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Salem Hills catcher Emmery Wilson, right, jumps in the air with pitcher Jo Norman to celebrate winning the 5A state softball title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Audree Stokes of Salem Hills, left, hugs her father, head coach Kalab Stokes, after winning the 5A softball state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Leila Stevenson, right, hugs a teammate after winning the 5A softball state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Audree Stokes of Salem Hills, left, reacts to a strikeout by teammate Jo Norman in the 5A state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Jo Norman of Salem Hills and her teammates celebrate winning the 5A state softball title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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The Salem Hills softball team celebrates winning the 5A state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Members of the Salem Hills softball team pose for photos after winning the 5A state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills celebrate winning the 5A softball state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Jo Norman of Salem Hills throws a pitch in the 5A softball state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Jacqueline Nelson of Salem Hills steals second base in the 5A state softball playoffs against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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The Salem Hills softball team celebrates winning the 5A state title against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills softball coach Kalab Stokes watches the action in the 5A state playoffs against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills softball fans react during the 5A state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Jo Norman of Salem Hills is crowned with gloves and bats by her teammates while doing interviews after a 3-1 victory against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Players in the Salem Hills dugout react during the 5A state softball playoffs against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills first baseman Swazie Wilson makes a play in the 5A softball state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Leila Stevenson of Salem Hills takes a swing in the 5A state softball finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills second baseman Samaya Haveron throws to first base in the 5A softball finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Salem Hills pitcher Jo Norman throws a pitch in the 5A softball state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Samaya Haveron of Salem Hills takes a swing in the 5A softball state finals against Box Elder at Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Swazie Wilson of Salem Hills (right) leans away from a pitch as Box Elder catcher Maclee Willard snags the ball in the 5A softball state championships at BYU's Gail Miller Field on Friday, May 22, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

Salem Hills junior Audree Stokes hit a home run in her first at-bat in Game 3 of the 5A softball championship series on Friday — and felt something in her leg pop as she was rounding the bases.

It was going to take a lot more than a pulled hamstring to keep Stokes out of the biggest game of her life.

Stokes and her teammates recovered from a Game 2 loss and slipped past Box Elder 3-1 on Friday at BYU’s Gail Miller Field to win the school’s third state title and first since going back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.

Stokes’ home run put the Skyhawks on top and they never lost the lead.

“I immediately went to my trainer and I said, ‘I need you to wrap me right now. I have to play this game,'” she said. “So he did. In between innings, I was on my stomach, getting re-wrapped, figuring out how to make the pain be less so I can grind it out and finish the game.”

Jo Norman also had to grind it out on the mound for Salem Hills. After losing just her second game of the season earlier on Friday, Norman came up big in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings of Game 3 when the Bees threatened to pull even or take the lead. In particular, Norman logged three strikeouts in the top of the sixth when Box Elder loaded the bases.

Norman had to put out the fire in the top of the seventh while still nursing the 3-1 lead. Bees leadoff hitter Kailie Hall — who was 7 for 8 at the plate on Friday — smoked a one-out double to bring the tying run to the plate. Norman went to work, getting a pair of ground ball outs and the Skyhawks got to celebrate the championship win.

“Jo has been our everything on the mound this year, and her resilience, her fight, her bulldogness is exactly what we needed on this team,” Salem Hills head coach Kalab Stokes said. “She came out and she said, ‘I’ve got one more,’ and boy, did she. She threw great.”

Norman, who finished the season 25-2 with a 2.22 ERA and 149 strikeouts, said having so much pressure on her to perform can be draining.

“But personally, I love being good,” she added.

Coach Stokes recognized the importance of getting off to a good start against Box Elder ace Kenadie Blackmer after she held the Skyhawks to just two hits in Game 2.

“That lead-off home run was huge by Audree, and it really did set the tone for us,” he said. “Unfortunately, going around the base, she pulled her hamstring, which was a huge blow. That’s our center fielder, one of the fastest kids on the team. We just grinded and we started hitting the ball hard.”

With Salem Hills leading 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Aubree Stokes drew a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Liz Ringger, who stole second base and came home on Samaya Wilson’s single for a 3-1 lead.

“The hardest thing was pulling your own kid to have somebody else run for her,” Coach Stokes said. “She’s telling me ‘No, no, no,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to do it right here.’ And it worked out, we scored that run, which was huge after she drew the walk.

“It was a tough loss for us in Game 2 and my daughter took it to heart. She was the last out with that fly ball to left and she said she just missed it. Before the next game I said, ‘You’re going to face her first, she got you in Game 2. Go set the tone for us.'”

For Salem Hills, the title was redemption after finishing as the runner-up to West Jordan last season.

“We’ve been waiting for this day since a year ago,” Coach Stokes said. “It’s been their focus. The off-season they hit the weight room, they got better. They didn’t want to take second again and that’s been our goal the whole year. It’s just unbelievable what we’ve been able to put together as a team and then to accomplish our goal is just so sweet right now.”

The Skyhawks finished the season with a 32-2 record, the best mark in school history.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Aubree Stokes said. “I love this team so much. This team has my back, I have their back. We would not be anywhere without every single one of the players in the dugout, whether they’re on the field or not, they’re all a part of this team.”

Norman said the Skyhawks wre going to get to ride a fire truck down Salem City proper and the principal was taking them to dinner.

“And,” Norman added with a huge smile, “We got a gold freaking trophy.”