Emery High School junior Wade Stilson earned a 3A All-State First Team baseball selection for the 2023 season following a vote from coaches in the classification. Senior Gannon Ward also received recognition with a Second Team nod, it was announced Friday morning.

Stilson’s First Team selection is the second in as many seasons. The honor comes as no surprise after pacing the Spartans with a slash line of .554/.615/.843, leading the team in all three categories. Batting out of the two spot for most of the season, Stilson garnered nine doubles, six triples, one home run and crossed home plate 32 times.

Extra base hits became a normal occurrence for Stilson as he laced five triples, tying for second most in 3A. He also tied for third in doubles as he finished with 10 for the season.
Dominate at the plate throughout the campaign, Stilson also succeeded on the pitcher’s mound. Gathering a record of 5-2 in eight starts, he fanned a team-high 64 batters and finished with a 1.86 ERA. His five wins placed him inside the top 10 among 3A pitchers.

Ward’s All-State Second Team selection comes following an honorable mention during his junior season.

Ward ended his senior campaign as one of the most feared hitters in the 3A classification. Finishing with a .524 batting average, Ward gathered a .574 OBP and slugged .774 over 26 games. Ward brought in a team-best 23 runs. Adding to his stellar offensive season, Ward also swiped a team-high 16 bases.

During the season Ward laced four triples, which placed him in a third-place tie for most in the classification.
Ward was also highly efficient in the field as he racked up a .936 fielding percentage with 43 putouts. As a pitcher he finished 1-1 from a starting role and recorded one save in a relief effort.
The All-State Teams are voted on exclusively by coaches within the classification.