Pittsburg ? About 1,600 people attended the funeral of Craig Crespino, the Girard High School football coach who was electrocuted last week while carrying a goal post that hit an overhead power line.

The Rev. Robert McElwee spoke Tuesday at Crespino’s funeral Mass, which was at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium. An overflow crowd viewed the service from a video feed set up in the auditorium basement. There were just a few empty seats around the auditorium.

“Try to imagine any other occupation that would produce this kind of turnout at a funeral,” McElwee said.

Crespino, 45, died Friday when he and student Jace Cobb, 16, were carrying the goal post on a practice football field and it made contact with an overhead power line. Cobb, the student manager of the football team, was released Saturday from a hospital.

Crespino had been head football coach in Girard since 1992 and had held other coaching positions at the high school since 1984.

McElwee said football was Crespino’s passion and that he was fortunate to be able to make a living doing what he loved. He said Crespino’s wife, Glenna, accepted that.

“She said football was her husband’s mistress, and she couldn’t be jealous,” McElwee said.

McElwee said Crespino’s first influence was his father, Frank Crespino, who had been football coach at St. Mary’s Colgan High School in Pittsburg. He said Crespino literally wore his father’s shoes during games, until they fell apart.

The night before the funeral, nearly 3,000 people, many wearing the school colors of maroon and gold, gathered at the high school’s football field to recite the rosary for Crespino. His casket was placed on the home sidelines at the 50-yard line.

Girard High School senior Trent Crask said the upcoming football season would be different without Crespino.

“We are going to play with a chip on our shoulders this year, and the sidelines are going to be a lot quieter this season,” Crask said.