Linn-Mar freshman Payton Wensel is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Wensel has established herself as one of the top sprinters in the state for the Linn-Mar track team with impressive performances in the 200 and 400 meter dashes.

Wensel leads the state in the 200 at 25.54 seconds, accomplished at the Pleasant Valley Relays in Bettendorf Friday night. She also ranks second in the state in the 400 in 57.84 seconds, performed April 4 at the J-Hawk Relays at Kingston Stadium.

With those times, Wensel would have tied for fourth in the 200 at the Class 4A state meet last year and would have placed fifth in the 400.

Wensel also runs on formidable relay teams with Linn-Mar. The Lions rank No. 1 in the state in the 4x400 relay (4:00.56), No. 1 in the 4x800 relay (9:23.22), No. 4 in the 800 sprint medley (1:50.47) and No. 6 in the 4x200 relay (1:46.90) with Wensel on board.

Her teammates on those relays have been Maddie Saville, Hanna Saville, Amber Decker, Ariana Rolle, Brooke Lorenz and Sarah Renner.

Wensel served notice of her ability last year when she won the 200, 400 and 800 titles at the eighth grade state meet.