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Cottonwood football coach Greg Croshaw confirmed his resignation due to a non-life-threatening heart condition with The Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday afternoon.

"I don't think it's real bad, but I didn't want to leave the school at the last minute," said Croshaw, who was 13-19 at the helm of the Colts' program for three seasons. "They're trying some medication to get my heartbeat under control, which I think will work. They said it might take six months for that to happen, and I didn't want to put the school in a position to be looking for a coach that close to the season if for some reason it didn't work."

Croshaw inherited an adverse situation at Cottonwood in 2012 when former coach Josh Lyman resigned amid allegations of inappropriate contact with a female student after his predecessor Teko Johnson died of a heart attack in 2010.

"It was an interesting challenge. I enjoyed it," Croshaw said. "I came in under some strenuous circumstances, but the kids were great, the administration was great, and I really enjoyed my time."

Croshaw, who coached Dixie State for 24 years and Mesa Community College for one season, will relinquish his teaching position at Cottonwood at the end of the school year and return to St. George, where his wife still resides.

"It'll be nice to be home and not commute. After 39 years of marriage, I kind of like that girl," Croshaw quipped. "It's been a tough four years at Mesa and Cottonwood. I certainly won't miss the drive from here to St. George every weekend, I'll tell you that."

Cottonwood has not announced Croshaw's replacement. The Colts will remain in Class 5A but relocate from Region 2 to Region 3 next season, joining Bingham, Brighton, Copper Hills, Jordan, Taylorsville and West Jordan.

"It's kind of an interesting place. When you look at the dynamics of the school and the kids they have to draw for athletics, it's kind of tough to compete in 5A," Croshaw said. "But it's a good school, lots of tradition. It's a scenario where, I think, it's going to be tough for a state championship, but not impossible."

-Trevor Phibbs

Twitter: @trevorphibbs