Ed Dawson, Cornell High School head football coach, dies after medical emergency during game; tributes pour in

Ed Dawson, the head football coach at Cornell High School died after a medical emergency during the game on Friday.

Cornell School District Superintendent Aaron Thomas announced the news of Dawson's passing. He noted that the coach had been taken to a local hospital after he suffered a medical emergency during the team game at Rochester High School in Beaver County. Dawson later died, the statement noted.

His demise has left the Cornell community ‘heart broken, crushed, and in shock’, Thomas shared. He added “This is an extremely difficult situation. To say Coach Dawson was an integral part of Cornell School District would be an understatement.”

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Joseph Guarino, superintendent for the Rochester Area School District, expressed “deepest condolences and prayers to the entire Cornell community and the family of Coach Dawson. The Cornell community and their football family have difficult days ahead and we will be there to support them in all that they need,” as per CBS News. Cornell High School is in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

What happened to Ed Dawson?

Dawson reportedly told an assistant coach he was not feeling well during the second quarter of the Friday night game. He was advised to sit down on the bench, but Dawson ended up lying down there, as per Trib Live.

“Next thing you know, he wasn’t moving,” Cornell athletic director Bill Sacco said. Medical personnel administered CPR to Dawson for several minutes before he was moved to the hospital, where he passed away. There are no public records or reports of Dawson suffering from any underlying condition.

Tributes pour in for Ed Dawson

Sacco said of Dawson “Cornell will grieve for a long time. 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.”

Others joined in as well. “RIP Coach Dawson. The epitome of what High School Football is all about. Prayers to him and his family from our Football Family,” one wrote. Another added “I’m gutted right now. Ed Dawson was a great friend, great coach and just one of the best people I have meet not just in coaching but in life. He cared so much about every kid. I looked up to him and admired how he coached his boys, he was so proud of them. God bless you my friend.”

Yet another said “Ed was a great coach, a better person! Praying for his soul and his family and the Cornell Raiders, terrible loss.”

Ed Dawson's career

Dawson was named head coach back in 2011. He led Cornell to their first conference championship in 36 years and then into the WPIAL semifinals in 2019. In 2021, Dawson helped Cornell win its first outright conference title in 38 seasons.

His career record was 49-54 across 12 seasons and Dawson was named the Times' high school football coach of the year in 2019. Before coaching, Dawson was a standout linebacker for Aliquippa’s 1992 WPIAL and PIAA championship teams.