FARGO — Gatorade announced Tuesday, Dec. 7, that Lucas Schweigert of Bismarck Century High School was named the Gatorade North Dakota Football Player of the Year.
Schweigert is the third from Century to be given the award, following former Patriots lineman Andrew Leingang, who was last year's recipient.
The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, according to Gatorade. Schweigert is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced later this month.
The 6-foot, 270-pound offensive and defensive lineman recorded 89 tackles and two sacks this past season to help lead the Patriots to the Class 11AA football semifinals. He was named the Class AA Senior Football Athlete of the Year and is a three-time all-state selection.
Schweigert, a University of North Dakota football commit, has volunteered locally on behalf of the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, the Designer Genes Walk for down syndrome awareness and youth hockey and football programs. He maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.