DIXFIELD — He is a unique, versatile athlete; one of the most accomplished in Dirigo High School’s proud athletic history.
Yet, somehow, Tyler Frost doesn’t even hold bragging rights in his own house.
“Coming off a loss in the basketball state championship, we want to get to every state championship we can, and we don’t want to lose,” Frost said. “I need to tie my brother. One more. We’ve got seven total. He’s got four.”
Travis Frost hoisted Class C hardware for basketball as a senior and baseball as a freshman, junior and senior.
Three of those were shared with his younger brother, and now Tyler — who will attend Maine Maritime Academy next year but doesn’t currently plan to play sports — wants to show he can win one separately.
It’s likely his only thing left to prove in a career that has produced a dozen varsity letters and an unforgettable impact as a point guard, fullback/linebacker and catcher.
In a farewell season that has seen Frost struggle with the bat, by his standards, he’s the unquestioned anchor of a team that has won 14 consecutive games, including nine shutouts.
“It’s those reasons that regardless of what he’s doing offensively, I still feel he’s the best player in the conference. Catching, only one person has stolen on him all year. His leadership is second to none. I’ve never coached a better leader than Tyler Frost,” Dirigo coach Ryan Palmer said. “He gets the practices going before the coaching staff gets here. He’s just a special player.”
Frost plays every sport with such reckless abandon that there is always some question about how his body will hold up to the rigors of wearing the “tools of ignorance” in that demanding crouch behind the plate.
Dirigo’s economy of throws and time in the field certainly helps. The Cougars recently went a staggering 50 consecutive innings without surrendering a run.
When No. 3 pitcher Mitch Kubesh takes the hill for the Cougars, Frost has filled the void at shortstop, giving sophomore Bryce Whittemore a handful of starts behind the plate.
“Catching, since the start of freshman year, was something I was looking forward to,” Frost said. “It’s more like football, I guess. You’re suited up back there. I just like that you’re always in every play. It’s not a much talked about position, but it’s got to be one of the hardest. I love doing it.”
Even if, at times, it’s like being the Maytag Repairman from that advertising campaign of yesteryear. Frost doesn’t find many fires to put out.
“I really like catching Gavin (Arsenault) and Kaine (Hutchins). There’s a lot of strikes, lot of accuracy,” Frost said. “Sometimes I get bored back there because no one’s on base and I’m not having to scoot over for a ball. I just let it go by.”
Frost can live with his contributions being invisible in the box score.
It happens in other sports. Basketball teammates know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of his crisp passes for easy transition hoops. Opposing football coaches tried (and often failed) to run away from the 5-foot-9, 235-pound middle linebacker, allowing other Cougars to amass hefty tackle totals.
Tucked third in the batting order between Arsenault and Hutchins, it is never a shock to see Frost square around for a squeeze bunt, as he did for a key RBI in a win at Monmouth this past week.
“He does the little things to help the team out that don’t show up in the stat book. Like with two strikes, shortening up and hitting the ball to the right side to make sure the guy on second gets to third. Then Kaine comes up and either a sacrifice fly or a base hit scores him. Tyler started that,” Palmer said. “I’ve been trying to get into his head that you may be struggling average-wise, but your RBIs are up and you’re doing everything else, and we’re 14-1.”
Teammates’ trust is off the charts.
“Carrabec, there was this kid who couldn’t hit my curve ball, and I was thinking, ‘Alright, I’m going to throw it in the dirt,’” Hutchins said. “I can leave it about three feet in front of the plate and have all the confidence in the world that he’s going to come up with the ball and throw it to first. It’s great having Tyler Frost back there.”
Dirigo has locked up the No. 1 seed in the upcoming playoffs.
Despite the winning streak, the Cougars believe their best ball is yet to be played. They’re batting a relatively thin .250 as a team.
Frost was one of three seniors to miss a season-opening loss to Monmouth while on a school trip to Europe. In many respects, the condensed, one-month season has been his spring training.
“Like we keep preaching, it’s our defense and pitching that are carrying us. I don’t know what teams are averaging for runs against us, but it’s got to be low. We’re not hitting well as a team, and it’s good to have the defense, because the hitting you can just keep working, working, working, but it’s a lot harder to gain defense,” Frost said.
“There’s no doubt I’ve been struggling, but I’m really not worried about it all. Every hitter has slumps. If it’s not the next game, that first playoff game, I’ll be out of it. We’re not going to hit like that in the playoffs, I guarantee it.”
Either that, or he’s guaranteed to hear about it at family dinners, forever.
koakes@sunjournal.com
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