Late Northwood Baseball Coach Pikor Brought Enthusiasm to the Program

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By Alan Goldenbach and Carl Little

Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, September 28, 2008; Page D07

Northwood baseball coach Ed Pikor died suddenly in his sleep last Wednesday. According to Northwood assistant athletic director Ray Trail, the cause of death may have been a brain aneurysm, though autopsy results are still pending. Pikor was 56.

In 2005, a year after Northwood re-opened after being closed for 19 years, Pikor took over the baseball program. The Gladiators returned to the varsity level in 2006-07.

Pikor, though, was working in his native Connecticut at the time of his death after budget cuts left him without a teaching job at a Montgomery County school this school year. Trail said Pikor was hoping to find a position as a full-time substitute, but had made plans to return to the area before the start of baseball season.

"He had really invigorated this program," said Jay Goldman, whose son, Seth, is a senior and played for Pikor the past three seasons. "He was such an enthusiastic guy and it was quite contagious among the players. You could tell, as a parent, that he really knew his baseball, and he really related to his players."

Goldman said there is a caravan of more than a dozen players and parents driving up to Fairfield, Conn., for today's viewing and tomorrow's funeral.

Area Runners Struggle

For the first time in the six-year history of the McDonald's Cross-Country Festival at the 5K Maymont course in Richmond, no area boys or girls teams placed in the top three as high-powered teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Delaware and southern Virginia dominated.

Robinson and Clarke County had the area's top finishes -- sixth and seventh, respectively -- and Edison's Leoule Degfae was the top individual. He was sixth in 16 minutes 11 seconds, finishing a blink of an eye faster than Clarke County's Ben Veilleux.

Atlee's Ben Dejarnette was the boys' winner, completing the soggy course in 15:40.

In the girls' invitational race, O'Connell (seventh place) had the area's top finish; Brentsville was ninth and Eleanor Roosevelt was 10th.

Eleanor Roosevelt All-Met Teshika Rivers was 12th in 19:30, the area's fastest time. . . .

The Bull Run Invitational cross-country meet scheduled for yesterday was postponed because of inclement weather. The meet, at Hereford High in Parkton, Md., has been rescheduled for Oct. 11.