More Than a Game: Coach Andrews is Building Men Through Bangor Football

By: Marc Emile | Sportzwire | July 22, 2025 | Photo courtesy Team Photo

A native of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, Coach Steve Andrews has football in his DNA. A graduate of Lehighton High School, Andrews continued his athletic and academic career at Albright College, where he excelled as a running back and served as team captain during his senior year.

Coach Andrews began his coaching journey in 2008 at Nazareth High School. Since then, he has developed a deep understanding of the game through various coaching roles, including offensive coordinator at Pen Argyl and Allentown Central Catholic, as well as position coach for running backs and defensive backs at Pocono Mountain East. These experiences have shaped him into a well-rounded coach with a focus on player development and character building.

Now as the head coach of the Bangor Area High School football program, Coach Andrews is leading the team through a rebuilding phase. Two years removed from a strong senior class, the Slaters are coming off a tough 1-9 season. But under Andrews' leadership, the focus remains clear: growth, resilience, and consistency.

“We aren’t just trying to develop good football players,” Andrews emphasizes, “we’re trying to build good men, good fathers, and good husbands.” The program places a strong emphasis on character development, teaching players how to face adversity and setbacks, lessons that go far beyond the football field.

Jake Hillis is a key player to watch for next season. He is the embodiment of what Bangor football stands for. A relentless worker on the field, he’s also a standout in the classroom with a GPA above 4.0 and is actively involved in community service. Coach Andrews praises him as, “the definition of a student-athlete… exactly what we want coming out of our program.”

One of the key challenges this season is improving the offensive line. After struggling to establish a run game last year, Coach Andrews and his staff are prioritizing depth and development up front. Rebuilding the trenches is central to turning the program around.

The team rallies around the motto, “You have to be 1-0 every day,” a mantra that encourages players to win each day through effort, focus, and preparation whether that’s on the practice field, in the classroom, or studying film.

Bangor’s season culminates in one of the Lehigh Valley’s most passionate rivalries: the Week 10 matchup against Pen Argyl. It’s more than a game, it’s a tradition that unites the community and inspires the team to leave everything on the field. This Bangor team has a lot to prove this coming season as they come into a new age for their program.

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