Sammy Lizarraga of Cedar Rapids Kennedy is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday night.

Lizarraga, a senior, is one of the top baseball players in Iowa and was named to the elite all-state team last year by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Lizarraga pitched a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts Friday when the 10th-ranked Cougars blanked No. 9 Iowa City West, 4-0, in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader in Iowa City. The victory was the 600th for Coach Bret Hoyer in 23 years at Kennedy.

Lizarraga was bothered earlier in the season by a sore elbow and a sore back, but he's healthy now and in top form for the Cougars. He is batting .415 with five doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs as a hitter.

Lizarraga has pitched only 12 innings for Kennedy so far, but he has a 1-0 record and 0.00 ERA and has allowed only six hits. His control has been impeccable with 18 strikeouts and no walks. Opponents are hitting only .143 against him.

Lizarraga has committed to play at Wabash Valley College next year.