From Staff Reports
ANNAPOLIS — Marc Firlie, one of Bishop Walsh High School’s all-time athletic greats, has been recognized as one of the United States Naval Academy’s all-time football greats as well, as the 1982 Cumberland area high school football player of the year was honored Oct. 31 at halftime of the Navy-Temple football game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium as one of Navy’s top eight defensive backs in the last 50 years as a member of the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial All-Stadium team as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Joining Firlie in the 50-year Navy secondary are Gervy Alota (1994-97), Sean Andrews (1994-97), Rick Bayer (1964-67), Chris Lepore (1997-00), Chet Moeller (1972-75), Josh Smith (2001-04) and John Sturges (1974-77).
The eight players were selected by fan balloting that was conducted on navysports.com (50 percent of the vote) and by a committee (50 percent of the vote) made up of Navy Sports Information Director Scott Strasemeier, Navy football historian Jack Clary, former Annapolis Capital sports editor and Navy beat writer Joe Gross, current Navy beat writer for the Annapolis Capital Bill Wagner, Navy broadcasters Bob Socci and Pete Medhurst and Navy football historian and former beat writer for the Washington Post Christian Swezey.
Firlie earned three varsity letters (1984, '85, '86) at Navy and led the team in interceptions as a sophomore with five, good for 20th in the nation, and then two in his senior year. His sophomore year the Midshipmen upset No. 2 ranked South Carolina, 38-21, marking the last time Navy defeated a team ranked in the top five. He was named first-team All-East, honorable mention All-American and was selected to play in the Hula Bowl All-Star Game as a senior. He finished his career with 328 tackles, tied for the fourth most in school history, and nine interceptions.
Firlie was put into the lineup as a sophomore against North Carolina and intercepted a pass in the end zone to preserve a 33-30 season-opening victory. He never relinquished that starting spot.
"It just goes to show that you have to take advantage of your opportunities,” Firlie told the Capital. “I was a backup in 1984, but Steve Brady got hurt the week of the opener and I had to play.”
In 1986, Firlie, who now lives in Timonium, was honored by the Dapper Dan Club of Allegany County with its Top Award — now the George W. Stevenson-Nicholas A. Perlozzo Memorial Award — along with Hall of Fame Allegany College of Maryland basketball coach Bob Kirk for bringing the most national recognition to the Cumberland area through athletics.
