A three season athlete during her high school career, serving as captain of Kents Hill School’s varsity soccer, hockey and softball teams her senior year, Maryke “Rake” Moreau is one of New England’s top student athletes, recognized chiefly for her academic success and defensive prowess on the soccer field.

This five-foot, one-inch powerhouse is off to Norwich University on a scholarship next month, inspired by her high school physics teacher to study physics, and hoping to find the time to fit in soccer and hockey.

A teen with a keen sense the world can change for the better, Moreau spent a session at the Seeds of Peace Camp in Otisfield and came away with a firm belief that it’s okay to have her own opinions, feelings and thoughts, but also to acknowledge others have their own, too. “That I should fight for what I believe in, but also listen to the other side and make sure to get their view of things.” She’s convinced the camp has helped teach untold numbers of teens from around the world the real meaning of tolerance, opening their personal views “to a different way to think and how to treat and think of others.”

After graduating from Norwich, Moreau would like to teach physics at a prep school.  “I actually want to return to Kents Hill and teach at some
point,” she said, coaching soccer and hockey in her spare time.

Name: Maryke “Rake” Moreau

Age: 18

Hometown: Lewiston

Dating?: Nope

Education: Graduated, Kents Hill School, planning to attend Norwich University, a military college in Montpelier, Vt., as a civilian student to study physics.

Sports: Varsity soccer, varsity hockey and varsity softball, four years

What was your favorite moment on the soccer field? Well I have two really. My freshmen year I was back-up goalie for the senior goalie (which I was perfectly fine about, I was okay with not having the pressure of being the top goalie on my shoulders just yet). But one day changed that for me. I was told as I was sitting on the bus ready to leave for a game against a team that had won the regionals for the division above us for the past three years that I would be starting. I was so hopped up on nerves the whole ride and when we got there I couldn’t stand still. In a tough game against this team we lost 3-1, but I had made 38 saves. It was a huge accomplishment that I will never forget.

But the other is one I will also remember, not for the outcome of the game, but for how small the world is. We had a new hockey goalie come our school my Junior year. She was from Alaska and had never really played soccer before, but was actually pretty good at it. We were in the middle of a game and Alaska (that was her nickname) stopped playing and got into this conversation with one of the Hebron players. They were both from Alaska and actually from towns that were very close to each other. I remember saying “Alaska stop socializing and kick the ball out of the zone!” It was remarkable that two Alaskans had just met on a soccer field in Maine. 

But the best of all time would definitely be winning the New England Championships (this past year). We were the underdogs of the whole tournament. Every team, especially the final team we played, was so cocky and didn’t give us any respect. Well, we ended up beating them all. I have never won a game that was so sweet to win.

How about your most disappointing?: Freshmen year we were in the regionals and we were playing Gould Academy. Everyone was so pumped up for the game and really wanted to win. As a freshmen I was scared and nervous out of my mind! The game was scoreless until the last five minutes of the game. There was a shot at the goal from way out on the left side on my goal, and I watched it do the weirdest curve right into the top right corner of my net. I was so certain that it was going over the net and from where I was standing it looked like it did, so I didn’t jump for it. This kick was the luckiest kick I had ever seen. It looked like something Beckham would have done. We ended up losing 1-0 because of the kick and I was so upset, all the seniors wanted to win and I had just watched the winning goal go into the net.

Playing competitive sports in high school, especially at a prep school, can be a real struggle in time management. How do you manage to get everything done?: Kents Hill was great for that. Sunday through Thursday, from 8-10 p.m., there was a mandatory study hall. That helped a lot. I got into a routine and now know that when I go to college I will have no problem with time management. That, and Kents Hill had a thing called Structured Study Hall (you got in it with a certain amount of bad grades or a certain amount of poor effort grades) which was awful. You went to the dinning hall without your computer and sat a table for two LONG hours and did your homework: no talking on AIM, no socializing with the people around you, complete silence. It helped you really got your work done fast but it was agonizing. I had to go through it once freshmen year. You go through it for two weeks and after mine were up I made a promise to myself to never go through it again.

With so many schools talking about eliminating sports to trim budgets, would you argue school sports are important for teens?: Of course! Kents Hill required everyone to play sports because we didn’t have gym class. It kept everyone active and doing something. Plus it goes beyond exercising, being healthy and being active, but I think most of all it was another way to find friends. I wouldn’t be as good friends with most of the people I met if it wasn’t for sports.

If you had to identify one single life goal among the many you now have, what would it be?: To bike along the whole East Coast. It sounds insane and, in fact, it is but I love to bike. It’s something that I have found makes me happy, and I have wanted to do a big biking trip for a while — one that would be memorable.

If you had one month of free time, and unlimited money, what would you do (and with whom)?: I would gather up a bunch of my friends and I would go to Europe with them — only for a couple of weeks though.

If you could change anything in the world, what would it be?: I’m not sure.

What would you make sure never changes?: Music! I love music. It runs my life. I would make sure that music is never taken away from the next generation. It’s too important to people. It’s an escape for some after a tough day at work, for others it’s a way to let loose and get together with their friends and dance, and also for others it’s a way to let go of their feelings and pain.

Who is your favorite person?: My advisor from Kents Hill, Ms. Bennett. She has inspired me so much in my life and has helped me through some tough times. Ms. Bennett also has a unique humor that always has me laughing. She will be one of the greatest reasons I’ll miss Kents Hill so much.

What’s your favorite place in Lewiston? KENNEDY POOL!!!!! I work at Kennedy Pool with some friends and it’s quite the experience. The kids that I see every day have me laughing all the time along with my co-workers and bosses. They’re so much fun to be around.

jmeyer@sunjournal.com