Drozd was big part of GV's turnaround in the 1970s

The 1970s didn’t start well for the Grand Valley football team.

In fact, by the time Ed Drozd began his freshman year in 1976, the Mustangs had won just one game over a three-year span.

They weren’t much better in that freshman year, either, going just 1-8-1.

But after that, a coaching staff that included head coach Jim Henson and assistants like Tom Henson and Ron Chutas (all three of whom are in the Ashtabula County Touchdown Club Hall of Fame), turned the team around.

Drozd will take his place in the ACTC Hall of Fame during the organization’s banquet Sunday at SPIRE Academy.

The Mustangs went 4-8 in Drozd’s sophomore year in 1977.

GV became a winning team in 1978 and improved that to 8-1-1 his senior season.

Drozd had a big role in that turnaround, according to Jim Henson.

“In his junior year, GV was conference co-champions,” Henson said. “His senior year, Grand Valley won the conference title outright [the first time in history, according to Drozd].

“The defense gave up 44 points for the year and zero points in the league. Ed was a big part of that turnaround. He lettered three years and was team co-captain his junior and senior years.”

As a sophomore in 1977, Drozd played special teams. He lettered in 1978, but no records are available from that year.

He began his organized football career in the seventh grade at Grand Valley under coach Ed Shook.

“I played running back,” Drozd said. “Some of my teammates were Bob Adams, Rosey Jackson, Nathan Paskey, Wayne McCabe, Arliss Stout and Jon Sommer. Our conference record was 3-1.

“In high school, my head coach was Jim Henson, defensive coach was Tom Henson, and assistant coach was Ron Chutas. My senior teammates included Bob Adams [wingback], Joe Bierer [center], Jim Dyke [tackle], Paul Huntington [guard], Rosey Jackson [end], Wayne McCabe [halfback], Nathan Paskey [quarterback], Anthony Pawlowski [guard], Bruce Watson [end], Calvin Zgrabik [end], Paul Byler [tackle], Harold Dudley [guard], and Jim Lueders [end].”

Drozd really hit his stride as a senior, earning first-team linebacker status in the Grand River Conference and All-Ashtabula County Co-Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, he was selected first-team all-district and state honorable mention as a linebacker.

“My senior year, our team finished third in the District 9 computer poll [one place out of qualifying for the playoffs],” Drozd said. “The games I remember most are beating Cardinal, Southington and Perry for the conference championship.”

He also starred in wrestling and track. In wrestling, Drozd won four letters, including one on the 1980 GV team, which won the GRC championship.

Drozd placed second in the sectionals and districts and qualified for the state championship.

In track, Drozd won four letters and was the 1980 conference shot put champion on the Mustangs’ GRC championship team.

Instead of attending college, Drozd served in the United States Marine Corps for four years, then attended a two-year technical program. He worked for First Energy for 33 years, retiring in 2022.

He met his wife, Jan, at the gym where he worked out.

The couple has four children (Ed’s two sons, Shaw and Aryn, and Jan’s kids, Sarah and Dave) and seven grandchildren.

“We spend time working out and watching grandchildren play sports,” Dzozd said.