Born in 1937, Dave Pavlansky attended Struthers High School where he graduated in 1955. He went on to graduate from Kent State University in 1961.

Coach Pav took his first coaching assignment at Leetonia High School as an assistant in 1961. In 1964, he moved on to Cardinal Mooney High School under Denny Barrett.

In 1968, Dave was named the Head Football Coach at Poland Seminary High School. He would serve in that capacity until his death on November 22, 1978. He was only 41 years old. In his 11 seasons as the leader of the Bulldog program, he compiled a record of 77-32-1. This would include 5 League Championships, and an Ohio Class AA Coach of the Year award. In 1996 he was inducted in the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Poland Seminary High School Hall of Fame.

In 1975 under Coach Pav’s direction, the Touchdown Club started a scholarship to be awarded to a deserving senior member of the Poland Seminary High School Bulldog Football Team. In 1987, the Touchdown Club renamed the scholarship The Dave Pavlansky Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship has awarded $33,000 in Coach Pav’s memory.

Scholarship Recipients

1975 / Art Aaron
1976 / Pat Jackson
1977 / Dave Pavlansky Jr.
1978 / Dave Shirey
1979 / George Ceremuga
1980 / Dave Cagna and Brent Dietzel
1981 / Ken Klingler and Chris Jackson
1982 / Frank Carsone and Chris Harrison
1983 / Matt Massarelli and Steve Scotford
1984 / John Chiaro
1985 / Chris McIltrot
1986 / Brian James
1987 / Kevin Graham and John Massarelli
1988 / Mike Repasky and Tom McClure
1989 / Tom Ficorilli and Adam Yeloushan
1990 / Jeff McCoy
1991 / Regis Geisler
1992 / Ken Lenga
1993 / Mike Dobran and Chris Fox
1994 / Bryan Wiery
1995 / Joe Belyusar
1996 / John Berg
1997 / Mark Frankenburg and David J. McPherson
1998 / Greg Delluomo
1999 / Mark Daprile and David Colella
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008