COLLEGE PARK — Patterson quarterback Willie McGirt finished off a stellar high school career last fall by earning second-team All-Metro honors and signing to play at Virginia Tech.
On June 24, however, he will get one last chance in the spotlight.
As one of three quarterbacks on Team Maryland, McGirt is likely to see plenty of action before an anticipated crowd of more than 20,000 in the 1995 Chesapeake Football Classic at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium.
“Every time I get into the game, I hope to show my talents,” said McGirt, who threw for 1,042 yards and ran for 1,007 his senior season. “I think I’ll be able to accomplish a whole lot because I’ll be playing with some of the best players in the area and in the nation.”
Those players include 10 Baltimore Sun All-Metro selections, including first-teamers Tyrone Bailey (Patterson), Jason Bloom (Perry Hall), Lou Brown (North County), Keion Carpenter (Woodlawn), Carl Carter (Dunbar), DaLawn Parrish (Howard) and Dwayne Stukes (McDonogh).
Absent from the team is the Baltimore Sun’s 1994 Offensive Player of the Year, Bobby Sabelhaus of McDonogh, who will be unable to play because of scheduling conflicts.
But that didn’t make Maryland head coach Shawn Baker’s job any easier. Baker, who coaches at LaPlata in Charles County, had the final say on which of the 140 hopefuls made the final 35-player roster to play against Virginia all-stars.
“It was a tough job,” said Baker, who coached at Havre de Grace from 1978-88. “We still think there were another 20 or so kids who were really deserving.”
Each player was nominated by his coach, then evaluated in a recent combine at Parkside High School.
“We tried to give the kids the best
and fairest opportunity we could,” Baker said. “We wanted to pick the best athletes, and I think we did a pretty good job.”
Maryland won last year’s game, 20-16, at Baltimore’s Memorial Sta
dium to tie the series at one.
“Most guys don’t get the chance to play in this game,” said McGirt. “I just want to play well and represent my high school, my family and my state.”
