By BILL WAGNER, The Evening Capital Staff Writer:

Former Naval Academy lacrosse player and highly decorated Marine Eric Kapitulik delivered one of the most poignant and impassioned speeches in the 55-year history of the Touchdown Club of Annapolis football awards banquet.

Kapitulik, a Marine Corps veteran and special forces officer, captivated the audience of nearly 400 with a riveting story of how a tragic military event has inspired his life mission to honor fallen comrades and encourage young athletes to seek excellence.

Kapitulik was the commander of a Force Reconnaissance unit that specialized in boarding vessels for the purpose of conducting search and seizure operations. The 1995 Naval Academy graduate was forever changed by a routine training mission that resulted in the deaths of seven Marines under his command.

Banquet attendees saw a video that showed the helicopter carrying Kapitulik and his team of 10 Marines as it crashed into the side of a Navy war ship and quickly sunk. Knocked unconscious by the impact, Kapitulik awoke 60 feet below water with a fractured leg. Despite being burdened by seventy pounds of equipment, he somehow managed to escape the wreckage and swim to the surface.

Since that fateful day, Kapitulik has dedicated his life to honoring the six Marines who died in that accident. The Connecticut native has raised nearly $150,000 for the Force Reconnaissance Scholarship Fund, which will be used to provide college scholarships for the children of the comrades who died under his command.

Kapitulik has raised the funds through public speaking engagements and participation in Iron Man triathlons and other ultra endurance races around the world. He founded a company known as The Program, which provides leadership development training for athletic organizations.

“The core ethos of our company is that we are good teammates and good team leaders and we prepare ourselves every day to fulfill either role,” Kapitulik said.

Kapitulik then outlined three basic principles to achieving that goal – being physically and mentally tough, not making excuses and working hard. The former Navy lacrosse defenseman said he learned those principles during a lifetime of athletic competition and with the help of many great coaches.

“We are not born mentally tough. We are born soft. However, we can learn how to become mentally tough from the first day we strap on a helmet or lace up a pair of cleats as little kids,” he said. “Hard work determines whether or not we reach our goals.”

Young athletes in the audience were riveted by Kapitulik’s story and message. Southern High lineman Andrew Bishop, the Al Laramore Award winner who had the honor of sitting next to Kapitulik, stared in awe as the former Marine with the chiseled body and sturdy jaw spoke. A table full of middle school students, which had spent most of the night goofing off, sat in stone silence and hung on every word.

Kapitulik’s inspirational message capped a typically emotional night at the annual awards affair, which attracted another large crowd of local business and political leaders to the Doubletree Hotel.

St. Mary’s, which captured the MIAA B Conference championship, received the Jerry Mears Memorial Trophy as Anne Arundel County Team of the Year. The Saints defended their title despite a coaching change that prompted the transfer of several key players, including the starting quarterback.

“I want to thank my players because this will go down as one of my all-time favorite seasons,” said veteran head coach Brad Best, who led the Saints to a 7-2 conference record.

Arundel wide receiver Alec Lemon received the Jim Rhodes Memorial Trophy as the Most Outstanding Player in Anne Arundel County. Lemon gave a very poignant acceptance speech in which he thanked head coach Chuck Markiewicz and reserved special praise for his parents and brother.

“When you are a little kid, you always imagine being the star and getting all the accolades and attention. However, you cannot forget about all the hard work that helps you reach that goal,” said Lemon, who has received a scholarship to Syracuse. “I approach every practice like it’s a game and every game like it’s my last.”

Bishop, a 6-foot-6 two-way lineman, showed an understanding of history in stating that he was honored to become the first Southern High player to receive the Laramore Award.

One of the funniest moments of the night was provided by the mother of Edwin Williams, winner of the Louis L. Goldstein Golden Helmet Award as most outstanding player at the University of Maryland. Williams, a first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, could not attend the banquet because he is participating in the NFL Combine. However, the 6-foot-3, 315-pound offensive center sent a text message which his mother read aloud.

“This wonderful award I receive from the Touchdown Club of Annapolis is the epitome of greatness. Thank you sooooo much!” Williams wrote.

Shun White, the record-setting Navy slot back, showed his speed and slick moves by rushing from the ship selection ceremony at the Naval Academy to the Doubletree Hotel in time to accept the Tony Rubino Memorial Silver Helmet Award.

Dave Marcus of the Brooklyn Park Broncos received the Vince DePasquale Service to Youth Football Award while longtime Severna Park youth basketball coach Ed Wilson was honored with the Steve Belichick Memorial Coaches’ Award.