Baldwin Park defensive coordinator Wardell Crutchfield Jr. resigns …

Baldwin Park defensive coordinator and former Duarte head coach Wardell Crutchfield Jr. resigned Friday following the Braves’ 31-7 loss to Schurr in the first round of the Mid-Valley Division playoffs.

“That was always the plan,” Crutchfield said. “Even if I was still at Duarte, it would have been my last year. I was just coaching until all my boys were done.”

Cructchfield’s son, Wardell III was a senior linebacker at Baldwin Park. He will play at UTEP next season along with Baldwin Park teammate Demetrius Jackson.

Crutchfield was fired at Duarte following the 2008 season and quickly landed on his feet at Baldwin Park, calling the defense under head coach James Heggins. Baldwin Park allowed 24 points per game this season and 14.8 ppg. in 2009.

“It was a little bit different because I wasn’t the head guy,” Crutchfield said of his time at Baldwin Park. “Coach Heggins is a good dude and we had some former Duarte coaches over there, so that made it good for me, too.”

“It was fun. I think we made some kids better and some programs better. I was able to get some kids out and help them become better young men, so it was good.”

Crutchfield didn’t rule out a return to coaching, but said it would only be as an assistant to his cousin Tony Crutchfield if he got a head job and wanted help.

Crutchfield was head coach at Duarte between 2004-08. In that time, he brought the Falcons program back to prominence with several high-profile D-1 signees, two Montview League titles and a trip to the semifinals.

Aram’s take: Crutchfield has an 11-year-old daughter who runs track and plays volleyball (look for her to be at Diamond Ranch in a few years), so he wants to spend time getting her athletic career off the ground. And with WC3 headed to UTEP, he’ll have more time to go to his games over the next few years. I for one am sad to see him go. You can’t argue with his record and his ability to get kids on to D-1 schools. Plus, Coach Crutch always told like it is.