And the big games kept coming – although not always a championship.
In Murray’s sophomore field hockey season, Skowhegan beat the Red Storm in the state title game. Then came the dramatic ice hockey championship game in 2013. Scarborough went into overtime with Greely, before the Rangers prevailed 1-0.
“I was sitting on the bench. We were all so excited. Then to see (the puck) go in, everyone just collapsed,” Murray said. “We had such a good season. It was heartbreaking.”
Her junior season featured another state title game in field hockey – and another loss to Skowhegan.
The 2013-14 ice hockey season ended in celebration. Scarborough assembled an abundance of talent, not seen since the unbeaten Cheverus team of 2009-10. Like that Stags team, the Red Storm zipped through the season and the playoffs, capped by a 3-1 win over Lewiston for the championship.
“A great group,” Murray said. “We had a lot of great freshmen and great upperclassmen. It was just a matter of playing our game.”
Murray had to adjust her game. A defenseman all her youth hockey career, Murray had to play forward the past two years so the deep Red Storm could roll out line after line.
“It was very confusing and frustrating,” Murray said. “I was playing with some of the best forwards on the team and didn’t always know where to be. But eventually I got the hang of it.”
Despite her defensive tendencies, Murray features a great shot.
And she shoots well in field hockey, too.
Maybe you heard about that.
In the Class A field hockey state championship last month, Murray scored with 2.1 seconds left in her high school career to lead Scarborough finally past Skowhegan, 1-0.
“I think about it every day,” Murray said, easily recalling the penalty corner in the closing seconds. A shot was blocked in the air and Murray was positioned in the right place for the rebound, stroking it, waist-high, into the goal.
“It still feels like a dream,” she said.
Now back on the ice, Scarborough is one of the favorites, along with Falmouth, in the West region – although the East schools (Lewiston, Edward Little/Leavitt and Greely) appear to have the edge in the state picture.
And Murray is back where she’s comfortable, on defense, using her skills and strength.
“She’s very protective of her teammates especially her goalie,” Cashman said. “She battles tough along the boards and on the corners.”
Murray’s strong game developed while competing against boys – first playing on the ponds with her brothers, and then in the Husky Youth Hockey boys leagues, including PeeWees when checking was allowed. Murray may not have been as strong as the boys, but her game held up.
“She was one of the best checkers on the team, from a clinical perspective,” said her father, Jeff Murray, who coached Kristen (as well as serving as president of Husky Youth Hockey).
Once Murray began playing against other girls, she was confident.
“I know how to play and not be intimidated,” she said.
And she knows how teams win.
“Most of it is just trying to unite everybody” Murray said. “Team unity and team chemistry is so important … if you get everybody laughing together, they will play better – like a family.”
Her own family is full of athletes. Trevor, 19, played hockey and lacrosse for Scarborough and is now a student at Northeastern. Eric, 15, is a sophomore on the Scarborough soccer, hockey and lacrosse teams.
The Murray children were, of course, competitive with each other, but it was “a quiet competitiveness. They didn’t fight,” said Jeff who (along with mom, Claudia) always emphasized more than just athletic achievement.
Kristen carries an A average, is a class officer and was one of six students in her class chosen for the Scarborough High Natural Helper program, which promotes peer-to-peer counseling.
So Georgetown, or whatever school Murray decides on, is getting a well-rounded student.
She can handle the academics and be an asset on campus. And should the club field hockey and ice hockey teams need a player with big-game experience … well, Murray’s been there, done that.
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