Tragic Loss of Cornell High School Football Coach

A beloved football coach from Cornell High School in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, passed away during a game on Friday after expressing to his assistant that he wasn’t feeling well.

Head coach Ed Dawson informed his assistant during the second quarter of the match against Rochester that he was unwell and chose to sit on the bench. Moments later, his condition deteriorated, and he lay down on the field.

“Next thing you know, he wasn’t moving,” remarked Cornell athletic director Bill Sacco.

An emergency medical technician promptly attempted CPR before the coach was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Cornell will grieve for a long time,” Sacco stated. “We lost a great guy. I am not sure how we will get back to where we need to be. I guess we’ll see what happens.”

The game was halted with Cornell leading 16-6 following the coach’s removal from the field.

Cornell High School Superintendent Dr. Aaron Thomas shared a heartfelt statement, expressing the school’s profound sadness over the loss.

“This is an extremely difficult situation. To say Coach Dawson was an integral part of Cornell School District would be an understatement. It’s hard to fully convey what Coach Dawson meant to Cornell; we are all heartbroken, crushed, and in shock,” said Thomas.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Dawson and his family. We have difficult days ahead, and we will lean on each other to get through them the best we can,” he concluded with, “We love you, Coach Dawson.”

Others in the community shared their sentiments as well. Donnie Militzer, coach at Our Lady of Sacred Heart, remembered Dawson as a “welcoming guy … with a big personality,” adding that the news of his death was deeply upsetting.

Fort Cherry coach Tanner Garry also paid tribute, describing Dawson as a “mentor” who embodied what a coach should be both on and off the field.

Dawson began his tenure as Cornell’s head coach in 2011, having previously served as an assistant for both Cornell and Quaker Valley.

Entering the game on Friday with a record of 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big 7 Conference, the team was hoping to secure a playoff berth.