Frost, Heath taking up new fall sport Former boys soccer players switch to football

BANGOR – Two of Eastern Maine’s higher-profile schoolboy athletes are opting for a new beginning this fall, as Andy Frost of Brewer and Jordan Heath of Bangor have traded in the global version of football for the American brand, full contact and all.

“I’ve always been interested in football, and I’ve always liked it,” said Frost, an All-Eastern Maine soccer player for two years at Calais High School and again last year at Brewer High, where he transferred after his father was hired as the school’s principal.

“I thought about it a little last year after we moved to Brewer, and now this is my senior year and really my last chance to try it.”

Frost and Heath, a junior, perhaps are best known for their success in basketball. Frost helped Calais win the 2002 Eastern Maine Class C championship and then played a major role as Brewer reached the Eastern A quarterfinals last season.

Heath emerged last winter as a key factor as Bangor High upended favored Brunswick to win the Eastern Maine Class A title and went on to defeat Cheverus of Portland to win its sixth state championship in the last 11 years.

Both have been multisport athletes throughout their careers. Frost played soccer, basketball, and baseball at Calais before focusing on soccer and basketball during his first year at Brewer. Heath has played soccer, basketball, and baseball at Bangor, earning All-Penobscot Valley Conference honors as a shortstop last spring.

At 6-foot and 180 pounds, Frost worked out at wingback and outside linebacker during Brewer’s first week of practice.

“There’s a lot of stuff coming at you all at once,” he said. “I’ve just tried to take in as much as I could.”

Frost, who had never played organized football before, got his first taste of contact from an opposing team Saturday during a scrimmage at Foxcroft Academy.

“It’s definitely different,” said Frost, “but I played hockey when I was younger and the contact is a little like that.”

Brewer, which returned only two starters from last year’s 7-3 team, hopes to utilize Frost’s athleticism as it sees to build more of a speed-oriented attack.

“Andy’s a diamond in the rough for us,” said Brewer coach Ed Ortego. “He’s never played, but he has tremendous athleticism and he’s a very determined kid.”

Heath, a 5-11, 148-pound junior, opted to play football for the first time since fifth grade in large part because many of his teammates from the basketball and baseball teams also play football at Bangor High.

“I enjoyed soccer, but I have a lot of friends who play football, so I made the change,” he said. “I thought I might regret it if I didn’t.”

Heath didn’t make his decision to turn to football until three days before the start of preseason practices, making for some surprised faces at the outset of training camp.

“When he showed up for equipment pickup, I was shocked,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett.

Hackett has had Heath practice at quarterback, wide receiver, and free safety during the first week of practices.

“I like playing free safety,” Heath said, “because you can see everything that’s going on. You can hang back, see what happens, and make a play.”

Heath is following a career path that is a cross between those taken by former Bangor standouts Zak Ray and Wesley Day.

Ray originally worked out at quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back after he transferred from Winslow to Bangor after his freshman year of high school. He went on to help Bangor win the 2001 state Class A title and was a Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist as a senior in 2002.

“Zak has helped me a lot,” Heath said. “He let me know how things went for him.”

Day never played football before transferring to Bangor from John Bapst last year, but he played well enough as a senior to earn a spot in this summer’s Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic.

Heath saw his first game action in a scrimmage Saturday at Gardiner. He started at free safety and took a quarter of the snaps at quarterback.

“It went really well,” he said. “I made some plays on defense, and I’m kind of excited about the start of the school year to start playing games.”

Hackett expects Heath to be a contributing member of this year’s team no matter which position he plays.

“Jordan’s so tough mentally,” said the Bangor coach. “Right now, is he as tough physically? Maybe not yet, but his determination and mental spirit will make up for anything he needs to do to continue to develop physically.”