CALEDONIA — Ed Crawford died this past winter at the age of 75, but his memory was honored April 10 at his home away from home.
A teacher, coach and principal at River Valley for 35 years and a fixture as a volunteer and fan long afterward, Crawford was the latest annual honoree at the Keller/Rich River Valley Relays held during a cool and rainy Friday evening.
According to Dave Rich, one of the namesakes of the relays, he and Crawford began their careers together at RV in 1970. Crawford was a science teacher and Rich the physical education and health instructor, both at the junior high. The two also coached track and field and boys basketball throughout the 1970s before Crawford moved into administration.
“Ed and I started together and coached together,” Rich said. “He was a distance guy, and he was the assistant coach for Dick Naher when I was the JV coach.”
Both Rich and Kevin Keller, another longtime teacher and coach at River Valley, felt Crawford was deserving of honoring as many of Crawford’s family members gathered in the infield before the start of the running events as his career was recognized and his accomplishments were celebrated.
“We’re very honored, but I’d rather have him here,” his wife Carol (Bender) Crawford said.
Crawford was the assistant principal at the high school for more than 10 years before taking over as the middle school principal, serving in that post for 15 years. Following retirement, he continued to work as an instructor at Marion Technical College and as a substitute teacher at RV.
After his years of coaching, he volunteered at River Valley middle and high school track meets, running the bullpen and helping with field events, too.
“He showed up with a clipboard and pencils in hand, and an attitude that exceeded all the expectations. He showed up early. He stayed late,” the PA announcer’s script read. “The memories of Ed will live infinitely around this track. In every left turn, we will feel his presence. We will hear his voice. We will see his face. The bar has been set, and the baton passed. It is now upon us to carry it forward. Let us honor Coach Crawford by reflecting on the greatness he bestowed as we stand in a moment of silence.”
RV Relays team results
Colonel Crawford won the eight-team relays with 92.5 points followed by Upper Sandusky at 74, Marion Harding at 71.5, Willard at 71, River Valley at 64, Pleasant at 58, Ontario at 57 and Mansfield Senior at 11.
On the girls side, Upper Sandusky took the team title with 101 points, while Willard was next with 86 followed by Crawford with 79, RV with 68, Harding with 50, Pleasant with 49, Ontario with 45 and Mansfield Senior with 7.
Marion-area top three in field events
River Valley’s Madalynn Gwinner was the lone individual field event winner from the Marion area as she took the girls discus with a throw of 121 feet, 2 inches. She was also third in the girls shot put at 31-10 1/2.
River Valley got a second with Riley Hummel going 18-3 3/4 in the boys long jump. It also got a third in the girls long jump with Cassidy Elliott going 14-7 1/2. Marion Harding’s Theo Collins and Pleasant’s Jacob Meyers tied for third in the boys high jump at 5-4.
As a team, River Valley’s girls were second in the discus and long jump and third in the high jump. RV’s boys were third in the discus and shot put. Harding’s boys were third in the high jump and long jump.
Marion-area top three in girls running events
There were two winning relay teams from Marion County. Marion Harding took the 4,000-meter distance medley relay in 15 minutes, 16.86 seconds, and River Valley won the 4×400 relay in 4:32.92.
In the 4×1600 relay, the Presidents were second in 24:52.53 and the Vikings third in 24:56.84.
Harding was the runner-up in the 1600 middle distance medley with a 4:43.39.
River Valley ended third in the 400-meter shuttle hurdles in 1:16.64, third in the 800 sprint medley in 2:05.83 and third in the 4×800 in 11:32.39.
Pleasant was second in the 4000 distance medley in 15:31.82
Marion-area top three in boys running events
There were no local winners of running relay races among the boys, but Marion Harding was a runner-up in five events.
The Presidents were second in the 4×1600 in 20:24.31, the 800 sprint medley relay in 1:43.97, the 4000 distance medley in 11:53.08, the 4×100 in 47.92 and the 4×400 in 3:48.19. Harding was third in the 1600 middle distance medley at 3:57.3.
RV was second in the middle distance medley at 3:57.03, third in the sprint medley at 1:46.15 and third in the distance medley at 12:14.8.
Pleasant finished second in the 4×200 in 1:42.62 and was third in the 4×800 in 9:42.52.
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: River Valley track honors late teacher, coach and administrator
Reporting by Rob McCurdy, Marion Star / Marion Star
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