A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On March 17, 1925, the Deseret News released its annual All-State boys basketball team.
And the anticipation of who would make the squad was no doubt great, just as it is today.
For the record, the first team that season consisted of Lund from Dixie High, and Watts from Murray at forwards, Worthington from Nephi at center, and guards Collins from Provo and Blake from Dixie.
No first names, interestingly enough, and the squad include a second team and roll of honor.
Just think, for more than 100 years, the Deseret News sports team has been honoring high school athletes for their performances.
High school football games have been held in Utah since 1898, and in boys basketball since with all-state teams listed on the Deseret News high school sport website since 1929.
High school basketball all-state teams are listed going back to the 1907-08 season.
Since then, the Deseret News has continued to cover high schools like no other, from those early sports to the 25 boys and girls team sports contested each school year. And the Deseret News honors those who excel with all-state team designations.
In its current format, all-state teams are selected in a vote of coaches of teams that compete each season. Additionally, for the past three decades, the Deseret News has selected MVPs and Mr. Basketball and Ms. Basketball honorees (two decades), following the same pattern in other sports as well.
It’s a full-time process, and Deseret News sports editor James Edward — and an honor roll of high school sports writers and correspondents before him — keep churning out the the predictions and previews, the game coverage and the recaps, as well as all the supporting statistics.
You can see it all at Deseret News High School Sports.
Here are a few stories from Deseret News archives about high school sports honors:
Best of class: Here are the 6 schools that won the Deseret News 2023-24 All-Sports awards (with chart)
High school football: Deseret News 2024 Players of the Year were offensive standouts for their teams
From a soggy spring to national rankings, here are 10 of the most interesting prep sports stories of 2023
Sports photos of the year 2024: Through our lenses
Week 26 high school star athletes of the week
Amy Donaldson: One last love letter to high school sports
