Video: Former Alabama star Minkah Fitzpatrick surprises future Auburn star Anthony Schwartz Schwartz earns award by recording five of the top 15 100-meter times in prep history this season.
Anthony Schwartz is fast. Really fast. The nation's fourth fastest prep of all-time.
But even the recent graduate of
American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) wasn't quite quick enough to know he was being bamboozled.
A fake ceremony for his former coach Pat Surtain in Miami was nothing but a disguise as former Alabama star and Miami Dolphins rookie
Minkah Fitzpatrick instead awarded Schwartz with the Gatorade 2018 Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year award.
Schwartz, who ran a national season best — and fourth best of all-time — 10.09 seconds in the 100 meters in New Mexico earlier this month, will accept the award formally next month at the Gatorade Player of the Year Awards in Los Angeles.
Minkah Fitzpatrick (left) and Anthony Schwartz pose Thursday after the recent American Heritage sprinter and football player won the Gatorade Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year award.
Photo courtesy of Gatorade
The 12 Gatorade winners will be part of ESPN's ESPY Awards on July 18.
"I was shocked and surprised, but also a little suspicious," Schwartz said by phone on Thursday. "When Minkah announced my name, my mouth sort of dropped. I was jumping up and down on the inside."
Also a 4-star receiver headed to Auburn, Schwartz never jumped at the starting line while recording five 100 times this season that rank among the top 15 in American prep track history.
He set state records not only in the 100, but 200 as well (20.47). He plans to play football and run track at Auburn.
Schwartz had 29 career catches at American Heritage for 674 yards and nine touchdowns.
He said Auburn head coaches Gus Malzahn (football) and Ralph Spry (track) have already implemented a plan to allow Schwartz to compete in both sports in 2018-19.
"Coach (Malzahn) said he wants me to be successful and is rooting for me 100 percent in both sports," Schwartz said. "He's not going to pull me out of track in the spring. I feel very confident I can manage both sports."
Fitzpatrick was a football and track star at
St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) — he ran a best times of 10.36 and 20.80 as a prep — but managed just one year at Alabama doing both sports.
He gave up track before his sophomore season.
"It was tough on my body and mentally, too," Fitzpatrick said. "But I'm sure if Anthony and his coaches are all on board, he can do it. … He ran a 10.09? That's flying. That's some serious speed.
"He seems like a great and humble kid. He made sure to thank his teammates and family for winning the award."
Minkah Fitzgerald was a 5-star recruit out of St. Peter's Prep in New Jersey.
File photo by Ken Inness
It was the first time Fitzpatrick, the All-American safety for the Crimson Tide and No. 11 pick of the Dolphins in the 2018 draft, has worked with Gatorade.
He said, with a laugh, there was no friction giving out his first award to a future Auburn athlete. In three seasons at Alabama, Fitzpatrick had 110 career tackles, nine interceptions and 24 pass deflections.
"No friction at all," he said. "Roll Tide."
Schwartz can't wait until they roll out the red carpet at the ESPYs. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are at the top of his wish list to meet.
"I just found out I won this award and then I'm told I'm going to the ESPYs," Schwartz said. "All this news is coming awfully fast."
Not as fast as Schwartz.
Anthony Schwartz before his senior season at American Heritage.
File photo by Richard Ta
