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Jo Norman and her Salem Hills teammates celebrate Wednesday's hard-fought 1-0 win over West Field. May 20, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Salem Hills' Jo Norman gets ready to deal a pitch during her outstanding shutout performance versus West Field on Wednesday. May 20, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Salem Hills' Jo Norman had all her pitches working during her shutout performance versus West Field on Wednesday. May 20, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Salem Hills' Jo Norman sets up between innings during her team's 1-0 win over West Field on Wednesday. May 20, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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Salem Hills senior Jo Norman has pitched more than several outstanding games during her prep career, but none like the one she pitched during Wednesday’s 1-0 win over West Field.

And the Skyhawks needed every bit of it, as the final score certainly suggests.

With a consecutive trip to the 5A state championship round on the line, Norman was at her very best, confounding the Longhorn bats from start to finish in her complete game performance.

“Her spin was great. She was moving that ball up and down and in and out,” said Salem Hills coach Kalab Stokes. “It’s funny, we got we got to the field this morning to hit and she goes, ‘I feel like an old lady, I’m a little little creaky today.’ But then she’s like, ‘But I got this.’ And boy, she sure did today.”

Norman allowed just two hits on the afternoon, and despite four errors committed behind her, the Skyhawk defense played a big role too in providing more than its fair share of standout outs.

“That’s something we’ve focused on ever since January 3rd and when we started open gyms, was defense, defense, defense,” Stokes said. “We knew the hitting would be there, but defense wins you games in tight games, and that’s something that this group takes serious. We start every practice with defense and they pride themselves in that.”

Norman was quick to agree with her coach.

“I always know that even when I don’t perform my best that my team has my back,” she said. “We’re here, and it’s time to be at your best.”

As for Norman, she was undoubtedly at her best despite on Wednesday despite not feeling 100 percent going in.

“It’s just the grind of the season and my body was feeling sore going in,” Norman said. “The pressure is there, and yeah, we weren’t scoring the runs today that we do normally, but it’s always my mentality that I just pitch like I can no matter the situation. I know my team will put enough runs or make enough plays behind me, and that helps my confidence for sure.”

As it so happens, Norman’s battery mate Emmery Wilson provided the game’s winning run in the bottom of the first hitting, pounding a ball over the left field fence for what was assumed at the time to be the first of several Skyhawk runs. But the game unfolded much different than anyone anticipated, with West Field pitcher Brinklee Hadley dealing gems throughout.

For Salem Hills, however, it’s learned to win games even if its bats remain relatively quiet which is a necessity for any team hoping to make a deep run in the state tournament.

“We hit the long ball. Just like anybody else can in this state,  and maybe a little bit better on days. But there’s a lot of games where we haven’t hit the long ball and we’ve won,” Stoke said. “We haven’t been stretched like this defensively, where it’s a one-run game, but the mental state of these kids, it’s they’re just so tough mentally. Whether it’s one runs or 13 runs yesterday, they stay locked in every single pitch, and very rarely do they make mistakes on defense. So that that’s a huge, huge plus for us.”

Also huge was of course Norman herself who won’t soon be forgetting Wednesday’s outing.

“I’m going to remember this one forever,” she confirmed. “Because of where it happened and what it mean … Yeah, this is the best one yet.”

Lehi loses narrowly to Mountain Ridge

Lehi’s season came to a tough end with a 9-7 loss to Mountain Ridge that went to extra innings. A 3-run home run belted by the Sentinels in the top of the eighth inning proved too much to overcome as the Pioneer’s otherwise outstanding 2026 season came to a close.

“If we’re going to start with anyone it starts with the parents of these players for raising great kids,” said Lehi coach Tim Kennedy. “There’s been no drama with this team and they’ve been so great to work with for the entire season. My coaching staff is outstanding and we’re proud of what we’ve done this year. Not every team can take it as far as we did, and if just few things went different I feel we could still be playing. But overall it’s been a great season.”

One big thing that didn’t go Lehi’s way were injuries to two key pitchers just prior to the knockout stage of the tournament. Sure, starting pitcher Abi Haurron had been dealing with injury throughout the season, but then a bizarre ailment hit Jaxie Medler, leaving her suddenly blind in one eye and in the hospital following the Pioneer’s regional round win over Lone Peak.

“Pitching is always big in this tournament and having two starting pitchers go down was really tough,” Kennedy said. “Abi still isn’t at 100 percent, or even close to it. She gave it her best today, but unfortunately she just ran out of gas. Our prayers are certainly with Jax. But even with those issues the girls battled so hard and I couldn’t be more proud of them and the effort they put out there today.”

Springville loses 5-3 to West Field

Springville’s senior-laden team fought hard throughout, but ultimately came out on the losing end of a 5-3 game to West Field during the first round of games on Wednesday. Following the loss multiple hugs were dealt out and the typical tears shed with many Red Devil players participating in their final prep game.

“We have nine seniors on this year’s team and I’m so proud of all of them,” said Springville coach Jill Thackeray. “All of them impacted our program in such a dramatic way, both on and off the field. They’re going to be very difficult to replace and this season came down to them. They gave it their all until the very end and I couldn’t be more proud of all of their efforts and what they’ve meant to our program.”

Dapper Dons

Spanish Fork pounded its way past Maple Mountain, taking a 13-3 win into the next round where it beat No. 2 seed Box Elder 8-5 to set up an elimination game to decide which of the two teams advance to the state championship to take on Salem Hills.

Spanish Fork used a 6-run top of the second inning to fuel the win over Box Elder with Taylani Reid providing a key 3-run home run to highlight the team’s overall effort.