Xavier senior Maddie Bertsch is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Bertsch is one of the top golfers in the state and leads Class 4A in scoring with a 78.0 average.

Bertsch helped the Saints place second at the 2013 state meet at the Ames Golf & Country Club by finishing seventh in the individual standings. She also played in the state meet as a freshman in 2011 when she tied for 19th in the standings.

Xavier has captured the CRANDIC meet, the Linn-Mar Invitational and the Valley Division title in the Mississippi Valley Conference this season with Bertsch leading the way. She plans to continue her golf career at the University of Northern Iowa.

The 2014 regional meet is scheduled for May 27 at the Waverly Golf Course and the state meet is scheduled for June 2-3 at the Ames Golf & Country Club.

Bertsch was also a member of the Xavier basketball team that won a state title in 2013.

Here is our Question-&-Answer session with Maddie Bertsch:

MSR: What is your favorite individual highlight in sports?

MADDIE: My favorite individual highlight in sports would have to be making first team all-state in the 4A golf tournament in 2013.

MSR: What is your favorite team highlight in sports?

MADDIE: My favorite team highlight in sports was winning the 4A state basketball title last year as a junior. Once we got up by a point and one of my teammates stole the ball, I heard the buzzer sound and immediately celebrated with my whole team.

MSR: Who has had the biggest influence on your sports career?

MADDIE: Larry Gladson (the golf pro at Elmcrest) has been the most influential person in my sports career. He is my swing coach, but more than that he always gives me great insight into the mental aspects of golf.

My relationship with Larry started at an early age when I was trying to pass the bag tag test at Elmcrest Country Club. He sat down and helped me interpret the questions since I was too little to read the whole test myself. This is just one example on how his support has shaped my golf career.

I know he will try his best to work me into his busy schedule if I am having trouble with parts of my game. He will always push me to make the changes I need to improve my game. He stays patient with me and finds new drills to correct my flaws.

He has been there for me to improve my swing and mental game. He encouraged me, but didn't pressure me, to continue my golf career into college and I cannot thank him enough.

MSR: What are your future goals in sports?

MADDIE: My future goals are to advance to the 4A state golf tournament as an individual and as a team. I am also really looking forward to my college golf career at the University of Northern Iowa under a great golf coach, John Bermel.

MSR: What are your favorite classes in school?

MADDIE: My favorite class in school is math.

MSR: What has been your favorite community service project?

MADDIE: Ringing the bell for Salvation Army during Christmas time would have to be my favorite community service project. Starting at a young age with my Bulldogs basketball team, we rang the bells and it continued through my senior year with the Xavier basketball team.