The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Zwinak as Maryland’s best high school football player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award, to be announced in mid-December, Zwinak joins an elite alumni association of past state football award winners, including Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.), Wes Welker (1999-00, Heritage Hall HS, Okla.), Terrell Suggs (1999-00, Hamilton HS, Ariz.), Anquan Boldin (1998-99, Pahokee HS, Fla.) and Jerome Bettis (1989-90, Mackenzie HS, Mich).

The 6-foot-2½, 235-pound fullback/linebacker has rushed for 1,908 yards and 23 touchdowns on 142 carries—an average of 13.4 yards per attempt—entering the Class 3A state championship game against Huntingtown, scheduled for Dec. 5. A 2010 U.S. Army All-American, Zwinak led the Lancers (13-0) to a Class 4A runner-up finish in 2008 and is ranked as the No. 1 fullback in the country by ESPN.

Zwinak has maintained a 3.38 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered on behalf of local youth football programs.

“In 17 years of coaching, he’s the best fullback I’ve ever seen,” said Kevin Lynott, head coach of rival Middletown High. “He’s got size, running ability, speed … if you don’t have at least two guys on him, or if he gets any kind of crease, he’s gone.”

Zwinak has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at Penn State University beginning in the fall of 2010.